Several times while walking my dog (mini-schnauzer) on-leash we have run into a neighbor that walks her dog (Akita mix) through the neighborhood off-leash. Everytime we run into each other her dogs tries to attack my dog. Each time the owner says her dog would never hurt my dog even though her dog on one occassion had my dog pinned to the ground. At some point though my luck will run out.

I'm considering taking pepper spray with me but don't want to cause any real harm to my neighbor's dog. I would just like to walk my dog without fear of an attack.

Thoughts?

 

The way I see it is that your situation is the reason pepper spray is still available to the public.
On the other hand the owner of the dog you spray might see it differently.
I'm not sure if you have ever seen a dog that has been sprayed but the display would be very traumatic for the owner.
If you do use spray on someone's dog you could very well have to defend yourself against the owner, either in the park or in court.
If you wind up in court you would need hard evidence that the level of force you used was justified.

You might consider talking to your neighbour a bit more forcefully about controlling their animal or finding a place to walk where they don't.

 

Ending up in court is a possibility either way.

Should I warn her that I have pepper spray and will use it if she cannot control her animal? Then she won't be so traumatized when I spray her dog.

 

You might check to see if the laws forbids dogs being loose in your area. Many require that the dog be under physical control at all times: behind a fence or on a leash, for instance. If so, call animal control whenever she is out with her loose dog and the problem should be solved. She will get a leash. It is patently obvious that her dog is not under other control if it attacked yours.

I believe that you have a right to protect your dog and yourself from attack from a loose, vicious dog. If her dog has attacked yours, it meets the definition of vicious. Of course, you might have to spray the owner, too.

 

Hi-
I am familiar with your problem as my own leashed dogs are frequently rushed by other peoples' out-of-control animals. A couple of alternative solutions:

1. A strong shooting water pistol. Won't hurt the dog, but will discourage most of them.

2. An air horn (available at hardware departments that sell boating supplies). Just make sure that you point it away from your own dog as it might scare the bejeebers out of him. It's also not something you want to use on early morning walks as your neighbours won't appreciate being woken up by it.

When the dog rushes you, try to keep your own body between the approaching dog and your own dog, and use your knees to block it. If necessary, kick. Remind the owner that if you or your dog is injured, she is going to be legally liable as her dog is the one that is off lead and out of control. Try to see if her dog is wearing a license tag. If not, you can report her for having an unlicensed animal.

 

My in-laws had a dog who chase people on bicycles. He got pepper sprayed once. No lasting problem for the dog, but he never chased another bicycle again.

 

Since I began taking pepper spray on our walks we have not had any need to use it. Apparently this lady is keeping an eye out for us and when she sees us she quickly leashes her dog.

Calling animal control will not do any good because the times I take my dog for these walks it's usually in the evening. Our animal control works bank hours here.

I am having second thoughts on using the pepper spray for fear the wind will be blowing in my direction causing myself or my dog to get sprayed instead.

The air horn idea sounds like a good idea. I don't walk my dog in the early morning hours or too late at night so I don't think I would make anyone mad. But would an airhorn cause any serious hearing problems for either of the dogs?

 

Hi-
No, it shouldn't cause problems as long as you don't place the horn right close to the dog's ear. Giving it a short blast from 6-10 feet away shouldn't pose a problem. After all, they use these things in the stands at football games.

 

I am having a similar problem with unleashed dogs in my neighborhood, even though there are signs everywhere stating it is against the law to have dogs unleashed. I've heard there's a citronella spray that is effective for shooing a potential dog threat, but not as traumatic as pepper spray. Has anyone seen a product like this? Or should I just get some citronella and fill a water gun with it.

Thanks!
Nicole

 

Hi-
A good hard blast of plain water from a water pistol is probably just as effective as citronella. I am assuming that you are also walking your own dog here. The problem with smelly repellents is that you may end up causing your own dog some physical distress as well as the strange dog. You can get small water pistols that fit nicely into a pocket but still shoot a strong stream a good distance. If that doesn't work (some dogs like Labs may actually enjoy a water spray), try a small air horn (see messages above).

Here's something else to try. When you spot an oncoming unleashed dog, stop and ask your dog to sit. Then just stand in that spot and look at the other dog's owner. This is what I do, and about 4x out of 5 the other dog owner gets the message that I am uncomfortable about proceeding towards their dog and stops to leash their dog. Then, smile politely and say 'thank you' when you pass. If you show that you appreciate them leashing their dog, they are more likely to do it again next time you meet.

 

I am gonna give about everything a shot and see what works best. But we have been attacked twice this week by two different dogs who were off leash. One owner was about a block behind her offleash doberman, which was pretty scary. It seemed like eternity before she could get to us to help me break the dogs apart, and then only to insinuate my dog must have started the fight. Needless to say I won't be walking my dog around my neighborhood again until I figure out a solution to protect myself as well as my dog.

 

There are also battery-powered unltrasonic devices on the market, but I think they would be most effective if you weren't walking your own dog who might also be affected.

http://www.keydefense.com/Ultrasonic_Dog_Repeller.htm
http://www.preventsecurity.com/produ...?c=6&s=-1&p=34
http://www.1stlinesecurity.com/uldogrep.html
http://www.graveyardmall.com/uldogre.html

 

I have been following this thread for a while. Why don't you call the police? why are you even considering methods that can be harmful to the other dog? would you spray your own dog with pepper spary? I don't think so. Would you want someone spraying your dog with it? I don't think so.

If you can't talk to the people that let their dogs run without a leash, you can most definitely call the police. Not animal control, the police. The police office is open 24 hours a day so I'm sure you'll be able to reach them whenever it is you walk your dog. Leash laws are enforced everywhere and it is not only an animal control issue.

As far as the electronic devices go, please do not use them on dogs that are not your own. Some dogs are more sensitive to the sound than others are and they can cause loss of appetite and long lasting depression in certain dogs.

Call the police. Do not take matters into your own hands.

 

Yes, if it was a case of defending my own dog from an attacking dog, I would use whatever means necessary to keep my dog from being mauled. Calling the police after the fact is fine if you have a police department that would respond to such a call - ours would not, unless a person was bleeding. Even our dog pound does not respond to calls before 12 noon. When your dog is attacked, you have to do something *now*, or else be prepared to stand by and watch your own dog being injured or perhaps killed. At least pepper spray is preferable to bleeding wounds. I'm a lot more concerned about keeping another dog's fangs out of my own dog than causing loss of appetite in an attacking dog.

 

Rrainea,

You have received advice ranging from how to make sure to not spray your own dog with dog repellent to calling the officials who are paid to deal with the violations you say are happening.

I'm inclined to agree with greenchaos in that the Police are the one's to deal with this if you say that you have been attacked.
If you have been attacked then all you need to do is get a name and insist they be charged.
I doubt that the Police will sit by and do nothing when there is pressure to enforce laws that are on the books.

Rather that expending energy in worrying about self-defense methods you would do well to spend the same energy trying to get something done about proper enforcement.
Either that or find a different place to walk your dog.
If you feel strongly enough about your right to walk where you want then you should feel strongly enough to make officials take notice of the issue.

Perhaps an investigative news reporter with a video camera would like to help you take on city hall.

 

As a retired Mail Carrier for the USPS I have had many encounters with dogs. The pepper spray definitely has it's place in our arsenal, but it is messy, ruins cloths, and there is usually blowback. I quit using it and resorted to distractions. There are some dogs you cannot distract, and I have tried the ultrasonic device which was very poor and unreliable depending on the type of dog. It would work once, maybe twice and then the dog would ignore it. Carrying a stick with a tennis ball bolted to the end of the stick gives you something to use as a weapon and something the dog might chew on first before you or your dog. Get a solid walking cane and walk with that, (that has worked for my wife and I on our many walks.) Just slapping it against the ground sends a loud and clear message to a dog from a distance of 50 yards.

 

Almost 10 y/o post. Thanks for your contribution, but please be aware of the dates.

 

uesspo: Welcome to the forums. Please check the dates, you responded to a thread nearly a decade old.

EDIT: Whoops, looks like Vic types faster than I do.