Best defense against dogs? (No firearms)

[mattw]

I do alot of running and I usually like to run about 3-5 miles at night when I get off work. I have been trying to find safe, well-lit routes, but thats hard to do for about 5 miles at a time.

The main problem that I run into in the somewhat spread out suburb that I live in are dogs. People don't chain or fence up their animals at night and I've been chased more than a few times by menacing dogs (yes more than one at a time). So far I have managed to keep them at bay by staying on course and not turning my back or showing any signs of weakness or fear, but a running buddy of mine wasn't so lucky and got chased into an unknown area where he found a hefty tree branch that he used to throw at the dogs and make a hasty exit.

My question is: would an ASP or extendable baton be good for a defensive weapon against dogs? I don't mind having to get rough with them but more than one at a time is never good with dogs.

I can't pack heat while I trot around town... I'm not 21 and I don't have a CHL and I'm too poor to afford the proper carry rig for jogging.

What do you guys think?

 

[Highway_Star]

Try a squirt gun filled with Texas Pete. One blast in the face usually changes their mind about playing with you. It marks them temporarily,also.

 

[mattw]

A squirt gun filled with hot sauce? Are you serious?

I think I'd rather keep running...

 

[tnieto2004]

cheap pepper spray or a stick

 

[gaudio5]

lol how about a juciy tbone to go with that hot sauce squirt gun

 

[mattw]

So far I think my idea for an ASP seems the best...

I appreciate you trying to think outside the box, though.

 

[yongxingfreesty]

steel toe boots.

 

[mattw]

cheap pepper spray

I had thought about this, but I don't have enough experience with pepper spray to know if it would be a good idea or not.

I've got a few questions:

1.) Does pepper spray usually create a cloud effect or is it a more concentrated stream that would require me to stop running to use effectively?

2.a) What if the wind is blowing?

2.b) What if the wind is blowing in my direction?!

3.) How are pepper spray cans effected by the weather, if at all? What if its raining?

4.) Would I be able to make at least two dogs want to stop with one can?

 

[jeepmor]

Pepper spray gives you the distance. Anything else means you're up close and personal. On my mtn bike in college, I used my tire pump. Extended to about two feet and worked well. Whacked a couple in the chops and never had a problem with those dogs again.

I think any sort of ASP or baton will not bode well with the authorities should you have to employ it. Pepper spray, don't think they would even bat an eye and it's the smallest package I can think of between your mentioned options.

 

[mattw]

steel toe boots.

The only problem with that is I am not strong enough to keep any kind of pace during a 5 mile run with steel toed boots on.

I think any sort of ASP or baton will not bode well with the authorities should you have to employ it. Pepper spray, don't think they would even bat an eye and it's the smallest package I can think of between your mentioned options.

I think the spray would be lighter, which is good, but I think I want to explore the answers to my above questions about it before making a firm decision.

What the sheriff thinks about my ASP or baton will not be a problem. I'm on foot, so I don't make enough noise to draw attention. I'm exercising, most cops respect that and won't mess with a runner or jogger. You would be hard pressed to find a sheriff in my area that would fault you for beating the crap out of an unrestrained vicious dog.

 

[yongxingfreesty]

i meant a kick to the dogs face/body should stop him. never tried this, but i feel pretty confident.

 

[mattw]

i meant a kick to the dogs face/body should stop him. never tried this, but i feel pretty confident.

So carry the boots with me and switch from my running shoes when I see the dogs?

I think you missed the part where I said I am on a 3 to 5 MILE run.

Maybe I should learn to throw ninja stars?

On a side note, yongxingfreesty, this is very funny:

What I do for the RKBA and other civil liberties:
take care of business

 

[GaShooter64]

I jog every day and I always carry pepper spray with me. Most of the time dogs just want to run with you for a while or bark at you from their yard. About a year ago, though, a group of dogs came at me from the woods and it was obvious that I was about to be attacked. A passerby in a pickup truck actually stopped down the road, sensing that I needed assistance. I retrieved my can of spray and hit the lead dog, who was lunging at me.
The effect was immediate. He stopped just for an instant and then bolted back into the woods. The other dogs circled for a few seconds, trying to decide what to do, and then went back into the woods themselves.
I've been a runner for 20 years and this is the only time I've ever sprayed a dog, but I can tell you it worked perfectly. I'm sure it work on a human assailant as well. I would say the range is good out to 10-12 feet or so.

 

[CAPTAIN MIKE]

GaShooter64 is Right

Right on. You'll find the spray as effective with canines as it is with humans. The difference will be that canines can move faster and seem very threatening with their growls, snarls and espeically their pack mentality.

That being said, you must resist showing any fear and you must avoid direct eye contact that comes across as a challenge. If as in GaShooter64's case you can tag the "Lead Dog" your chances of averting an attack by the pack followers is much more likely.

You should also carry a small but effective sidearm. I recommend the Para-Ordnance 'Warthog' which is the world's smallest .45 and is effective at typical handgun distances in extreme situations.

 

[Browns Fan]

Quote:
"The effect was immediate. He stopped just for an instant and then bolted back into the woods. "

This makes perfect sense to me... the more sensitive an animals nose is, the more effective pepper spray should be on that animal.

 

[Wasz]

If youre in suburbia and you take an ASP batton and nail a dog one in the ribs, that dog is gonna yelp and make all kinds of noise. People come out of houses etc... then youre the guy who had a bad weapon and attacked the loveable pooch that never hurt anyone and used to folick around the front yard. I think the spray or a good stick.

 

[308win]

This may sound counter intuitive but you are running and this action excites the dog's prey/chase instinct. The first thing you need to do is stop and face the threat because you are not going to out run most dogs. Pepper spray comes in stream, cone, fog, and foam configurations; stream probably makes the most sense for your use as it gives you more range and is less affected by wind but stream also requires more precision.

 

[ojibweindian]

Pepper spray. It works.

I've had to use it on a few dogs where I live. The pepper spray litterally stops them in their tracks, and they do remember (I've never been bothered by any of those mangey mutts since).

 

[dfaugh]

Arrggghhh! Do a searchon the gazillion previous "dangerous" dog threads...

So far I think my idea for an ASP seems the best...

Only if you wanna MAKE a dog bite you, that probably wouldn't have before you started a fight.....

 

[BullfrogKen]

The suggestion that running excites the dog has some validity within the dog handler community.

Perhaps an alternative to the pepper spray suggestions could be an airhorn.


And, yes, the dog threads are long and popular subjects here, and usually got nasty at about page 3, and had to be closed. Did you do a search on this topic first? If not, please go see if any of the hundreds of these threads in S&T help.

If they don't, let me know via PM and I'll open this back up. But history has shown we're about a dozen posts away from someone making a silly, or even cruel comment, and I'll have to do something I don't enjoy. Proactive close; don't take it personal.