Sometimes, despite doing everything you can, things still go wrong. Here’s what happened to us, what I learned, and how you can help your own dog if you ever find yourself in the same situation.
Today, something happened that every dog owner hopes they’ll never experience.
My dog was attacked by another dog.
Thankfully, all four of my dogs appear to be physically unharmed, but as both a dog owner and a dog trainer, the incident has stayed with me. Not because I want sympathy, but because it reinforced something I talk about regularly in classes: training is only one piece of the puzzle. Good management and responsible ownership are just as important.
I wanted to share what happened because, if it helps even one owner think differently about keeping dogs safe or supporting their dog after a frightening experience, then something positive can come from what was a very difficult day.
It Started Like Any Other Walk
I’d been out enjoying a lovely walk with all four of my dogs. As we made our way back towards the car park, we approached a narrow footbridge.
It’s one of those places where there isn’t much room to pass comfortably, so I always put my dogs back on lead before we get there. It’s become part of our routine because narrow spaces can make some dogs feel uncomfortable, and good management often prevents problems before they even start.
As we got closer, I could hear voices on the bridge, although I couldn’t yet see who was there. Rather than continue, I decided to wait.
When I could finally see, it was a young child, probably around six years old, walking a dog on a flexi lead.
Instead of trying to squeeze past, I calmly turned and walked away to give them plenty of space.
I genuinely believed we’d avoided any potential issue.
Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Everything Changed in Seconds
Without warning, the dog charged towards us.
The flexi lead flew out of the child’s hand and the dog came straight towards mine.
There wasn’t time to think.
Instinct took over. I immediately stepped between the oncoming dog and my own dogs, trying to create as much of a barrier as I possibly could.
Gem, my nine-year-old Collie Cross, became the focus of the dog’s attention. As she desperately tried to move away, she became tangled in the trailing flexi lead, making it even harder for her to escape.
Drift, still young and learning about the world, was understandably frightened. She barked and snapped in an attempt to protect herself, while my priority became keeping my other three dogs behind me and preventing the situation from escalating further.
It probably lasted less than a minute.
At the time, it felt much longer.
Eventually, the owner arrived. It was clear he was struggling to regain control of his dog and had to physically remove it from the situation.
Once everyone was safely apart, I checked each of my dogs over carefully.
Thankfully, I couldn’t find any injuries.
I know many people reading this may be wondering why I didn’t intervene differently or try to separate the dogs another way. The reality is that when something like this happens, everything unfolds in seconds. Your priority has to be keeping yourself and your own dogs as safe as possible. Afterwards, it’s very easy to replay those moments in your mind, wondering if there was something more you could have done.
We Can Only Control Our Own Dogs
One of the biggest lessons this experience reinforced is that even the best training can’t control another person’s dog.
Before anything happened, I’d already made several decisions to reduce the risk. My dogs were back on lead before the narrow bridge. I chose not to cross when I heard someone approaching. I deliberately turned away and increased the distance between us.
These are all examples of good management.
Management isn’t admitting your dog has a problem. It’s making sensible choices to avoid situations becoming difficult in the first place.
Unfortunately, we can only ever make decisions for ourselves and our own dogs.
We can’t predict what another dog will do or whether another owner is able to maintain control.
That doesn’t mean our own training or management has failed. It simply reminds us that some situations are outside our control.
Sometimes the Emotional Scars Are Harder to See
Although my dogs appeared physically unharmed, my biggest concern didn’t end there.
As a trainer, I know that frightening experiences can leave emotional scars.
Many owners tell me their dog was happy and sociable until one bad experience changed everything. Afterwards, they became worried around unfamiliar dogs, barked on walks or seemed constantly on edge.
One negative encounter can be enough to change how a dog feels about the world.
That’s why I’ll be watching all four of mine over the coming weeks.
I’ll be looking for subtle signs like hesitation around unfamiliar dogs, increased vigilance, changes in body language, reluctance to walk in places they previously loved, or becoming more reactive than they were before.
Hopefully, none of those things will happen.
But emotional wellbeing deserves just as much attention as physical health.
Helping Your Dog Recover After a Frightening Experience
If your dog is ever involved in a frightening incident, remember that recovery isn’t just about checking for cuts and bruises.
Your dog may need time to process what has happened.
For the next few days, choose quieter walking routes and allow plenty of opportunities to sniff and decompress. Don’t feel pressured to head straight back to busy parks or encourage interactions with unfamiliar dogs because you think they need to “get over it.”
Confidence isn’t rebuilt by throwing dogs back into situations they’re worried about.
It’s rebuilt through calm, positive experiences where they feel safe and supported.
If you notice changes in your dog’s behaviour that don’t improve, seek help early. Addressing concerns while they’re still small is often much easier than trying to change well-established fears later.
Children, Dogs and Responsibility
Another part of this incident has stayed with me.
The young child wasn’t at fault.
He simply wasn’t physically able to manage the situation when things went wrong.
Children can absolutely have wonderful relationships with dogs and enjoy helping with training under supervision.
But when we’re out in public, responsibility for handling a dog should rest with an adult who is physically capable of keeping everyone safe if the unexpected happens.
Dogs don’t plan to get into trouble.
Sometimes life simply happens.
And when it does, someone needs to be able to step in immediately.
Equipment Doesn’t Replace Good Judgement
This experience also reminded me that no piece of equipment is inherently good or bad.
Whether it’s a flexi lead, a long line, a harness or a standard lead, they’re simply tools.
The important question is whether they’re being used in the right situation by someone who can manage them safely.
No lead can replace good judgement.
No piece of equipment can replace training.
And neither can replace responsible ownership.
A Personal Reflection
As I loaded my four dogs back into the car, I found myself replaying those few seconds over and over again.
Like so many owners after an incident, I couldn’t help wondering if there was anything else I could have done.
The truth is, I’d already made the decisions I hope all dog owners would make. I’d put my dogs back on lead before the narrow bridge, I’d chosen not to pass another dog in a confined space, and I’d walked away to give them even more room.
Sometimes, despite making sensible decisions, things still happen.
What I’m most grateful for is that my dogs appear to have escaped without physical injury. But over the coming days and weeks, I’ll still be watching them closely because I know that emotional recovery can take longer than physical healing.
This experience has reinforced something I say often in my classes: training isn’t just about teaching cues. It’s about learning to read situations, making thoughtful decisions and setting our dogs up for success wherever we can.
We can’t control every dog we meet or every choice another owner makes.
What we can control is how we prepare, how we respond and how we help our dogs recover afterwards.
If this blog encourages even one person to pause before entering a narrow space, to think twice about whether their dog is ready for a particular situation, or to understand why management is just as important as training, then sharing what happened will have been worthwhile.
After all, every walk should end with happy memories, not lessons learned the hard way.
We’d Love to Hear From You
Have you and your dog ever experienced a frightening encounter on a walk?
How did your dog cope afterwards, and what helped rebuild their confidence?
Share your experiences in the comments below. By learning from one another, we can all help make walks safer and more enjoyable for every dog.