'Ferocious' Alsatian tackled by woman as it attacked Yorkshire Terrier

The German Shephard clamped her jaws around Yorkshire Terrier Toby and "swung, shook and smashed him against the floor" in a sudden attack at Black Park, according to Helen Emery.

She said she pinned down the unaccompanied dog, blood dripping from its mouth, and screamed for the owner "for ages" before he appeared only to ask if Toby had been on a lead.

“It was really frightening,” said Ms Emery, from Gerrards Cross.

“Toby was screaming, I’ve never heard a dog scream in my life.

“After the attack I couldn’t believe he was still alive, I really did think he was dead, it was that ferocious.”

Toby spent 24 hours in a vets being treated for bruising, multiple bite wounds and shock

Ms Emery claims she was walking Toby at around 6.30am on Tuesday when the Alsatian sniffed him and then "snapped".

“There was no build up, there was no chase, he just flipped him and started savaging him and shaking him, slamming him on the floor.”

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She wrestled the dog from Toby, who had received deep bites to his stomach and sprinted away.

“Stupidly, I then threw the dog to one side and ran after Toby, but the dog was quicker than I was.”

The Alsatian gripped Toby once more but this time he would not let go, claims Ms Emery.

Grabbing her by the neck, Ms Emery tackled the Alsatian, rolled on top of her and pinned her down with her body weight.

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“I felt like I was laid there for ages screaming for an owner, shouting at the dog to stop. Then it started bucking, so I started panicking as I was laid on the floor with it and if it started with me I was going to be really injured.”

She remembered Toby’s lead was still hanging around her neck so she attached it to the dog’s collar, who was not interested in attacking her, she said.

The owner then appeared, described as white, in his late thirties or early forties, about 5ft 8in tall, stocky, and wearing a hat, according to Thames Valley Police.

“There was blood dripping from the mouth of his dog and all he could say was to ask if my dog was on the lead.”

She said she is not calling for the dog to be put down, but wanted to raise awareness so other dogs weren't hurt.

“I was very lucky not to be injured in the massive intervention I had to do and I don’t think somebody else will be as lucky.”

“I’m worried that it could be the death of a dog or an injury of a person.”

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Thames Valley Police by calling 101 or visiting their website – How to tell us about an existing case or report | Thames Valley Police – quoting reference number 1677 (16/3).

No arrests have been made at this stage of the investigation.