Protection while walking your dog

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Now that I've been able to safely get out in the neighborhood and walk Yogi, I hear and see many mean sounding dogs. So I naturally wonder what I'll do if we are charged by an aggressive dog somewhere, sometime. Yogi is 20# now, probably get to 35#.

I think I will naturally want to pick him up if it happens, because I can't see him versus an GS or Rottweiler, or even small aggressive chihuahua lol. I don't think I'd fare well either. Do you guys take anything with you as you walk alone with your dogs just in case something like this would happen?

[Dynamite & Doodle]

I've only encountered one aggressive dog, a dalmatian that bit my puppy on the nose. The dog was pulling and barking to get close to my puppy and the owners said he just wanted to meet him, that he does this when he is very excited. Riiiighht...I shouldn't have trusted them. That dog was not curious to meet my puppy, he wanted to attack him. Luckily the dog was on a leash and a halti (I think the halti makes some dogs aggressive) and the owner was able to pull him back when my puppy yelped.

I should add that you'll get to know the socialized dogs in your neighborhood. The dalmation we encountered was a one time thing. There is a reason that dog is aggressive and a reason we've only seen him out once.

Trust your own instincts. If you think a dog looks like trouble, just cross the street and change your route slightly.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I've had to get an angry bull mastiff off Luna who had her pinned... and I'm not a big lady (115 pounds soaking wet).  

What I did was go up to the dog so my legs were basically touching it, look it in the eyes and yell "NO!" a few times in my biggest big man voice while trying to physically put my legs between the dog and my dog.  The thing I always try to remember is they are someone's pet and likely know things like "no", "off", "down"...  

I know it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but better than reaching hands in there that the dog might see as something to bite.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Actually, it was the smartest thing to do, IMO. Ever since JD was attacked by another dog, I've learned that putting myself between JD and the oncoming dog, and confronting the other dog myself will usually diffuse the situation. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree.....if you can do it with confidence and control I think that's your best option.  I also admit to turning and walking the other way when I see another dog approaching if they are lunging, barking, and it appears the owner isn't in control.  I did consider carrying one of those devices that makes a real loud, piercing sound, but I worry that would only get the other dog even more excited....and it would put my Murphy over the edge.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Maybe I just have an especially commanding angry teacher voice.  I know it definitely isn't my physical presence!

I don't know what it is, but I seem to have a very strong "momma bear" instinct.  DH just sort of... freezes when another dog is aggressive towards Luna, I wade in and start yelling at the dog lol.  

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

You did the right thing. I've been bit not once, but twice, because I panicked and went in hands first. wish I could stay as calm cool and collected as you did!

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Thankfully I have not encountered a problem on a walk-(we did have an ugly dog park pack incident).  I have read that picking your dog up is not a good idea as it makes your dog more enticing and the other dog will jump up on you.  So hard to say what to do in a scary situation. J and Karen's advice is well taken.  

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Yep, I'm thinking picking up would be a bad idea. Just thinking it would be my reflex. So I'm hoping to plan what I'd do before it happens.
My DH and I ride bikes a lot, I've been bitten, so I know things can happen

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

yes, this exact thing happened to me. picking up the dog is not a good idea.

[Breanna]

I carry pepper spray. I don't know if it is the best thing, but it could help me in a situation with a dangerous dog or a dangerous person. If I go to the left in my neighborhood, there are a lot of run-down houses with extremely aggressive pit bulls. There is one particular house on a street that has a screen door facing the street. As I walked by one day there were two pits jumping against it to the point that it was shaking. I spoke to a neighbor later on who said that she and her dog were attacked by two pit bulls on the same street after they busted through a screen door. She was standing by the only house that had a fully fenced front yard and she threw her dog over the fence to keep the dogs away. I don't walk that way anymore, when I go to the right of my house there are nicer houses and I haven't encountered any aggressive dogs that way. I still carry pepper spray in case anything happens. I think if I didn't have pepper spray I would try to put Crush somewhere that they couldn't get to her (a high truck bed, behind a fenced front yard). I am always aware of my surroundings when I walk so that if something happens I can prepare before there is a dog with it's jaws locked on mine. I know it happens so quickly and the lady I spoke to said that the dogs were dead silent until they were right up to her. Maybe that's an attack tactic? 

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I agree that putting yourself between the two dogs and confronting the attacker will usually diffuse the situation. Try to choose places to walk where you feel safe (we crossed one neighborhood off our walking list because I had to walk with a large stick to fend off one particularly aggressive and always loose, cocker spaniel --not fun). Also, I don't let Finn walk up to strange dogs even on leash.  Part of his training is that he has to walk quietly by other dogs and his being nonreactive helps to reduce potential confrontations. I never trust the "my dog is friendly" routine because I've seen some several dogs "snap"and attack including sweet appearing Golden retrievers.  The worst dog fight I ever witnessed was "out of the blue" between 2 "friendly" Goldens. Finn got plenty of socialization through play dates and classes, or on leash in pack walks with dogs we know.  

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

That is always a worry with us when walking Libby.  So far almost all the dogs we encounter have been on a leash and if they are acting aggressive we just go in another direction or cross the street.  We have a friend who carries a spray with her because her dog was attacked twice by a Pit Bull, which was NOT on a leash, go figure!