By Scott Etkin
In the days since news broke of a dog attack on the Upper West Side, Amanda Gagnon, who runs a dog-training facility on West 85th Street, has received questions about it during every session with clients.
“People are scared, very scared,” she said on a call with the Rag. “Especially people who own smaller dogs, naturally, are really worried for their dogs’ safety.”
Dog attacks have been very rare in Gagnon’s 15 years in the neighborhood, she said. She believes that extra vigilance is warranted during this time, but also expressed concern about some of the advice, though perhaps well-intentioned, that she is seeing online — for example, carrying a Taser stun gun, which she views as too extreme.
To provide the community with access to expert guidance, Gagnon is hosting a free webinar on Friday at 1:30 p.m. with Melissa Arbitman, a certified dog trainer who has experience working at Animal Care Centers of NYC, the city’s largest animal shelter.
The session will cover precautions people can take when out with their dog. Gagnon advises situational awareness, meaning being alert to dogs in the park or on the street that appear to be aggressive. Owners who normally let their dogs run free in the park can, for the time being, keep them on leash.
On walks, Gagnon emphasized crossing the street if you see a dog you’re unsure about. “Sometimes we might feel self-conscious about doing that sort of thing, but it usually is in your best interest to trust your gut and just walk a different route,” she said.
Not all situations are preventable, however. Gagnon cautioned that people who intervene in a dog attack could be putting themselves in danger, so she advised learning techniques from professionals. Cassidy Ingram, a dog trainer on the Upper West Side, has posted a YouTube video demonstrating how to separate two dogs by approaching the attacking dog from behind and using a bite stick, a handheld tool, to pry its mouth open. In the video, she says not to pull the dogs apart or hit the attacking dog.
Gagnon is sympathetic to the concerns of a future dog attack, though she does not want to raise alarm. “This is a safe neighborhood,” she said. “An increase in vigilance and situational awareness right now is advisable, but we don’t have to be terrified walking down the street either.”
Gagnon is encouraging dog owners to continue to allow their pets to socialize with other dogs, as long as they feel comfortable. “Socializing a dog doesn’t mean they have to say ‘hi’ to every dog, but it does mean that they need to say ‘hi’ to some dogs,” she said. Socialization is especially important for puppies, but it remains important for dogs into adulthood.
In Gagnon’s experience, most dog owners in the neighborhood are responsible about correcting their pet’s reactive behavior. That the recent dog attack appears to involve a repeat offender is what makes this situation particularly concerning.
Gagnon hopes that the attacks do not lead to a generalized fear of pit bulls. “This is not a breed issue. This is an issue of owner negligence,” she said. “There are many, many pit bulls who are absolutely wonderful dogs.”
The link to sign up for the free webinar is available – HERE.
In addition, Cassidy Ingram, a dog trainer with a daycare and boarding facility at 252 West 79th Street, is holding a free workshop there on bite prevention and response on Saturday at 2 p.m.
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Most UWS dog owners are not responsible or respectful. There is feces and urine all over the sidewalks, dogs are off leash at all times in parks even in areas where they are never allowed off leash, dogs are now regularly being brought into super markets and food stores where they are not allowed, dogs are not displaying licenses or vaccination tags as they are required. What is necessary is a video for dog owners on how to follow the law.
Vaccination tags are not required – registration tag is. (If you have a source for the requirement to wear the vaccination tag, I would appreciate it if you would post it; my dog hated the jangling, so I looked into it and what I saw said you have to satisfy the vaccination requirements (which I do), but not wear the tags.
In any event, even taking all that you say and all that is in the comments below as fact (to be clear, I don’t think it is, but let’s assume it is for purposes of this discussion) – how does that change the fact that it is a problem that there is purportedly no basis to remove and euthanize these dogs who have killed at least once and attached at least once, without provocation in either case, and have also bitten humans?
Also, YOU have no idea if a dog in a grocery store is a service dog. There is NO official certification or vest required. What IS required is for a dog to be well-trained/under control and to be specifically trained to assist with a disability. You cannot SEE all disabilities. I have a cardiac issue that my dog is trained to deal with if I get an episode. It is a FELONY to lie about it, so no one would do that. I take my dog with me EVERYWHERE. It has kept me out of the hospital/lowered incidence of episodes— researched at UCLA. People are generally ignorant and think you have to be wearing a vest— anyone can buy one on internet. It is NOT required, and if you lie it is a felony. The restaurant owner, store owner, etc can ask what purpose the dog serves. But it is none of YOUR business, so I suggest you realize that any dog you see in a store might well be a service animal. They are not allowed bark incessantly or pee/poop inside. That is the only thing you can object to.
Anne keep your dog outside stores, it’s a pet deal with it.
Mr. Williams –
Your comment is unfounded. It is abundantly and visibly clear that MOST dog owners on the UWS ARE responsible and respectful. It is neither helpful nor accurate to make such sweeping accusations.
The abundant and visible dog waste in the middle of sidewalks, in curb ramps, on trash cans from restaurant kitchens and healthcare offices, etc. doesn’t help this claim. For every dog owner that leads their pup to the curb, I see ten that let the dog decide where to relieve itself.
MOST – maybe? NOT ENOUGH – for sure. Every single sidewalk in the neighborhood is covered in dog excrement, every single day. Some owners are so inane , they walk their dogs on sports fields, despite a clear sign they’re off limits.
I haven’t done an inventory, but my rough impression from almost daily walks in Central Park is that about half of the dogs in the park between 9 and 9 are off leash.
I suggest carrying a squirt bottle to discipline the owners.
Absolutely correct.
Fake service dog needs to go, especially in grocery stores. Dogs in general are great. Emotional support animals are annoying, and a health concern.
How do YOU know they are “fake?” You don’t.
Everyone knows the fake from real
Agree 100%.
How about protecting people from the way some dogs act? Dogs are extension leashes, while their owners are staring at their phones. Dogs on the bus, dogs on the subway, dogs on the bus, taking up the entire aisle, dogs in stores and sniffing around and bumping into people. All of this is illegal. How about some dog owners taking some responsibility for their actions? These are not service dogs, they are pets. Pets.
I’ve never met even one dog in my entire life that is an extension leash. They’ve all been, you know, just dogs.
I cannot stand when people are staring at their phones while walking their dogs!
As someone who has spent my career studying dogs, I say: this is all sage, sane advice. anyone who wants to know more should absolutely tune in to Amanda’s webinar
What are your credentials ?
Are you a veterinarian ?
What do you do when a pit bull has it’s jaws locked down.
And the author of quite a few beautifully written and researched behavioral studies with dogs as the subject. Wow. So cool to have you as a neighbor, Professor Horowitz!
She is the director of the Horowitz Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College. Look her and her work up.
Look her up! She has the credentials, and has written several excellent books about dogs.
Would be curious to see how her/they academic expertise would apply ?
Naturalistic observations of domestic dog social play
Empirically testing anthropomorphisms
Characterizing dog olfactory ability
Choke it. At least that’s what I read about a week ago, coincidentally right before this incident. The article said to choke the dog latching on with a leash or anything else you have available and they will release to open their mouths to breathe.
Not something I ever hope to have to do, but glad to know it (assuming/hoping it does work!)
Good to know.
I am looking for practical advice just in case.
Thanx
I’m sick an tired of hearing dog owner tell me “he doesn’t bite!” Or “she’s friendly!” Note to you dog owners: I don’t want to be lunged at, sniffed, licked or, God forbid, jumped on. Nor do I want to have to move out of the way because you feel it’s fine to walk on my block as if you and you dog on it’s 12′ leash own the place. That’s after the fact that your dog craps and pisses on a sidewalk that is more mine than theirs (imagine if I let my four-year-old) do the same. Bear that in mind. Generally-speaking I’ve nothing against pets or dogs per se. Just keep them well out of my way and have the good grace to make them piss and defacate OFF the sidewalk. Capeesh?!
Back when my son was a toddler I was walking my so in his stroller and he was eating a bagel. A dog on a leash snatched the bagel out of his hands. Thank goodness he didn’t hurt my son. The woman of course says, “Oh he has never done that before. He wouldn’t hurt anyone. He’s friendly.” You might think that but my son did not nor did I. Next time keep your dog far enough away so there is no chance he could do something like that again. This mind you was 25 years ago. Nothing has changed with some dog owners. It’s still the same behavior that their dog can do no wrong after they do do something wrong.
Similar issue over and over when my son was a toddler/little boy. He would scream in fear and the dog owner would tell me how friendly the dog was. If you ask them to keep the dog away from the child, they call you a dog hater. . . .We are now dog owners ourselves, very careful to keep the dog away from small children.
Someone I know has a little white dog. The dog rushed at a little girl, who cried out in fear. The owner said, Oh, he’s perfectly harmless, he loves children. Then the dog lunged again and the little girl screamed again. The father threatened to “call the authorities,” but he didn’t. Probably would have gained nothing but wasted time had he done so …
I agree with this concern. I am also concerned when parents (often more interesting their phones) don’t listen when I say “please don’t let your child approach my dog.” Or argue that I shouldn’t have a dog unless it is open to being approached by every child, no matter how young or even badly behaved.
We were walking in Riverside Park yesterday and witnessed two unleashed dogs with their owners sitting on a bench. One was VERY aggressive, and ran to attack other dogs on leashes that were walking by. When I spoke to the owner of the unleashed dog and said his animal should be on a leash, as is the rule, he told me to shut-up and mind my own business. These are the people in our neighborhood! Yeesh.
The thing with the UWS is that half the people are very nice and make it a great neighborhood, while the other half are absolute jerks and make this neighborhood a less welcoming place. The UWS is just a more liberal and dense version of Long Island.
This used to drive me crazy because as I commented earlier, I have fostered and adopted dog reactive pit bulls, and dogs off leash drove me crazy. It got to the point where I said to the owners, if my dog hurts your dog, it’s your fault. I went out of my way to avoid other dogs, but if your dog is off leash and runs up to mine, what am I supposed to do?
It was your business. And next time feel free to make it social media’s business by stepping away so he doesn’t attach you, but capturing film.
My comment to this rude man was that it WAS my business. But I didn’t want to engage in any additional dialogue with this rude dude with a very nasty dog.
Simple advice:
Avoid dogs you are unsure of.
It is sad to have to say, but, as everthing else a few bad apples ruin it for the majority.
Why should I be the one to avoid the dog? The dog have more rights than me?
Also, avoid owners you are unsure of.. It’s the owner that influences the dog’s behavior. It’s also the owners who do not pick up poop, or curb train their dogs; it’s not the dogs’ fault.
Maybe Sonya Shaykhoun from Twitter should run for city council in 2029, she will get dogs banned from cities.
I dislike that she is attempting to dissuade individuals from carrying a taser to protect themselves or their dogs. I feel she is about spot on with everything else but do not gaslight people into thinking it is taboo to want to carry something to protect yourself. Go anywhere else in this world and being armed is not taboo. Pretty much just in big cities in the west.
A basic understanding of how electricity works would let you know this is an awful idea and would result in your dog being electrocuted and anyone else in contact with the animals.
Please learn what the real definition of gaslight means, you not agreeing with someone saying a taser isnt great to use, is not gaslighting.
If the pit bull has its jaws locked on another dog or a person, the electricity from the taser cold flow through the victim, right? Or possibly it could cause the offending dog’s muscles to contract, biting the victim harder?
What a terrifying thought- to live in a world where everyone is expected to be armed at all times? Mon dieu.
I remember carrying pepper spray with me everywhere when I grew up on the southern US bc that’s what everyone did and said you had to do. The paranoia was palpable. I’m very thankful to have lived in NYC for over 20 years now and not carry that baggage (literally and figuratively).
Please stop with the common sense.
You are upsetting people.
It’s not common sense to carry a weapon. If someone is so crazy that he or she has an unleashed attack dog, he or she can take your weapon and use it against you.
LOL! So it appears I am!
1. Dog poop/pee is more than prevalent on sidewalks than I’ve seen since the 80s.
2. 15% of the dogs in my building cannot use the elevator because people are scared.
3. There are far more comments about this dog than in the articles about human assault victims.
4. When your dog is on one side of the sidewalk, and you are on the other, your leash prevents me from walking past you. Dumbsmile doesn’t help.
Agreed re dog poop. There’s only so much one can do about pee, and the entire city seems coated in it, but for Pete’s sake, pick up the poop! Def something you see more here than in other cities around the world in my experience. Not that many dog walkers can possibly be caught unaware without a baggie!! So gross.
Unfortunately, just as women are cautioned to “be aware”, “travel in groups”, “avoid the trains at night”, etc etc, the responsibility is not on the woman, nor in this case is it on the owner or citizen who is obeying the law, with or without a dog. Being asked to “cross the street” is ridiculous. It does nothing to curb bad behavior, teach anything the irresponsible owner, compel them to follow the law, or create a consequence. Tighten the laws, require licenses, proof of vaccination, and hand out tickets to owner to have their dogs unleashed, unvaccinated, and/or untrained. Our neighborhood was once dotted with officers on corners, in the park, and patrolling streets. Would be curious why that no longer exists. Can’t wait to hear more from Brewer about how she’s “looking into it”.
The comments about Gail Brewer are more than just tiresome–they’ve gone from the ridiculous to the absurd. Do you really think Gail Brewer has anything to do with NYC police street patrols?
Hi Jerry, seeing how Ms Brewer is “looking into it” is in reference to the dog attack, not the officers. She seems to always be “looking into things” but laws rarely change. As to her influence, does not City Council have an impact on NYPD budget? Or how police funds are allocated? Don’t City Council members act as intermediaries between constituents and local police precincts? Don’t they also work with local Community Boards and Precinct Community Councils, which give input on public safety needs, including patrols? Do I have misinformation?
Pit bulls may or may not be a breed issue, but they are a “breeding “ issue. The 2 dogs that simultaneously attacked the chihuahua were probably trained attack dogs.
There are countless kind, responsible dog owners on the UWS. But there are too many who aren’t who ruin it for the rest of us. So when you see a dog, out of an abundance of caution you have to assume that it is a bad one.
Leash laws in parks need to be better enforced – there should be consequences. I have commented to people a few times that their dog should be on a leash, often pointing to a sign, and routinely get mocked. I once saw a very aggressive dog hunt down a rat and kill it. As much as I was happy for the rat to be gone, it was truly horrifying.
I am still amazed that the pit bulls that attacked the other dog, with many witnesses and video evidence, are not being dealt with. These are the quality of life laws that our lawmakers should be addressing (and I appreciate that it now seems to be a focus, at least for this week), rather than some of the ridiculous projects that take up much of their time.
Owning a dog is a privilege, not a right. But unfortunately any person can go get one, and if they are an irresponsible, anti-social owner, nothing happens. That’s not OK.
Dog owner here. So tired of seeing people “walk” their dogs while staring at their phones, oblivious to where their dog is, or what it might be doing.
Another one of your readers made a comment when the first article about the dog bitting a smaller dog was published suggesting that dogs be equipped with muzzles that would prevent them from biting other animals or people. That comment makes good sense. Safety first would be the reason for making it a rule.
Pitbulls need to be outlawed in the city.
Naaaaaw. I have seen and passed a zillion pit-bulls and pit mixes in the City with no problem at all. The ONLY dog who ever bit me was a tiny, white, Maltese mix that had issues (clearly). It was a rescue dog, but the psychological damage was done to the dog before the new owner. It was crazy and jumped up and bit my hand right through my leather glove and drew blood. Knock on wood it had all its shots.
What if they identify as a labradoodle?
But all sorts of terriers can be quite vicious.
These vicious attacks are a travesty. Shocking that there are no consequences and no police interest. ..until a human is attacked.
Everyone, including pets and pet owners have the right (and the police have the responsibility to insure), safe travels.
I have been skating to work through Riverside Park for the last 25 years. Over that period of time, I have been attacked multiple times because the Park Rangers have given “permission” to allow dog owners to have their dogs off the leash before 9:00am. On three occasions I have been bitten. Incredibly, every time I have been bitten the dog owner denied that their dog had bitten me. Even when I rolled up my pant leg and showed them I was bleeding, only to be accused of having cut myself earlier. I used to carry pepper spray but only used it once. I find 90% of dog owners in Riverside Park to be inconsiderate, rude, and utterly horrible. And not once has any dog owner taken my side. Not once did I get an apology. I get comments like, “You shouldn’t be skating in the park.” I feel all dogs should be on the leash at ALL TIMES and any incident where an unleashed dog attacks anyone or another dog, should immediately result in a massive fine. These should not be considered civil cases but criminal cases. Also, the dog owner always refuses to give me their information so I can’t even check if their dog’s shots are up to date. What are you to do when that happens? Follow them back to their apartment building?
This is so sad and so believable. So many dogs are highly reactive to skaters, scooters, bikers. So many dog owners are in TOTAL denial, and absurdly defensive about their animal’s behavior. I’ve heard the defenses from my own family members – “oh, fast moving legs stimulate his herding instinct!” (True tale, despite dog drawing blood… ) I love dogs, but city life with dogs really requires more awareness and consideration than so many people seem to have. It is virtually impossible to hold owners accountable! Not the biggest problem we have by any means, but intractable, in almost every neighborhood and park. Pepper spray sounds completely reasonable. If owners can’t spot their hound running toward trouble, and call it back, it is 100% on them.
What does the Riverside Park Conservancy have to say?
I’d expect idiocy from Parks Police.
Have you written to the main City Parks office in the Arsenal regards the liabilities involved?
I am terrified of Pit Bulls. I cross the street (or the avenue) to distance myself whenever I encounter one while walking on the street. It is of no comfort to be told that there are many wonderful Pit Bulls. I don’t believe it is solely an owner issue, but whether it is a breed issue or an owner issue, I believe it is simply not safe to be within biting range of ANY Pit Bull.
I am sorry you experience this fear but, as others have noted, it’s not the breed that is the problem but how they are trained (or not) and handled. Pit bulls and pit mixes have gotten an unfair reputation because of incidents with those that are either bred and trained to be fighters or not well trained, socialized and handled – and those events of course become news. The majority of pits have loving, silly, affectionate characters and can be highly empathetic. They are mostly also calm around children and also other dogs.
I say this as the devoted owner of a mostly calm and sweet pit mix who happens to get triggered only by huskies. Does he want to tear them apart? No, but he does want to bark his head off at them? Yes. I consider it my responsibility to make sure to handle him safely no matter what, and that no huskies or humans or other dogs are threatened or harmed.
Each dog has different characteristics and moods and triggers, just like people do. Ultimately it’s the responsibility of the owner to learn their dog’s signals and to manage any behavior that could cause problems for other dogs and/or for humans – but that’s true of ALL dogs, not just pits. And many pits are super sweet love bugs when you say hello to them.
Honestly, why is the burden placed on those who don’t have dogs? Dogs, and by extension their owners, make the rest of us miserable. Really, you think I want to have the stress in my life: “Is this dog going to lunge? Is it going to bite? What breed is it?” Bad enough with the the bums, beggars, vagrants and and those e-bike lunatics.
We should be talking about the people who continue to bring their dogs into stores despite signage on the door prohibiting it. And whats with a chihauhua being a service dog lol.
I was recently picking up takeout (novel idea – getting off the couch to get it myself to reduce the number of delivery riders taking over the streets!).
Anyhoo, there was a couple there with a dog. Dogs don’t belong in restaurants. Beautiful evening. One of them could have easily waited outside with the dog while the other was inside. But sweet Fido had to be in there, wandering around on its leash close to where others were eating. I wasn’t going to be there long so didn’t want to say anything but it is just rude and selfish. And I am generally a dog lover.
Definitely- quite a few couples with dogs in grocery stores.
And increasingly, people with 2 dogs.
Recently heard a store employee caution a woman who had 2 dogs.
The woman said it was her therapy dog and his “friend. “
LOL.
As a recent dog owner, I appreciate the frustration with certain dog behavior, but I also understand a little more why certain “offenses” happen. Please appreciate that our environment is much much different than the 1980’s (or even more recent) as someone commented on. To walk yourself, much less a dog is a challenge. You have to navigate sidewalks narrowed by scaffholding. You have less sidewalk space due to the encroachment of outside restaurant dining areas. You have to be aware of bikes/scooters/etc. going in all directions on the sidewalks and streets. Taking a small dog to the street to take care of their business is not an option unless you are asking to be run over. You have big wagons /carts with online purchases rolled down the sidewalks. It’s not easy to find an appropriate space for your dog to do its business. Obviously anyone not picking up dog waste is rude and inconsiderate, but I think a very small minority of dog owners are responsible for most of the dog waste you may see. It’s not the majority. The same holds true with unleashed dogs at inappropriate times, dogs in grocery stores and drug stores, gigantic leashes and unattentive dog walkers. The minority of disrespectful dog owners stereotype the rest of us. I try to be a good dog owner, but imperfect at times, and yes I apologize to those offended if my dog tinkles in an inappropriate place because the timing, logistics and space available on certain blocks aren’t ideal. I try my best.
The vast majority of us do. Thank you.
I have a small dog, a chihuahua mix What happened on Sunday, fortunately, is a rare scenario. Penny is not likely the only victim in this story. Those two bully breeds did not become aggressive in a vacuum—they likely are the target of abuse themselves in order to make them so. By all accounts, their owner has a long rap sheet, including prison time. I am glad that expert dog trainer Amanda Gagnon is reminding people not to glibly default to bully breed discrimination.
And in not defaulting,, abandon the maxim: ‘better safe than sorry”.
Carry a can of spray paint? That will temporarily blind the attacking dog, while also marking the dog for later identification purposes.
A legitimate service dog is extensively trained and totally has an identifying harness-and not just some cheapo “service dog” vest you can buy online. (Try therapy instead.) Those knock-offs are undermining legit service dogs for people who really need them. Pick up your dog’s poop. Curb means CURB. Try to understand that not everyone wants to be licked/nuzzled/jumped–for their own personal reasons that you know NOTHING about. And finally-stay out of businesses-food service or otherwise
and control your flippin’ animals especially around other people, especially kids and elderly.
I have a lot of experience with this issue. I had a dog who liked to chase people and dogs, jump on them and basically scare them. She was part Pitbull and that scared people even more. She never really hurt anyone or anything but she did nip a couple of people once or twice. In the dog park she would bully other dogs. I used to travel all over this country for work and I did learn the best thing to break up a dog fight. The best thing is a handheld boat horn. It’s a pretty small thing you can carry in any treat bag. It’s a very very loud noise and the dog fight will totally stop immediately. It’s the absolute best way to take care of a dog fight and you don’t have to get in there into the fight yourself. Totally safe and easy. They sell them at Walmart. Anyone who wants to talk to me about this can find me on nextdoor.