Having a pregnant dog welcome a new litter into the world is one of the  greatest things a dog owner can experience.

If you are ready to experience all the joys of doggy pregnancy, you may be wondering: can dogs be too old to get pregnant, and how old can dogs still have puppies? 

I was very surprised to discover that dogs are never too old to have puppies! Yup, you read that right—in fact, there is no such thing as doggy menopause, and female dogs go into heat during their whole lives.

However, although dogs are naturally capable of breeding and having puppies well into their senior years, that doesn’t mean that they should.

Pregnancy can be tough even for young dogs that are in their prime, but older dogs are at a much higher risk of health problems and stillborn puppies. 

Whether you want a new puppy or you are a breeder thinking about retiring your dogs, it is important to consider the ages of your male and female dogs before breeding them! In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about responsible breeding and dog fertility.

What Is The Oldest Age At Which A Dog Can Have Puppies?

Before I go any further into the topic of when is a dog too old to have puppies, let’s touch on the subject of when is a dog considered to be a senior in need of special care. Knowing that your pooch is an elderly citizen will help you determine whether it is safe and appropriate for your dog to get pregnant in the first place. 

Most dogs enter their senior years when they are around seven years old; however, the aging process is slightly different for small and large breed dogs. A tiny Chihuahua, for example, is considered a senior when they reach 11 years of age. On the other hand, a giant breed such as a Great Dane is considered a senior by the time they are five years old. 

The aging difference between smaller and larger breeds is mainly due to their size. Several studies have confirmed that larger breeds tend to age much faster than their smaller counterparts. 

Therefore, how old is too old for a dog to have puppies is directly related to the size of that particular dog. Unlike people, female and male dogs technically remain fertile their whole lives. However, their fertility and ability to whelp healthy puppies decrease as they get older. 

Let’s see at what age dogs can have puppies, starting with male dogs.

What Is The Oldest Age A Male Dog Can Sire Puppies?

A healthy male dog can still sire puppies until very old age. In fact, most professional breeders will retire male dogs much later than their females. According to AKC rules, you can register a litter of puppies sired by a male dog that was no more than 12 years old at the time of mating.

In practice, most reputable breeders will retire their male dogs when they are between 10 and 12 years old.

However, just because a male dog is over 12 doesn’t mean that he is incapable of siring puppies. Older male dogs are still capable of impregnating females, but they aren’t as fertile as they once were and may need more tries to get a female dog pregnant. 

Age is just one of several factors that affect the ability of a male dog to sire puppies. The age at which a male dog can have puppies also depends on the quality and quantity of its sperm. 

So, many professional breeders will check the sperm count of their male dogs regularly, at least once a month, to see if they are still capable of siring litters. 

Additionally, breeders will check many other things to determine whether their male dogs are too old for breeding and ready to be retired. Low conception rate is another sign that a dog is getting too old to sire puppies regularly. 

This means that a male dog fails to get a female dog pregnant during ideal conditions: one mating per day and a completely healthy female. 

Furthermore, a breeder may decide that the male dog is too old to sire puppies if their partner continually produces smaller litters, or if the puppies are weak and sick. 

What Is The Oldest Age A Female Dog Can Have Puppies?

You may be surprised to learn that female dogs don’t go through menopause and can technically get pregnant throughout their whole lives. This can come as a big shock, especially if you thought that it’s safe for your older female pooch to go off-leash and hang out with other dogs in the park.

According to the AKC rules, a dam must not be more than 12 years of age at the time of mating, if you want to register the litter. However, a lot of breed clubs, including the UK Kennel Club, set eight years as a maximum limit for breeding female dogs.

When it comes to nature’s order, female dogs can still get pregnant even if they are older than 12 and remain fertile their whole lives. However, at this grand age most female dogs have birthing difficulties and serious complications are often seen during labor. 

When they become pregnant, older female dogs may have trouble giving birth, and seeing stillborn puppies in a litter is unfortunately quite common. Additionally, older dogs may have trouble producing enough milk to nurse their puppies, who often die if not bottle-fed by their human caregivers. 

Due to all these risks and complications, most reputable breeders decide to retire their dams when they are around five or six years old. To determine whether or not to retire a female dog from a breeding program, the breeders consider the same factors as for male dogs.

The breeder will compare conception rates, litter sizes, the dam’s health, complications during delivery, and the time needed for recovery. Taking all of these criteria into account can give you a good idea of whether it is safe to continue breeding your female dog or not.

Our Golden Retriever, Raven was a breeding dog. She was retired by her breeder when she was 6 years old at which time we officially adopted her.

If you own a female dog, the most important thing to remember is that she can get pregnant at any time during her life. Although older dogs are less fertile than their younger counterparts, there is still a risk of unwanted pregnancy. 

So, you will have to watch your pooch and prevent any unwanted mating or opt to have her spayed if her age and overall health don’t pose any risk for the procedure. Now that you know that dogs can become pregnant their entire lives, talk with your vet about the best ways to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

At What Age Can Dogs Start To Have Puppies?

If the fact that dogs can have puppies throughout their lives caught you off guard, you’ll be even more surprised to learn that most dogs reach sexual maturity while they are still puppies. You read that right: Your cute, fluffy puppy can have puppies of its own! 

Once they reach sexual maturity, male dogs can mate at any time, even every day! Females, on the other hand, can mate only when they are in heat, which usually happens twice a year. However, some dogs can go into heat up to four times a year, while others will be ready to mate once a year, depending on their size and breed. 

Here’s the earliest age a dog can have puppies, starting with male dogs again.

At What Age Do Male Dogs Become Sexually Mature?

Male dogs generally become fertile earlier than their female counterparts, usually when they are around five or six months old. Toy and small breeds such as Chihuahuas become sexually mature earlier than large breeds. which become fertile when they are between seven and nine months old. 

However, while they are technically able to impregnate a female dog, you shouldn’t allow males to mate until they are physically mature. In most cases, you should wait until your dog is at least one year old to mate him with a female.

Keep in mind that large and giant breeds need more time to fully grow, so you should wait until your pooch is 18 to 24 months old to breed him for the first time. 

We’ve purchased from Labrador and Golden Retriever breeders. The breeders we’ve worked with wait until their dogs are around 2 years old and passed all their health clearances before breeding them.

If you decide to use your male dog for siring litters, you will first have to ensure that he is completely healthy and fertile. Your vet can help with that and provide health clearances that your dog is a qualified stud dog ready for breeding. 

Once a male dog reaches sexual maturity, he remains fertile his entire life. However, their sperm count tends to be low during the beginning and the end of their reproductive cycle. That’s why it’s important to wait until your puppy becomes fully grown before first breeding and avoid breeding dogs that are too old.

At What Age Do Female Dogs Become Sexually Mature?

Unlike male dogs, who can mate literally every single day once they reach puberty, female dogs can breed only when they are in heat. Female dogs usually reach sexual maturity when they are six months old, but smaller breeds can go into heat as early as four months of age. 

Even though they are fertile and able to get pregnant, it’s not recommended to breed female dogs during their first heat cycle. As with male dogs, you should wait until your female is fully grown before attempting to mate her for the first time. 

The size and breed of your dog will determine when the best time is to mate your female for the first time. Smaller breeds reach adulthood earlier than their larger counterparts and can consequently become pregnant safely much earlier. 

After having their first estrus, also known as heat or season, female dogs usually go into heat every six months until they get old. However, this time frame can vary from one dog to another and can depend on the size of the dog. Generally, smaller dogs go into heat more regularly than larger breeds and can produce more litters during their lifetime. 

The heat cycle is divided into four stages: proestrus, estrus, diestrus, and anestrus. In the proestrus phase, which lasts around nine days, a female dog has a bloody vaginal discharge and attracts males, but won’t breed with them. 

The estrus phase also lasts around nine days, at which time the female is fertile and will allow being mounted by a male dog. In most cases, ovulation happens within the first 48 hours of the estrus phase, but this can vary greatly.

The diestrus phase lasts 60 to 90 days, during which time the dog’s reproductive system is under the control of the hormone progesterone. This phase happens whether or not the dog has gotten pregnant, and some dogs may develop signs of false pregnancy during this stage.

Lastly, the anestrus phase is the time when a female dog can no longer become pregnant and is a period without sexual activity. In most cases, this stage lasts between three to four months. 

Although some become fertile much earlier, the AKC rules don’t permit the registration of any litters from dams that are younger than eight months old at the time of the mating. And while old female dogs can have puppies, the female’s fertility starts to drop after five years of age.

Female dogs that are too young or too old can’t handle the strain the pregnancy puts on their bodies, which often leads to birthing complications, premature labor, and stillborn puppies. That’s why it is imperative that you don’t start breeding your dam too early or continue to do so when she gets old.

FAQs About How Old A Dog Can Be And Still Have Puppies

Can a dog be too old to have puppies?

Technically, both female and male dogs can have puppies their whole lives. However, a dog’s fertility drops after the age of seven, and most female dogs can’t become pregnant quite as often as they used to. The same happens to male dogs, and while they are still able to have puppies their fertility rate isn’t as high as it used to be.

The actual labor is also more difficult and risky for older dogs and is commonly accompanied by complications. Older dogs also may have problems producing the milk and nursing their puppies. 

What is the age limit for breeding a dog?

The AKC rules don’t allow registration of any litter of a dam that is less than eight months old or more than 12 years old at the time of mating. Additionally, any litter that is sired by a male dog that is less than seven months old or more than 12 years old at the time of mating can’t be registered with the AKC. 

On the other hand, the UK Kennel Club, the VHD in Germany, and many other clubs list the maximum age limit at eight years for female dogs. 

Can a 9-year-old dog have puppies?

A 9-year-old dog can technically get pregnant and give birth to a litter of puppies. However, most reputable breeders won’t breed such an old female dog because of the risks associated with the pregnancy and birthing complications. 

However, an older female dog can absolutely get pregnant if mounted by a fertile male during her heat cycle. To prevent any health problems and unwanted pregnancies, keep a close eye on your dog while in heat and consider spaying her. 

Is it bad for a 1-year-old dog to have puppies? 

Most dogs reach puberty and become fertile when they are six months old, although they shouldn’t have puppies until they are fully grown. Small breeds reach adulthood when they are one year old and can safely have puppies if they are done growing. 

However, large and giant breeds continue growing until they are between 18 and 24 months old, and they shouldn’t have puppies until they reach adulthood. A one-year-old Great Dane is still a puppy, and it would be bad for a growing pup to get pregnant and have to take care of a litter of newborn puppies. 

Conclusion

Knowing how old dogs can be to have puppies is an important piece of information if you plan to breed your dog at some point in their life.

While technically dogs are fertile and can have puppies their whole lives, older female dogs are at risk of premature labor, stillborn puppies, and birthing complications. To ensure that your dog’s pregnancy goes well, here’s what you need to remember:

• Males can sire litters until they are between 10 and 12 years old
• Breeders retire female dogs when they are five to six years old
• Don’t breed your dog until it is fully grown

While it is hard to imagine that dogs can have puppies their whole lives, you should be careful not to breed your dog when they are too young or too old. Before breeding your pooch, talk with your vet and have your dog throughout examined.

Are you a breeder?

Have you worked with our bought a dog from a breeder?

If so, do you know how old their breeding dogs are?

Tell us about your experiences in the comment section below.

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If you’re with your golden retriever, you’re probably petting him right now.

Generally, golden retrievers –and some other breeds–can’t get enough petting. They’re very tactile and love the attention.

Some love petting even more than treats or verbal praise.

Note from Colby: My Golden, Raven literally has her head on my lap trying to solicit me to pet her while I write.

Some Common Reasons Goldens Always Desire To Be Petted

Your golden goes over to you with big puppy-dog eyes pleading “pet me!”

He may also nudge your hand to be clear what he desires. Or he may even put his head on your lap as you’re sitting, watching TV.

You can almost hear him pleading “PET ME!”

There are actually some reasons why your dog does this. And he’s probably not aware of why he has such a yearning to be petted.

1. He enjoys it! It feels good!

Sometimes the answer’s as simple as that. 

Just as we may enjoy a massage, he may enjoy being petted.

2. It furthers the bond with us

Of course our pups don’t consciously realize there are scientific benefits to petting that benefit our dogs as well as us.

Petting increases the level of oxytocin in us and our canine companions. This hormone is responsible for the mother-baby connection.

It’s a “feel good” hormone that helps us trust and be kind to others.

3. Petting demonstrates affection

Petting our dog usually shows them how much we care for them. They can also show their affection to us by their body language while being petted. 

If they have relaxed body language and a “happy mouth” in which their tongue hangs out, they probably enjoy the contact.

Some goldens even rub against us when we pet them. And their tail often happily wags in a relaxed, loose, not stiff, motion.

4. Petting may lead to subsequent rewards

Sometimes we pet our dogs and give them other rewards after we stop.

A reward may be a treat, a toy, a game, or even praise.

So, according to our dog, it’s a two-fer: getting petted and another reward. It gives even more motivation to be petted.

5. They may want to be petted because of their anxiety

They may pace, whine, and have a tense body. 

Since being petted may feel great and even lessen stress and anxiety, they may solicit and accept petting.

There’s even a type of doggie massage called the Tellington Touch which, if done correctly, can decrease a dog’s stress.

6. Petting serves as a sort of “social glue” that keeps the pack together

It can be similar to grooming behaviors among many primates.

7. Petting can provide health benefits

It’s been established that petting can lower our blood pressure as well as our dog’s.

8. Petting can be a reward for the golden

Because many goldens love being petted, it can be a reward for other behaviors he performs.

For example, if he comes when called, part of his reward can be petting him.

In fact, research shows that dogs prefer petting over verbal praise. 

My golden Brandi loved verbal praise. But being petted was the ultimate reward to her.

9. The dog may be seeking attention

You’re busy at your computer. Suddenly, you feel a dog next to you looking up with pleading eyes that say “pet me.”

Your dog wants your attention.

How Can I Tell if My Dog Doesn’t Like Petting?

Some dogs don’t love–or even like–being petted. Or they may not like being petted on certain areas, like the top of their head. 

Or they may not like the way the petting is being done. 

When your dog doesn’t enjoy petting, he’ll probably show you. He may:

• Duck his head
• Move away
• Look away
• Leave
• Yawn
• Lick his lips
• Show a “whale eye” when the whites of his eyes show
• Have tense body language
• Drool
• Demonstrate any type of aggression (growling, snapping, baring teeth)

If your dog demonstrates that he doesn’t like to be petted, I wouldn’t insist on it.

Of course, dogs should accept basic handling, because we have to touch them in various ways.

You might have to put on or take off his leash or collar, groom him, or otherwise handle him.

And I’ve found in training many dogs over the years that the majority–especially goldens–enjoy being petted.

Of course, there may be an exception when a dog hasn’t been handled from puppyhood. And some dogs who’ve been abused won’t enjoy being petted.

Also, the handling and petting must not be too rough or a dog probably won’t enjoy it.

Of course, if your dog demonstrates any aggressive behavior, it’s advisable to get the professional help of a behaviorist or a positive reinforcement dog trainer with experience and success with such behavior issues.

It’s also important to obtain such professional help if your dog truly doesn’t like any petting or handling. Most dogs can be trained to accept–and even enjoy–such interaction.

What Should I Do If My Dog Insists on Being Petted?

It’s great having a dog who loves being social. But it’s not so much fun when your pup constantly insists on being petted.

You may have something else to do.

If you can’t pet at the time he nudges or barks at you to be petted, your dog may become stressed and pace and whine.

So it’s important to properly set limits as you would with any behavior.

1. If your dog has anxiety issues, deal with them

If your pup has general anxiety or separation anxiety, it’s best to consult with a behaviorist to help.

Anxious behavior can also result in some illnesses, so you might want to also discuss this with your vet.

After you successfully deal with and work with any stress or anxiety issues, the constant need to be near you and be petted should lessen or disappear.

2. Give your dog attention throughout the day

Dogs who have their needs met throughout the day are less likely to constantly seek attention.

So, throughout the day, pet your dog occasionally. Have a few short training sessions. Play with him and walk him too.

3. Teach your dog to be petted on cue

You can call your dog next to you and use the command/cue “petted” as you pet him. Give him a small, pea-sized treat at the same time. 

Remove your hand when he’s done the treat. Repeat this training exercise three times per session, two or three times a day. 

If you’re consistent, most dogs will understand that they get petted on your “petted” cue only.

It may take days or weeks, depending on the dog.

4. Provide a sufficient amount of exercise for your dog

Young goldens have energy to spare.

If they’re not given enough exercise, all their behaviors may be over-the-top.  Including an insatiable desire to be petted.

Make sure your dog has enough walks and play for his age and breed.

A young golden or lab usually has much greater exercise needs than a young yorkie.

Ten minutes of retrieving may be plenty for a yorkie, but it’s just a warm-up for a young retriever.

5. Give your dog a job through obedience training

Teach him basic commands–attention, sit, down, stay, come, and leave it. 

Then, you can even train him to perform more advanced commands and tricks.

Training will provide the right type of attention for your dog and will also teach him what behaviors are acceptable.

6. Teach your dog to go to a place

Teaching your pup to go to a bed or mat across the room will help him get used to not always being next to you.

Of course, you’ll teach him to stay on the mat until released.

7. Ignore the request

If your dog gets too pushy and demands that you pet him, one way to stop it is to ignore him briefly.

You can turn away or walk away. If you do this consistently, he’ll get the idea that pushy behavior doesn’t get what he wants: to be petted.

It’s important that dogs have some impulse control.

My Aussie mix Millie LOVES to be petted. But she insisted on it by nudging or barking for such attention. 

My getting up and walking away taught her that behavior doesn’t get the petting she desires.

But of course I do pet her when I call her over. I want her to be happy and enjoy our bond.

How Should I Pet My Dog?

Generally, you don’t want to pet in a harsh way. Most dogs won’t enjoy it if you rub too hard or too fast.

Even those who enjoy that type of petting may get too revved up then.

There are certain areas on a dog’s body where they generally like to be petted. And there are some where they don’t.

1. Dogs generally like being petted on their upper chest, hips, and butt.

They also may enjoy being petted on the side of their face or under their chin.

And they may love gentle ear rubs, including the tips of their ears. This may relax them.

If a dog is totally relaxed with you and trusts you, he may love being petted gently on his belly.

PRO TIP: Most people will first pet a dog on the top of the head. This is not a the best idea. Did you know most dogs don’t love being petted on the top of their head. Though we can condition them to accept it and even enjoy it if it’s done properly.

You can do the “petted” exercise as described in #3 above.

2. Make sure that your petting is gentle, not rough

Generally, dogs love gentle, round massage-like motions when being petted.

I can see my golden Riley almost melt like butter in my hands when massaging his ears. He almost instantaneously relaxes when I do it.

There are even books about how to touch and massage a dog. One is called the Tellington Touch (or T-Touch for short) discussed above.

Dogs like goldens who love being petted would really enjoy this.

3. Don’t hover over the dog when petting

Most dogs don’t like if you hover over them when petting. Doing so could be seen as a threat. 

This is especially true if the dog is new to you. If you just got the dog or if he’s another person’s canine companion, go slowly with petting if the dog likes it.

But don’t bend and hover over the dog.

4. Praise your dog when he enjoys the petting

When your dog enjoys being petted, the petting itself is part of the positive reinforcement.

But you can also add verbal praise when petting.

How Should I Pet Other People’s Dogs?

Of course, if a dog is unknown to you, you’ll proceed differently than you would with your own dog.

Not all dogs may love being petted. And even those who do might not accept it from a stranger.

Always ask the owner whether you can pet the dog. You can also ask whether he enjoys being petted by strangers.

But remember that even if a dog likes being petted by some strangers, he may not like being petted by all strangers.

Evaluate the dog’s body language. If he seems stressed or unfriendly at all, don’t pet him.

Assess his overall body language using the bulleted measures stated above.

Of course, if he shows any aggression, walk away without petting him.

Prior to the pandemic, I would take all my dogs on regular excursions to pet stores and other places to socialize them to new people.

And I would actively ask people to pet them. My current dogs accept and enjoy the company of new people.

Most people were happy to oblige.

Assuming the dogs you meet want to be petted, follow the guidelines above and:

1. Pet gently.
2. Don’t hover.
3. Don’t rush at the dog. Come in sideways and let the dog approach you.
4. Don’t pet the top of the head.
5. Pet the side of his face, ears, and chest if he enjoys that. You can ask his owner where he likes to be petted.
6. Don’t pet for too long a period. Pet for maybe 10 to 15 seconds. If the dog really enjoys it, you can double that time.

What if My Normally Pet-Loving Dog Suddenly Hates It?

If your pup loved petting but now doesn’t, look at what’s happened to him in the interim.

1. Has he had any bad experiences with petting?

Determine whether any negative events have occurred while he’s been petted.

Has someone petted him too hard? Or rushed at him? Or did a scary event, like a dish crashing to the ground, occur when he was being petted? 

If so, you can re-train him to like the petting he previously loved. You can use the “petting on cue” training exercise stated in #3 above.

2. Check out whether there’s a medical problem

If there’s no other problem you can pinpoint, there may be a problem that should be checked out by your vet.

He may be in pain or there may be another physical problem that must be addressed.

Note From Colby: Our friend’s Yorkie was attacked by a coyote and bit on his hind quarters. Ever since that experience if you got your hand anywhere near his rear end he’d start growling.

Final Thoughts

There are many reasons your golden may love to be petted. Most dogs love being petted gently and in certain areas on their bodies such as their ears and shoulders.

Make sure you’re in control of the situation so your dog has some impulse control.

If there’s any behavioral or medical reason your dog doesn’t like to be petted, get the appropriate professional help.

As far as strange dogs are concerned, get the owner’s permission before petting. And make sure first that the dog enjoys being petted by a stranger.

Does your Golden love to be petted? Our Raven sure does!

Tell us about your Golden Retriever in the comments below.

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Just the other day my dog was attacked by another dog and I really had no idea what to do during the situation or in the aftermath.

It was a scary experience for both me and my black Labrador Retriever, Stetson who unfortunately did not escape the scene unscathed.

At first glance I didn’t notice the gash on Stetson tail, but after further inspection when we got home he was bleeding from one inch dog bite to the tail.

QUICK TIP: A few items (besides poop bags) we carry around now to keep us safe especially in case another dog (or any animal for that matter…we have coyotes too) tries to attack us:

• Animal Deterrent Spray – We got this the day after Stetson was attacked. Luckily we haven’t had to use it yet.
• Maglite Flashlight – we’d bring our hockey stick, but our Maglite is a little easier to carry on a walk.
• Puplight Dog Safety Collar – I’m not sure this will deter an attacker, but it’s good for night walks.

Dog Attacked My Dog

The day my dog was attacked by another dog was the same as any other day.

I was getting Stetson one last walk before I had to head out to my hockey game.

The sun just started setting…many a photographer would call this the golden hour…a perfect time to snap that perfect photo.

Unfortunately, things would be less than perfect for Stetson and I.

As we were heading back to the house we heard a scream: “Get back here!”

A few  seconds later a large long haired German Shepherd came speeding around the corner headed full speed towards Stetson and I.

At this point we couldn’t tell if the dog was ready to attack or play.

Stetson thought he was in store for the latter, but unfortunately he was wrong.

The Shepherd wasn’t barking, just charging at full speed.

I positioned myself between Stetson and the German Shepherd hoping to keep the attacking dog from biting or hurting Stetson.

QUICK TIP: This probably would have been a good time to use the Animal Deterrent Spray.

I could hear, but not see the owner (I didn’t take my eye off the Shepherd) telling me to be still because her dog would not bite if we didn’t run.

Stetson held ground directly behind me still thinking he was in for play time.

The Shepherd tried several times to nip at Stetson however, I was able to maneuver my body between the two combatants.

After a few seconds of jousting Stetson realized he might be in peril and decided that between fight and flight he would rather run away from the aggressive dog.

Eventually the owner caught up to her dog and Stetson started running home which is odd for him because he only runs during his sniffer dog training class and when there is food involved.

I never got a glimpse of the owner and hastily got Stetson back to the house.

Once we were back home I inspected Stetson head to tail and found slobber all over his butt and also came across one inch bleeding gash on his tail.

I rushed back outside to try and find the attacking dogs owner, but they had left the scene.

I rushed back home to Stetson who was hiding in the corner.

I cleaned up his wound and rushed him to the emergency veterinarian.

Our vet said we had two options.

First, we could leave things alone and put Stetson on antibiotics and the wound would most likely heal up on it’s own or we could shave down his tail and stitch it up.

However, she said stitching up the tail could cause more problems as the stitches often times break free because the skin on the tail is so tight and she recommended antibiotics and letting his tail heal on it’s own.

So that was it.

We went ahead and put Stetson on antibiotics and let him sport the cone for a week.

Poor Stetson has to wear a cone on his head for a few days so he doesn’t chew on the dog bite inflicted on his tail 🙁

Unfortunately, I didn’t recognize the attacking dog and never really got a look at the owners face as I was trying to defend myself and Stetson, then we quickly fled the scene.

We asked our neighborhood friends if they knew the dog who bit Stetson, but unfortunately, we haven’t found the culprit.

What To Do When A Dog Attacks Your Dog

Now that the whole dog attack fiasco is over in hindsight there are probably several things I could have done differently to avoid Stetson’s dog bite to the tail.

1. Bring something to keep a dog from attacking me or my dog – I ordered this Animal Deterrent Spray in case we encounter another off leash, aggressive dog.  I’ll post a review about the product when it arrives in the mail.  Until then I’m going to carry around my large Maglite flashlight just in case.
2. Be more aware of my surroundings – After hearing the owner screaming we had probably about 5 seconds before the German Shepherd rounded the corner.  That may have been enough time to get safely out of sight.  Next time we’ll be more aware and move quicker if something bad is about to unfold.
3. Get the attacking dog owner’s information before leaving the scene – I didn’t think Stetson was bitten and didn’t know until we got home, but I should have been more on top of things and gotten the dog owner’s information before leaving the scene.  It would have been nice to know if the attacking dog was up to date on vaccinations including rabies.  Unfortunately it appears that we’ll never get that information.
4. Report the incident to animal control – We didn’t initially report the incident to animal control because we couldn’t find the attacking dog owner, but after consulting others we think it’s prudent to let animal control know about the incident regardless.

Here are a few things that I think I did right considering the situation:

1. I remained calm – I think this is part of the reason Stetson was so calm until he got bitten.
2. I was able to block the attacking dog from getting to Stetson for the most part – Stetson didn’t help much because he thought it was play time I probably kept the Shepherd from biting him about 5 time before Stetson decided to try and avoid the other dog.
3. Don’t Run – we learned a long time ago that dogs like to chase.  Stetson, Linus, Dublin, and I call it the chasing game.  If I chase the boys they run away from me.  If I run away from the boys they chase me.
4. I tried giving commands to the dog – I tried “Sit”, “Down”, and “No”, but none worked.  I guess if the dog wasn’t going to listen to the owner then why listen to me…it was worth a shot…

So that’s our story.

Stetson got bitten by another dog, he was physically scarred, but more worrisome for me was his emotional scars.

My Dog Was Attacked By Another Dog Now He’s Scared

Luckily for us Stetson didn’t carry the emotional scars for long.

Here are a few things we did try and downplay the attack on Stetson:

• We made sure we were aware of our own behavior when back out on walks.  Often times our energy gets passed down through the leash to our dog.  It’s important to remain calm, relaxed, and quiet when getting back into the walking routine.
• Keep an eye on your own dog for behavior changes.  If you notice your dog showing fear or aggression then you should consult a dog trainer/behaviorist.
• We started off slowly with Stetson getting him back into his walking routine and kept our distance between him and other dogs.  Slowly closing the gap as I saw Stetson was comfortable with other dogs on our outings.
• We re-introduced Stetson to dogs he already knew
• We introduced him to new dogs we already knew were friendly and calm.

The good news was in short time it seemed Stetson really didn’t hold a grudge against other dogs.

Part of the reason why I’m putting this post together is to not only inform you, but to find out what you would have done if your dog was attacked by another dog?

Please let us know in the comment section below.

UPDATE: We received our SprayShield Animal Deterrent Spray and luckily we haven’t had to use it yet, but think it would work great if an aggressive dog or other animal approached us. It’s a citronella based spray and contains about 12 seconds worth of spray with a range of up to 10 feet.