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dogs on back country roads

7K views 44 replies 31 participants last post by  cuphead 
#1 ·
I have had some close calls with dogs near back country roads. The owners don't see much traffic so they don't tie the dog up. Even the ones that are tied up seem a lot more aggressive. Really angry.

Since I am in these areas more often (hiking/mountain biking) I have thought about self-defense.

If I had a really serious knife would the dog see that before he attacked and shy off?

What is the best defense?
 
#3 ·
If I had a really serious knife would the dog see that before he attacked and shy off?
No, dogs have no idea what a knife is.

What is the best defense?
Depends on where you live.
Can you open carry a gun?
Can you get license to carry concealed?
Do you even want to carry a gun?
Pepper spray?

Dog that spend their lives tied end up being the most aggressive.
I'm no PETA member but tying dogs is just cruel for extended periods.
Most people have no idea how that messes with a mutts head.

A knife is the last resort.
I wouldn't want to leg a dog get that close to me.
 
#5 ·
Don't look afraid. That usually works when I'm walking.

Biking on country roads is a different story. It's like the rotation of the feet is a challenge to them. The faster you go the worse it is. I've been bitten a few times. Perhaps I should get a stick, hammer some nails into one end, and carry that.
 
#6 ·
I have had some close calls with dogs near back country roads. The owners don't see much traffic so they don't tie the dog up. Even the ones that are tied up seem a lot more aggressive. Really angry.

Since I am in these areas more often (hiking/mountain biking) I have thought about self-defense.

If I had a really serious knife would the dog see that before he attacked and shy off?

What is the best defense?
I think a very loud, shocking noise would be a good start. A can of pepper spray would make them think twice. A sturdy walking stick. A good knife would be the last resort. You really don't want to kill some guys dog unless it is the last defense. Most of those dogs become very territorial for one thing and the farmers actually teach them to be agressive as a defense to the farmhouse. The dogs, in other words, are doing what they are trained to do. I wouldn't have a dog that didn't show some aggression at the right moment (as long as he wasn't too out of control). Dogs can also smell fear. If you stand your ground and remain calm, they will often walk away (but don't count on all dogs doing the same).
 
#8 ·
If someone even thought of going after my 4 very loving dogs because they barked at you..I would shoot them back! You are only looking at the stand point of aggressive dogs. Not all dogs are like that. Mine run around all the time especially now that the weather is nice. And my one knows to bark to protect the house. Not really a reason for someone to want to carry a gun to shoot them! And like someone said..some dogs go after Tires barking. There not after you trust me...there going after the tires! If your not a dog person and have it in your head your going to hurt a dog because your scared...they will see right through you and bring it on even more. This is a fact. Take it from someone who controled 40 dogs all together in a confined space with no problems at all...only small tiffs here and there. And like someone else said...a good strong voice can work as well.
 
#9 ·
If someone even thought of going after my 4 very loving dogs because they barked at you..I would shoot them back!
Keep them tied or fenced in and they'll be safe.

Let them roam beyond your property line and I'm going to look out for #1.

I don't have time to figure out if Fido is being friendly, hungry, or territorial. If there's any doubt, he's worm food.

Mine run around all the time especially now that the weather is nice.
Loose? :rolleyes:

Where I'm from those words are french for "F*** YOU". Too many ignorant dog owners think their dogs are harmless, think their dogs deserve to run and play and frolic, and are completely insensitive to the people who are being approached by these uncontrolled animals.
 
#12 ·
I raccoon hunt with hounds and many times end up walking back to my truck late at night leading my dogs down a back road. dogs will come out and challenge usually just sniff my dogs then go pee on their mail box and go back to the porch briisled up bo -legged and growling. It is all just posturing. I never show fear always have a walking stick,i do carry my 45 concealed but only for,druggies,drunks etc. in 30 years have never had to shoot some bodies dog, not even pit bulls. because if some body shot, my dogs . 1st of all they would never be allowed to hunt on my land,ever and secondly , i would start sniping every animal on their place,they would have a bad string ,of bad luck for a year or more. Leave me and mine alone and i will leave you and yours alone. do not buy property next to public hunting land, and not expect hunting dogs to show up from time to time.
 
#14 ·
Here is one example. I am coming down this back road on my mountain bike when I see this lady standing inside a closed porch watching me bicycle by. All of a sudden two Dobermans come flying out of the porch. This doesn't look like a neighborhood where they have those electric dog fences. I put on some steam and pedal out of there full turbo. They followed me onto the road but stopped after a while.

Those dogs didn't look like they would be affected by a loud voice or me standing my ground. Pepper spray them as they leap at me? Pretty brave. I agree that a knife would never stop them although it would wound at least one of them. It is not like you can stop and discuss the issue with the dog. "nice doggy, I am your friend!"
 
#15 ·



Anything else is just not going to work with a determined dog(s). You can explain it to the owner and the cops later.
 
#16 ·
let me tell you it dose not mater where i am at or whose dog it is ,if i or my family feel threatend i will put the situtation under control .all you have to say is that I WAS IN FEAR FOR MY LIFE OR ONE OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS LIFE, GAME OVER .sory that is reality .here in kc there is dog atacks every day on the news because people do not restrain ther animals and i am shure they are nice to thier owners !!
 
#17 ·
I have had a dozen bites and tons of "near" run ins.

First lesson learned in bites. If a dog jumps at me with its mouth open and I have not wrestled, loved or generally gotten comfortable with the dog, I assume it is going to bite me, and it is going down. Come on, it's a 4 legged animal without opposable thumbs, that weighs 1/3rd of a human. A single dog is easy to catch in lunge, kick, and subdue. I won't say this about trained defensive dogs, or police dogs, but most yard pups aren't as vicious as they try to let on.

During my walks, I have had recuuenrent problems with lose dogs at night. Facing them and walking backwards with a flashlight trained on them works, but they will sometimes follow you for quite a ways. Gives you a good chance to pick up a stick.

The funniest was when some jerk would not call his dog off, for me to continue walking up he rail tracks behind their house. He yelled alot, threatened to shoot me, as I calmly kept repeating, "call your dog off and I'm gone." I finally got past the dog and was walking away, and about 200 yard later, I hear, "come back here!" I turned around, wondering why this crazy man would want me to return, and that dog was walking about 10 feet behind me at an easy trot, tail wagging, obviously having decided I was the better pack leader. . . I stopped, the dog caught up, I pet him once and sent him back home and laughed the rest of the morning about the nature of dogs and people.

Now, the dozen bites? Almost ALL of them came after, "It's okay, she doesn't bite". And did not happen when I was hiking, but at friends houses.
 
#19 · (Edited)
I've lived in the country all my life and been in this situation before. I have never had to shoot a dog . If theyre hell bent on getting to you ,just a shot in the ground has been enough to scare them off. I dont believe in shooting someones dog. Although I wouldn't let it bite me,It would be a very last resort. I would say carry the walking stick or pepper spray.

okie
 
#20 ·
Before pepper spray was around, my fiesty ol' granny fended off many a dog with a squirt bottle filled with straight-up ammonia.

For repeat offenders, just the sight of the bottle-wielding, 97lb., 85yr. old granny was usually enough deterrent, and a "second application" was all she ever had to do :D :D

I don't think anyone here condones lethal force on a pup that comes-a-runnin' with the hair on it's back raised, but in a true all-out aggressive attack, a response with your caliber of choice may be the only real solution.
 
#22 ·
I don’t think anybody wants to harm a dog and would avoid it if at all possible. But if it comes down to it, you have to protect your own first. It is the responsibility of the owner to handle his dogs in a safe manner. I’d yell first, (that usually stops’em) then one shot in the ground for the noise factor.
But if it bites then it’s dead.

I'd feel bad about it, but even more, angry at the owner !
 
#23 ·
Ok Let's Clarify Something Here And Now! All I Was Saying Is That Not All Dogs Are Mean And Nasty. I Hate The Mindset Of Everyone Out There Who That All Dogs Bite. The Biggest Dog I Have Is A Freaking Black Lab. We Have A Small Shepard/collie Mix, A Silky Terrier, And A Pug To Go Along With The Black Lab. Every One Of Them Will Bark At Strangers That Come Into Our Drive Way. Yes They Go Out To Potty Alone Loose. We Have 7 Acres Or Our Land And Many Fields Unoccupied Around Us. There Is Only 2 Close Neighbors That Also Have Dogs That Roam Loose. Farmers Don't Fence In Their Dogs Either. Im Not On A Dirt Road Just On The Outskirts Of A City. We Live On Top Of A Mountain 10 Miles From Town! No One Is Going To Come Running Down Our Road Unless They Already Live Up Here And If They Do They Know That Our Dogs Roam Around. They Sit At The End Of The Driveway. When There Outside Durning The Day Because We Leave Our Door Open...there Is Always Atleat Me Or My Significant Other Out There With Them, Usually Playing Fetch! And I Can Tell You I Have Gotten Bit By A Dog That The Owner Said Didn't Bite..i Know It Happens..but Most Of The Time The Dogs Aren't Trained At All! I've Been Around Animals My Whole Life And As I Said Before I've Managed A Doggie Daycare Where I Have Controlled And Helped Train 40 Dogs At A Time! Our Dogs Are Trained And If They Were To Bite Someone It Would Be To Protect Us! Our Dogs Are Very Vocal When They Play And When They Run Around! I Would Never Even Dream Of Putting Them On A "run" Are You Kidding Me? Thats Just Cruelty In My Book!

The Point I Was Trying To Get Across Is That There Are Two Sides To The Story!
 
#26 ·
Dogs are not legally allowed to be loose anywhere off of one's property. To do otherwise is irresponsible and setting one's self open for legal action and the death of said pet. Pets are like children in the respect that they have to learn and abide by boundaries. Tying them to a lead to where they can run around safely is not cruel, but is akin to "tying" our children into seatbelts to keep them safe. It all comes down to taking responsibility.

End of story.
 
#30 ·
Assimilate into the culture and do not make enemies.

I would be careful of shooting people's hunting dogs, especially those that Raccoon or bear hunt they get very attached to them, And i know of a fella who did that once. He had a lot of livestock killed,probably hunting accidents i am sure,barn burnt down, engine got shot on a few of his vehicles, just a terrible string of bad luck. He finally moved back to chicago or boston wherever he came from. He just like the Illegal aliens did not want to assimilate into the local culture he wanted to make his new home just like the one he came from,and supposedly he moved here to get away from all of that,but tried to force his attitude on everyone around him. He could have avoided all that by just catching the dogs,calling the owners and they would have gone straight away to retrieve them. Dogs can not read posted signs. And 99% of hunters do not turn dogs loose on land they do not have permission to hunt. Also since people hunt on a lot of private farm land,99% of hunters have their dogs accustomed to being around livestock so they will not molest them. If you do not like the local customs at least try to learn and understand them it could save you a lot of trouble. and if TSHTF you do not need to make enemies where they could have been allies. Just a little advise from some one who saw this happen. because this person was a hunter just like my self ,but did not believe in hunting with dogs,and told me before hand the next time some bodies dogs got on his land what he was going to do. 10 acres next to a big hunt club and a national forrest/public hunting land. I told him it was a bad idea. they never interfeered with my still hunting or bothered my livestock or my dogs, i just built a catch pen put their dogs in them near the road would either call them or they would track them with their tracking collars and come get them never had a problem fit right in and made quite a few friends and no enemies
 
#32 ·
I don't worry about dogs. I learned at an early age how to handle an out of control dog. WHen I was 13 one of my friends was attacked by a dog. He spent several years recovering from the damage it caused. This dog had a reputation for chasing kids on bicycles and skate boards and such. I had enough of that mess and it was getting to the point it was becoming a problem. After my friend was attacked we ambushed the dog and introduced it to the 12ga. Problem solved. Nobody claimed ownership of the dog but one of the near by neighbors kept it fed and such. No animal control back then, at least not in that community. Dogs dont scare me, but if it comes down to my ass or the dog, you better believe that dog will be dropped and left for dead. Same for a cat, people, little green men or anything else that thinks its going to attack me.
 
#33 ·
every dog can bite...i dont care how trained they are there still dogs.i am a animal lover and i have several dogs.we have three rotts that would not hurt anybody until they want to.one of my rotties that i had for four years that loved my family loved everybody,he was my 4 year olds bestfriend,but one day out of the blue my mother-in-law came over and we was playing with the dog,in one split second he grabed her arm and ripped up pretty good. i shot him with my sawed off 16 gag.that i keep in my truck,right between the ears.so now we have two rotties...they still love everybody.but the point is they are still dogs.they do and act how they want to act.
 
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