Mace

[bigtiller]

Will it end a dog attack?

I have been charged several times this year by dogs while on my morning walk. When there is only one dog, things end peacefully soon enough. But when there are two dogs things can get out of hand pretty fast. With two, they start circling with one on each side of me. Once the lead dog has decided to attack and starts to make his move, will mace change his mind? Or do I need to spray him sooner? I am thinking when he has me backing into the middle of the street it is time to spray and let the dog owner worry about how sick the dog gets after that.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Yes, your mace and pepper sprays work well against dog attacks. Read the directions. They usually will spray a nice cloud out a few feet. Just be mindful of wind direction and speed or you may end up with a faceful yourself. You need to buy an extra can and practice with it.
Should the dog reach you, you have 2 good options. A good swift kick under the throat in the soft tissue areas will drop him instantly, or, if he is on you and biting, ram your arm down his throat and grab something then pull. My friend was attacked by a German Shepherd and killed him with a kick to the throat. Fingers in the eyes are good also but in the heat of battle it is very difficult to keep your wits about you to accomplish this.

One piece advice about taking action. Make it swift and decisive. Either do it full throttle or don't do it. You may end up just peeing them off enough to really attack. Either end it or let it go.

 

[ultrarunner]

The Post Office uses a product made just for dogs...

I have some in my truck and will get the name and post it.

 

[dave1949]

Do these dogs have owners? Maybe a call to your local animal control officer would be a good first step - while you practice your mace tactics Lot of times they know who the dogs belong to. Also, depending on the dog and situation, try going forward toward the dog like you mean it rather than backing up. You are showing them a weak posture. A circling dog is an uncertain dog - make up it's mind for it by showing your own aggressive stance. Easy to say, I know.
Dave.

 

[dmccarty]

As someone who has been pepper sprayed and tear gassed I prefer pepper spray.

Hmmm.... Maybe "prefer" is not quite the correct word.

Tear gas makes you tear up. And if I breath the stuff it makes me wanna puke. But I can't puke. I don't like wanting to puke and not being able to puke And tear gas sorta effects your breathing.

On the other hand pepper spray HURTS. If sprayed in the eyes like it is supposed to be it automagically closes your eyes. You don't ever want to open your eyes again. You are good with that. Even after 15-30 minutes with a hose flushing water ON YOUR EYEBALLS opening your eyes is not really a lot of fun.

May your God help you if you breath the stuff. Pepper will inflame and constrict your breathing passages which hampers ones ability to fight. Not fun.

If pepper is sprayed in the dogs eyes those eyes are shutting. If the bad puppy breaths in the pepper spray Fiesty Fido is going to be knocked down a notch.

The question is will Dangerous Dino keep attacking? This applies to two and four legged critters. Sometimes they stop fighting. Sometimes they don't. At a minimum pepper will hamper them in fighting if they just do not stop. But critters will keep on fighting even if sprayed.

Pepper spray around 5% is good enough. They higher percentage is only supposed to lengthen the burn time. 5% will burn for more time than you care to experience. 30-60 minutes easily Get spray that is alcohol based not water based. Pepper spray is an oil. Oil and water do not mix well. And having to remember to shake a can before Brutus tries to bite you buttocks is not optimum. But alcohol will burn. So don't spray Fido and then throw a flash bang since Fido may now be flaming.

Mace and Pepper generally have two spray patterns. One that is a stream that reaches out farther from you. Then there is the mist/cloud spray which is closer to you. Its better to spray farther away to get the threat away but the stream can make it hard to hit the target. The cloud/mist is easier to hit the target but said target will be closer to you and you are likely to get some spray yourself.

If you problem dog is getting near you at night a nice 4 D cell Mag light works wonders. I had a dog try to bite me one night and I happened to have a Mag light in hand. Without thinking I pointed the light at the dog and hit the light switch for a split second. Bad Puppy stopped growling/barking/attacking, YELPED real loud, and went about his business elsewhere.

Later,
Dan

 

[Travelover]

I have used a product called "Halt" for years. They used to sell it at the bike shops until the PETA people talked them out of it, so I order it on line. Normally it stops a dog attach instantly and silently, though the dogs do run home wiping their faces and then the owners come after you for "being mean to their dogs". Some dogs are not deterred by it, I guess like some druggies don't react to Mace.

Best back up for me is an oak staff aka replacement shovel handle. Dogs recognize it as a threat and keep their distance.

 

[mjfox6]

I've pepper sprayed dogs while bike riding. Slowed them down about 10 feet before they came after me again. Sprayed again and pedaled harder to get away. Was yelled at by the owner, go figure! How could I dare protect myself against a dog that was trying to bite me. Had a dog wreck me one time on a bike. I guess I wasn't any fun after I wrecked, he just turned around and walked calmly away.

 

[2manyrocks]

Can you find a different place to walk?

Some cities have leash law that the dogs are either supposed to be on a leash or confined in a fence. Will animal control pick them up?

Walking stick---or a hot stick.

 

[bigtiller]

Do these dogs have owners? Maybe a call to your local animal control officer would be a good first step - while you practice your mace tactics Lot of times they know who the dogs belong to. Also, depending on the dog and situation, try going forward toward the dog like you mean it rather than backing up. You are showing them a weak posture. A circling dog is an uncertain dog - make up it's mind for it by showing your own aggressive stance. Easy to say, I know.
Dave.

The owners?? HA. It seams as thou they are mostly 30 year old 120 pound women or 60 year old disabled men. Neither one of which can control two 60 pound dogs. I have called the cops twice this summer and both times they knew who I was talking about. All the other times I have let the owners know that they are liable for the dogs action and then they get real interested in helping me get on my way.

dmccarty;
Thanks for the reminder about my breathing the mace. That is one of the reasons I walk everyday. 40 years of smoking has slowed me down but I am 5 months without smoking now and it is getting easier.

 

[bigtiller]

Can you find a different place to walk?

Some cities have leash law that the dogs are either supposed to be on a leash or confined in a fence. Will animal control pick them up?

Walking stick---or a hot stick.

I am not talking about a couple of places where dogs live but rather many many places. I walk 3 to 4 miles everyday and it is hard to find a sidewalk to walk on where there are no loose dogs in a 6 block or so streach. It's a small town, maybe 2500 people. I have been down nearly every street looking for good safe sidewalks.