Samantha was bitten by a doodle at Dewey Romp

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Samantha is ball obsessed. She has never taken a ball from another dog - that's not her way. If a dog gets to her ball first, she will just follow that dog until the ball is dropped by the other dog and then she quietly takes it. She is so anti confrontational about anything, including her ball.

We were playing on the beach yesterday at the Dewey Beach romp. A doodle that we know well (family is not a member here of DK) was playing ball with us.  I will call this doodle Jane (this is not her name). Jane would get to the ball first and bring it back. Samantha would get to the ball first and bring it back. This went on for over an hour. This particular time, Samantha got to the ball first and the other doodle wanted it and decided to go after Samantha. We didn't see what actually happened since it happened so fast. I heard Samantha scream and saw Jane's mouth clamped on Samantha's face and her nose and cheek bleeding. Samantha had a slice under her nostrils and a deep puncture wound on her cheek. It did not pierce through her cheek but I could see the tooth mark on the inside of her cheek. There was no warning to this attack - they have been playing ball together for so long no one ever thought this would happen.

My friend who is a trainer keeps an emergency kit in her truck so we washed it off with bottled water right away. When we got back to the hotel, we washed it with antibiotic wash and put antibiotic ointment on it. She was not happy about us touching her cheek but she was so good about it.

I am telling this story for only one reason - anyone who has a doodle that resource guards a ball, toy, food or their human MUST get professional help to make sure that their doodle never does this to another dog or human. Don't think that it is 'cute' how a dog 'protects' their ball, etc. It is not cute, it could be dangerous to another dog, child, human and in the end, to your doodle.

If Jane was going to go after a dog it's a good thing that it was to a dog that her DM knows. I know that this is a good DM. If Jane attacked a dog that was not a friend of her DMs it might have not been such good outcome for Jane. .

Samantha will probably have our vet check her out. I am keeping an eye on her wound but it seems to be healing with my washing it and the antibiotic ointment. Not sure what else the vet could do but stress her and shave her face. If it continues to heal without any signs of infection then I will not add to her stress. Only time will tell.

[Melissa & Porter]

Adrianne,

Do you know any trainers in our area?

Oooh, playdate!  I can take a 30-40 min break pretty much any day 9-2.  Let me know what might work for you.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Marissa tossed the ball out the door and Mickey got to it first. They have grown up with each other. Mickey has been here except for 4 weeks since Thanksgiving. Samantha won't take the ball from him. She just stands over him waiting for him to leave it and Mickey, the stinker, just lays there and squeaks the poop of the ball to tease her. and Samantha just waits patiently. I just love that girl's heart!

[Ginny Nightingale]

Thanks for sharing this! I hope your dog is feeling better--you have certainly done the right treatments and i bet she heals fast. What a sweetie she is!

I have a 4 month old pup here with his mom and "aunt" (both LDs)  and he is turning out to have a temper when he gets something and they come over to sniff it. I am working on this, since I don't ever have fights with my adult doodles and don't want his attitude to become nasty. Every once in a while, I hear him get growly with them and the toy he is guarding is then taken away. He is rewarded for giving it to me--and then he just goes his merry way. So, i am hoping he starts to get it that in this house, we don't growl and snarl. It is starting to occur less and less. 

At our dog park, there are only a few dogs interested in balls--if one is ball-obsessed, the people don't play ball with the dog at the park unless it is empty. it is just too dangerous. It is also good to have a LOT of balls and throw more than one at time.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

This is typical Samantha when someone has the ball she wants.

 

And just to lighten up the mood, this is Charli when she is being ignored by Samantha. See the humpty dance has nothing to do with anything sexual - WOL!! Samantha just stands there and then will look at me to say "Mom, will you get this nudge off of me".

Notice that Mickey still has the ball in his mouth? He is just teasing Samantha. We call him a 'pooper doodle'

 

[Clifford, Cloud, Jake..and Kim]

And what Mickey hears is "Super Doodle!" and thinks he is a wonderdog for hanging on to the ball Samantha wants.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I am sure he does!!

We really call him "f-erdoodle' when he is acting like that! He really is being such a brat and it is so darn cute you just can't help but laugh but of course that encourages that behavior. Bad DM!!! Guess I need a time out.

[Lee Seidman]

So sorry that Samantha was hurt. We forget that our furkids are dogs and that they can be unpredictable. We are praying that Samantha has a speedy recovery and was not hurt badly.

Lee and Barb,  Lexi and Billy

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Lee - you know Samantha - she is a trooper. She is fine, wound is healing and it hasn't hurt her personality in any way. Can't ask for more from her.  Thanks!!!

[Pat and Traveler]

So sorry this happened to Samantha, and so glad to hear she seems to be healing well and without issues and playing with dogs again.  I had a strange happening a few months ago.  Trav has played since he was a little pup with my daughter's mastiff/pit mix.  For a few months they were together on weekends and we were alert for problems because Gren was so much larger and older than Trav--pups can be annoying to older dogs!  There weren't any problems and we'd gotten pretty comfortable with the dogs playing okay together.  But one day when they were running through the house Gren stepped on Trav's foot and he started yelping and crying.  We all ran to him and just as we were gathered around, leaning over, Gren tried to attack him.  It didn't look at all playful, and just seemed to happen out of the blue.  Fortunately, my son-in-law grabbed him before he actually got to Trav.  I'm not sure what the attack trigger was for Gren--maybe the crying or the sudden movements by the people or that everybody suddened charged toward the pup, but it was a shock for all of us.  The two dogs have played together often since then, with strict supervision for a long time, but we're back to being comfortable, especially since Trav is bigger and older now.  All the same, I don't know how this situation would have turned out if SIL hadn't been able to grab Gren before he reached his goal. 

[Adrianne Matzkin]

maybe Gren was thinking he needed to protect Trav from some unseen beast that was going to hurt him - WOL!!

You learned the lesson that I am trying to make sure that we all do - never be complacent when it comes to our doodles. We must always watch when they are playing with another dog - even a sibling. Because you just don't know.

[Carol and Banjo]

Hope Samantha heals quickly - sending hugs!      It's great that someone had the foresight to carry an emergency kit....honestly, I'd never have thought to do that.

[Rose]

Sorry to hear about Samantha. I hope she heals quickly!