I walk a lot and usually carry a Gerber mini-covert and Ken Onion Leek...I'm sure one of the reasons for carrying a folding knife, we tell ourselves, is to provide protection against "animals" we might encounter--not that we'd expect a little folder to ward off grizzlies in the Rockies--but common critters like overly "friendly" dogs who come charging at us, barking furiously at looking pretty scary...I wonder if anyone out there has actually faced this situation and how a knife was deployed to prevent/solve the problem of being attacked and mauled? (The dog owner, I'm sure, would be a bit concerned to see someone wielding a knife as fido came charging!)
Folding Knife For Protection Against Dogs?
- Thread starter GeoHab
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ambulldog
Member
Pepper spray right in the nose works better than a knife on a dog. With a knife you have to be too close plus a strong determined dog is going to be hard to bring down with a knife.
steveracer
Member
I think you'll be OK if it's ONE dog.
Basically man verses ONE dog: man wins.
Man verses TWO dogs: dead man.
I hate the idea of killing a dog, but they taught us to try and get your arm down their throat, and pull out whatever you can get your fingers on. Dangerous and silly in my opinion. I'll take my chances with a knife over sticking my arm out for the bites.
This is the only reason to carry pepper spray in my opinion. Dogs hate the stuff. I did see a pitbull on base get pepper sprayed and basically go into a blind rage. The shotgun ended his tirade, but he really chewed up the MP first.
Basically man verses ONE dog: man wins.
Man verses TWO dogs: dead man.
I hate the idea of killing a dog, but they taught us to try and get your arm down their throat, and pull out whatever you can get your fingers on. Dangerous and silly in my opinion. I'll take my chances with a knife over sticking my arm out for the bites.
This is the only reason to carry pepper spray in my opinion. Dogs hate the stuff. I did see a pitbull on base get pepper sprayed and basically go into a blind rage. The shotgun ended his tirade, but he really chewed up the MP first.
Skofnung
Member
It would be better than bare hands, but only slightly so IMO. There are better tools for dealing with doggies. If you get close enough to stick an irate dog with a folder, you are going to get mauled (or at least chewed up) one way or the other.
Distance is your friend. If you can't carry a gun, carry a stout walking stick and a can of Fox Labs OC.
Most aggressive dogs will back down if shown no fear.
Distance is your friend. If you can't carry a gun, carry a stout walking stick and a can of Fox Labs OC.
Most aggressive dogs will back down if shown no fear.
Search dogs in this forum and Strategy and Tactics. You'll find the concensus is that a good stick is better than a knife against dogs. Spray is good also.
The real problem is you've got to have what you need in your hand because the attack from a serious dog will be frightenly swift.
The real problem is you've got to have what you need in your hand because the attack from a serious dog will be frightenly swift.
Sunray
Member
"...would be a bit concerned..." And would very likely call the police. In any case, a dog will be on you before you could draw and open a folding knife. A walking stick back up with dog biscuits would be better.
Not all dogs dislike hot edibles either. Had a dog who would dig up and eat radishes planted in, I think, acidic soil that were so hot nobody else would eat them.
Not all dogs dislike hot edibles either. Had a dog who would dig up and eat radishes planted in, I think, acidic soil that were so hot nobody else would eat them.
Geronimo45
Member
Maybe a machete. A stick wouldn't be bad. Just hit the things on the nose with your fist or a roll of pennies. They don't like it any more than you would.
ambulldog
Member
I'm a big time dog lover and would hate to kill a dog. But I would not hesitate if I was attacked or if my dog was attacked. Choking out a dog is one of the best ways to stop an attacking dog if possible. A dog leash or a piece of nylon cord works great. Unfortunately I have seen this done a few times to break off dogs attacking other dogs. The good thing is that you dont have to kill the dog. Just choke until it goes to sleep.
I do know someone who killed an attacking dog with a folding knife (Cue Groucho Marx "How the dog got hold of the tactical knife I'll never know"). But he has been in way too many gunfights, knife fights and fist fights for any one man. He was chewed up some but prevailed. I'm convinced it was much more him than the knife. He said it was dumb luck and he'd never be crazy enough to do it if he had a 2x4 or could climb a tree.
MillCreek
Member
I vote for the Fox OC spray, a collapsible baton, a 3 cell MagLite or a hiking staff. The bad thing about knives is that you have to get so up close and personal. And while you are doing that, the dog is up close and personal with you, and no doubt taking great exception to you trying to carve it up into filets.
tenbase
Member
?
Fox is 2%, though I know the OC content isn't the only factor - does Halt II have a higher Scoville rating? Their website is kinda sparse.
Here is where the confusion comes in. Pure capsaicin is 16,000,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHUs).
Halt II contains 1% of pure capsaicin (16,000,000 SHUs), so the overall product has a "temperature" of 160,000 SHUs.
Fox Labs contains 2% of OC (5,300,000 SHUs), so the overall product has a "temperature" of 106,000 SHUs.
Halt II contains 1% of pure capsaicin (16,000,000 SHUs), so the overall product has a "temperature" of 160,000 SHUs.
Fox Labs contains 2% of OC (5,300,000 SHUs), so the overall product has a "temperature" of 106,000 SHUs.
tenbase
Member
Thanks! This is more convoluted than the fuzzy math hard drive manufacturers use to describe capacity.
Whatever works, right? I'd hate to get hit with any of 'em
Whatever works, right? I'd hate to get hit with any of 'em
06
Member
I will take a walking staff, stick, or anything usable as a club over a knife anytime. Maybe that is because of training but I like the advantage of the length of the staff and its swinging weight. wc
All of a dogs pipes run real deep...unless you plan on removeing the head it may take a while to "stop" a medium or larger dog with a blade.Most dogs will NOT even respond to multi strkies with a blade.I have seen a person hit a dog 7-8 times with a appox 4 inch blade before it even noticed and released its hold.,
I can say for a fact that impact weapons work great..a blackjack to head for example will drop most dogs very fast,they will get back up some times, but either run away or just tap them again harder to drop again(guage impact for what you want to do i.e. kill 0r stop)...also long blades will work well .... like over 10inches.
Pepper may work or it may not ,some dogs hate it, some lick it up.... Dogs are REALLY tough animals.:banghead:
IMO-above info is just for normal dogs
Now for a true guard or even worse a true attack trained dog...well you better be ready to kill it straight out and very fast. Very Heavy Impact to the head or a couple of rounds of a large caliber weapon to the head....a true attack dog can be VERY hard to stop.
I can say for a fact that impact weapons work great..a blackjack to head for example will drop most dogs very fast,they will get back up some times, but either run away or just tap them again harder to drop again(guage impact for what you want to do i.e. kill 0r stop)...also long blades will work well .... like over 10inches.
Pepper may work or it may not ,some dogs hate it, some lick it up.... Dogs are REALLY tough animals.:banghead:
IMO-above info is just for normal dogs
Now for a true guard or even worse a true attack trained dog...well you better be ready to kill it straight out and very fast. Very Heavy Impact to the head or a couple of rounds of a large caliber weapon to the head....a true attack dog can be VERY hard to stop.
I'm sure the best way would be a UltraSonic Dog Repellant. I'd also rather carry a walking stick to use than a knife, although I always carry my knife. You just do not want a vicious dog that may or may not have rabies to get that close to you.
Tomtomthepipersson
Member
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- Jul 12, 2008
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I have no problem with dogs, but then I'm generally out and about dressed in this.
Quite a handy bit of kit if you meet a nasty chihuahua in a Ginnel.
Quite a handy bit of kit if you meet a nasty chihuahua in a Ginnel.
jahwarrior
Member
using a knife against a dog is a bad idea, IMO. for the most part, any dog that could do real damage will be faster than your arm. i used to live in the country, and had to deal with dogs a few times. i always carry a large folder with me, and the first time i was approached by an aggressive dog, you know what i reached for? a large rock. there was no way i was going to let the dog close enough for me to stab.
afterwards i always carried a machete, or a suburito (bokken) out on walks with me. this was many years ago, before i got a license to carry a firearm. my mother, who got her license before me, ended up having to put a bullet to the dog i mentioned earlier. it was a chocolate lab, incidentally.
afterwards i always carried a machete, or a suburito (bokken) out on walks with me. this was many years ago, before i got a license to carry a firearm. my mother, who got her license before me, ended up having to put a bullet to the dog i mentioned earlier. it was a chocolate lab, incidentally.
kBob
Member
I have been I believe seriously attacked by large dogs three times. In the first two I kicked the dogs in the head in one case and the ribs the other. Both dogs were knocked to the side and down and both stopped aggressive behavior immediatly and slunk and staggered away.
The third case was odd. I was standing in a barracks hall way awaiting a guard mount formation and wearing all my crap and rifle at sling arms. Two troopers came down the hall shouting "make way" and I leaned against a door way behind me to do so.
The door latch broke and I fell flat on my back into an NCOs room where he lived with his war dog. He wasn't home and the war dog (German Shepard) was. THe thing shot out from under the NCO's bunk and grabbed my left shoulder in a painful bite. Fortunately part of the uniform of the day was the M1967 Protective vest. The dog had mostly that and could not close through it enough for his canines to dig into my neck area which was bruised.
I grabbed the dogs colar with my left hand (the one he was on the shoulder of) and twisted as tightly as possible. WIth my right hand I unsheathed my Personally Owned Weapon in this case a German Army issue Kampfmesser, a single edged stainless "Butter knife" with a green plastic handle. I layed the edge of the knife on the collar as a guide and was about to do my best to remove the dogs head when the NCO Appeared gave the break command and began repeatedly screaming "Don't kill my dog!" Fortunatley the dog was well trained and did release immediatly and then seemed confused that I was still choking it. I continued to do so until the NCO took the colar him self.
It would appear that "Brute, Force, and Ignorrance" can work in a dog attack if one just keeps his head and does not hesitate to act.
-Bob Hollingsworth
The third case was odd. I was standing in a barracks hall way awaiting a guard mount formation and wearing all my crap and rifle at sling arms. Two troopers came down the hall shouting "make way" and I leaned against a door way behind me to do so.
The door latch broke and I fell flat on my back into an NCOs room where he lived with his war dog. He wasn't home and the war dog (German Shepard) was. THe thing shot out from under the NCO's bunk and grabbed my left shoulder in a painful bite. Fortunately part of the uniform of the day was the M1967 Protective vest. The dog had mostly that and could not close through it enough for his canines to dig into my neck area which was bruised.
I grabbed the dogs colar with my left hand (the one he was on the shoulder of) and twisted as tightly as possible. WIth my right hand I unsheathed my Personally Owned Weapon in this case a German Army issue Kampfmesser, a single edged stainless "Butter knife" with a green plastic handle. I layed the edge of the knife on the collar as a guide and was about to do my best to remove the dogs head when the NCO Appeared gave the break command and began repeatedly screaming "Don't kill my dog!" Fortunatley the dog was well trained and did release immediatly and then seemed confused that I was still choking it. I continued to do so until the NCO took the colar him self.
It would appear that "Brute, Force, and Ignorrance" can work in a dog attack if one just keeps his head and does not hesitate to act.
-Bob Hollingsworth
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