The Park Incident

After Croatia, Rome and Amstardam - I am back to Kiev.

During my vacation Igor was with Yulia and his buddy Fred. At Yulia's place Igor and Fred enjoy freedom. They chase chicken, ducks, cats and other dogs.

The first evening Igor and I were reunited and went for a park walk both of us were in a holiday mood. Our walk started well. It was late in the evening around 10.30 pm. Igor met his girlfriends - Sonya, Betty and Patty and his friend Lovka. After so many hours of obedience training - Igor was off the leash.


I was catching up with respective owners. Zoa Alexandrovna with her choire won the third prize in an international choire competition in Bulgaria. We were all in very good mood.

Igor played with his girlfriends when a jogging couple passed by. Igor went straight for woman's ankles. I immediately shouted and called him back. He run away. The man the woman was jogging with was as protective of his wife as Igor of his girlfriends - he went after Igor to kick him.
Igor came to me and sat. I put him on the leash.
I immediately apologized to the woman. I have not seen if Igor bit her but I was apologetic and expressed how sorry I am about the incident.

Following is the summary of the conversation with the woman:
Woman: "Oh I am so hurt. What kind of dog it is?"
Me: "It's a house dog"
Woman: "Does he have all vaccinations?
Me: "Yes, he has all vaccinations. We do them regularly."
Woman: "Do you have papers to prove it?"
Me: "Yes - but I do not have papers with me now."
Woman: "Could you give me your phone number?"
Me: "Yes, I could. But in that case I want your phone number too."
Woman: "I will not give you my phone number. Oh it hurts so much! What if I wake up tomorrow with the fever?"
Me: "I would be sorry if you would get a fever by tomorrow morning but I am not sure you would get it because of my dog's bite. Could you please let me see the bite?
Woman: "Why do you want to see the bite? It's dark. You would not see anything. Oh - it hurts me so much."
Me: "If it hurts you so much because Igor bit you badly - I could check the bite and if necessary give you first aid."
Woman:"You can give first aid? You know how to do it?
Me: "Yes I can give you first aid and I know how to do it."
Woman: "You have a certificate to prove it?"

While somewhere in the mid of conversation I got the idea the woman is after something else than a mere sympathy because of a dog bite (which by the way I have not seen; I only saw Igor going after ankles) - after woman's last question about my first aid certificate I was sure something else is being played and I decided to stop to play along.
So I responded: "Yes - I have a first aid certificate and it is together with my dog's vaccinations certificate. Have a good evening"
Woman: "You cannot leave. I am going to call a police."
Me: "Please do call a police. I will continue to walk my dog. If police comes - you and police can find me in the park. Good evening"

And I left. Together with other dog owners. Other dog owners also jumped in during the conversation and tried to help me (especially Yulia and Zoa Alexandrovna) but main conversation was between me and the woman.

I know what Igor did is bad. I am aware it was my mistake. But the woman has not shown me the bite. If the woman was hurt and bleeding because of a bite - I would go with her to the hospital. However after I left  she shouted about calling the police for few minutes. Later she continued jogging around. Police never came that night.
Other dog owners never saw the couple in the park before. I never saw her in the park since. Other dog owners ensured me I did everything correctly. Yulia who is a nurse told me she thinks the women has a conflicting personality.

Since that incident Igor was grounded and on the leash for few days. He now behaves (almost) perfectly. I see a jogger in the park and put him on the leash at once.