Attacked by a dog

[Vern Humphrey]

In some places, that still happens. But today, there are far more places where this is NOT acceptable, for whatever reason. The dogs are sheltered, the owners are prosecuted for letting their dog get out of control, the owners are prosecuted for animal cruelty for putting their own animal down, etc.

I have always thought that when do-gooders object to putting down a biting dog, the dog should be sicced on the do-gooders. That might change their opinions.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Dogs like humans turn out bad sometimes regardless of how they are socialized and raised. And I had to put a few down but not in the past 25 years since I have not had any personal pets or hunting dogs.

 

[Fred Fuller]

Let's maintain focus on the ST&T related aspects of the topic, please....

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Yep carrying dog treats have gotten me out of plenty of lose dog interactions. Strangely enough dogs like peanut butter crackers. Also keep you head on a swivel when dealing with dogs you don't know.

 

[JTHunter]

There was a German shepherd that was a "serious nuisance" dog that had charged many people in the neighborhood. He would come out of his unfenced yard and had charged me several times when I went by to go to the grocery store on both my motorcycle (speed limit 25) and my 10-speed bike.
I got fed up with this and one time I was going by on my motorcycle wearing my leather hiking boots (this was the mid-70s). I slowed and leaned forward while extending my right leg behind me. When this dog charged out into the street at me, I caught him under the chin with my boot, clapping his mouth shut and flipping him backwards. I pulled up about 3 houses further and watched to see what he would do OR if anybody came out of the house to complain (nobody did).
After 8-10 seconds, the dog got to his feet (somewhat woozily), shook its head and stumbled back into the yard.

The next time I went by on my 10-speed, he started to charge me but pulled up short at the sidewalk. He never came within 10 feet of me again.

 

[Field Tester]

Dogs like humans turn out bad sometimes regardless of how they are socialized and raised. And I had to put a few down but not in the past 25 years since I have not had any personal pets or hunting dogs.

True that. We had a beautiful Lab when I was younger. On my Fourth Birthday he snapped for some unknown reason. I was down for a nap on the floor in my room and he decided it was a good time to knaw on my head. 40 stitchs later my parents put him down. You can still feel the ridges and indentations on my skull from where he sunk his teeth in. He completely crushed it in certain places. Thank God I can't remember or have blocked it out. I left out more of the gruesome details, but it was extremely bad.

He was actually a very loving dog and great with kids. Something inside him just snapped. So you're correct, it can even happen with loveable old dogs.
I'm grateful it hasn't affected me and my love towards man's best friends.

 

[bainter1212]

My dog doesnt attack people but he hates other dogs. Regardless, we watch him like a hawk when he is near my 11 month old son. You can never truly trust a dog around little kids.
In my experience going house to house fixing appliances, a strong, manly yell to "git!" Has warded off many mean dogs. I have only been bitten by the little dogs. They are the ones you really have to watch out for.
And also, when a dog barks or growls aggressively at you, and the owner says "dont worry, he doesnt bite", dont believe it. EVERY SINGLE TIME I have been bitten, the owner said that. I turned my back on the dog, and chomp! on my leg.

 

[twofifty]

dogs & situational awareness -or not- while bike riding:

Twice dogs have suddenly run out in front of my front wheel, which meant an instant slamdown and the dog running off crying from the rib bruising a bike gives them at 20-25mph.

The first dog had harassed me as I wheeled by his place earlier that day, climbing a narrow creekside mountain road. When returning the same way (no other way back) I was in high gear scanning to my right toward his yard where he'd been earlier, figuring I'd speed past his place before he reached me. Instead the bugger jumped out from my left, right out of the creek's ravine. I caught a glimpse of it as I slammed into him. Wham, over I went. The dog yelped and ran home. I ended up with a mild case of clavicle-shoulder strain. This was in West Virginia near Seneca Rocks.

The other one was in North Carolina, near Boone. Dog appeared 'out of nowhere' as he'd probably run the whole length of his tree-lined driveway and suddenly he's in front of my front wheel. Wham. Dog runs off, which is good as I was completely stunned. The owner's wife came out, she helped me to my feet and back to her house where she kindly washed gravel out of my shoulders. Once cleaned up I was on my way.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

My keys to dealing with dogs.
Keep your distance.
Have some treats to pitch toward them.
Never pet ,walk up behind or grap a dog you don't know and be careful doing that to one's you do know well.
Learn to read dogs it a learned skill but it does come easier for some than others.
Carry sufficient items to defend yourself, cane/walking stick, pepper spray,a solid locking folder,a firearm of your choice.
Study and practice the best you can on how to kill a dog sooner or later with the times we are living in you might have to.
Lastly mentally prepare to do it, we are I believe to conditioned to treat all dogs as pets and not violent aggressors. This will cut down on your reaction time. The last dog I killed on the street was back in 2006 a month after an major car wreak. The pit blasted out of a dark alley and I caved in his skull with my solid brass hame headed cane.
Best of luck out on streets and neighborhoods you visit.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I hike to the top of the mountain every morning, a 5-mile round trip. There are dogs along the route and I carry a canister of bear spray.

 

[TestPilot]

I've seen a number of things done to stop a dog attack.

Out of all of them, ONLY TWO of them actually has any certainty of working:

- Fire extinguisher. I don't know why. Dogs just hate it.

- Gun.

OC spray? Don't even bother reaching for it. I've seen it.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

I've heard that about a fire extinguisher from quite a few people. Must be a combination of the chemicals and the noise, but it does seem to send dogs packing.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

I had an 84 Pontiac 6000 SUX that worked on dogs pretty well.

At least, it worked on the dog that ran across the interstate in front of me when I was doing 75.

Obviously, his mongrel makeup did not include enough Greyhound.

 

[Atonal]

I had an 84 Pontiac 6000 SUX that worked on dogs pretty well.



At least, it worked on the dog that ran across the interstate in front of me when I was doing 75.



Obviously, his mongrel makeup did not include enough Greyhound.

+1

My pickup works well too!

 

[TestPilot]

I had an 84 Pontiac 6000 SUX that worked on dogs pretty well.

At least, it worked on the dog that ran across the interstate in front of me when I was doing 75.

Obviously, his mongrel makeup did not include enough Greyhound.

Did it come with a Cobra 2000 Assault Cannon? The "State of the art bang bang."

 

[sixgunner455]

They always seem to back off when I lift my walking stick in a threatening manner.

The point about mentally preparing yourself to do something you wouldn't normally want to do is very key. Most people don't want to go around killing dogs in the streets. Well, neither do I, but I'd rather do that than deal with recovering from injuries, a dead or injured Brittany (my dog who hides behind me when big threatening dogs come toward us), or worse, an injured kid.

 

[TestPilot]

Yep carrying dog treats have gotten me out of plenty of lose dog interactions. Strangely enough dogs like peanut butter crackers. Also keep you head on a swivel when dealing with dogs you don't know.

Glad it worked for you, but it is not a practical solution for most of us.

- My pockets are already full as it is.

- If an angry one is charging at you, there is no guarantee that the dog will go for the treat and not you.

 

[Fred Fuller]

And with that, I think we've about gotten all the juice out of this one.