protection from dog attack

[RV_]

All of my dogs are very well trained. All dogs will bite given their right provocation or trigger. Even my well trained dogs. One of my Danes, we had two, was third level obedience trained and responded to silent hand signals. Our well trained Shar-Pei (picture on website photos below) was purebred and a handsome brush coat. He went off on one close friend who reached in to hug me when he was in the back of our first diesel. Another time at the SKP park in Branson, my wife was holding the leash backing me up when the manager came running up from behind her to give her a SKP hug. Bogart saw him coming but my wife did not, until Bogart had him in a waist high bear hug, chin and throat tight against the managers chest and barking and snarling. No bites or snaps either time as the people backed off both times. 

Despite training, in the heat of adrenaline in both humans and dogs, aggressors or victims, sometimes the wind is blowing the wrong way, or the dog is quicker, dodges your steel baton and you swat your ankle, or you try to follow the dog with your gun, miss, and hit a 10 year old with the miss. Ammonia spray can also blow back and do permanent eye damage to he/she who sprays. It's always a lose/lose with a fiercely aggressive dog as opposed to the neighborhood pack leader. Please be careful, practice, and do try to keep your fur kid from harm. Of all the advice given the bang stick sounds good. Like guns, check the local stun device laws before you carry a stun device of any design, as some are as strictly regulated as guns in some states I saw.

 

Edited May 15, 2019 by RV_

[sandsys]

My friend had two German Shepherds. He was wrestling with one on the floor when it got too excited and bit him. It was not intentional but an excited dog can behave in ways it would not normally do. It never acted aggressively again but my friend stopped wrestling with his dogs. Good thing he stopped before they got their pit bull.

Linda

[ARGO]

Tks for all the input. I love dogs  and don't want to seriously hurt any animal. But MW, me & my guys come 1st vs any threat & I escalate to meet it. That said, some people need to leash their kids....................... 

[KodiakJack]

Like many I too have had several "well trained" dogs (god bless them all) and agree that dogs (and people) can depart from their normal or trained behavior due to circumstances.  Though we continually train to incorporate the unusual into our sessions shit can happen.  Our German Shepherd dogs have been circled by barking, growling, aggressive dogs yet maintained heel position by our sides in more than one RV park where dogs were supposed to be on lead.  On one particular occasion in a rural area of Texas (not in a park) my wife and I were walking our dogs along a dirt road.  Our dogs were on the extendable (Flexi) leads we often used to train with when a large pit bull aggressively charged.  The pit was after my dog Axel who wanted to meet him head on.  I was doing my best to keep them apart because the pit was an obvious fighter with both old and fresh scars all over his head and neck.  I started spinning the Flexi as fast as I could.  In effect it became a propeller I was able to keep in front of the pit to keep him at bay.  My arms were tuckering from spinning and holding Axel back when the pits owner was finally able to call him off. 

If a fight breaks the best method I have found to separate dogs, and keep them that way, is get them to a door (or gate) and then slam it on the area of the dogs head until you have one on each side.  Pick one and quickly drag them by their rear feet.  I have seen dogs in a fight repeatedly zapped with a 18" cattle prod or had a 1-1/5" APS pipe broken over their back with NO effect.

Having owned a boarding and training kennel for many years I can assure you dog fights are always bad no matter who wins.  Not to mention you can get hurt trying to break up a dog fight.

Later,

J

[markandkim]

Spray backed up by .40 S&W.

I only carry the spray when I walk my dogs.

I have used both on dogs in the past.

Spray is very effective though and at least you can show you have it if you need to use option 2.

So I always have dog repellant on me.

[FL-JOE]

In my time as a K-9 handler (Illinois State Police) we went through an initial 9 weeks of training with our canine and then quarterly certification plus advanced week long training each year.  Obviously I love dogs since I literally counted on my old partner to save my life if needed.

As we travel I have watched hundreds of pet owners with their pets.  90% or more have probably never been though any classes with their canines and have little or no control over their behavior.  Is there a need to be concerned when camping around someone with dogs?  You bet there is.

I am an avid walker.  I also do not leave my RV without being armed.  My reaction to a dog attack would probably be different then others.  For a small dog in the 10 to 15 pound range I would rush at it yelling just before it got to me.  That would probably stop the attack long enough for the owner to respond.  For the larger dogs that may also work, but if it didn't then I would need to get my hands on them and get them on their back.  I would possibly take at least one bite but once you get a larger dog on their back they will submit and be done.  For breeds such as a pit bull with devastating bite power I would simply pull my firearm and put them down.  I would never risk taking a bite from a pit bull.  There are a few other breeds out there I lump into that same category but the pit bull is the most common you will find in today's world.

[offroad]

6 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

In my time as a K-9 handler (Illinois State Police) we went through an initial 9 weeks of training with our canine and then quarterly certification plus advanced week long training each year.  Obviously I love dogs since I literally counted on my old partner to save my life if needed.

As we travel I have watched hundreds of pet owners with their pets.  90% or more have probably never been though any classes with their canines and have little or no control over their behavior.  Is there a need to be concerned when camping around someone with dogs?  You bet there is.

I am an avid walker.  I also do not leave my RV without being armed.  My reaction to a dog attack would probably be different then others.  For a small dog in the 10 to 15 pound range I would rush at it yelling just before it got to me.  That would probably stop the attack long enough for the owner to respond.  For the larger dogs that may also work, but if it didn't then I would need to get my hands on them and get them on their back.  I would possibly take at least one bite but once you get a larger dog on their back they will submit and be done.  For breeds such as a pit bull with devastating bite power I would simply pull my firearm and put them down.  I would never risk taking a bite from a pit bull.  There are a few other breeds out there I lump into that same category but the pit bull is the most common you will find in today's world.

this makes complete sense.  What is also unforgivable is the owner who lets the dog run free on a hiking trail, or near a campground.  here are lots of 6 to 12 year old children that have no ability to defend against a dog.  The owner always says SORRY, and HE NEVER BITES.  Dog spray is good.  Was at first  speculating about fire works to toss, or through a stick.  Always have hiking poles and use them if needed. 

[richfaa]

We have had  dogs nearly all my life pets, hunting dogs. Our last dog a australian shepard died at age 15 just before we  started our long time RV adventure. We did not get another dog.

I have only been attacked buy a dog one time several years ago. i have no idea why.The  dog charged me  from across the street. It was A fairly big dog.The dog did not survive.

 

[FL-JOE]

My favorite story, and good example of folks letting their dogs run unsupervised happened to me a few years ago when we were off the road at our home in SW Florida.  I used to drive about a mile from the house to an undeveloped area to walk.  There were brand new streets and sidewalks but no homes or construction so it was the perfect place to exercise.

I came across a gentlemen about my age who had 3 dogs running around in a vacant lot.  As I approached on the sidewalk one of his dogs (young black lab) came charging at me.  As the dog got closer I observed it did not look aggressive so I simply stopped walking and put my hands out in a non-threatening manner.  Of course all this time the guy was yelling at his dog to come back which the dog ignored.

The black lab jumped up on me wanting to play.  I petted him once and then kneed him in the chest and told him "down".  He stayed down but his initial jump on me scratched my knee.  

The owner had caught up to his lab and grabbed him.  I began to walk away and before I did I informed him that there was a leach law in Lee County.  He didn't apologize or even say anything to me but instead said to his dog "don't bother Mr. Grouchy".

Needless to say this comment and his actions made me mad.  I stopped, turned back to him, and informed him that if I ever saw him letting his dogs run around free again I would call the law on him.  He then cussed at me and I returned the compliments.

As I continued my walk I telephoned the Lee County Animal Control office and reported the incident.  Two or three times within the next week I saw him in the same spot letting his dogs run free.  I would either cross the street or turn around and walk another way, but each time I would make another call to the authorities.  They kept promising me they would try to get a officer out there but were very busy.

A week or so later I got a call from Animal Control.  They had responded finally and found the guy with all three dogs running around.  When they got out and talked to him he argued with them and the situation went down hill from there.  They ended up giving him 3 different tickets (one for each dog) at $300 minimum fine per ticket.  

I continued to walk in that area and never saw this individual again.

[JimK]

On 5/14/2019 at 10:39 PM, RV_ said:

All of my dogs are very well trained. ........

 

I have been attacked 3 times with the owners nearby and this is exactly what I heard from the owners.  The other phrase is my dogs are "friendly".  Since I have had so many issues, I often carry something for self defensive.  When I was fishing it used to be a large hand held gaff.  It is strange how the owners started to lose confidence in the friendly nature of their dogs, when I made it clear the dog would only bite once.  IMO no dog should ever be in public without a leash.  Even that is not sufficient in crowded areas and narrow trails.

As to what might have been helpful for self defense, the gaff was pretty impressive with a nice handle and a quick release holder.  I have also carried a long walking stick with a sharp point.  Once when the trail was not clear, I had to return to the RV for a small hand ax.   I once had to use a camera tripod to fend off a dog.  

Edited May 18, 2019 by JimK

[KodiakJack]

As the USCG C-130 deploying us circled Kotlik's runway I couldn't help but wonder if the pilot was thinking; I'm supposed to land on that?  Just a thought because the landing went smooth so Sam and his dog Bart, and Axel and I jumped out.  A couple four wheelers met us for transport to their village at the mouth of the Yukon River.  Search base was a 20' cargo van where we were quickly briefed on the 2 missing children.  The primary search area was the river and the shore line was where we started.  The problem was that this time of the year the locals chained their sled dogs along the river. There were lots and lots and lots of dogs chained out to reach the water but not each other.  The reason for this became crystal clear when every dog we encountered was super dog-aggressive.  We quickly developed a long line search technique to stay clear of these barking, growling, lunging, chain rattling crazies in order to clear areas.  Axel was focused on his work and I was focused on the sled dogs when sure enough one broke loose and charged.  They tangled right at the water’s edge but Axel being the larger dog soon had the Husky down while they were both getting twisted up in my 40-foot lead.  Oh NO!!  Another dog got loose and the current tussle invaded yet another dogs space.  They were all going for Ax as I was trying to get his lead off.  In desperation and now up to my waist in water and I gave him his Go Out (Schuhund) command and he went for it, straight into the water where the current caught him.  I took off running along the river with the 2 loose dogs closer to Ax than me.  He was used to me running along a river bank trying to intercept him as he was swept along because this was the routine when we crossed a river on horseback.  Soon the Village Public Safety Officer with shotgun in hand got the dogs owners to get control of their dogs or he would end them.  I thought there way too much activity to cut loose with a shotgun.  Anyway I fished Ax out of the Yukon about a 1/4-mile down river from where he jumped in.  We were later able to clear this dog-stakeout area by boat.  We searched 5-days and found one of the kids packs submerged.  Bart hit on it from the shore and Ax from a boat.  The locals used make shift dredges to sweep the bottom where the dogs alerted.  Sorry for the ramble…..way more to this story than here….but the topic was too much for me to pass on.  Watch out for dog attacks everywhere.

Later,

J

[RV_]

On 5/17/2019 at 1:18 PM, JimK said:

  On 5/14/2019 at 8:39 PM, RV_ said:

All of my dogs are very well trained. ........

I have been attacked 3 times with the owners nearby and this is exactly what I heard from the owners.  The other phrase is my dogs are "friendly". 

Jim,

The rest of my comment was:

" All of my dogs are very well trained. All dogs will bite given their right provocation or trigger. Even my well trained dogs."

I went on to say that twice my dogs surprised us with behaviors we'd not expected from them.

Regardless of level of training, or how our furkids act with family and friends, it is the height of irresponsibility to take any dog into a public place without the sure control of a leash and adequate collar, no matter how small or friendly they think their furkids are. Attitudes travel up and down the leash. The owner's bad behaviors will be reflected in bad behaviors in their animals. If the owner is afraid so their animals will be too.

But all animals, including the human kind, have triggers even they are unaware of that can lead to aggression when triggered.  Some folks experience that kind of unexpected limbic response after drinking.

I am also wary of other people's dogs who say they are harmless. But I will make friends when introduced to a dog, cat, or even a horse, if they are friendly after first sniff.

You see unwarranted aggression online all the time resulting from simple misunderstandings to mean spirited people.

Safe travels!

Edited May 19, 2019 by RV_

[packnrat]

On 5/9/2019 at 6:25 PM, noteven said:

Our letter carrier burst into our office one day leaking tears and snot heading for the lavatory. “Damn dog was upwind!” he sez...

glad i was not drinking anything when i read that. 🙂

[packnrat]

On 5/16/2019 at 7:31 AM, FL-JOE said:

In my time as a K-9 handler (Illinois State Police) we went through an initial 9 weeks of training with our canine and then quarterly certification plus advanced week long training each year.  Obviously I love dogs since I literally counted on my old partner to save my life if needed.

As we travel I have watched hundreds of pet owners with their pets.  90% or more have probably never been though any classes with their canines and have little or no control over their behavior.  Is there a need to be concerned when camping around someone with dogs?  You bet there is.

I am an avid walker.  I also do not leave my RV without being armed.  My reaction to a dog attack would probably be different then others.  For a small dog in the 10 to 15 pound range I would rush at it yelling just before it got to me.  That would probably stop the attack long enough for the owner to respond.  For the larger dogs that may also work, but if it didn't then I would need to get my hands on them and get them on their back.  I would possibly take at least one bite but once you get a larger dog on their back they will submit and be done.  For breeds such as a pit bull with devastating bite power I would simply pull my firearm and put them down.  I would never risk taking a bite from a pit bull.  There are a few other breeds out there I lump into that same category but the pit bull is the most common you will find in today's world.

sad you feel this way about the so called pit bull. as i have know many of them and they are very friendly, never a problem with that breed in my 60 years here. now if you want to talk about the little scrawny rat dog (sorry i do not know how to spell the name) there i have been attacked by them many a time, but there bite is nothing.

i once owned a couple rotts, off lead trained, very friendly. except if you got into there yard at night. or tried attacking my mom. around me only love there. and there bite is many magnitudes stronger than a pit bull.

pit bulls were trained to hunt badgers had to bite and hold on for life.. there life,  as they were trained to hunt very good killers..

never a bad dog born... just bad owners.

[sandsys]

2 hours ago, packnrat said:

never a bad dog born... just bad owners.

A hurt or frightened dog can quickly become a "bad" dog.

[FL-JOE]

12 hours ago, packnrat said:

sad you feel this way about the so called pit bull. as i have know many of them and they are very friendly, never a problem with that breed in my 60 years here. now if you want to talk about the little scrawny rat dog (sorry i do not know how to spell the name) there i have been attacked by them many a time, but there bite is nothing.

i once owned a couple rotts, off lead trained, very friendly. except if you got into there yard at night. or tried attacking my mom. around me only love there. and there bite is many magnitudes stronger than a pit bull.

pit bulls were trained to hunt badgers had to bite and hold on for life.. there life,  as they were trained to hunt very good killers..

never a bad dog born... just bad owners.

I had German Shepherds when I was younger, then we had a Lab when the kids were growing up.  Of course my K-9 was a Shepherd.  I never heard of or laid eyes on a Pit Bull until probably the 1980's or early 1990's.  

You need to visit the inner city and you will soon meet some Pit Bulls you would not be so fond of.

But I do agree with one thing, usually not bad dogs but bad owners.

[slackercruster]

OP...2 or 4 oz nitrogen powered pepper spray. Get cone spray. 

[Matthew]

A mailman meets a boy and a huge dog. ‘Does your dog bite?’ asks the mailman. ‘No,’ replies the boy. And the dog bites the mailman’s leg. ‘You said he doesn’t bite!’ yells the mailman. ‘That’s not my dog,’ replies the boy.

[packnrat]

i never said all dogs are friendly, just 99.99% of them are.

and yes even in the inner city there can be friendly pitts, at least till the bad owner trains it to be bad. and yes i have seen this happen a couple times. on the bad flip side even a owner beating the (****) out of there pit with a baseball bat, just trying to make it let go of the other dog.  this goes ageist the grain of generations of breading to hunt badgers. the dog will not let go.

sandsys, i tend to think more in the line of the dog is just scared, not turned "bad".

seen where some strays have been attacked by bad humans, so the dog is scared of everybody.

and any cornered critter will bite, even that little mop dog, or the family cat.

seen where a dog got hurt, and will bite anybody, even there human.

and as to the "mailman", for some unknown reason some dogs just have this thing about a human in any uniform.

 

with this all said, my two rotts were off lead trained, but in any new area,  new people, they were on there leashes.

any proper owner takes care of there dogs, and controls them. as they are responsible for the dogs actions.

Edited May 21, 2019 by packnrat

[Carlos]

I carry a high-power pepper spray on my left, and handgun on my right.  Respond with the level of force needed for the moment.  Simple.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RTKEPW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edited May 24, 2019 by Carlos

[Randyretired]

1 hour ago, Carlos said:

I carry a high-power pepper spray on my left, and handgun on my right.  Respond with the level of force needed for the moment.  Simple.

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008RTKEPW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When I can I do the same.  Since we no longer have a dog, the confrontations with other dogs has dropped way off.  I have had dogs jump a fence and cross 2 lanes of traffic to challenge me and my dog.  My dog was my working cow dog and was very well trained and he didn't jump around and bark or challenge other dogs but still we were challenged many times.  One day a poodle slipped through a fence to get over to us across the street but a car got him first.  Some people just don't take care of their animals or bother with training.  I usually put him on a leash to satisfy others but when he was on command he never left my side or the horse I was on.

[lsedf]

I carry a Stun Flashlight, or try to most the time.  Bought it at Cabelas.  It makes a very loud noise when activated, that would be the warning shot.    If the aggressive dog doesn't back off, they'll get touched.   The nature of the attack determines how long they get touched.   My objective is to disorientate the dog so I can get my dogs away.   Fortunately have not had to execute my plan, but I have seen enough attacks to prepare.   

One of my favorite comments in a dog park was a 20 something girl that said just Saturday at the dog park when the her dog was being aggressive.  I looked her straight in the eye and said;   I hope you can afford the lawsuit I will bring if you dog causes any harm,  she got the message.   I learned from a friend last winter about this stun flashlight, absolutely a good humane option. 

[NDBirdman]

1 hour ago, lsedf said:

I carry a Stun Flashlight, or try to most the time.  Bought it at Cabelas.

Welcome to the forum!

I just looked that up, pretty interesting, might check it out when my local store gets them back in stock.  I'm also looking at the cane one, would like to protect from a little farther away from those teeth.

[joshdoe]

Not all dogs are friendly, unfortunately. But their owners could be more problematic.
In the past we had some serious incidents involving our lab and stranger's dogs. Also I was attacked by an off-leash dog at park recently. The owner refused to put the dog on the leash even after the attack. That's a never ending problem.

Large stick, bottle of water, sprayed on them, coat thrown over them, loud noise or even a deodorant sprayed at them might help and that's not prohibited. But please don't kick them, since you may well damage a dog, broken ribs etc.

[Pappy Yokum]

On 5/9/2019 at 12:37 PM, Mr. Camper said:

If that is what you'll do, why make the post.  Just remember that what action you choose, you are also choosing the consequences.  If you're okay with that, then you have answered your own question.

Reply (above) was to "ARGO".

Ditto what Mr. Camper said.

(Sooooo.........Why post the question?)

😟