Why my dog is nervous: An appeal for responsible dog ownership in my neighborhood.

For six years, my English Cocker with a wiggly-butt was eager and happy to greet your dog on the street and offer to play – paws down, bottom up, hop around. We went to doggie play-dates, and doggie romps with our under 30-pound friends. For six years we walked through the same neighborhood streets, and greeted the mailman (biscuit-man) and anyone else that I said “Hello!” to (“Hello” is her permission-to-greet-others word). She licked many children when they asked to pet her and she danced around their legs with her wiggly-butt. And then in the last two years, my dog has been assaulted. Six times.

First, a Pug burst through a screen door and tackled her hard into the street. Then a black retriever mix went right through his “invisible fence” and tackled her hard onto the sidewalk. A large white Husky walking unleashed, crossed the street and ran 40 yards to come knock her down and growl while standing over her.  As he approached I yelled to the owner he was walking with, “Please recall your dog!,“ but she couldn’t. A fat black lab burst through some bushes and landed on her back, pinning her to the ground. A mixed breed jogged right out of his yard through the gate left open in the fence that normally holds him back, and tackled her hard onto the sidewalk. Most recently, it was two dogs on long leads walking well ahead of their owner who turned the corner before the owner did and surprised us. They both jumped on her before I could pull her away.

My dog would still like to greet you if you are a human, but she is skittish and waits for you to say “Hello.” She has become reserved with children who ask to greet her. With other dogs, she is now clearly nervous and fearful and initiates an aggressive bark and stance when they approach. We have stopped going to the doggie romps, and no longer have play-dates with our former doggie friends. As we approach places where other dogs are around, or the places she was attacked, she becomes nervous and worried. She has stopped playing Frisbee with me outside. That used to be our favorite game. Her one continued joy is the mailman, whom she greets with a wiggly-butt and, whether or not she gets a biscuit when we meet him on our lunchtime walk, she is glad to give him a lick and brighten his routine.

I wish my dog could greet your dog and that they might be able to play. But someone else’s dogs have scarred my dog. She is not the dog she was. I am trying to help her recover some dignity and joy. I love dogs, and I wish we could stop and chat about your dog. But we’ll keep walking by instead, working on helping my dog regain some confidence to be out and about.

Please help encourage all dog owners to understand their responsibilities to their dog and to others. September is the American Kennel Club’s Responsible Dog Ownership Month.