quote:

Originally posted by goose5:
Thing is with spray or other non lethal devices you'll have a very pissed owner on your hands. An ATT guy was working on a box next to the backyard of the house I grew up in. Our dog was on the other side of the fence barking away. This guy was in no danger, but sprayed our dog away. My Mom squared up on this guy with such fury she put him back in his truck.

This method has worked for me every time, but I've never had kids with me at the time, and don't know if I'd try it. I just stop. Stand motionless. The dog always continues to bark and circles, and loses interest.

Now I've had many dogs try to take me off my bike. Every time just a squirt of water is enough to get them to disengage.

I always try to be neighborly but in this case I think I need to adopt the mindset that the owner’s feelings are really far down on my list of priorities.

p.s. your mom is a badass

quote:

Originally posted by Pyker:
Tazers work well on dogs. In my career I had occasion to use it several times on aggressive pooches.

In fact, the 'spark test' function was almost as good at deterring them from approaching.

Thanks! It’s great to be able to hear from someone with real-world experience using one.

For this particular dog, lethal doesn't sound like the right option. Sounds like it's a very friendly but poorly trained dog, not viscous.
Pepper spray, a whistle of some sort and a strong walking stick would be my choices to carry.

Aside from the issues you have concerning the children, these people need to be concerned because the loose dog is in danger from cars and also the potential of liability, even just from knocking over a child or elderly adult.

Way back in the dark ages when I was in high school, I rode my bicycle all over town delivering telegrams for Western Union.

All of us bicycle messengers carried water pistols loaded with a solution of ammonia and water. A squirt or two, and dogs promptly lost all interest in chasing us.

Air horn...
Just prep your kids on how loud it can be and that they should cover their ears.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
I’d suggest pepper spray but for the risk of getting it on your kids.

Halt II has a handy clip and I carry it jogging, used it once in the past 30 years.

https://www.amazon.com/Halt-Re...0NDMBDB2/ref=sr_1_10

It's tough to make recommendations without seeing the dog. Based on your description it sounds like the dog is a poorly behaved, but basically friendly animal. But 100 lbs of friendly animal is overwhelming to children and many adults. A few options:

1) Make noise. I use my extreme outside voice with an unwelcome dog approach. It scares the animal and alerts the owner. I then continue to use my extreme outside voice discussing responsible pet ownership with the owner.
2) Carry a flexible water bottle, like one that a bicyclist uses, filled with tap water. When the dog runs at you, squirt it on the muzzle, it will stop until it figures out what happened. Water doesn't hurt the dog.
3) Carry treats and toss one to the dog. This isn't a good long term approach because dogs are smart and will quickly figure out that running at you gets them a treat.
4) Check your municipality for pet laws. In the township where I reside there are leash laws. I do have one clueless neighbor that had a nuisance dog. I did notify the cops when that neighbor constantly allowed the dog to run the neighborhood. This is a last resort, in my case I talked to the neighbor without result.

One last thought, people love animals more than people (I am guilty of this). If you shoot or stab the dog, you will be the villain. I know, that's not fair but it is nonetheless true and if the dog is threatening you and yours, by all means take whatever action is necessary.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
I’d suggest pepper spray but for the risk of getting it on your kids.

And not all dogs are susceptible to it. My lab got attacked by 2 pit bulls while we were walking in the neighborhood a number of years ago. I emptied a pepper spray container in one of the dogs faces with no long term effect. I'd spray, it would back off, blink a few times, sneeze, and jump back in the fight, I'd spray again and the same would happen. I sprayed probably 10 or 12 times before the canister was empty.

I couldn't pull my gun and shoot the dogs as cars were driving by a few few away and there were nearby houses.

I thought about my knife but figured that might be a good way for me to get a mangled hand. Ultimately a woman stopped and yelled for us to get in her van which we did, and we escaped.

I now carry an extendible ASP baton and the next time it happens I'll be ready.

In your situation a taser is your best option. The bad thing about a taser is it is a hands on tool but you were already there.

If it is not appropriate to shoot it (and it sounds like it was not) then a taser will run it off.

Pepper spray can work great but if your children get a little over spray and start crying, as a parent, will you be able to give the potential threat your full attention?

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
I’d suggest pepper spray but for the risk of getting it on your kids.

And not all dogs are susceptible to it. My lab got attacked by 2 pit bulls while we were walking in the neighborhood a number of years ago. I emptied a pepper spray container in one of the dogs faces with no long term effect. I'd spray, it would back off, blink a few times, sneeze, and jump back in the fight, I'd spray again and the same would happen. I sprayed probably 10 or 12 times before the canister was empty.

I couldn't pull my gun and shoot the dogs as cars were driving by a few few away and there were nearby houses.

I thought about my knife but figured that might be a good way for me to get a mangled hand. Ultimately a woman stopped and yelled for us to get in her van which we did, and we escaped.

I now carry an extendible ASP baton and the next time it happens I'll be ready.

Wow. It sounds like spray + walking stick / baton might be the answer. Good to know that some dogs can shrug off the spray.

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
In your situation a taser is your best option. The bad thing about a taser is it is a hands on tool but you were already there.

If it is not appropriate to shoot it (and it sounds like it was not) then a taser will run it off.

Pepper spray can work great but if your children get a little over spray and start crying, as a parent, will you be able to give the potential threat your full attention?

Good point. Going to do some taser shopping too.

I personally think you're overthinking this. One, I'm thrilled the dog in question is friendly, just ill-mannered and poorly trained. Second, I think escalating this with use of sprays or tazers is a fool's errand and potentially creates more issues than it solves. I used to have a dog that would run out to my son and I in the neighborhood. He too was friendly, just excited. To solve the issue, I just stepped between him and my son, grabbed his collar to control him, and gave him a rub. By then the owners would generally appear and retrieve him, at which point I'd have a conversation with them about how inappropriate this behavior is.

I'm in no way excusing the owners for not having this dog better controlled, but because he isn't aggressive, I would be very reluctant to use something on him that could potentially hurt him. If he was aggressive and a danger, that would be a whole other conversation. If this becomes a continual problem the owners won't deal with appropriately, I'd file an Animal Control complaint on him/them and let the owners deal with them on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Flash-LB:

...I now carry an extendible ASP baton and the next time it happens I'll be ready.

This is the smaller model with a belt clip:

https://www.asp-usa.com/produc...concealable-baton-12

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
I personally think you're overthinking this. One, I'm thrilled the dog in question is friendly, just ill-mannered and poorly trained. Second, I think escalating this with use of sprays or tazers is a fool's errand and potentially creates more issues than it solves. I used to have a dog that would run out to my son and I in the neighborhood. He too was friendly, just excited. To solve the issue, I just stepped between him and my son, grabbed his collar to control him, and gave him a rub. By then the owners would generally appear and retrieve him, at which point I'd have a conversation with them about how inappropriate this behavior is.

I'm in no way excusing the owners for not having this dog better controlled, but because he isn't aggressive, I would be very reluctant to use something on him that could potentially hurt him. If he was aggressive and a danger, that would be a whole other conversation. If this becomes a continual problem the owners won't deal with appropriately, I'd file an Animal Control complaint on him/them and let the owners deal with them on it.

It sounds like you acted appropriately in your situation. In my situation there was no collar. I was wrestling to get ahold of the dog and losing.

"dog specific pepper spray by Sabre"

Been carrying it for years. My wife had to use it once & it was effective.

When I was policing I was attacked by dogs on several different times. I found OC spray doesn’t work. Spoke to a vet and he said that bear spray is strong enough to deter a german shepherd/Pitt bull sized dog.

I broke a 21” ASP baton on a pittbull. Frankly the baton doesn’t have enough heft, as it designed to not leave damage when used on large muscle groups like they train you. And I was not using it in the proscribed manner-I wanted the dog to stop.

I don’t know about a squirt gun or water bottle.

When I’m out walking I’ve seen other people carry a wooden cane, a golf club without the head to poke at dogs, and little cans of OC.

I understand there may be a time that the gun is not required just yet…so I’d suggest to go the wooden cane route.

I would be comfortable with a walking stick, and maybe carrying an air horn.

Ordered some Sabre, thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Shrugged:

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
I have never had nor anything close to require deadly force.
However, my last dog hated other dogs and I feared for the other dogs getting close when I walked her.
I would always carry a used golf driver shaft to whack any approaching dog.
Last thing in the world I would want to hurt another dog.
Best defense is good awareness to head off any potential problem but I know it is not always possible.

Yeah the awareness thing is rough. I've done a ton of drills at the range where they send the target at you and you have to draw and fire (the whole "a person can close 21 feet in 1.5 seconds" thing). Dogs are so damned fast. It was in full sprint. By the time I noticed it, it and it was on top of us.

I like the driver shaft/walking stick idea, but if I start beating on it, am I just going to have a more pissed off, excited dog?

I turned an old pool cue into a nice & attractive "walking stick. Light, easy to carry, and works well in case of a defense issue arises.

Perhaps its already been suggested; make a report to law enforcement. It’s doubtful that your family has been the only ones attacked by this dog. Personally, (and you probably feel the same) I could not care less about how sorry the neighbor was.

Silent