Quote:
Originally Posted by Taltarzac725
(Post 1416412)
Thanks for posting that. There was a very nervous dog at Doggie Doo Run Run that I had been quite worried about as it would often start barking at me at waist level whenever I tried to approach a pair of women one of whom was/is a friend of mine. A pit bull mix. He eventually calmed down and was good with me but started to get too aggressive in its play mode with dogs not part of its pack so to speak. My friend also has a pit bull mix. Sweet dog for the most part but also got more aggressive in play and my friend might have been having some personal problems which often upset the dog too. Both dogs were banned from the dog park unfortunately.
I had worried about what to do with aggressive dogs which now and them still appear at Doggie Doo Run Run. They are great owners-- Scott and Laura-- there but once in a while a new dog might not show its true colors until something sets it off.
On a funny note my dog a chihuahua/terrier mix-- Beau-- chased a boxer named Bruster and Bruster ran to me for protection and knocked me right on my can taking the breath right out of me. Had bruises for weeks but had the fortune to fall into dirt. Bruster is gone but these kind of falls from a dog running into a person are usually the cause of injuries to people at dog parks in the Villages or near them. And a heavy dog running into a 65-85 year old body often creates injuries.
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I once had a 4 lb peek-a-poo that chased a horse.
But as far as getting knocked down, a dog attack ended my career. In 20809, I was walking my dog when a boxer came running out from behind me and to the left. It was in a low crouched position and growling as it charged at my dog. It scared me and I screamed like a little girl and jumped. My dog turned and barked and the boxer ran away. But the damage was done. It all happened so fast that I can't be sure exactly how it happened, but I assume that when I jumped I slammed my left foot down on a rock because I had shattered my calcaneus (heel bone).
Now a broken bone doesn't sound like much, but this particular bone connects to three of your toes and one of your shin bones to form your ankle. The makeup of the bone is that when it breaks it shatters into several pieces. It needed surgery and it took seven screws to hold it together.
I was in the golf business and played in tournaments. I asked about playing golf and the surgeon told me that the goal usually was to get me to be able to walk normally and that I'd always have trouble walking on uneven surfaces. Playing golf again was "highly unlikely".
I recall when I got this news, I almost passed out. She brought me water and had me lie down.
After the surgery, I went through physical therapy and worked my tail off with the objective being to be able to play and teach again. After I was cleared, I tried hitting balls and almost fell down. I was also in a tremendous amount of pain. I had a job that required me to be on the lesson tee for four hours at a time and I found that I was in excruciating pain if I was on my feet for more than an hour or so. I rearranged my schedule so that I took breaks and cut down the amount of time I taught. Even after this, the day after working, I was in terrible pain and had to sit with my foot elevated and an ice pack on it for hours. I was also given powerful pain relievers which I was reluctant to take, but would occasionally.
After a while, my wife, at that time convinced me that I couldn't work anymore and that playing golf was out of the question. She talked me into applying for SSDI and I was approved.
At this time I was treated for depression.
This story is getting too long but the short version is that my best friend, my wife, my brother-in-law and my dog all died within a short time after this happening.
I lived overseas for a while and decided to come back to the U.S. and moved to The Villages.
After I was here for about four years, I thought that I might be able to play nine holes on the executive courses and I've been doing OK. I even play 18 once in a while, but I'm usually in a lot of pain by about the 14th hole.
Anyway, all this because of a dog that tried to attack. So be careful. In my case, it happened so fast that I didn't have time to think or react properly.
