The time: 19:15
As good neighbours often do, my mom occassionally sends some food preparation to our next door neighbour. The maid who works with us plays the courier. My neighbour has a one-and-a-half-year-old Doberman. He's not fully grown yet, but by God is he strong! Put the above facts together and the following tale ensues.
I was at home, watching television, unaware of what was going on a few feet from my residence. I heard a scream and went out to see what the matter was. I saw this:
our maid was struggling with our neighbour's Doberman (Surya) on her, in my neighbour's compound.
When I went to my neighbour's gate, he asked me to help. He was alone at home, save his mother, and had a broken shoulder. At this point, I should tell you that Uncle is around 50 years old and his mother is, well, you get the picture. The both of them being incapable of subduing Surya, he asked me to help and I, against my better judgement, jumped right in. With something of a war cry, the likes of which I had never heard escape my lips before, I went for Surya. The dog had his forelimbs on our maid's shoulders and she was screaming, panicked.
Uncle told me to grab him by the chain around his neck. So, I did and pulled him off her. I told her to exit the compound and tried to hold the dog down. But he wasn't one to sit quietly. He tried to turn around and grab my arm and get loose.
Initially, I thought of forcing his head to the ground. But logic told me that this would tilt his head, putting it in the perfect position from which to close his jaws around my wrist (should he have chosen to do so). So, I gave up the idea. I just tried to hold him with one hand on his haunch and the other on the chain around his neck. Thankfully, it worked.....for a while.
I held him as long as I could but, eventually, he got free. I expected him to then come after me. But, for reasons no-one will ever know, he didn't. I yelled a defiant cry at him as though to say, “Shut up and stay there!” and walked out, trying my best not to let any fear enter my mind. I exited the compound and that was the end of that.
At some point the maid did get out, but I don't know when.
I know the dog wasn't really trying to attack anyone. I know this because if he was, I'm sure there's nothing anyone could have done. But even with him not in attack mode, he was easily much more than two handfuls.
I escaped unscathed. The maid got a light tooth inflicted scratch which we will have looked at. The dog has had all his vaccines and is presumed safe. But, I still believe she should take some shots - at least a Tetanus shot.
The dog is still an adolescent and even then, he was able to get loose from me with, I believe, great ease. If he had tried to attack me full on, I think I'd have been in big trouble.
This incident has given me an all new respect for the strength and awesome power of a Doberman. I shudder to think what a Great Dane or St. Bernard would've been capable of. My advice to everyone, "NEVER CROSS A DOBERMAN!"
Later, when I asked my maid why she'd even entered the compound, I learnt that Uncle had told her to come in, assuring her that the dog wouldn't attack. Evidently, his assumption was inaccurate.
My second piece of advice: DON'T LET PEOPLE LEAD YOU INTO BELIEVINGA DOBERMAN, NO MATTER HOW WELL TRAINED HE/SHE MAY BE, WILL JUST LET YOU BE.
P.S.: My apologies if this post sounds dramatic. It's just as accurate a description of what happened and my thoughts and feelings at the time, as I have been able to manage.
