I was looking into the expanable baton and apparently possession is a felony (unless you are a police officer or security guard) in the state of California. I really am not surprised.

The world is full of idiots,to bad you and your dog had to go through an experience like that,and nothing is done to those responcible. I would try to find a safe place to walk my dog or not walk her at all,anyway not in the neighborhood where the attack occurred. The only way I would deal with 5 dogs is with a gun,and you may hit yours as well. If the authorities are so reluctant to come to your aid, it really sounds like a losing propostion,unless you want to go to war with those responcible for the attack.Then you walk down the street alone,yell at the dogs,and kill them all. Then sit down and wait for the police,for they will certaintly come,and be more than glad to enforce the city ordinances regarding firearm. Not much of a choice is it.

Amazingly I had a run in with a neighbor's dog yesterday. They have a pair of pit-bull that have destroyed their back yard, their toys, and the lawn furniture. The bitch has had at least one litter.

Any way, Jäger and I were in my front yard and she came at us from across the street barking and growling. I called Jäger to heel and pulled out my daily wear pistol. She stopped put on quite a show, but went home when I stared her down at 25 meters. I called the police non emergency number and told them they needed to get the dog as it was aggressive and on the prowl. They asked how many people it had attacked and said none, yet. 45 minutes later Jäger and I were out front and she returned and came a bit closer but backed off when I repeated the earlier process. Now the neighborhood kids are going "Look it's a doggie! Awwww it's cute."
I called 911, said come get this dog, it's more aggressive and there are children out playing now. The lady says well your first report said it wasn't attacking anyone so it was a low priority. I told her if it had attacked someone I'd have killed the dog and we wouldn't be having this conversation now would we. They were here in a jiffy, hauled her snarling butt off.

Just a thought about the walking stick and a dogs skull, I'm not sure this would be a good place for a Pit Bull, they have very dense and hard heads.....if it were me I would target the neck on the inside of a Pit to take his wind away, then a limb. I have Pits and my male has not even been phased by a dropping tail gate of a Bronco on the top of his head......

I agree with your comment. A dog's brain pan is solid. The muzzle/eyes are a less hardened target. A walking stick with a ferrule ( <a href="www.saddler.co.uk/acatalog/Spiked_Nickel_Steel_Hiking_Staff_Ferrule_3568.html" target="_blank">Ferrule example</a> ) might be a good thrusting weapon, ... if you've got the sand to stab something in the heart/lung kill zone hard/often enough until it's clearly out of the fight.

it's hard to say what will work in every situation. when my dog was attacked by a coonhound, i brought my hiking staff down hard across the top of his muzzle, and it did the trick. but his owner was there, trying to grab hold of him, so who knows if he wouldn't have gone back in for the fight if she hadn't been there?

Just an FYI, I watched Tappy Phillips tonight at 11pm do a "Seven on Your Side" segment, so the ABC network does still air this series.

Also, I can't blame the cops for shooting that Pit bull....I just felt sorry for it. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I was thinking.....how about contacting animal planet and the woman who had her dogs attacked ( from the article posted w/ a link)? Perhaps they might want to do a segment on the state of the politics on aggressive dogs and the lack of enforcement of know nuisance animals in NYC. Animal Planet obviously has a relationship w/ the ASPCA from Animal Cops NY...maybe they can help you and spin themselves a few ratings too!

Just a thought <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

{quote} For example...most people keep dogs in the Bronx for companionship...same as anywhere else. That being said, yes, many large breeds are kept in the Bronx, and many do so for the illusion of protection. ( we all know if you have a few large dogs in your apartment then it is more likely that the apt. down the hall will be robbed and not yours....) So now, you go to a five story walk up and tell me how many people in those apts. are keeping large dogs that have to be walked 3 times a day, and how many are keeping chihuahua's that are carried around like toys and not necessarily walked outside ?? My husband's old building alone must have had 20 small dogs to our 2 large ones! (And he was from a not so nice area near Fordham....) {quote}

I just had to reply to this - and I'm probably gonna start ranting but thats usually what happens when something gets under your skin! And this whole topic is near and dear to me due to my experiences walking my dog. So my apologies in advance - it's gonna be long.

Laughably IMO the quoted post above uses it's own words to defeat itself! To me it doesn't matter if there are hundreds of chihuahua's sitting at home on their couches or similar fluffy ankle biters being carried around in purses ala Paris Hilton - we're talking about what's out there running around attacking people & dogs. So your point is somewhat LOST!

If Teresa said "MOST" dogs in her neighbourhood are large breed/illusion of protection types then I believe her. Thats what she encounters while OUT walking. And it's not just the Bronx! What the hell does it matter if it was only one loose, vicious dog terrorizing everyone while thousands of little fluffies are sitting at home? I don't care about them - We have to deal with the dangerous mistakes that the many idiots out there blindly, ignorantly force on the rest of us. (And obviously it's everywhere else in the world - just look around this board at similar dog walking encounters) (And why Ed feels Dog Parks are mistakes waiting to happen).

I am SICK of people and their dogs where I live here in Canada. Morons are everywhere. Walking my dog is a real production. I carry a hardwood bat that fits up my sleeve, a knife in one pocket, my cell phone & bear spray in the other and try to have my husband along if at all possible. I DO NOT go near off-leash areas - EVER. Yet literally every time we go for walks we encounter off-leash dogs that are NOT under any control. Oh, the owners THINK they have control but I've never seen one dog actually recall to it's owner. And my point to it all is - they're always larger breed dogs because the little prissy one's are at home on the couch!

I've tried every trick in the book. If I had a dollar every time I hear "it's o.k. mine's friendly" or "they just need to say hello" I could be retired by now. I kick at dogs and get nasty looks and comments. I started off being somewhat shy - now I just let the owner have it and point out that they were unable to call their dog off, it's not off-leash, you name it. I've resorted many times to lies - saying my dog is vicious and will kill their dog and they better get some control. (Thats the only fun part - watching them try to get their dog back extra fast! - then you really see their lack of control).

I have to thank Ed and this board for giving me the knowledge to know what to do prior to all the problems I've encountered. I protect my dog fully, getting right between any and all dogs who just charge up to us with the useless owner just blankly staring. (Remember - this is in areas where it's the law, you have to be on leash - a point lost on these idiots).

What happened to Teresa is everyone's worst nightmare as far as dog walking goes. I've had so many close calls and it just keeps happening. I have to say I wouldn't hesitate to kill a dog if I had to now. My husband feels the same way - he didn't really believe me at first when I told him of all the problems until he started joining us. Now he just shakes his head along with me at the literal DAILY encounters we have we big/untrained/uncontrolled dogs (and the twits that own them).

And though Jeannette wants to ensure we don't represent the entire canine population of the Bronx (nor their owners) in a negative manner, it's hard for me to side with her when the only defense is the number of small breeds sitting in apartments while 5 large unlicensed/unrestrained dogs try to kill a licensed/leashed dog with a women out for a walk. Weak argument in my books. Thanks for listening - my 2 cents. Would love to hear more on this topic as I feel the whole issue is never going to go away.

And my best wishes for a speeding recovery for Theresa and her dog. I'm sure they will never be the same - I have not been the same since my encounters which pale in comparison - my hats off to her.

 Quote:

.........though Jeannette wants to ensure we don't represent the entire canine population of the Bronx (nor their owners) in a negative manner, it's hard for me to side with her when the only defense is the number of small breeds sitting in apartments while 5 large unlicensed/unrestrained dogs try to kill a licensed/leashed dog with a women out for a walk. Weak argument in my books. ....

The thing is, there was this sentence in the O.P.: "I live in the Bronx (NY) where most people are unfortunately ignorant."

That remark is maybe understandable from someone who had that terrible experience (and I don't minimize that experience, or yours, or anyone's; it's a bad problem and I'm as frightened and angry as you are), but it's no less inflammatory and biased just because it's understandable.

Wouldn't it be better to vent and to ask for (and receive) suggestions and support without that kind of sweeping generalization? Substitute your own city or state or country for "the Bronx" and repeat the comment to yourself.

Even if you agree that "most people are ignorant," how does it further the discussion? It just distracts from the real issue by calling an entire geographical area's population "ignorant." Don't you agree?