People who don't train their small dogs are a pet peeve of mine. Our family has had dogs of all sizes ranging from Maltese to a Malmute/GSDX and each and every one was trained in at least basic obedience. People who don't train their small dogs do the dogs a disservice and give all small dogs a bad name.

I would get a stun gun (not a taser), one that makes a lot of noise and crackling light between the prongs when the trigger's pulled. That would be enough to scare off most dogs and you'd probably never or very rarely have to actually physically stun the dog. If stun guns are illegal where you live, a small cattle prod could also be effective.

Edited by Elaine Haynes (07/18/2007 11:13 AM)
Edit reason: typo

 Quote: Sandy Moore

I hate turning my back and my dog's back to a yappy critter as they're probably more likely to come in from behind and nip Lear's legs. That partly why I turned us both to face them and walk toward them. Working as a team . It was rather cool how it worked.

I totally get that! I've had to do that and it doesn't sit well with me, either. I'm always watching my six! Once you get a reasonable distance away, though, they usually lose interest. The butt's not nearly as fight-provoking as the face!

Most of the time I DON'T turn my back, though. I'll hold my ground, and the loose dog will eventually amble off, bored with the stalemate. I'm talking about strays here, because usually by this time, if there's an owner, he/she's had time to gather up the dog and then it's the human's time to get snarky with each other!

With most dogs, it's all bravado anyway. If a dog means serious business, I don't think there's a whole lot of warning time to do more than get my dog behind me.

And I know what you mean about not wanting to harm the little dogs. But if it comes down to being bitten, I will swat that mosquito!

I can't comment really on what you may have done right or wrong but I do agree with the others that putting your dog behind you is one of the very first things I do (except for this story below):

Two nights ago I was walking my dog (off leash but with an e collar on). Nice, quiet neighborhood.

We're walking along, minding our own business when all I hear is this man's voice yelling to me, "I can't stop him! He doesn't listen to me!"

No time to give my dog any command because it was just too hard. I had to quickly assess first, where was the dog charging at us? Not seeing him yet, I didn't know if it was a Presa Canario or a toy poodle. When I did finally spot him, he was running at us full bore. But I had to momentarily ignore the dog and turn to see if a car was coming - as luck would have it, we were in a really bad part of the road, a curve, that a car would not see us unless it was on top of us and I knew this so I opted to ignore the dog for that moment. There are no sidewalks in my neighborhood. So by the time I could put my attention to the dog and what to do with my dog, the little critter was at our feet.

The little mop ended up snarling at Gunnar and the owner quickly snatched him up off the ground and told the dog, "What's the matter with you? Don't you see he could eat you?" He seemed not to care that his dog disturbed us, his dog could have been killed by a car, could have been bitten and/or killed by my dog (he doesn't know my dog is ueber friendly), etc.

I then told this owner that it was a very good thing this didn't happen yesterday because yesterday I was passing by his house with my dog, my sister and her GSD and if his dog did this to my sister's GSD, his dog would probably be dead.

Sorry, there's no real point here except to commiserate maybe with you. These type of dogs/owners can be so infuriating. And making things even more difficult, every situation can be and almost always is so very different that doing the exact right thing all the time is probably close to impossible but having a plan is definitely helpful. Having a weapon, like a walking stick to stop the other dog from ever getting to my dog is a good part of my plan. It has helped me many times. The other dogs seem to be very intimidated by the stick. I happen not to have it with me that day - go figure.

Joe, I know there's not much more to say about your incident yesterday. I don't really have any stories I can relate to you, but I think you handled it pretty well, and if I was in your situation would have most likely done the same. Putting your dog behind you sounds like a good idea, but with your size & ability to control your dog. I don't think it really matters (as far as controlling your dog). I know we all wish our dogs would stay calm, but a strange dog, barking in your face is as much a distraction as you can get.

As some suggested, I do not walk her in the "Heal" position, seeing stray dogs is not common, getting some people who think there dogs will listen to them as their dogs hover off leash in there yards is another story, this is more frequent; but still not as bad.

I know where the dogs are at in my neighborhood, if they make themselves known. For instance, the dog that has the electric fence " Hound dog" this dog's fence goes about 8 foot from the edge of the property line where it meets the side walk. A few nights a week the dog will be out when we walk and I have my GSD walking a little bit ahead of me to the right, when he come up to the house with the electric fence like last night she will perk up, and slow to a heal, as if she is letting me control the situation. She will not look at this dog and this dogs runs back and forth barking at us. She is good that way.....

The problem with this loose dog was it wouldn't stop advancing, I was loud, deep voice, it just saw my dog and that was it. When I saw the dog running across the street at us I knew it was coming for us so I stopped.

So when the dog got to us I was already at a stop position, and already was yelling at it.

When I lived in a remote area of Fl I would encounter loose pits on walks, I walked with a walking stick, never had any problems. I would stand my ground, the pits would keep a safe distance and I wouldn't go until they went.

This lil mop just kept advancing; I thought if this was a larger dog we would have had some problems. SO, I think I may just either buy a cattle prong, or a walking stick. I have to see about my laws though with a cattle prong I don't know how this would be looked upon in NJ if I used it against a dog and the owner created a stink.

I took Mojo out tracking to a local hardly use park. I laid it and sat in the truck waiting for it to age (110 degrees here). Out of the coner of my eye I see someone approaching with two smaller dogs. Getting closer I now relize they are off leash. I think dam they are going to find my track. I quickly walk toward the track. Too late the dogs now see Mojo and are running toward us. I put Mojo in a sit, the lady is yelling something but I can make it out. The dogs arrive, one is a medium sized mut, the other is a small dog. They begin circling us and barking. I can now hear the lady, she's saying they won't hurt you. Ya, right, how aggressive can they be. I finally had enough and figured Mojo could handle the little one and I kicked at the bigger one. Now she's yelling don't kick my dog. They finally ran off, right over to my track. I tell the lady, thanks you just ruined my training and you obviously don't have control of your dogs, get them on leash. I always let my dogs loose here she said. I always track here, that's what your dogs are eating right now! She looked over at them, surprised at my response. She walked away toward her dogs, calling them. The acted as if she wasn't even their as they cleaned up my track. I returned to my truck and watched as she spent several minutes chasing her dogs around. What a fool! To this day the lady still walks her dogs off leash! I see her there all the time.
In hind sight I should have stayed in the truck and avoided the confrontation with my puppy.

 Quote:

Awhile back I purchased from the Internet, a can of spray that is suppose to be strong enough for bears. What gets me about this is, who would be stupid enough to test this????? Obviously SOMEONE did!!!! Here's your sign.........

Pepper spray marketed as a bear attack deterrent can be bought in most outdoor stores in my town 0.98% Capsaicin. I carry 'bear spray' whenever I walk my dog, not for dogs, but because of bears.

Although I don't know how it was first tested on bears, I know it can work on bears. There was a grizzly attack about 50 km from where I live last week and the pair of forestry workers were able to spray the bear and stop the attack. (some biting of the arms and legs of one dude occured before the spray was used) I also have a friend that has sprayed a charging black bear with success (it may have been a bluff charge anyways but...). There was also a treeplanter that was attacked up north by a predatory balck bear by surprise and she was somehow able to get the pepper spray out of the planting bags she was wearing and spray the bear. THe attack stopped and she was very injured already but survived.

I would reccommend that if you want to use the spray as a attack deterrent for dogs or bears that you by an extra can and spray it off at a target for practice. Good to know how far it sprays, how much is in a can, and what it is gonna feel like if the wind is blowing the wrong way....before you need it for real.

With the stupid charging little dogs around my place, I have tried various things. They are so fast and yappy it is hard to keep your dog behind you as they circle so quick. I know it is dangerous, but I have taken to stepping forward and scooping the small dog up. I realize I risk getting bit. They are mostly dogs I have seen before, and have returned the dogs to the owners houses before.

I had to carry spray for a while after being charged by my neighbour's loose dog. The dog has since disappeared - I think it was euthanized.

Like Jennifer said, it's good to try it out in advance to get a feel for it.

I also recommend telling your oblivious spouses/partners what it is - my boyfriend thought it was cologne...and...well...that didn't end well.

 Quote: joe chevrier

SO, I think I may just either buy a cattle prong, or a walking stick. I have to see about my laws though with a cattle prong I don't know how this would be looked upon in NJ if I used it against a dog and the owner created a stink.

Joe, nothing whatsoever is legal in NJ ! I know. I live here too.

Do you mean a regular cattle prod? Or are you thinking of one with a low voltage? I can assure you that a stun baton or a stun gun is illegal in NJ. I tried. A low voltage cattle prod; that I didn't research but my guess would be "no go". The walking stick is probably all you can use (legally). But it has been highly effective for me with dogs as big as Golden Retrievers.

Since I've had my dog (2 years now), I've never had to whack a dog in the head but, believe me, if any big dog attacked my dog, my walking stick would do damage. It's heavy and easy to swing. It has a rubber handle with grooves that allow for easy grabbing or maneuvering.

Just to clarify, I've used the walking stick repeatedly by pointing it at the dog walking or running to us and each dog, no matter what breed, did not like that stick. It stopped them in their tracks every time. And if it was close enough to me, I kept my dog (always) behind me and had the stick touching the other dog in the side or chest area, depending.

Some dogs would try to maneuver away from my stick and in toward my dog. And as the dog moved to get away from my stick, I'd place the stick again on its chest or side. Wherever the dog went, it encountered the stick. They always gave up.