He had a cantaloupe-sized gaping wound on his chest and neck area and numerous Level 4 bites to his head , nape and crest . Immediately I called the emergency vet . I had to trust the stranger would be back . I had no one close by to call , and I was too far away from home to carry him even if I could have . And there was Emmie . Apache seemed calm and extremely cooperative but not in shock .
He had a cantaloupe-sized gaping wound on his chest and neck area and numerous Level 4 bites to his head , nape and crest . Immediately I called the emergency vet . I had to trust the stranger would be back . I had no one close by to call , and I was too far away from home to carry him even if I could have . And there was Emmie . Apache seemed calm and extremely cooperative but not in shock .
maybe you ’ ve run across those who ’ ve made no attempts to contain their dogs expecting the situation will “ work itself out ” and simply not caring whether it does , or taking for granted that it will .
Ideally everyone either leashes their dogs or have a great recall , but that ’ s not the reality . I ’ m not opposed to off-leash dogs , but I am concerned about the epidemic of untrained off-leash dogs . The responsibility for more comprehensive off-leash education falls squarely on us as trainers , especially since confrontations and altercations with strange dogs have the potential to cause emotional and physical trauma . Even if there is no macro trauma , a single devastating event , mi-cro trauma ( i . e ., being repeatedly approached or even molested by strange dogs ) can have permanent and devastating effects .
Effects of Trauma Trauma refers to physical injuries or emotional distress resulting from an accident , injury , or an overwhelming event , which can disrupt a dog ’ s ability to cope , decrease confidence and interfere with his ability to think and learn . Trauma causes emotional and behavioral issues including chronic anxiety , hypervigilance , avoidance of certain people , places , or situations , sleep disturbances , fear of being alone , decreased interest in a favorite activity or aggression . As Melissa McMath Hatfield , CBCC-KA , CDBC , explains , “ the effects from acute aggressive attacks could make a dog more fearful and submissive , or it can make a dog who is already prone to aggressive behaviors more aggressive .”
After the attack Apache demonstrably became more hypervigilant and reactive on leash walks but displayed his usual behavior off leash through our fence with the appeasing neighbor puppy ( a large unneutered male ). His chronic anxiety seemed to stay about the same , but his noise sensitivity returned with more intensity . Many behavioral experts now agree dogs can also suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ), and not just working or military dogs . Dogs can experience PTSD and chronic PTSD and associated symptoms immediately following the traumatic event .
Overall , according to Hatfield , “ we should expect that any dog who has experienced a physical or emotional trauma should expect some physical and / or emotional fallout . Each reaction will be different according to the individual ’ s emo-tional state at the time of the trauma , the emotional stability of the dog and level of [ his ] past experiences and type of trauma .” Apache had already experienced much physical trauma in his life evidenced by numerous scars and his ripped off-and-sewn-back-on ear . He also suffered much emotional trauma while in a rural shelter in Arkansas . Besides being distinctly devoid of any training or enrichment programs during his 986-day tenure , his reactivity toward humans escalated to aggression , and it was met with punishment including deprivation and extreme extended periods of isolation . And those are only the events I can confirm .
Laura Donaldson , CDBC , KPA CTP , a certified trauma professional , supports , “ micro trauma or little tiny events , daily events , as I call them ‘ hiding in plain sight ’, that accumulate over a period of time , but cumulatively , they can be just as devastating as macro trauma and they are certainly just as real … Bessel van der Kolk , one of the world ’ s great trauma specialists , said after you ’ ve been traumatized you live in a different world , and that is true whether it ’ s macro trauma or micro trauma .”
Apache has always shown symptoms of trauma , such as hypervigilance , being easily startled , and refusal to play or abrupt stoppages in play . He can behave aggressively toward people , which is why he ’ s muzzled in public . He ’ d made some progress over the years with his anxiety and other behavioral concerns , but we ’ ve also had setbacks , and then the attack . But he ’ s always been resilient even though he sometimes clearly struggles .
I ’ m not the only one amazed by his fortitude . At our most recent meeting with Dr . Karen Overall , our veterinary behaviorist who ’ s well-versed in Apache ’ s history , she was surprised I was only asking for a review of his medication protocol ; she thought I was going to tell her he ’ d succumb and that he was “ broken .” This shocked me . Although I ’ d won-dered how the attack would affect him , I never considered he would become despondent , unable to function . Or maybe I just didn ’ t want to believe that had been a distinct possibility . But not all dogs are Apache .
The APDT Chronicle of the Dog | Spring 2024 39