05/10/2026
Over the past few months I've had two incidents of dogs being aggressive to Suki. When I've stepped in (using everything in my power, mostly my voice) to deescalate the situation, (successfully), I have been met both times with aggression from the owners.
I have an innate sense of when mine (and therefore Suki's) boundaries have been crossed. I am unafraid to snap someone out of their phone induced trance while walking a dangerous dog, for everyone's safety.
There is no judgement in my statement ‘put your phone down while walking your dog'
and I understand people receive emergency calls (the reply I was on one occasion given, when the owner was transfixed by their phone screen and didn't notice their dog lunge at Suki).
To which I suggested that they stopped to answer it rather than be completely oblivious to their external surroundings. They were not actually on the phone, but transfixed by their screen.
I also understand that we all make mistakes. What surprises me is the other person's inability to admit their mistake and apologise.
Something I have done in the past with our previous rescue dog when I made a mistake with him, while sleep deprived during the early days after giving birth to Inara.
Luckily for me, the time when I made a mistake, the owner of the other dog stepped in in a similar way to how I have recently had to, and I was able to get Buddy under control and no physical harm was done.
I immediately apologised and expressed my gratitude. After the event I was able to find out where they lived and dropped off a note with an extra apology. This led to a very amiable conversation where the air was completely cleared.
In the entire time of owning a rescue dog with complex behavioural needs, he was bitten but never once did he do the biting. This is because we took responsibility for him. I know I owe this also to the owner that de-escalated the situation for me during that one mistake and even now all these years on, I am still grateful.
So, if you find yourself in a situation where you need to use everything in your power (without putting yourself in harm's way) to protect your dog, do it.
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