My Dad was out walking his 11 year old lab mix on Friday, when another dog attacked Ben. Ben was walking alongside my Dad when along came a man with his Great Dane. He was on a retractable leash and before he knew it, the dog had bounded over and sunk his teeth into Ben. My dad pulled the dog off while the bloke just stood there. My Dad said a few choice words to the man, all he could say was he had the dog on a lead... yeah great, a 10ft retractable lead! Any way Ben went to the vets with blood pouring out and was shaved, given pain killers and antibiotics, he has 3 big wounds on his neck. My Dad is in his sixties and was really shook up about it. He knows he shouldn't have pulled the other dog off but said instinct took over. He loves his dog and couldn't stand by and watch this dog try to kill him!

Any way, my mum phoned this morning and said she is worried about my dad. Apparently he had a funny turn yesterday, his eyesight went funny and he got all confused when watching the news, said he didn't know who David Beckham was... and my dad is a major football fan! He went to bed and then felt alright again, said he remembered who Becks was when he woke up. Personally I think he may have had a minor stroke, my mum is making him go to the doctors today. All the stress from Ben being attacked has gotten to him. This is such a horrible thing to have happened and I'm so worried about Ben and my dad. Both are getting on in years and I just hope they both get over it. It's a lesson to be learned...

I am so sorry about what happened to your father, i have a Great Dane and i show the upmost respect for other walkers. She is always on a halti/lead whenever we pass by walkers or dog walkers as they do look frightening to some people (the size).
My dog is 9stone now at nearly 10months so i dread to think what weight that dane was that your father pulled off.
Some stoopid owners like large imposing dogs to act/look dangerous and that in itself is a dangerous thing.

Best wishes to your mother and father.
Sarah.

Your poor Dad & Ben, it's not surprising they're both shook up over this.
JMO, but retractable leads should be banned. People seem to have that idea that so long as their dogs are on one of these things, that they're under control....yeah right! 9 x out of 10 the people I meet with these things have dogs that are far from being under control, sorry, they have to be one of my biggest peeves! <grrrr>

Hoping that your Dad and Ben recover fully & soon from their ordeal :)

I agree...its hard enough to control a dane on a short leash - never mind when they have had a run up.

Unlike a dane to cause so much damage though, they are usually very soft mouthed. However, danes do tend to get picked on by much smaller dogs, and it does make them very wary. Willis (dane) got attacked by a collie cross and he did nothing, he was on the lead and was next to me and this "thing" ran up and went beserk - worth pointing out that every collie we have ever met has hated Willis. Therefore dane owners have to be much more careful.

That's awful !! Your poor dad and Ben.
I hope they get over this very soon, and that your dad is ok.
Best wishes to you all

Thanks for all your kind words. Got an update on Ben this morning, he is a lot better, the wounds are heeling nicely and he has been pretty much back to his old self. My Dad said he has met a few other dogs on his walks and has been fine with them, so I'm glad that it hasn't made him nervous and scared of other dogs.

My Dad seems a lot happier too. He is laughing off the David Beckham incident saying that he had nodded off and woke from a sleep in a bit of a daze. I'm hoping that's all it was but I've been nagging him to go to the doctors any way, which he said he will.

I was suprised too when he said it was a Great Dane, such friendly dogs, but I am pretty convinced it must have a history of agression because he just went for Ben in a split second. I hope the owner realises he did not have proper control over him with that stupid retractable lead and that it doesn't happen again. I know it's hard to say because I wasn't actually there and don't know about the dogs past, but I know if my dog did something like that I would take no future chances and put a muzzle on her. (Not that she would... daft, friendly lab!)

Thanks again for your kind words, I was quite upset yesterday and just wanted to talk about it, thanks for listening!

I'm glad your father is doing ok Hey!! we all have those senior moments (and i'm only 29) :D
I expect he'd had a hard day, full of stress, tired, and couldn't think straight.

Thankfully we have boards like these to get advice but some people when their dog starts to show aggression just don't bother :(

Regards to Your father & Ben

Glad to hear that Joules.
And that's what 'Net friends' are for....to hear each other, and help each other. Well, that's what I think,anyway. :)
Take care