A local dog trainer says a recent dog attack highlights the need for training of all dogs.
Robbie Bos was walking her Labrador retriever, Maddie, near her house in a rural part of Arroyo Grande earlier this year.
“We started out and we went down the driveway, started down the road, and that's maybe 200 yards," Bos said.
But the sight of a large dog running toward her made her panic.
“I have this giant pitbull coming at me, gnarly and barking," Bos explains. "It doesn't have a chain around its neck. It doesn't have a collar. It doesn't have a leash. There is no way I can stop it.”
She says the animal attacked Maddie, leaving bite wounds on her neck. Bos says she fell to the ground and broke two bones in her hand.
Luckily, her neighbor Johnny Reilly was there to help.
“I put two and two together, saw the dog running down the street, and it all just happened so fast," Reilly said.
he rushed to help Bos, who he says was screaming.
“I’m just a normal person, a normal person," Reilly said.
But Bos sees him as her savior.
“It was he that actually saved us," she said. "I don't know what would have happened.”
SLO County Animal Services confirmed the attack was unprovoked and cited the pitbull's owner for not keeping the dog properly confined.
“She (the dog owner) was really upset. She was very remorseful. I have nothing against her," Bos says.
Bos isn't seeking legal action but does see this as an opportunity to remind people about the importance of dog training. She has trained all four of her dogs with the help of professionals.
“They're dogs and you know that you cannot trust them," Bos says. "Even as good as Maddie is, we always have her under control.”
Local dog trainer Kaila Caldwell-French says owners should start training their dogs soon after adopting them.
"Get to know your dog," Caldwell-French says. "Then within that next week or two weeks, start training, whether it's basic obedience or, you know, agility.”
She says even 15 minutes a day can help you understand your dog's behavior and prepare for any situation.
“If you keep it going, it's even more as far as the behavior goes," Caldwell-French said.
As Bos recovers from her injuries with the help of physical therapy, Riley says perspective dog owners should have two things in mind.
“You can either adopt the dog and do the work, or….don’t [adopt],” Reilly says.
