CINCO RANCH, Texas — James Stone was doing what he does every morning -- walking his dog -- when he and his dog Bandit were approached by two pit bulls.
"I was almost home," Stone said.
A neighbor's surveillance cameras caught the incident on video. The two dogs charged and attacked Bandit -- and Stone stepped in.
"I thought for sure they were going to kill him, and so my instinct was to protect the dog," he said.
The attack lasted about a minute before Stone's 17-year-old daughter, Ava, heard the screams.
"Seeing your dad and your dog, who you had for your whole life, just on the floor screaming, is absolutely terrifying," Ava said.
She ran outside to help and even pulled one of the dogs off her father.
"Without her, I don't know what would have happened," Stone said.
Later that day, animal control picked up the two pit bulls, which were still roaming loose in the neighborhood.
Stone was left with a bruised rib along with several scratches and bites.
"I got more defensive wounds," he said.
Bandit got it worse.
"They got him pretty good," he said. "They were trying to get his neck."
Both are now recovering from their injuries.
"I can't get it out of my mind," Stone said.
The attack left a lasting impression on the father and daughter.
"How are we going to walk the dogs? Because I know I would be scared to and I can't imagine my dad," Ava said.
Dog experts said you can carry things with you to help prevent an attack.
- Carry a whistle -- dogs tend to not like loud noises
- Carry treats -- you can throw them as a distraction
- Bring a spray bottle -- spraying water could get the dog to back off
- Use loud, firm commands -- like "stop," "no" and "back"
For Stone, it's something he will continue thinking about.
"I will never walk my dog again without some sort of defensive, you know, whether it's (pepper spray) or a Taser or something," he said.
From now on, though, his morning walks won't be the same.
How to prevent an attack
Stacy Sibel, with Red Dog K9 obedience, behavior modification and sport dog training, provided these tips to help deter a dog from attacking.
- Pepper gel spray or pepper balls
- Compressed air horn deterrent
- Taser
- Don’t run or panic
- Be stern and yell, “No”
- You can also take an extra leash that can be waved around to attempt to scare off the dog
If none of these work and the aggressive dog continues and gets ahold of your dog, do not panic. The worst thing people do is panic and start trying to pull them apart. You will cause far more damage and only make things worse. It’s unlikely any of the deterrents will work at this point, with the Taser being the exception. However, if a Taser is unavailable, then the best course of action is to cut off the attacking dog's air supply. A dog that cannot breathe will let go.
The Humane Society of the United States said to look out for some signs of aggressiveness in dogs. In general, they said, look for signs that your pup is becoming hyper-aware of another dog’s presence:
- Growling
- Ears pointed backward
- Lip-licking
- A sudden and obvious stiffness in the body
- Hyper-fixation on an object, dog or human
- Increased attentiveness to other dogs
The main safety tip, if someone does come in contact with an aggressive or unknown dog, is not to approach or touch the animal. Mostly because we do not know the history of the dog. Also, do not run or turn your back.
For pets with aggressive animals, the HSUS recommends using positive reinforcement training. Click here for more information.