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Why do other dogs constantly attack my dog?

My dog has been attacked 4 times in the last year. The other dogs end up injured afterwards. He is always leashed. I used to keep a soft muzzle on him until the first time. All four dogs were running loose and attacked him in the street. He weighs about 100 pounds and is a mixed breed shelter dog. We adopted him when he was ten months old. He was super social with the neighbor dogs and kind of an omega dog. When he turned two, it all changed. He would not let other dogs dominate him. These last attacks were unprovoked as far as I can tell. They were loose and came at him full speed and collided with him on the street. He doesn't growl or do any kind of display. He just latches onto their backs and will not let go until someone shows up to take their dog away. I have to explain to them that they need to leash their dog and move back. Then he lets go. Is there something I am missing? Now I carry pepper spray. I don;t know what else to do. I am running out of streets I can walk him on.

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I don't have an answer, however an air horn might be safer for you and and your dog than pepper spray, since wind could redirect it back on you. I've been looking at trail safety horns, they can be worn on a lanyard around the neck and is activated when you blow into it.

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I also live in an area where there are too many loose dogs and have become uncomfortable walking my dog around my neighborhood. I am also a little paranoid after an experience with a loose dog attacking my leashed dog that left me with a $4,000 vet bill and a Boston Terrier clinging to his life, so I can certainly empathize. I wouldn't recommend pepper spray, when most dogs feel truly threatened they won't back down, and it could make the situation worse, or have the dog redirect his aggression towards you. I have never tried it myself, but I've been told it can be dangerous. The best method for breaking up a dog fight in my experience is picking up the dog by its hind legs. That being said, nobody wants to have to break up a dog fight! Besides using apps like nextdoor to try and stress the importance of keeping dogs leashed, unfortunately we can't control how others do, or from the sounds of it don't, handle their dogs. I know my dog loves her walks, but we've now resorted to obstacle courses in the small yard space we have as well as using snuffle mats and just practicing her trick to help burn off energy. Another option I like is taking my dog to a park where there is a running track. I find that there aren't usually as many other people with dogs at these kind of parks, and when there are they tend to be leashed as they're typically someone's running companion. I know it's a few extra steps, but I find that the peace of mind of feeling more secure with my dog is worth it.