Dog loses eye in attack in Norwich

There was another sad story about a dog attack in my local paper Friday. Someone's Lhasa Apso puppy got attacked by a Springer x Staffy and its eye popped out and it was only 6 months old.

It happened a couple of miles down the road from where we live.

The 2 dogs were playing on the field and then the Lhasa's owner called the puppy back and it sat in front of them for a treat for coming back when called. The other dog then jumped on the puppy and grabbed its head in its jaws and the dog's eye popped out. The owner only managed to stop further injuries happening because his girlfriend was there and she had been on an animal management course and was told how to unlock the dogs's jaws in the event of an attack.

I really felt for these owners and their dog because it was a similar situation that Cherry got attacked in and now she is partially sighted as a result of age-onset cataracts and I can't imagine how they must feel coping with a partially-sighted dog of this age. I know dogs adjust but how sad for them.

Eeeek - Thats awful - it's a good job she went on an animal management course - I'd have just screamed - not much use.

Poor little thing

My husband Jamie said what I thought was a sensible comment-that the paper should have printed how to get the attacking dog off your dog, as she was told on the course, should anyone else be put into that terrible situation.

I must be all hormonal today or something...That made me cry.
If that happened to Muppet I'd just panic & scream & jump into the fray with fists & feet flying to beat the attacking dog to a pulp.

If there were no actual injuries - was it really an attack or a game gone wrong? My dogs play very rough with each other. Are Lhasa`s prone to pop eyes?
eta: dogs jaws don`t lock. The best way to get one dog off another is to grab the aggressor`s back legs and lift. But I wouldn`t expect novice owners to do it as they could get bitten if done wrongly.

Yes they are apparently, never had much to do with them but always been careful when I have because of that!

Adam

Poor puppy And what a horrible experience for the owner

However no dog can lock their jaw so why was she told this on an animal management course... surely they should know this?

I don't know-the course was at Easton college which is where I take my 2 for grooming and they are very good at grooming (and reasonably priced!) but can't vouch for other courses they do.

I didn't know Lhasa's eyes were vulnerable though they are quite protuding if that's the right word.

I remember my neighbour's son (when we lived at Great Yarmouth) had an eyeball pop out and my Mum was called round to help as my neighbour was in such a state till the ambulance came. They had to hold it on his cheek but they managed to replace it (UGH!).

When I did my grooming course I was always told never hold a breed like lhaso's by the scruff of the neck as their eye are vulnerable due to them having very shallow eye sockets.

I have also been told that it can happen just by normal playing amongst dogs.