Good or Bad Idea?

DeannaPaige1

Hi all. I have a question! Since the weather has cooled down a bit, my friend and I like to walk outside on the roads now. This has happened a few times but never this scary but a few days ago while walking 2 decent size dogs ran up their driveway I believe and wen't into attack mode, following us, barking and growling. I was pretty shaken up. A man was passing by and stopped. He told us the dogs will bite and he stayed to keep them occupied until we were able to turn somewhere. I was thinking about taking my dog on our nightly walks now. My dog is a Pitbull/Boxer mix..weighing about 65lbs. Hes very sweet & I'm not sure how he would react to these animals. I thought about bringing him along maybe thinking he can protect us or scare others off. Advice??

Illona88

Bringing a dog will only put them in attack mode even more, because they see a dog as invading their territory more.

I know of several dogs that don't react when a person walks by, but if there's a dog they will go mental.


Speak to the owners of the house and tell them to put up a proper fence, so the animals can't run onto the road and bite someone.
They have to do that, otherwise you can call the police, because they are endangering people.

kinrsa

I wouldn't bring my dog for fear of her being attacked. Are they strays or do they belong to someone in the neighborhood? If they belong to someone, ask them to keep their dogs in the fence (but be prepared for that not to happen). After doing that I call the SPCA/Animal Anti-Cruelty when a dog in my neighborhood gets out of hand. If they can't get out in time, call the police.

There's a little aggressive dog in my street that was becoming a danger to me & others because he'd run in the street to attack people, cars, other animals, etc. The owners didn't care, even after another neighbor filed a police report when their kid was attacked while cycling. I put red food dye & water in my water bottle & sprayed him with it one day when he chased me in the street. Looked like blood. His owners kept him inside the fence after that. But that was a smaller dog and I was prepared to have him attack me for it, so I don't particularly recommend it- I was just at wit's end.

Definitely don't run and don't make eye contact with the dogs- that'll ramp them up more.

DeannaPaige1

I'm pretty sure they belong to someone. They came out of this long driveway that led to a house. Asking them to keep their dogs under control will probably not happen since I will probably never be able to get past their driveway. My father thinks I should take a different route but if it's not them..it's others. You are right though, brining my dog with me may be even worse. I know I can barely handle my dog on a leash when he gets wild ( Hes still a puppy ) Need to nip that in the butt!

melaniecheeks

If he's still a puppy (under 12 months) then running with him is a bad idea, a his bones will not have properly formed yet.

Can you run on the other side of the road that that bit?

tmauck4472

Buy some pepper spray and take that instead. Will protect you from humans and animals.

Determinednoob

Tell the owners of the dogs to keep them in their yard however they need to if they want to keep them.

blakejohn

dogs are not too smart they now how to protected what they believes belongs to them, Barking is there warming system, they have a pecking order hence "The Big Dog"

I have a Rottweiler I've trained him since he was 8 weeks old he would like you to death before he bite you, that doesn't stop him from trying to protect me from other dogs.

carry some pepper spray like the postman if you feel your in real danger then spay the dog,

Taking your dog could only cause a dog fight

Illona88

at Blakejohn: I normally don't comment on grammar and spelling, but you've actually made your text really hard to read. Just saying.


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If you can't ask the owners to put their dogs behind a fence, because you can't get up their driveway, can't you just look up their phone number from their address? Otherwise you should just call the RSPCA.
I would definitely make sure they lock their dogs on their property, because they are clearly a danger to the safety of people in a public space. Small children could be attacked by these dogs.

kenazfehu

I would take a different walking route.

nanainkent

I have this same problem. Now I carry Bear Spray. It sprays out in a cloud of mist and if it will make a bear turn and run, a dog surely will.

jogglesngoggles

Buy some pepper spray and take that instead. Will protect you from humans and animals.

This is exactly what I was going to say. I always carry pepper spray with me when running! Luckily I've never had to use it, BUT if a dog, cat, human, anything came after me and I felt threatened I would not hesitate to use it!!

wolfchild59

I'd just take a different route that didn't take me past the dogs if I was that worried about it.

DeannaPaige1

Thanks all. I ended up taking my dog with us last night..He really enjoyed the walk. We did take a different route though, we ended up turning a block before those crazy dogs. The pepper spray is a fabulous idea though! I have never used that before, I'm kinda afraid to lol..What happens if it doesn't work? that's my fear!

nanainkent

Just a thought. Pepper spray you have to aim for the eyes or the face. Bear spray comes out in a cloud so you just aim in thier direction. Just a thought