Dealing with Off Leash Dogs

[Smalahundur]

Ehm, okay, captain obvious speaking, I know, but rewarding them for it does not seem like the most prudent thing to do.

[diane allen]

I have dealt with this soooo many times. If the other owner replies, "It's OK, he's friendly!" I know it's not going to end well.

 

I've started carrying Spray Shield Animal Deterrent Spray, available through cleanrun.com.

It's citronella, but it comes out in a stream, rather than a mist.

Labels says it will not deter "killer" dogs, but rather, "mild to moderate aggression.

I'm not sure how you know that ahead of time, but I have used it successfully several times.

It is only meant to "interrupt" the attack, giving you time to "get away." Well, where we walk, there ain't no "get away" places. But it does seem to startle the incoming dog(s) enough that the don't come back.

 

I had one guy BEGGING me not to spray his dog - guess he thought it was pepper spray.

Which I would have used if necessary.

 

The "throw the treat" idea is simply to distract the incoming dog - I wouldn't consider it a reward, especially if I were yelling at the incoming dog. (Problem with that is, my dog thinks I'm yelling at him!)

 

I just try to go where others aren't. But that doesn't solve the "neighborhood" problem. Yes, you should be able to walk your leashed dogs anywhere it's legal to do so.

 

diane

[Blackdawgs]

How about a walking stick or umbrella that shoots ricin-coated pellets?

 

As it turns out, many of these toys may fall under your state's "deadly weapon" definition, although I think that it would be pretty hard to argue that a riding crop is a deadly weapon (unless it shot ricin-coated pellets)

 

As for me, I'll probably just practice avoidance or use the boot, if necessary.