Nearly Throttled By My Own Scarf

[Smowball]

I do dog walking/pet sitting as well as my main job and a lady rang me and said would I like to walk her dog twice a week. I said I'd need to take him out for a trial walk (having learned the hard way before). So I go and meet this very energetic little black bulldog. Off we go to the park - so far so good. He's happily sniffing twigs and grass etc. Then out of nowhere he leaps up and grabs the ends of my scarf, which I had in a loop around my neck. He starts pulling really hard and backing away from me - just like when dogs play with those long rope toys. The scarf is getting tighter and tighter and he's still pulling. I can't even get my hand underneath to loosen it. I'm starting to panic now as there's nobody in sight to help me. Am now having visions of being strangled by my own scarf when thank god he lets go of one of the ends and i manage to untangle myself. Heart thumping out of my chest I get the dog back to its owner. Did it go well she says? Erm, not quite........safe to say I won't be taking this dog on. Have bright red mark all around neck. And it's only Monday.....

[Dinapal]

What's your name, Isadora Duncan? :-)

[murraymints]

what a headline that would have been

[Islay]

You actually don't seem to have a lot of control over dogs - are you sure you should be dog walking?

[kawanabe]

Stop the Press!

[murraymints]

that's unfair Islay....it was an unexpected act by an over enrgetic bouncy wee dog !

[Smowball]

I've walked tons of dogs but twice now I've had dogs that I later find out have had several dog walkers who have refused to walk them again. Lady then said when I told what had happened that she'd booked the dog into doggy day care for two days a week and after just one hour she was called and told to come and pick him up. Think I'll stick to cats!

[Patsy33]

Aww, that must have been extremely frightening for you. Have a brandy and lie down......

[Islay]

Fine Murray tell you what why don't you tell me what I'm allowed to say!!

[Khandro]

Poor you, and it could have got even nastier; if you had kicked him he could have gone for you and not the scarf.
Incidentally, was he trying to pull you back in the direction from which you came?

[murraymints]

no need for aggression Islay..you were just rather harsh in your uninformed comment that smow had problems controlling dogs

[Berniecuddles2]

calm down islay youre supposed to be relaxing xx

[Smowball]

It's all ok- I'm not offended. No he was pulling further into the park.

[Islay]

That's your opinion in mine she has issues controlling dogs and from what I have read on here I would not let her walk mine. Sorry smow but I believe in honesty!

[Mamyalynne]

If he was a young dog, you've answered your own question - he did see it as an invitation to a tug o war.

He'd likely be fine without any teasing scarf ends to go for, it's just like wearing a nice necklace when you have babes in arms - never a good move.

[Mamyalynne]

Thread derailed, here we go - sigh.

[Berniecuddles2]

what wonderful people on here!!

[Smowball]

I don't think there was anything I could have done to avoid it. He was happily walking and then decided in a split second to play tug of war as Mamya says with the scarf, and it just kept tightening.

[Dazzleflash]

Why didn't you just grab the scarf half way along, then slacken it off? I know its easy to see this after the event. I would not let that incident put you off trying again with the dog, unless it had other bad behaviour you are not prepared to put up with.