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Defending Against Dog Attacks

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  • FrommerStop

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    A pistol can be a good option. A downside is if the dog gets a hold of the arm or hand holding the gun. A few years ago a neighbor was walking his infirm rotty GSD mix and a neighbor's pitbull broke lose and ran out in the street and grab his dog by the throat. When he tried to separate the dogs the pit went for him and he shot it with a keltec 9mm that he had on him. Cops were cool with it and the renters that owned the dog that were ejected from the rented house.
     

    kidsoncoffee

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    Reading that article, I can only picture this trainer getting his ass beat by his dog to try out all these different defensive tactics. It's just a funny picture in my mind as I read through it. Good advice though. I've been reading lately of a lot of LEO and dog encounters on private property lately and it's kind of incentivized me to want to carry at all times on my property. You never know when something could go wrong, even 20 feet away from your front door on your front lawn.
     

    fl57caveman

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    Reading that article, I can only picture this trainer getting his ass beat by his dog to try out all these different defensive tactics. It's just a funny picture in my mind as I read through it. Good advice though. I've been reading lately of a lot of LEO and dog encounters on private property lately and it's kind of incentivized me to want to carry at all times on my property. You never know when something could go wrong, even 20 feet away from your front door on your front lawn.

    ..
    yeah, I thought similar.. I have no illusions about me being able to go to the mat with a pitbull with my arm muscles being torn....while attempting to break its neck...

    choot em Elizabeth, choot em…


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YyBtMxZgQs

     
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    Viking1204

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    My best friend's Australian Shepard was attacked in his backyard by two Pit Bulls the other day, tore the Shepard up pretty good but the neighbor heard the commotion and beat the dogs off with a club. He's a former cop, wish he would have just shot them, imagine if this had been someone's defenseless 2 year old playing in the back yard. This was in downtown FWB in a nice neighborhood.
     

    M60Gunner

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    We came home two weeks ago and a huge stray bluenose pit was in our driveway. I pointed this out to my wife as to why I never want our kids unsupervised in the yard even though we live "out in the country".
     

    FrommerStop

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    I usually have at least one of my three dogs out and if by chance they are in the house I let at least one out with me. Two pairs of eyes, ears, and in the case of the dog a nose are better. My dogs while not pits are fighting dogs that were intended to deal with errant canines and also people. I step foot outside the house with 9mm. I generally carry a gun no matter where I am except when sleeping. We now have bears, feral hogs, venomous snakes, menacing dogs, super coyotes, cougar, and bad people about my area.
     

    SAWMAN

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    [Been there,done that.]
    I was the Animal Control Officer for the small town the we lived in,in Maine.
    You can keep from getting bit at all with a firearm. With the proper know how and a well made blade,you will get bit but it will not be fatal. Kinda like in the vid. Offer your off arm,lift his front feet off the ground (the higher the better),and gut him with the blade. Your aim point is below the ribs. A fixed double edge is the best by far. At least a 3" blade. Keep the blade extremely sharp.
    More than one agressive dog,that has the know how and expierance of fighting together . . . all bets are off.
    Disclaimer: I love dogs. I would never intentionally harm a dog unless it was completely avoidable self defense. --- SAWMAN
     

    FLT

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    I love well behaved dogs, vicious aggressive dogs on the other hand are a problem that I’d just as soon not deal with. I especially don’t want to deal with them bare handed.
     

    M60Gunner

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    [Been there,done that.]
    I was the Animal Control Officer for the small town the we lived in,in Maine.
    You can keep from getting bit at all with a firearm. With the proper know how and a well made blade,you will get bit but it will not be fatal. Kinda like in the vid. Offer your off arm,lift his front feet off the ground (the higher the better),and gut him with the blade. Your aim point is below the ribs. A fixed double edge is the best by far. At least a 3" blade. Keep the blade extremely sharp.
    More than one agressive dog,that has the know how and expierance of fighting together . . . all bets are off.
    Disclaimer: I love dogs. I would never intentionally harm a dog unless it was completely avoidable self defense. --- SAWMAN

    I remember taking several K-9 bites while wearing the "suit" to act as the perpetrator for my fellow officers. Amazing the pressure their bite has even through the protective padding. The one I remember most was one which put both paws on my offered arm, pushed it down and went for my face/throat. Changed the way I operated from that day forward lol.
     

    FrommerStop

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    Sometimes things are not so clear so and this scenario bothers me a lot. After the home alarm call was cancelled the officer shows up about a half an hour after the alarm call was cancelled. Officer checking out a backyard shoots family service dog.

     
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    wildrider666

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    From experience, if you use a tazer: the aggressive dog will become a phyco aggressive dog the millisecond you stop the juice flow (picture Tasmanian DevilI cartoon). I don't know if the zapping discharge noise (no contact, warning) woud have any effect.

    Carry a fixed blade or one hand opening folder, make sure you can deploy it flawlessly. In a "friendly environment" do suprise drills: one person calls DRAW KNIFE: keep score, person with most slow draw buys a round. If it's not locked clock keeps ticking. You will get deer in the headlight stares and pauses while the brain processes! 21 Foor Rule is for people, aggressive animals close distance faster.

    A knife also allows a lot of use of force discretion: where you strike and depth (thumb placement on the blade can limit penetration better then your reach at a moving or stationary threat; if the situation warrants limited action.

    If your a dog walker, you should have a plan for "loose dog" encounters, dogs are magnetic to others dogs! Friend of foe? You must be ready even if you "read" friendly body language from the approaching dog(s). A friendly tail wagging black lab (M) approached my leashed Chocolate lab (NM): nose snffing went directly into Blackie bitting and tearing my dogs ear (15 stiches)! I reflexively reached into the furball, don't do it! I got bit while prying blackies mouth open. Thumb deep into his ear released bite, a kick broke the attack. Wasn't packing anything, no time to grab anything nearby. Lesson Learned.

    Above I wrote "Dog(s)". When they are traveling in groups of two or more it doesn't matter if the big or smallest dog "triggers" they all will join the melee. Agressors will jump in while the les dominant will dart in for bites until prey is held down/in place then come full bore.

    One of the worse things a dog walker can do is pick up their dog! Your dog is now making your arms, neck and face part of the target zone, leaving you with one or no hands for protection/defense. I you release the leash, the brawl may move away (far and fast) but you will loose any chance of control, you may still be a target. It is almot impossible to put yourself between your dog and more than one aggressive dog. Know that any limb you extend in defense becomes a target of oppertunity. Don't extend if you don't have to.

    Who is walking your dog? Wife? Kids? Something to think hard about. Might want to have a talk with them about this subject whether they walk with or without a pet.

    In a perfect world you want a standoff weapon. Hand gun works but in the blurr of fur you migh need to delay firing. A solid walking stick (wood is better than light aluminum) prefered over a shorter cane. Remember you must be able to use it defensively with one hand, This is a good place to have a extendable baton. You can also attach a discrete blade or larger key ring type kubaton to the leash near the wrist loop. Don't use the key ring: use a sheath so you can use it freely. Don't just put your hand through the leash loop! Pull the lead through the loop making a new loop that will tighten on your wrist: now you have two free hands (one defense, one with weapon on offense). Pepper Spray: better than nothing. You have to draw it, orient the can/spray grip, no time to check wind direction. It might affect all involved or not deter the aggressor(s).

    On the Cop shoots two dogs Vid: Did you notice the wide stripe of fur "standing up" the full length of the white dog's back? THAT, tells you more about the dogs mindset then the direction it faces! Yeah, its the dogs turf and an unknown person. An instinctive animal response that never means "I'm friendly". I see no fault in dogs doing dog stuff on their turf. No fault does not equal no threat. That head/body turn could have been it looking for/at the second dog who charged into view a second later! Hell, it might have been charging already: we take out the closest of equal threats first don't we? LE checks out a lot of canceled alarms, could be a drive by, door lock & knock check or a walk around. I see no fault in the cop being in yard. Like many LE/dog shootings, it is unfortunate circumstances colliding.
     

    FrommerStop

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    we take out the closest of equal threats first don't we? LE checks out a lot of canceled alarms, could be a drive by, door lock & knock check or a walk around. I see no fault in the cop being in yard. Like many LE/dog shootings, it is unfortunate circumstances colliding.
    It is a good idea to place signage on the fence if there is a dog inside. Even if the dog is friendly, some people may shoot it out of fear if they get inside the fenced area and are confronted. My locked driveway gate has dog signage and no trespassing signs. This gives me some legal protection against being sued if someone gets inside and is injured by me or the dogs. Some delivery people do not read signs.
    Recently I saw at the vet a dog that was recovering from being hit with a .45 acp. Bullet entered at least the skin about the head and came out the torso. Dog seems not to have been too badly injured. Dogs seem to be able to suffer a lot of damage and survive.
     

    wildrider666

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    For kids, a canned Air Horn will cause most dogs to break mental focus. Short burst(s) is best. Long continuous blast may allow dog to filter through scare/distraction. Kids can use it to gain attention to them with any type of danger. Again, tape it to the leash.

    I think a Road Flare would be a great deterrence/weapon if you could strike it.
     

    Zeroed in

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    For kids, a canned Air Horn will cause most dogs to break mental focus. Short burst(s) is best. Long continuous blast may allow dog to filter through scare/distraction. Kids can use it to gain attention to them with any type of danger. Again, tape it to the leash..


    Doesn't work on All dogs. Some dogs just plain hate loud noises.
     

    SAWMAN

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    Don't know if this is true. You dog owners just might.
    Have heard that if you are walking a dog on a leash,and another dog runs up to him,drop the leash. This at least enables him to fight.
    Holding onto the leash hinders his ability to move,spin,and bite. Already a bad situation. Don't want to make it even harder on your pet. --- SAWMAN
     

    FrommerStop

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    Don't know if this is true. You dog owners just might.
    Have heard that if you are walking a dog on a leash,and another dog runs up to him,drop the leash. This at least enables him to fight.
    Holding onto the leash hinders his ability to move,spin,and bite. Already a bad situation. Don't want to make it even harder on your pet. --- SAWMAN
    That is true. There are times when I have held on to my dog to prevent it from killing the other dog. Two of my dogs love to fight. Anyway once the other dog closes you should let go of your so that both of you and your dog can fight more effectively if the other dog is a threat. i generally do not walk my dogs much anymore. They have some fenced acreage that that is their territory.
     

    MauserLarry

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    I'm beginning to think this whole dog walking thing isn't worth the risk. I had an incident a while back with a pair of loose dogs getting a bit too aggressive to suit me but I had my P38 handy and the problem went away after a little growling. I can see where a small person or a young 'un could get hurt real bad in an all out dog fight.
     

    wildrider666

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    You can google air horn vs dog vids and form an opinion. A guy in his house with his dog got the only "charge" I viewed. There was definitely a level of familiarity: dogs turf and noise from a person it knew.

    I think the "Drop the leash" tactic needs to be bases on the specifics of the situation. One on one, multiple on one, big vs small AND what risk do you allow for your dog and for yourself. If its one on one, you are your dogs force multiplier if you want to be. For some, pets are to a great extent like family, to others tools that serve a purpose or expendable to some degree.

    As also stated, proper use of a weapon could end the problem. Like all predator threats: No warning shots for dogs either!
     

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