It has really been the most sad, dissappointing last two days ever.
Yesterday, we head over the pass as we had to pick up the rest of our stuff to drive it to our apartments. Since it was a 5 hour drive and the dogs didn't get any excercise that morning before we left, and everytime we make the drive we pass this awesome looking park by a lake we decided to stop and let the dogs swim. It was a nice day, but still a little too chilly for people to go swimming so no one was there.
We've never been there so after checking it out, we decided to let the dogs off-leash (it's fenced except the opening where you drive in which they would've had to run at least a half mile over hills and grass to get there) since both dogs wanted to burn some energy and they have good recalls.
Well, we played and let them swim for a good 30-45 minutes, lost two tennis balls in the process lol. Right before we get ready to leave, suddenly a black lab comes charging over a hill at the far end and goes straight for Art. I called Talon, and David called Art immediately. Talon made it back, but Art wasn't even able to turn before the dog was on him.
The dog grabbed him, flipped him, and at that point all I could see was thrashing and Art screaming bloody murder.
Luckily David had a clearer head then me, I held on to Talon scared the dog would go after him next. David ran at the dog and threw a very large stick at it and luckily it ran away. Art is very luckily to be pretty much OK. Nothing requiring a vet at least. Art was about 10 ft away, the dog was just too big and too focused on him, Art was too tired to run fast on the sand. :/
So David got Art, after we did a quick check over of him I ran to catch the owner if they where there. I went up the hill towards the parking lot area, because I figured if the owner had the dog, they could be trying to run away. Guess what? I was right.
I saw this older lady with the lab on a leash and a golden off leash trying to book it out of the park as fast as she could go. I yell to her, saying "excuse me!" "Ma'am" etc but she ignored me. I knew she could hear me as I was yelling and a person that was walking towards the lake ahead of her heard me. I got to her and said excuse me she turned around like she didn't hear me before. Yeah.....OK whatever.
First thing I said was, "Your dog just attacked my 14 lb terrier" and she says "Oh I'm sorry, I try to keep him away from people and dogs because he is so aggressive." Really? Yeah...I know thanks!
While the attack happened I didn't hear this lady try to call the dog at all, she was no where in sight. Then she tries to tell me that she will never come back there again.
I told her "That's great, but though I don't see any wounds on him right now, I need your information in case we find any damage." She looked like she was trying to think of something to say, then started giving me a phone number and luckily her dog, the on that attacked Art, had a collar with their phone number and dog's name embroidered on it in very bold white lettering. The number she started giving me was not the same. ....yup
So I go "oh look, that must be your number on his collar huh?" I took a pic of the collar and dog and lady. Got the number, her name, her dog's name, just in case. Told her that her dog could've killed him, that dog could've hurt someones kid or someone that didn't have a dog it wanted more. The entire time her dog is just staring at me, not in a friendly way.
I left it at that, and Art is fine. Again, no serious injuries at all, we got super lucky. Though he was attacked, it was a nice lake and we had a lot of fun up to that point. Poor Talon, we went to the dog park today and he was a bit weary of the pack of 3 black labs that came over. Luckily they where all friendly.
Then today we took Talon and my sisters dog to a herding thing a place around here does. Everyone I've ever heard from says it's a lot of fun and a really great place to try a herding instince test unnofficially. I meant to go last time I was there, but wasn't able to due to time restrictions. So we went today. I got to say, that is the worst place I have EVER been to!
I was so excited when we got there, we signed up and started watching a dog in the ring. I look around for a moment and start noticing all the prong collars, eh...ok. Not my style but that's ok, not a big deal. I go back to watching the GSD herd. The guy has a PVC pipe, which I knew they'd have, they do need to protect the sheep and guide the dog and sheep, at least that's what I thought it was for.
Suddenly the GSD get's too close to the sheep and the guy pulls the pipe back and slams this dog right on it's back. HARD. This was not a gentle reminder to back off, this was seriously a beating. Then again, right on the head. Then again on the back because the dog didn't run far enough away. Then he throws a bottle full of rocks at the dogs face, and hits him in the head with it. The people on the side lines all start cheering "good shot" "you showed him" "good job, good timing"
Me, my boyfriend, and sister are on the sidelines with our jaws on the floor. REALLY? this was NOT training! This was animal abuse!
I was a bit prepared for some rough styles, I understand needing to protect the livestock, but this was completely uncalled for. Then suddenly their "trainer" was showing a family with a dog with people aggression issues that has bitten someone (we heard them talking) how to "pop" the leash on the new prong collar they just slapped on it. They pretty much where hanging the dog, on a prong collar no less!! Of course all this happened within minutes, we immediately look at each other and find the person to get a refund, but she's not there. We go over to a group with nametags and ask, and she was training with someone so we had to wait.
As we wait someone with a border collie probably a little older than talon has a rock filled canister he throws at the dogs head anytime he whines, or moves, or IDK what it did at one point.
Argh, then the group of "trainers" or employee's, started chatting about how the one "trainer" was with a group of people and someone commented on how inhumane a scruff grab was. So she says "I showed her. When my dog didn't listen to me the first time, I grabbed her fur and pulled her off the ground. Yeah, she tried to grab my arm at one point, but there was only a few scratches so it's all good." WTF seriously? How can this place be "so much fun" and "such a great place" ??? How do they get great reviews!? REALLY??
So finally the lady for the refund comes back and we tell her that we where watching and don't agree with their methods and thought we just needed to head home. I let my sister talk because at this point I couldn't keep a cool head. It was really horrible. The lady keeps telling us how, "well get home and regret not trying" and not "every dog needs the stick" but she couldn't guarantee they wouldn't beat our dog or throw rocks at it. Then how "vets have come out and are completely amazed at the transformations dogs go through here" and how even a positive trainer came out and loved it. Yeah, doub that. Then she says "I just don't want you to leave thinking or saying we are abusing the dogs" We assured her that we didn't think that (even though we very much did) so we could get our refund.
No, we don't regret leaving. I only regret ever going. I don't care who's been there, that is NOT ok. And yes, that is definitely what I'd consider abuse. Hitting dogs with PVC pipe, I don't care if it's thinner than an inch, it whips and a full grown man using as much force as he could, causing his dog to limp out of the ring IS abuse!!!
I am honestly super frustrated and dissappointed at the entire thing. I wanted Talon to herd so bad, I knew he'd enjoy it, but I'm not throwing my dog in a ring just to be bashed on. Period.
ARGH