Samson Attacked Me Saturday Night

 

That 1% I spoke of 10 days ago happened Saturday night. Unprovoked. It was halftime of the IU game and I had gotten up walking this direction, planning to make a right turn down the hallway to the bathroom. Just as I stepped on that wood I heard a loud  ATTACK bark growl and when I turned left to see what was going on, Samson lunged at me. The worse attack mode I have ever seen a dog in. You can see the kitchen table moved to the right. That must have happened as I struggled to get out of his grip ... and trying to get away from him. I was backing up through the kitchen fighting him off hoping to get to the garage and shut the door.

As I was backing up trying to get away from him I remember grabbing a kitchen chair and trying to get that between him and me. He knocked that away and I remember feeling his mouth completely around my hand and wrist. I thought I was in serious trouble. I cannot remember how I got my hand away from him or how I got away from him, because he was in the attack mode all the way to the mud room door as I tried to escape to the garage.

I stood outside the door trying to figure out all that went on. I could tell I had a serious puncture wound. I was just happy I had my hand still attached to my wrist. When I didn't hear any kind of noise from any of the dogs I cracked the door open to see if he was on the other side of it waiting for me. It was all quiet.

I opened the door and walked into the kitchen ... my original three were there to see if I was okay. Samson had already moved to the great room and was laying on the floor watching me as I walked in. I was able to get my phone, take some photos and text some people. My first call was to Animal Control and left a message not expecting any answer until possibly Monday. I grabbed a paper towel and pressed hard on my hand. Then grabbed an ice pack out of the freezer. 

I was happy when I got a call back, He took my information and said he needed to log some stuff into the computer then he would be right out. I will continue that part of the story after I tell you why I was so quick in calling them because it didn't stop there.

I agreed to re-home this bloodhound thinking I could make a difference in his life with a change of environment. Even with a history of biting two previous owners multiple times and a wife this last time. If you remember I made the post telling you that I was NOT going to do just because of his biting problem. Those posts explain why I changed my mind.

He really is a great hound but something is wrong. Either birth issues or he was abused by his first owner. I told myself and might have even mentioned it to a couple of friends, "if he ever bites me I will have him put down" ... for the simple reason ... I never wanted him to have a chance in getting re-homed AFTER PROFESSIONAL TRAINING and biting a young child. The only way to prevent that with this hound was to put him down.

He had my wrist and my hand all at one time in an attack mode.

Control officer came out within the hour after our call. While I was waiting for his arrival I knew I had to separate Samson from my other three. It was so strange. I turned on all the lights, opened the door from the mud room to the garage and then the door to the large crate that Stella had used. I called Samson's name from the garage without fear because he was calm and sleeping on his love seat in the living room.

He comes trotting into the garage like we are taking a walk, sniffs at the crate door and walked into the crate. He did NOT attack me as I closed the door and after I walked back into the house with the garage light off ... I didn't hear a bark, a whine or anything from him. I did toss a couple of bone treats into the crate.

But that all changed when the animal control officer got here. I had the garage door open and he walked in to see what would be working with. Immediately Samson was back in that attack mode, sound just like he was with me, only he could not lunge at either of us from inside the crate. He said he would have go to get  that "loop" they put around their neck ... I think he called it "the stick" ... he had not even got to the crate when Samson goes into that attack mode again ... concerning me enough I walked into the shed and back inside the house through the patio door. I wasn't walking anywhere near that crate the way he was barking and the crate door slightly open.

After many attempts and not getting the loop around his neck he called a second man to come out. He agreed with me when I said it isn't going to matter if you have two or three guys even with that loop around his neck, you will never get him in your truck without being injured. That is when he said he knew that and that the second man would shoot a tranquilizer to calm him down.

Well the 2nd guy shows up, NOTHING in his hands. He was just walking up to see Samson and talk with the first guy on what their plan would be. Samson went back into that attack mode from inside the crate. So vicious I can't describe it. I will say I think you would be scared s***less if you heard it or saw it in person.

I tell him the size of Samson, and 20 minutes after the shot, Samson was still in the attack mode, just is fierce as before ... but ... a few minutes later he was relaxed. I didn't want to see him with the loop around his neck. I headed back inside and looked out the living room window. One truck was in the driveway and the truck he was being loaded up in was parked in the street. It had a ramp leading up to the kennel.

Well Samson walked on his own in a calm manner with the officer, walked right up the ramp on his own into the kennel. I did not see him walking and didn't watch. That was not the way I wanted to remember him. I wanted to remember him from our walk Saturday morning where he was the perfect bloodhound, sniffing a thousand scents and never pulling on the leash.

While waiting for the 2nd man it was just Samson and me in the closed garage. I talked to him just the way I had talked to all of my hounds in the past when they were put down. I have always stayed to the very end holding them till their last breath .. but in this case I could only talk to him while he was in his crate.

I reminded him that he was a great bloodhound .. he wagged his tail as he looked up at me with those sad eyes. Even after his shot, both men walked out to their trucks to prepare the ramp and kennel, so we had time to talk again. I told him again he was great and we loved having him live with us. I apologized for what had happened and what was going to happen ... he looked at me and wagged his tail.

Before the control officer had arrived, I had sent a text to the breeder's assistant that announced the re-home opportunity on their Facebook page before I got him. I also was in contact with the guy that brought him over to me. We all agreed it was just so sad to whatever happened to that dog but I was doing the right thing. It still makes me sick as I write this but there was no other choice.

If you would have seen him attacking me you would not have believed it. I still cannot believe it.

I have since sat on the floor with Henry, Walter and Watson and talked to them about what happened, assuring them everything was ok. They had to be traumatized with what they saw. They sniffed my bandaged hand, then went out and sniffed the garage and the crate Samson was in ... they must be okay as they all waked back in the house and went to sleep.

I am still trying to process what happened ... it is just a sad sad sad story for a great bloodhound.