Feeling like a VENT too! (long)

How hard is it to look up your dogs instead of letting them roam the street free as a bird. Occupational hazard working in the community and homevisiting but I have had enough of DOGS to last me a life time

Monday must have been a full moon for dogs.

First I was CHASED around my car but some savage pitball, of course it was going to catch me so I spun around and wacked it as hard as I could in the side of the head with my scales bag, it yelped and took off. SO after finally actually making it to the house that i WAS visiting their dog (unbeknown to me) comes running around to the fence to the back yard and what do you know it can jump it So here I am standing at the front door screaming my head off at this point waiting for owner to come and rescue me, the dogs is barking up a storm and lunging at me. Of course it cant reach me with my trusty scales in front of me. SO after 5mins the dog gets sick of barking at me and takes off down the road. I sprint to my car and make a note never to visit the house again or the street.

JUST WHEN I THINK MY ORDEAL IS OVER

I go to the second house, no dog signs etc. Knock on the door and I hear what sounds like an army of elephants racing to the door barking. Instantly shaking I want to take off but cant as the lady is expecting me. Someone yells out put them in the bathroom while she comes in. I go in to where the lady is in the bedroom. Im freaking out cos I can hear the dogs in the bathroom. SOmeone comes and closes the bedroom door and lets them out Next thing I know they are growling, screaming and bashing at the door, I swear I tho they were going to come thru the day that is how hard they were bashing themselves at it. These dogs (they were staffies/pitbal cross the owner was quite excited to tell me) are clearly vicious and a hazard to any stranger who goes on the property. I tell the young girl I am afraid and she laughs SO for an hour (yep I dragged out the visit hoping the dogs would stop wanting my blood) I sit and think of ways I am going to escape HELL and that is exactly what it was HELL...

I know it is not the dogs fault just the upbring but Arrgghh I am SOOO scared of dogs now and never have been in my life

OMG I applaud your quick thinking of using the scale bag. Hope you are ok now.

This all happened on monday and I at first I thought  of going back for the next visit with our karitane nurse (safety in numbers and all) but after thinking about it Monday night I thought to myself "no way they would eat us both". i went and told me clinical leader today I am not going back there and that I am going to invite the lady to bring her baby into clinic day as it is within walking distance (a good 15min walk) and I can see baby there and if she refuses then I guess she misses out because I wouldnt back there for all the money in the world! VEry scary the amount of babies in the house around those savage dogs.

i definately don't like those types of crossbreds! my parents breed german shepherds so i'm use to big dogs. they have 5 that usually run loose on their property (10acre block) but if they know people are coming around, they put them all away in their runs to stop the barking maddness that happens every time they see someone coming up the drive.......it's so simple and easy to put a dog away!

God Kels how awful.
It's terrifying isn't it? I always ask now if my patients have dogs and can they be locked up when I come as I have had too many incidents like that.
I just can't understand why they find it funny that I am pale and trembling for the entire visit. The names people give these brutes always makes me laugh too - Oh don't be scared, Angel is just playing with you - as this big slobbering brute of a pitbull is chewing on my visiting bag that I just had to throw at her to escape maiming.
Owners are always surprised when they attack children and babaies aren't they? I think at the very least they should be musselled at all times and neutered, as is the case in UK
I say don't go back and explain the reason to your CM and the client, there will possibly be something in your homevisiting policy about it and if there's not there should be and it needs updating!!!

Edited by Redbedrock

Yikes Kels! I would have been freaking out too! Go the trusty scales, is all I can say. I wonder if these people also have posties refusing to deliver their mail - sounds like they don't care what their dogs do!

YEah there should be something about it in you homevisit policy. I had a few homes I refused to go to again as I felt very unsafe with savage looking dogs. Like you say, they have the option to come in to see you, and your safety is most important. Another one I refused to go see again was a woman on home oxygen, still smoking - while she had her nasal prongs in with oxygen running!

We do have a policy at work that if we feel we are unsafe then we arent required to go back or even enter a property  if it looks dangeous!

I always ask about dogs on properties but as I cant get hold of a lot of the families due to no phones etc I have to cold call which I am really scared about doing now.

Yummymummy I would love a taser gun. The scales arent really designed to attack dogs with

hooper I did call the dog ranger about the dogs wandering the street in the first street but I havent for the second house. My clinical leader is going to sort that out!

aimeejoy wrote: Another one I refused to go see again was a woman on home oxygen, still smoking - while she had her nasal prongs in with oxygen running!

WTF

Kels wrote: aimeejoy wrote: Another one I refused to go see again was a woman on home oxygen, still smoking - while she had her nasal prongs in with oxygen running! WTF

Ah yeah, I know! One of the requirements for home O2 is to not be smoking... Very good reason for it too!! Sorry a bit OT, but Claire what do you do?