Stop Dog Attacks

I don’t even like dog parks, let alone off-leash areas. Too many irresponsible owners don’t have their dogs vaccinated or treated for worms (which all dogs can get). There’s also the problem of aggressive dogs and owners who can’t or won’t control their dogs.

Anytime you’re out in public, you and your small dog run the risk of being attacked by a dog. That doesn’t mean keep your dog at home but instead take some preliminary cautions to make the outing safe.

1. Stay out of harm’s way.

Last month’s Bone-Mot discussed how to keep your small dog from provoking an attack. Some of the same tips apply to humans.

• Do not make eye contact with a strange dog.
  
  
• Do not disturb a strange dog who is eating, drinking, with puppies or sleeping.
  
  
• If a strange dog approaches you, stay still and let him sniff you. If you don’t react, the odds are he will leave you alone.
  
  
• If a dog seems aggressive or you’re unsure, use your ultrasonic device (see #2) or find something to place between you and dog. That can be taking off your jacket and putting that in front of your body or picking up an object even a rock.
  
  
• Depending on your personality, if a dog starts to attack you or you small dog, you can yell NO in a loud, stern tone of voice and see if that stops the dog. If you have pepper spray or ultrasonic device, use that.
  
  
• NEVER, NEVER turn your back on a dog and run. That will trigger his prey instinct and he’ll hunt you down – with bad results.
  

2. Carry a pepper spray and/or the Dazer Ultrasonic Dog Deterrent.

Dazer is the only brand I like and it even it won’t work on every dog. Dazer and other ultrasonic devices emit ultrasonic sound bursts which dogs don’t like. A cheaper version is to carry an air-horn, such as the type boaters have, and try it.

I think pepper spray is effective on more dogs than ultrasonic devices but only if you spray it in the attacking dog’s eyes and nose.

Nonetheless, I recommend the Dazer because 1) under stress, it may not be possible to aim the pepper spray and spraying the dog’s side or back won’t stop it and 2) if the other dog’s owner is a moron, he may be incensed at what he perceives as YOUR attack on his dog. The Dazer can be used so that the other dog owner doesn’t see it. Dazer is great – when it works.

Either product can be found in stores or ordered over the Internet at amazon.com.

3. Rescue your dog – carefully.
If a dog grabs your dog, resist the natural urge to get in a tug-of-war with your dog and the attacker. Your pulling motion will only inflame the attacker and cause him to tighten his grip. Even if you were successful in
pulling your dog away, expect his coat and skin to remain in the attacker’s mouth.

Do NOT try to grab the dog’s collar and pull him away. All you’re likely to do is get badly bitten by one or both dogs. Instead,

• Lift the attacking dog by his legs and sway him back and forth as you back away with the dog’s leg paws in your hands. That may stop the attack. You’ll need to hold the dog until he hopefully calms down or you can turn him over to his owner or other person.
  
  
• An alternate is to blind the dog. This can be a clothing article that you can put over his face and tie around him, but that’s going to be difficult to do. Or, more effectively, find a object (key, shovel, rock, whatever) and poke his eyes as hard as you can.
  
  Yes, this is brutal but it may save your dog’s life. Hitting an attacking dog on the head, between the ears, as is so often requires many strong blows. You need a shovel and the strength to swing it forcefully for this technique to work. Anyone – man, woman or child – can poke a dog’s eye.
  
  
• What is unlikely to work is spraying them in the face with water or even vinegar. One or both dogs may be well beyond being aware of having something thrown in their face.

4. Save yourself if you’re the one attacked

Some of you may feel you’d rather be mauled to death than try this technique: stick his finger up his butt! That will create a physiological force that makes the dog gasp and thereby release whichever of your appendages he was biting. Then roll the dog over and put all your weight on a knee which you put on his ribs. Hopefully you can hold him down until help arrives or you reach some weapon that you can use to quiet the dog.

Hopefully, you’ll never have to use that one. Avoid areas where dogs run free and stay still and calm if you’re ever approached by a menacing dog.