What works to stop a charging dog?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly use anything you can do. Most of the time you won’t have a weapon or time to get out pepper spray. I’m a dog owner and lover, but when a dog is charging (not just randomly roaming the park), you need to protect yourself.

My brother was recently severely attacked by a Rottweiler. He was going into my parents house, and one dog just attacked (two were in the yard). His whole forearm is tore up. He’s on antibiotics and has a lot of stitches. Had it been my frail mother (who uses a cane) or one of his kids it would have been so much worse. Kicking the dog repeatedly with the opposite leg was the only way to get him to release. My dad had seen the two dogs roaming the front yard, alone earlier in the week and did report them. Animal control couldn’t find them.

This time they were located. The owner didn’t even care. Kind of shrugged and said to put them down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I called the mayor of our city as well as the parks department and they got right back to me. Today there was a cop writing citations!!! I’m definitely going to stay on it and look into bear spray and a cricket bat.

I would rethink the bear spray. I am guessing the people suggesting it have never used it. We use it when hiking in bear country, but if you don't think you have enough time to get your toddler up off a picnic blanket, you don't have enough time to effectively grab and deploy the bear spray. 50/50 the wind blows in a different direction and it ends up in your child's face.

[Anonymous]

I would throw the blanket over my child and crouch over them.

[Anonymous]

Sadly it is the owner not the dog that deserves the bat, kick or pepper spray people are suggesting. Not really of course, but you get what I'm saying.

I am sorry you have to live with the stress OP, but I think your best option is strategic avoidance. I would start by asking owners to leash their dogs, let them know they aren't supposed to be unleashed, that police have been issuing citations and that there is a dog park nearby. I would hope that would work most of the time.

When it doesn't, go back to your car and wait them out. Should take 15-20 minutes. Of course it stinks you have to deal with this, but if you are worried about your toddler, this is the safest/most effective course of action.

[Anonymous]

Just call the cops every time you go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“ And people who are living right should never concede to those who are living wrong. ”

You can be right and still end up hurt.
The above feels like the logic used by people who just step right out into the cross walk without looking/waiting just because the cars SHOULD stop.

+1

Use common sense, people - better to be in one piece than to be "right". OMG.

+1 Those other posters are like women who walk downtown alone at night. Not safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would throw the blanket over my child and crouch over them.

For certain dogs, they'd pull that blanket off in seconds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bear/pepper spray and a bat. Pro tip. If you’re going to have a bat with you ALWAYS have a ball. Probable deniability. Batting practice not a weapon.

May I suggest a cricket bat? And cricket ball. I find a cricket bat easier to wield, and I’m a former 90 pound weakling!

My significantly larger-framed, athletic DH keeps the cricket bat on his side of the bed.

Our DS, then 4, was knocked down and attacked ON OUR DRIVEWAY by our neighbor’s wandering, at-large, roaming Brittany Spaniel. I missed the attack by seconds; I was inside the door grabbing my keys for the walk to get DD7 from her bus stop.

Raced DS to ER where he received 8 stitches below his nostril and one on his cheek. Told by ER doctor that DS was millimeters from needing a plastic surgery consult - had the dog bitten closer to his lip line, there would have been a risk for disfigurement. DS was placed in a papoose device because he was so fearful and distraught-this containment was considered preferable to sedating him.

DS screamed the entire time. The dog gouged his neck with its nails during the initial “take down” or swat. My heart is racing typing this out.

I so regret not killing that dog! I came out to see DS on the driveway and the dog trotting away. Had I been there five seconds earlier-I would have kicked or thrown it and I had to deal with that regret for a long time.

DS healed physically but developed needle phobia (still) and for years, was very uncomfortable and fearful around dogs…and cats. He is just now interested in friend’s dogs.

Sorry this happened to you and your son. I do want to note you mentioned the breed of dog...not a pit by the way!

+1 That must have been horrible. What happened afterwards, assuming you reported the dog and the owner?

This PP. Truly, I was in shock. I scooped up DS and called the pediatrician and was on hold forever. Hung up, by the grace of timing and god, happened to get DH on his cell in between offices. DH raced home. Elderly neighbors watched my other DC and they were the ones who told me to call animal control/Fairfax County. I think I got back on the phone and finally thru to the pediatrician office who told me to take him to the ER. As we were leaving, Animal Control arrived and I filed a report. Officer went up the street to the neighbor dog owner.

In retrospect I should have called 911. Way too much time waiting on hold.

Neighbor was a complete dumbass. Came over the next day with apology gifts for DS-toys. Then DH and I got a very strange speaker phone call from neighbor and her DH - I’m certain they had an attorney present to ask how DS was faring. Another nosy neighbor heard what happened and under the auspices of concern came over to ask me if we were going to file suit against the neglect neighbor.

Their dog was quarantined per animal control rules (no idea if this was in house or at a facility). Dog unfortunately not destroyed but sent to live with an elderly relative.

A few months later, I saw the neighbors son out “walking” a different, UNLEASHED DOG. I drove up beside him and screamed at him. Not my proudest moment (and I had my kids in the car), but I was furious. I shouted something like, 8 stitches and a trip to the ER! Here we go again! Really? You’re not leashing THIS dog, either?”

I think our insurance covered all modest costs. We later received some standard insurance letter from the neighbors company mentioning that the incident had been reported and resolved.

Neighbors moved away years ago. No contact with them afterwards save for one neighborhood gathering where the dog owners saw me and asked very generally how DS was.

[Anonymous]

I carry pepper spray now when I walk in my very safe gated neighborhood just for dogs, and I insist that my husband do the same. Although a kick from him would probably be more effective.

It’s terrible that people let their dogs off leash. I think we should increase the penalties to mandatory jail time. It’s the only thing that would make people care enough to stop doing it.

[Anonymous]

Ok, a really violent dog is no joke, good luck with that. But the title of the post reminded me of a joke from the 70s


To stop a charging dog, take away its credit card.

[Anonymous]

Op, not pepper spray. It could blow back in your child's face.

[Anonymous]

I mean how often are you encountering charging dogs? Never in my parent life have I had to protect my children from such.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean how often are you encountering charging dogs? Never in my parent life have I had to protect my children from such.

You are fortunate. I have encountered a number of unleashed dogs who have run up towards me and my little leashed dog where I had too stomp and shout to keep the dog away. It is not uncommon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean how often are you encountering charging dogs? Never in my parent life have I had to protect my children from such.

In the past year,. I was knocked of a bicycle and bitten by an unleashed dog and my three year old was knocked over by an unleashed dog while waiting in front of school for my older child. There are a lot of terrible dog owners out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean how often are you encountering charging dogs? Never in my parent life have I had to protect my children from such.

You are very lucky. It’s a huge problem where we live. You can’t tell if a running dog toward your child is friendly or not. Even a friendly dog can knock over a toddler.

OP, stay on the city. Write every day you see an unleashed dog and ask if you can call the non-emergency police department. They told me that I could call and I did everytime I saw an unleashed dog. I got other parents and nannies to write and call the city. The fines alone must have make my city rich! Now no one lets their dog off leash.