Aggressive Dogs: The Utility of Sticks v Guns

Ammoland ^ | 27 September, 2019 | Dean Weingarten

[penguinhunter]

I often hear it repeated that its okay if he licks you because a dogs mouth is cleaner than a humans.

The implication being that there is no risk of infection.

Didn’t believe it when i was 5 and i don’t believe it now.

[TheNext]

One good knife can defeat an entire pack of dogs.

A stun gun will keep the dog alive.

The stick works if the dog is smart.

[Lions Gate]

I was charged by a pit bull a few years back who veered away at the last second. I think I had a couple of big angels watching over me who scared him off.

Now in addition to my guardian angels when I run I like to carry (in order of increasing response):

1) Surefire Flashlight (low light conditions)
2) Pepper Spray
3) CRKT Hissatsu (great knife - carried it all over the world)
4) Smith & Wesson 386sc Mountain Lite .357 (lightweight scandium frame - about 19 ounces)

I keep the flashlight (night) or CRKT (day) in one hand and the pepper spray in the other hand. I keep the S&W in a belly band under my untucked XL T-shirt. It disappears with little or no imprinting.

Hopefully I don’t get charged again by a pit bull but God forbid if one does I’m ready.

[marktwain]

I have a friend who used knives extensively to defend against dogs in far east Russia.

[Sans-Culotte]

I had an incident several years ago in which my dog was attacked by a loose pitbull. It had silently approached from the sidewalk on our right as we crossed the street in a quiet neighborhood and clamped down on the back of my dog's neck and tried to shake him to death. I do not think any sort of stick would have helped. The pitbull was solid mass. I tried to kick it, but it felt like a large sack of flour or concrete - totally solid and could not be moved. So, I shot it. Both my shots hit, but the pitbull did not drop my dog until the second shot.

The only reason my dog survived IMO is that I had two collars on him - the one he always wears and the martingale collar that was attached to his leash. The one with the leash was stretched incredibly tight in the struggle, and I don't think the pitbull could get his mouth past it. Plus my dog has a large neck (corgi). My dog only suffered minor puncture wounds.

After the attack, I started searching online for other methods to fight off a pitbull rather than a gun (I really didn't like discharging my pistol in a residential neighborhood). I really could not find anything better. Even cattle prods have been known to fail with a pitbull that has murder on its mind.

[allwrong57]

As one that trained many protection dogs, that won’t work with them, they love the fight, the harder you fight, the harder they bite!

That said I am very careful with my Malinois, I always keep the door to the mud room locked to protect anyone that opens it inadvertently.

[gundog]

There were a couple of Border. Ol lies that recognized the sound of a friend’s rig coming down the road....a roll-back tow truck. About the tenth time they charged it, one of them hot rolled hard by one of the low-slung tool boxes. He gained an appreciation for staying on the porch, after that, and the other dog was much less enthusiastic as a solo act.

[Osage Orange]

Yep!!

[gundog]

There was a guy up the coast that kept pheasants. The Reeve’s Pheasant is about as hostile an animal as you’ll meet when it comes to defending its turf. Spurred him in the thigh and put him in the hospital. Any mean rooster could do it.Anyone that’s spent time in a chicken coop knows how likely an infection would be.

[lurk]

We walk every night. Once in a while a dog will issue a challenge. When two or more are running free without supervision, that is a real heads-up. Got to get way away from them.

First, 80% of the homes in town have a pickup truck parked out front. I am always looking for the nearest one to jump in the bed.

Second, dogs know when you have a stick. I freeze and take a batter’s stance, ready to swing. The dog will leave. They really do not like the sound of a stick whooshing through the air; it makes them doubtful.

Third, I hail back to being a football lineman. Facing the dog and freezing in a linebacker’s stance will make the dog uncertain. Only a larger man should consider this.

My wife is going through chemo and is very weak. I am triple vigilant these days.

[CodeToad]

Thanks for the story. I was going to say something along those lines, but your story hits home perfectly.

I prefer to shoot an animal than risk injury from it.

[Paal Gulli]

"Wasp Spray for vicious types... Cheaper than Bear Spray and highly effective... "

It's also a criminal offense to use wasp spray for any "off-label" uses, and there's nothing on the label about spraying dogs.

Just read the label. Presuming you can.

[GaryCrow]

“Wasp Spray for vicious types... Cheaper than Bear Spray and highly effective... “
It’s also a criminal offense to use wasp spray for any “off-label” uses, and there’s nothing on the label about spraying dogs.

Just read the label. Presuming you can.

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I’ll bet those scofflaws that pull the tags off of mattresses really get your gander up.