I’m equally allergic to dogs.
Which is a massive crime so I have three dogs anyway. Small husky types.
Like Klee Kai's?
Would love to see pic(s) of them!
It was the worst 35 seconds of my life
if my neighbor didn’t catch it on their driveway camera I would’ve sworn the entire thing lasted at least five minutes. Her head practically vanished in the attacker dogs mouth.
Urgh, it's horrifying! I would feel compelled to watch the video to try to process what happened, try to figure out a way to stop it. But at the same time, it's horrible to see any dog being attacked, and worse when it's your own baby! They're family members. Part of me wishes I was there, that maybe I could have stopped it. But my dad was just walking down the street, Jack on the lead plodding along with him on their usual morning routine to fetch his paper from the local shop up the road, then go to the park and walk the dog, who was 10/11 when this happened in 2017. So dad was also 78. Senior man walking the most submissive, non-aggressive Spaniel on lead on the pavement.
Someone opened the door and their very dog aggressive shot out of their uncontained yard, ran straight for my dad and Jack, and went straight for a killing bite. Couldn't have avoided it, it happened so fast. Fortunately neighbours saw and stepped in to help my dad and Jack and try to get this dog off of Jack. Apparently it took a long time, because it had a solid grip and was only clamping down harder while four men including my dad did everything they could to stop it, and very distressed by our dogs panicked and pained screams.
But they eventually did, and I'm sorta glad there's no video of it. A neighbour drove my dad and Jack to our house, dad and I rushed him to the vet. His injuries were no where near as severe as your poor pups. But it did tear his shoulder muscle badly and caused a lot of bleeding and soft tissue damage. Thankfully he was insured. He only had to spend the day there while they cleaned, stitched what had to be stitched, put him on a drip and monitored him for a while.
Because as I'm sure you know now, the risk of infection is high, wounds need to heal from the inside out when there are those deep puncture wounds from the teeth, and can't just stitch them closed and risk trapping nasty germs in there and causing an infection. Because it was his chest, damage to the shoulder muscles and where the bite was, couldn't really bandage it up, although the vet and we tried to for a while to keep it clean. He didn't usually wear clothes, we got some kids T-shirts to protect the damaged area from dirt and infection, but he did have to go back in for another cleaning and more antibiotics when it did get infected.
Had to try to restrict his movement and encourage him to rest, since jumping about and running through mud and hedges in mucky February British weather is brilliant fun to Spaniels, but not good for healing a torn muscle and puncture wounds! Since he was already a senior and was having gentle strolls 2-3 times per day before, he was a bit frustrated at first, since he'd get so excited for their routine walks, and upset about being left behind and not able to go for a few days, and then the very limited gradually increased strolls as he recovered.
But he was spoiled and loved on, and apart from having to return for infection and another deep clean/trimming of dead tissue, he made a full physical recovery. He was very distressed for the first few days, didn't really seem to understand what had happened. We were more worried about unknown dogs and potential dog on dog attacks than he was. As he felt better he returned pretty much to normal, was fine with all the dogs he knew from regular neighbour dog walking friends, only showing some apprehension if a dog charged at him, even if it was a friendly but too enthusiastic lab. Might have reminded him, and to be fair, most dogs would be apprehensive about a charging dog. I'm sure my own nerves and anxiety transferred straight down the lead to both him and my own Spaniel/Collie cross. You know how they read our moods and reactions I'm sure! Tried to be confident, cool "leader", but it isn't easy after something like that.
He was a sweetie, didn't become reactive or anything. He lived to 15 and passed because of a brain tumour five years later, so unrelated to the attack. But I'd naturally talked to the vet a lot when taking him in and collecting him, and she mentioned that when she operated, she could see that if the dog had moved it's bite, or released and bitten again, he was very close to hitting an artery. Lots of veins and arteries in that area since it's close to the heart, and that stuck in my head and haunts me, that the bite was so close to one that would have killed him within 2-3 minutes, and the dog was so aggressive towards other dogs, but the people who had him knew he was dog aggressive, but didn't take steps to muzzle train him for walks (basket muzzles let the dog pant, drink etc and are needed for aggressive dogs in public. Greyhound owners use them often since ex-racing dogs could easily catch and kill smaller furries like cats), or keep him safely contained, when they lived right by a park and there are so many dogs in the neighbourhood. Just so irresponsible.
It’s just so terrifying how everything can be so normal and then it’s just suddenly not be.
Was your spaniel okay? How did they recover? That sounds like a horrible recovery
And honestly— I don’t think Ellie even remembers the attack. She hasn’t had a personality change, while my other two dogs who witnessed it basically had all of their socialization undone in an instant. It’s been rough trying to retrain them.
Since a lot of this is graphic and distressing, but important for dog owners to work through and process! Just want to say I'm happy to talk if you pm me and want to debrief/process, or talk above details about attacks, how to try to avoid and prevent them, how to handle it if it does happen! I read up a lot about it, because other neighbours have experienced dog on dog attacks too. I was talking to one friend when a dog charged towards us aggressively, and my friend instantly grabbed her labradoodle and put him over a fence into a "no dogs allowed" children's play area. I was so impressed with her quick thinking, because the dog was still aggressive and frustrated it couldn't get at her dog through the fence.
I carry a few items in my dog walking bag. Along with poop bags, treats, a pot of pepper, is a thin leather spare dog lead, and a slip on lead. Useful if you find an escaped or stray dog. But can also be used to choke a dog that is attacking so it's forced to release its bite in order to breathe. Don't like the idea of hurting a dog, but I'm always going to protect my own dogs first. I also think it's the fasted and most effective method to stop the attack and then have the dog contained once it's released the bite, can pop the slip collar on and secure the dog to a fence/tree/whatever. Obviously I'd release the tightness of the choking once the dog releases, not aiming to kill the dog. Just to stop the attack and contain the aggressive dog for animal control/dog warden/police to deal with and it can't just run off and other dogs. Or a child.
There is a risk of getting bitten... but that's always a risk with dogs, and a dog that has it's windpipe choked is going to have to stop in order to breathe, and gives time to contain it and get your own pet to the vet. Fire extinguishers are also good for scaring a dog that's charging or attacking. The loud noise and cloud of powder usually makes them stop, a lot of animal control people and police use them, and have seen a video of a Pitbull charging in, full attack mode, then turn tail and run away, instantly freaked and changed his mind after a short blast from the fire extinguisher in his direction! Not very practical to have to lug one of those big ones around on every walk.
I wonder if one of those mini ones for home kitchens would be as effective. Worth investigating!
since I couldn't imagine not having them! 
