Want to walk with my dog, but I'm scared.

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2

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  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    Dogs are funny...now this may not work in all cases, but if you act big enough and tough enough and you literally bark at the dog and growl they sometimes back down. I've been able to scare down a charging boxer and border collie a couple of time. I still carry a knife though.

    This.

    But before barking and exposing the knife make sure you strip naked and rub yourself in trash.

    That's the only way they'll respect you.

    Dog-Whisperer_zpsbb86314e.jpg

    You musss beee dee pack LEEDERRR!
  • yourenotmine
    yourenotmine Posts: 645 Member
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    Your dog will pick up on your fear, too. That will make him more likely to react badly to any dog that approaches. You have to be able to stand up to those dogs without fear, and a weapon of some sort will help you with that. Even a walking stick is enough to fend off a dog that is coming at you. YOU have to be able to back the dog off before it gets to you. Be willing to hurt it if necessary to protect your dog and yourself.

    Usually a sharp "NO" and banging the stick on the ground is all it takes. If that doesn't work you can resort to other methods, but pepper spray is going to get on you and your dog. Don't back away from the dog, if anything move toward it in an aggressive manner.

    I think this person has the right idea. It's much more common for dogs to be aggressive to other dogs than to people, so if you can make it look like you're not worth trying to get around, a lot of dogs will simply give up. Also, dogs chase, so that last sentence is important too. Personally, I would be too afraid to spray pepper spray... By the time the dog is close enough to get a good aim, I should think it would be too close to my own dog.

    Thankfully I have only had one really scary encounter with another dog while I was walking mine. The main problem I've had is with people being completely inattentive to their animals, so that it's difficult for me to get past their house, because their dog is barking and riling up my dog.
  • TAMayorga
    TAMayorga Posts: 341 Member
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    One word of caution - if you use pepper spray, it will affect everybody with eyes and nose an mouth - including you an your dog. So if you use it, make darn sure you know which direction it's pointed in an be prepared to be similarly incapacitated. But if carrying it gives you the confidence to control the situation, that's likely all the bully dog will need to back off.

    My dogs and I have had encounters with other dogs that, for one reason or another that I will never understand, were off leash and came at us. I put myself between the dogs and in no uncertain terms informed the loose dog that it had left its territory and was on my turf without my permission and would pay for its transgression if it came near (face the dog, show teeth, keep an aggressive posture, arms out to appear bigger, yell angry "GO HOME" etc). MY dogs responded by staying behind me and barking but knew I had it under control and thankfully didn't try to "protect" me. Sometimes I've carried a decent sized stick to back up my stance, but with two leashes and two 60# dogs, it's a lot of hassle. I'm petrified of pepper spraying myself in the face (more scared of pepper spray than fighting off a large dog, yes!).

    In my experience, if you commit yourself to physically protecting your dogs, this sends a message to all the dogs involved that you 1) really do have the right to use the territory you're on an 2) are able and willing to defend your pack. But dogs can sense fear, and they know if you're serious or not. And your dog may sense your fear and try to "help" by fighting off the scary dog.

    I agree with this ^^^. I have had it with big dogs charging my 30 lb lab mix; I get so angry that I "swell" up and growl ferociously at them. It usually makes them back off. I used to have a problem in my neighborhood with people letting dogs out for exercise. They were smart enough to do it in the evenings when Animal Control was closed for the day.
  • swenard
    swenard Posts: 101
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    Get a second dog that is much larger... Problem solved.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    One word of caution - if you use pepper spray, it will affect everybody with eyes and nose an mouth - including you an your dog. So if you use it, make darn sure you know which direction it's pointed in an be prepared to be similarly incapacitated. But if carrying it gives you the confidence to control the situation, that's likely all the bully dog will need to back off.

    That's why you use the wasp spray.....It works at a much greater distance and won't affect your dog.
  • buffcleb
    buffcleb Posts: 150 Member
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    I live in London so I usually just carry a knife.

    I live in New York and prefer a .45... but where I live I have never had a problem with other dogs... good local PD and animal control take care of things... .45 is a backup...
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    One word of caution - if you use pepper spray, it will affect everybody with eyes and nose an mouth - including you an your dog. So if you use it, make darn sure you know which direction it's pointed in an be prepared to be similarly incapacitated. But if carrying it gives you the confidence to control the situation, that's likely all the bully dog will need to back off.

    My dogs and I have had encounters with other dogs that, for one reason or another that I will never understand, were off leash and came at us. I put myself between the dogs and in no uncertain terms informed the loose dog that it had left its territory and was on my turf without my permission and would pay for its transgression if it came near (face the dog, show teeth, keep an aggressive posture, arms out to appear bigger, yell angry "GO HOME" etc). MY dogs responded by staying behind me and barking but knew I had it under control and thankfully didn't try to "protect" me. Sometimes I've carried a decent sized stick to back up my stance, but with two leashes and two 60# dogs, it's a lot of hassle. I'm petrified of pepper spraying myself in the face (more scared of pepper spray than fighting off a large dog, yes!).

    In my experience, if you commit yourself to physically protecting your dogs, this sends a message to all the dogs involved that you 1) really do have the right to use the territory you're on an 2) are able and willing to defend your pack. But dogs can sense fear, and they know if you're serious or not. And your dog may sense your fear and try to "help" by fighting off the scary dog.

    this so much! it is all about posturing and just letting your aggression and anger for threatening your territory and dogs flow out they almost always seem to back down.
  • tinabatinaflc
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    Yeah... RAID.

    That'll stop them...

    Anything wanting to harm my dogs will suffer permanent damage...

    Anyway.

    Have the police been called? We had 2 vicious dogs here and they attacked other pets in the area repeatedly. The police were called and the dogs were first quarantined and then after that they were threatened with euthanasia.

    Both owners have since moved.
    Apparently they think they'll be better somewhere else...

    Good luck.

    so, don't use raid....

    anything like back off pepper spray is good. and as others say, call animal control. dangerous owners lead to dangerous dogs, if the other dog is big(ish) and truly wants to hurt your dog, you aren't going to be able to stop it. those dogs need to be controlled or you need to NEVER risk walking your dog in those areas.

    irresponsible owners are the worst.


    EDIT: careful with "posturing", it doesn't usually work. i've worked at a high volume animal shelter for 15 years. with true dog aggression you aren't going to stop a dog fight by "acting tough"
  • yourenotmine
    yourenotmine Posts: 645 Member
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    One word of caution - if you use pepper spray, it will affect everybody with eyes and nose an mouth - including you an your dog. So if you use it, make darn sure you know which direction it's pointed in an be prepared to be similarly incapacitated. But if carrying it gives you the confidence to control the situation, that's likely all the bully dog will need to back off.

    That's why you use the wasp spray.....It works at a much greater distance and won't affect your dog.

    Dude - NO. LOL
  • Penny_Lane_
    Penny_Lane_ Posts: 163
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    1365918533047.gif
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
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    I really hope you're trolling.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    Dogs are funny...now this may not work in all cases, but if you act big enough and tough enough and you literally bark at the dog and growl they sometimes back down. I've been able to scare down a charging boxer and border collie a couple of time. I still carry a knife though.

    This.

    But before barking and exposing the knife make sure you strip naked and rub yourself in trash.

    That's the only way they'll respect you.

    Dog-Whisperer_zpsbb86314e.jpg

    You musss beee dee pack LEEDERRR!

    Yeah and if you pee on their head it's even more effective calm and assertive. tsk tsk
  • dp1228
    dp1228 Posts: 439 Member
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    I live in London so I usually just carry a knife.

    LOL QFT. i live in New York and do the same :drinker:
  • mamosh81
    mamosh81 Posts: 409 Member
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    One word of caution - if you use pepper spray, it will affect everybody with eyes and nose an mouth - including you an your dog. So if you use it, make darn sure you know which direction it's pointed in an be prepared to be similarly incapacitated. But if carrying it gives you the confidence to control the situation, that's likely all the bully dog will need to back off.

    My dogs and I have had encounters with other dogs that, for one reason or another that I will never understand, were off leash and came at us. I put myself between the dogs and in no uncertain terms informed the loose dog that it had left its territory and was on my turf without my permission and would pay for its transgression if it came near (face the dog, show teeth, keep an aggressive posture, arms out to appear bigger, yell angry "GO HOME" etc). MY dogs responded by staying behind me and barking but knew I had it under control and thankfully didn't try to "protect" me. Sometimes I've carried a decent sized stick to back up my stance, but with two leashes and two 60# dogs, it's a lot of hassle. I'm petrified of pepper spraying myself in the face (more scared of pepper spray than fighting off a large dog, yes!).

    In my experience, if you commit yourself to physically protecting your dogs, this sends a message to all the dogs involved that you 1) really do have the right to use the territory you're on an 2) are able and willing to defend your pack. But dogs can sense fear, and they know if you're serious or not. And your dog may sense your fear and try to "help" by fighting off the scary dog.

    same for me lucky i only had that happen once a pit bull charged at me and my puppy i just made myself also as big as i could and yelling NO and STAY and GO HOME the pit stopped right in front of me looked startled and walked off. But that of course can be very dangerous with a truely aggressive dog. I do not trust pepper spray because i dont want to get it into my dogs or my eyes i usually carry a bottle mix of viniger and water dogs hate that smell and it does no harm to them but id also say call animal control and try to walk your dog somewhere else till the dogs in your neighborhood are under control.
    I dont understand ppl that let there dogs roam freely aggressive or not. My two i must admit attacked a newfie once and i jumped right in there getting them off lucky they didnt really hurt him but i would never tolerate and just stand there watching them attack someone/thing and it has never happen again after
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    One word of caution - if you use pepper spray, it will affect everybody with eyes and nose an mouth - including you an your dog. So if you use it, make darn sure you know which direction it's pointed in an be prepared to be similarly incapacitated. But if carrying it gives you the confidence to control the situation, that's likely all the bully dog will need to back off.

    That's why you use the wasp spray.....It works at a much greater distance and won't affect your dog.

    Dude - NO. LOL

    What if a stray dog has a hornet's nest fall on its head and it's running towards you? Can you use wasp killer then?
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
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    Report the dog owners.... and keep the pepper spray handy!
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
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    There is a pepper spray that shoots in a tight spiral that helps minimize 'spray back"
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    Yeah... RAID.

    That'll stop them...

    Anything wanting to harm my dogs will suffer permanent damage...

    Anyway.

    Have the police been called? We had 2 vicious dogs here and they attacked other pets in the area repeatedly. The police were called and the dogs were first quarantined and then after that they were threatened with euthanasia.

    Both owners have since moved.
    Apparently they think they'll be better somewhere else...

    Good luck.

    so, don't use raid....

    anything like back off pepper spray is good. and as others say, call animal control. dangerous owners lead to dangerous dogs, if the other dog is big(ish) and truly wants to hurt your dog, you aren't going to be able to stop it. those dogs need to be controlled or you need to NEVER risk walking your dog in those areas.

    irresponsible owners are the worst.


    EDIT: careful with "posturing", it doesn't usually work. i've worked at a high volume animal shelter for 15 years. with true dog aggression you aren't going to stop a dog fight by "acting tough"

    Youre right if it is true dog aggression and not just them posturing for territory you probably wont be able to scare them down, but personally if a dog is going to come at me and hurt my dogs I will protect them and if that includes killing the animal I will do that. I wouldn't run from an aggressive dog though I would continue to stand my ground and hopefully have enough time to pull out my weapon with the posturing and yell as loud as I could for someone to call the police.

    It's sad that irresponsible owners would cause the death of an animal.
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
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    Also, your are should be fully extended when aiming and spraying pepper spray.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    One word of caution - if you use pepper spray, it will affect everybody with eyes and nose an mouth - including you an your dog. So if you use it, make darn sure you know which direction it's pointed in an be prepared to be similarly incapacitated. But if carrying it gives you the confidence to control the situation, that's likely all the bully dog will need to back off.

    That's why you use the wasp spray.....It works at a much greater distance and won't affect your dog.

    Dude - NO. LOL

    Why not exactly?