Dogs on the Trail and around the house

Some sad news to report. Ten days ago M was out walking near our cabin in the Sierra and was attacked and bitten rather deeply by a Doberman. The owners were present, and attempted to intervene, but only after my wife received a serious bite on the back of her leg. It was nasty enough to require a trip to the ER and stitches, and obviously caused her some real physical pain. Massive bruising, as well. No--no photos.

But even worse is the concern that attack has instilled in her. She has always been very dog friendly, and this attack has left her fearful enough that she no longer likes to walk around that area. I have bought her an air horn to take on her walks, but the whole incident has left her quite concerned. And taken some of the joy out of her visits to our cabin.

Yes, the owners were negligent (the dog had previous bitten the husband of the family...!) but that doesn't make much difference now. What matters is that my wife is now understandably traumatized by the experience. She met a couple of strange/new dogs yesterday in a shop...and even though they were the biggest softies in the world, it took some courage for her to trust them. 

Please remember this the next time you take your dog on a hike. The people on the trail may have wildly differing experiences, and your best intentions may not be enough to reassure them.