Peggy and I went to a couple of local fun shows this weekend. I had the bank holiday weekend off so I just thought why not?
Wrangaton was our first show on the Sunday, it was a lovely family show where we got a 1st in Best Condition and a 2nd in Best Pedigree.
And then yesterday we did the South West Utility Club Show where we got a 3rd in the AV Utility group and a 3rd in AV Open. We then went into the Best Movement class and all hell broke loose!
Peggy and I were trotting around the ring to show off her movement to the judge when suddenly I felt like a train slammed into us. I was dazed for a moment and the world went silent as I saw that a large male German Shepherd had snapped his lead in half, escaped his owner (who we were competing against) and had Peggy by the throat.
I had a split second to decide what to do and my instinct told me to drop the lead and let Peggy run. I felt completely helpless as I watched my girl run like I've never seen her run before, screaming and terrified, whilst I could only look on, not knowing whether she was injured or not. I then watched the dog grab her for a second time. I was glued to the spot in terror and completely unable to move.
And then...it just all seemed to be over. I don't know how I got to my dog. I don't even remember leaving the ring and I don't know who caught the Shepherd or if they were ok. What I do know is that Peggy ran to a couple of ladies with a cockapoo I had spoken to earlier that day who kept her safe until I could get to her and that I then sat on the floor, plonked her on my lap in a bear hug to hold her still as she stopped screaming and just went silent.
Whilst I was trying to process what had happened and see if my girl was injured I was very aware of people staring at us but not one person from the show organisers team came to ask if we were OK or needed help. Not one. I was just left, sat on the floor with a distressed and injured dog (not that I realised it at the time)
Then the owner of the GSD approached us, sobbing. She told me that her boy was an ex Police dog and that she and he had retired early from the job following a horrible incident a few years previously and that she had been suffering from PTSD ever since. It was awful seeing a person so utterly distressed and devastated. Even though she was at fault, I felt nothing but compassion for her and wanted to comfort her so I bought us both a cup of tea and we sat and chatted things through calmly before we parted ways and drove home. The GSD remained in his crate in the owner's van during this period.
When I got home I had a good look through Peggy's coat and she has 4 very large blue puncture mark bruises to the throat, Bites to the ears, a sore foot and a deep blue bruise encircling her neck from where she was garotted by her own collar when the dog slammed into her. She is also very grunty and gulpy and clearly uncomfortable.
Peggy is on painkillers and arnica to help with the bruising.
Pegs has been through a couple of fear periods today, and has had a few moments in which she would shake when I approached her. I found this really difficult because all I wanted to do was cuddle her, stroke her face, kiss her nose and tell her that she was ok.
As the day has gone on Peggy has calmed down and returned mostly to her usual self. Her mum Edna also seems to realise that something is wrong and has been by her side all day. Pegs is eating well and wants to lie on the rug next to my legs. She is subdued but not quite so stressed.
I think my own shock has worn off today too. When I spoke on the phone to a friend about the incident earlier on, I suddenly felt a rush of all of the fear and adrenaline that I didn't feel when it was happening and then I just couldn't stop crying. So much so that I made my poor friend cry too!
So what now? I don't really know because I'm still in shock.
I guess Peggy and I will be staying in for a little while as her neck is too sore to wear a collar.
I have organised to do some side by side lead walking with a friend who has a very calm older GSD that I trust implicitly. I really don't want Pegs to be left frightened by this experience and will work with her to ensure that she isn't.
I also feel like I have completely had my own confidence knocked and when I saw a GSD in the street earlier, I felt that same glued-to -the-spot-in-terror reaction. I'm going to go and see if I can hang out with some well trained GSDs and sort my own emotions out. I am very aware that Peggy and my other dogs feel everything that I feel. Peggy, like all poodles is an intuitive girl and so it's equally as important for me to be ok, so that she can be too.
I don't honestly know how Peggy will behave at shows in future. Part of me is worried that I have lost my show dog. The other part of me knows that showing doesn't matter and I'm just very lucky that she is alive.
I have never felt so helpless, but I realise that I have to look forward and support my sweet gentle girl to be ok. She is my world and I will do whatever it takes to help her throughout this period.
