Dog Attack Last Night...

[Kyle Ryder]

I currently live in a built-up urban area that, at nightfall especially has a serious dog problem.

The locals will not address the situation so you're on your own when the dogs run loose!

I was setting out this night into the heart of the city to meet an old friend who was flying out to Europe the following morning.

Anyway, at dusk on leaving the apartment, which is nearly a kilometer from the main road, up some quiet and deserted side-streets the dog pack are out and about.

The night previous I'd heard them tearing into a cat (I think the cat got away).
Anyway I'm turning the corner and there's about 5 of them.
Not massive, nor tiny. They are the feral dog size and the pack leader is a brown mutt that's mean and arrogant.

It's barking like crazy at a gateway which has another dog behind it, barking like mad at each other.

I see this and think 'I'll use that as a distraction' and increase my pace.
As I do so two of the top-dog's underlings (some white-greyish mutts) wander over towards me.
By now the pepper spray I bought at a local market is out of the EDC and in my hand with my thumb on the trigger.
I'm not out for spraying whilly nilly so let them pass by as they don't pose a threat.

So far so good.
Then, maybe out of scent, who knows, the top dog turns from it's bark-competition with the gate dog and heads over to me.
It's obviously trying to look good and fancy's a piece.
Instead of standing off and barking it closes the range down to about 4 feet and makes for an attack.
I'm ready and it get's a blast!

Now, even though this is the tropic's I'm in, the wind was breezy and took the bite out of the spray jet.
Meaning only the fringes of it caught the head area. Also the spray was weak only 4 feet if that. (partly why it didn't strike the creature full on too I'd say)

I'm walking on by as I do this btw.

It's barking dropped off dramatically, almost to whimpers.
I sprayed again, once out of range, worrying I'd bought a deficient canister This time it managed about 6-8 feet.
Meanwhile the top dog is sneezing and very much confused with what's just buzzed it's nose and face!

I continued up the side-street and make the main road without issue and go meet up with my buddy

A bit of the residue from the nozzle had dripped onto my right hand and despite my best efforts I got a bit on me, which was quite irritating, but nowhere near that which the dog's getting I'll wager.

After some drinks in the city centre I tell my tale to my friend, imagining that's the end of it.

Well, how wrong I was, on my return, several drinks later, the dog pack is waiting!
They'd managed to chase out one of the nice guard dogs and isolate it at my end of the side-street (main road side). It's tail is up but it's unfazed. Neither was I that much (thanks to the pepper spray).

This dog's ok and I pass it by, facing me is brown top-dog from before.

It's a bit wary now and I give it some shouts and harsh words.
As I move nearer I give it a little false rush and it scuttles away a bit then stops before doing the same.

I make my left turn towards the apartment and now all four of it's cohorts are there lined up on one side of the street.
It wasn't the brown-mutt that made the charge but one of the white dogs.
It obviously fancied it's chances of becoming the new leader.
The peppers-spray was out again by now of course I gave it a burst. Wisely it scuttled back before it could reach, these things learn fast folks

So that's my first time of using a pepper spray in anger. It probably won't be the last. I can hear the mangy mutt's barking around outside two floors below as I type.

Lesson's learned:
On buying pepper spray give it a shake and a test spray, just to get it 'primed'. For some reason mine wasn't at full 'performance' on initial firing.

Just after spraying be aware of the residue / drips that trickle down the canister.
It's not a big deal but might irritate you if you touch your skin with your spray hand.

Oh and I'm glad I was carrying something.
I've been bitten before by a dog out in Asia and ended up having to get Rabipure vaccination's over the course of a month.
Not very nice and the dog doesn't pay for the treatment.

[azrael99]

good god, that was quite a story, i'm glad you didn't got bite. who know what kind of disease those dog could have. you should call the authority to take care of them. who know if that would not be a kid who could be in the same situation next time.

[Kyle Ryder]

good god, that was quite a story, i'm glad you didn't got bite. who know what kind of disease those dog could have. you should call the authority to take care of them. who know if that would not be a kid who could be in the same situation next time.

Alas the authorities are not interested, it's a self-survival kinda deal with these dogs.
The local folk's just hush them now and again with some sharp words and that's it!

[Jeriah]

My dreams come true. A strain of intelligent sociopathic dog has arisen in the dank sewers of Hilbery Depth, northeast of Fourth Canal terminus. These criminal vermin have terrorized the decent people there so badly, and have bred so prodigiously, that Civic Center is permitting, for only the third time in living memory, a Cull. Smart or not, dogs have no rights. I ponder this awful, searing injustice as I fondle my volunteer Cullmaster pass and assemble my arsenal. Sometimes, life is sweet.

Can't find the image of Spider gearing up for the cull so this will have to do:



Edit: Although, this one's pretty good:

[WY_Not]

Perhaps also try some of the pepper spray in a stream form rather than the mist?

[Jeriah]

Perhaps also try some of the pepper spray in a stream form rather than the mist?

By "stream" are you referring to pepper foam? There is also something called pepper gel. SABER makes them both, I think Cold Steel's Inferno is a foam, and I've also heard good stuff about Fox.

How would the locals feel about your using a bow + arrow, or a slingshot, to scare away or kill the dogs?

[SteamPunk]

You just sold me on getting pepper spray.

Thank god you didn't get hurt that badly. I've had a few close calls with dogs in my neighborhood but never a pack of them like that. I've always managed to scare them off by yelling or running at them.

[WY_Not]

Kinda. The Kimber PepperBlasters are an example I was thinking of.

Perhaps also try some of the pepper spray in a stream form rather than the mist?

By "stream" are you referring to pepper foam? There is also something called pepper gel. SABER makes them both, I think Cold Steel's Inferno is a foam, and I've also heard good stuff about Fox.

How would the locals feel about your using a bow + arrow, or a slingshot, to scare away or kill the dogs?

[mclary2220]

try bear spray! if it will take out a grizzly, a dog should be no problem. i use cold steel pepper spray. had to use it once, but the dog just kept dodging it like a ninja

[Tommy Tran]

try bear spray! if it will take out a grizzly, a dog should be no problem. i use cold steel pepper spray. had to use it once, but the dog just kept dodging it like a ninja

LOL omg I wish i could have seen that... not you getting closed in on but I am imagining a dog juking, jiving and spin moving on the pepper streams...

OT- I'll get some pepper spray this Friday! Woot for not having to deploy the G22 in city limits!

[raptor]

I recommend pepper spray over a CCW when it comes to dogs. There are far fewer legal issues associated with this response. My preference is for a fogger due to the broad fan. The obvious downside is that it is much more affected by wind.

You should practice with pepper spray. It is like any tool in that respect. Buy two cans and practice with one. Try the stream and try the fogger. See which you prefer.

[jamoni]

If your laws permit, it wouldn't hurt to carry a knife as well. If one of them gets past the pepper spray, it could save your life.

[Kutter_0311]

If your laws permit, it wouldn't hurt to carry a knife as well. If one of them gets past the pepper spray, it could save your life.

I was just thinking this, but tomahawk instead. I was surprised how natural the little $20 SOG FastHawk handles, and I'm pretty convinced it would be sudden death at close combat range.

Chemical deterants are a novelty weapon, IMO, and I fear they will suddenly fail you once you start taking the effect for granted. Like you said, they learn fast. They clearly have no fear of man, so it's best you teach them to fear you at the very least. If you have to kill or maim a few of them before the survivors catch on, well, some eggs must be broken. The price of freedom is the willingness to do sudden, bloody battle anywhere, anytime. Victory must be swift and certain, or the point may escape them. The messier, the better. Go for the Shock & Awe, break their confidence and then their will to fight.

Make them fear you...

[jamoni]

Tomahawk wouldn't be so hot flat on your back with a dog on top of you. No room to swing, etc.
Knife? Short quick stabs to the soft parts.
EDIT: Also, it's a lot easier to explain to law enforcement why you have a pocket knife ("For cutting string, and paper!") than it is to explain a freaking tomahawk. Also, not too many tomahawks will fit in you jeans pocket.

[Regular Guy]

To me, a ball/peen hammer is just as effective as a tomahawk and is not unlawful or will raise the same suspicion from the law.

Photo of mine inbound.

[nathat]

They clearly have no fear of man, so it's best you teach them to fear you at the very least. If you have to kill or maim a few of them before the survivors catch on, well, some eggs must be broken. The price of freedom is the willingness to do sudden, bloody battle anywhere, anytime. Victory must be swift and certain, or the point may escape them. The messier, the better. Go for the Shock & Awe, break their confidence and then their will to fight.

Make them fear you...

Are we talking about dogs or those stupid kids at the local car show?

I have been playing with the idea to carry pepper spray for a long time. I just have somewhat run out of real estate to be comfortable to add anything else. I've always had my first escalation of force as my flashlight, then knife/gun depending. This is making me consider it once agian.

[WY_Not]

Ahhh... The good old days of pooch polo. CCW was not an option then, as a law or age-wise. That was why I always preferred the full-length, metal Zefal pumps to the plastic ones or the short ones. Doing 20+ miles every day and generally a century or two every weekend... Odds were that at some point a dog was going to get uppity.

Hmmm.... I guess a CCW is out of the question then? When I am out bicycling I carry both pepper spray and a CCW. If I cannot outrun the dogs (it seems they always travel in packs) the pepper spray is deployed...if that does not work.... well the CCW would be the next escalation step. Fortunately I have never gotten to the final step.

[Kyle Ryder]

If your laws permit, it wouldn't hurt to carry a knife as well. If one of them gets past the pepper spray, it could save your life.

I was just thinking this, but tomahawk instead. I was surprised how natural the little $20 SOG FastHawk handles, and I'm pretty convinced it would be sudden death at close combat range.

Chemical deterants are a novelty weapon, IMO, and I fear they will suddenly fail you once you start taking the effect for granted. Like you said, they learn fast. They clearly have no fear of man, so it's best you teach them to fear you at the very least. If you have to kill or maim a few of them before the survivors catch on, well, some eggs must be broken. The price of freedom is the willingness to do sudden, bloody battle anywhere, anytime. Victory must be swift and certain, or the point may escape them. The messier, the better. Go for the Shock & Awe, break their confidence and then their will to fight.

Make them fear you...

Bold words man!
I hear your groove, but where I am it's a rabies zone...
A carry a 500 mW laser that will blind them if they try any sht after dark. Although that's not my thing, I'd rather distract them away than leave them a blind wreck...
The local folks feed them you see...

[fourway]

Dogs aren't really impressed in general by wounds in the way people are.
You want to upset and scare a dog you hit it hard in the face (especially the snout) from a distance it doesn't expect to be hit from and at a speed that it can't track or dodge.
Grappling with a dog and trying to use a knife or tomahawk on it at close quarters should be really really low on your list of things to try before you die.
Hammer might be more effective in terms of stopping the attack but if the dog is close enough to you to use a hammer on, you've already screwed up really badly.
I'd take a five foot fiberglass marker pole, or an old car antenna, or a fencing foil or a finger thick green hardwood switch over a hammer or blade in a heartbeat.
I'd want non streaming pepper spray too... something like you had that aerosolizes, a big can so that a lot of it can be fogged out while retreating (as long as the breeze favors you).

[Braums]

Growing up in the country it was not uncommon to run into the occasional feral dog. A good walking stick is a big help.

An additional point of concern is the number of abandoned pets in areas hit by the housing crisis.

[jamoni]

I don't think anyone is advocating going out looking for some feral dogs to wrestle with. I think the point of the knife is to have something better than harsh language once things go to the mat.
I will agree that dogs don't worry about wounds the way we do. I had one attack my dog, and I kicked the shit out of him without slowing him down. He didn't stop until I stomped his leg, and even then he was considering coming back for more. 60lb black lab.

[fourway]

I think the point of the knife is to have something better than harsh language once things go to the mat.

My point was that if you go to the mat with a vicious dog (especially a vicious pack of dogs) you have fucked up very badly.
Naturally you should be carrying a knife, everybody should be carrying a knife.
Carrying a knife *because* you might be in a grapple with a vicious pack of feral dogs is a flawed concept.
The vast majority of people are going to forget which end of a knife you are supposed to hold, what a knife is for, that they even have a knife once they are set upon by feral dogs. Fixed action pattern almost as basic and primal as drowning reaction, you curl up in a ball and try to cover your neck and face.
All the joy of experiencing the ancient human genetic memory of being killed by canines can be neatly avoided by not letting them get close to you.

[ODA 226]

Civilian strength OC spray is virtually worthless against canine attack. Tear Gas is completely worthless.

Civilian strength OC spray will "confuse" a dog that is feigning an attack. It'll really piss-off one that really is attacking. I have the scars on my left forearm that'll attest to that.

Use only spray that is formulated for canines and save your arms!

[Rod]

Growing up in the country it was not uncommon to run into the occasional feral dog. A good walking stick is a big help.

I agree, hardwood about 2.5 " diameter. A little practice and any man can take out the meanest dogs, up to about 4 at once. If anyone says you can't carry the stick, say it's arthritus in your ankles and you need it to walk. You can carry a walking stick like this on an airplane.