Dog Attack: A Scary Experience

“Just,” as in, I’m still adrenaline-shaky, and she’s still a little withdrawn.  

Millie had enjoyed a morning romp in the store with her buddy Kylie and was heading out the door with Kylie’s person for a potty break. Suddenly – SHREIK, SHREIK-SHREIK-SHREIK! They were the most harrowing noises a little dog could make.

I ran to the door where Kylie’s person was trying to pull Millie away from the attacking dog. Trying, but not succeeding, as the larger dog just outside the door wasn’t letting go. I couldn’t see what was happening, but I recognized the woman at the other end of the leash and realized that her dog was known for being incredibly dog-aggressive. We finally managed to get Millie away from the other dog, and I scooped her up in my arms.

She was wet and hot to the touch. Her eyes were huge. She was shivering, and I was shaking even harder. I stood holding her for a few seconds, trying to calm her before I surveyed her for damage. Incredibly, there wasn’t a drop of blood on her. No broken skin, no broken bones, just a coating of saliva all over her head and neck.

I was stunned. The size of the dog coupled with the grip he had on Millie could’ve done major damage. Though the dog is reportedly a repeat offender, he’s a repeat offender with a very gentle mouth, or in technical terms, good “bite inhibition.”

Bite inhibition is a dog’s ability to control the pressure of his mouth when biting. Typically learned in puppyhood, it’s a skill that can mean the difference between a coating of saliva on fur, as was the case with Millie, or punishing punctures. We lucked out. Millie’s attacker might be vicious, but he’s no killer.

The fight this morning was an incredibly scary experience – has it ever happened to you?