Surviving dog attacks?

[lisams]

Recently a 4 year old was attacked and killed by a dog in the area, and it scares the heck out of me because I take the kids for walks all the time. So now I'm so paranoid about dog attacks. I've thought over and over what I would do to protect DS and DD (DD is riding her bike and DS is strapped into the stroller). I picture myself turning the stroller over so DS is basically protected by the stroller and having DD roll in a ball while I cover her.

I know this may make me look a little wack-o that I've thought through this so much, but it really is scaring me.

Any tips on how to avoid dog attacks when you see a dog without an owner, and what to do if a dog starts going after you? Is there something I could bring with me that would deter an angry dog (thinking of that spray - can't remember the name of it but it burns your eyes)?

[Momof3Labs]

Mace (if it is legal by you) or even a spray bottle of water might help. The thing with a dog attack is that by the time you realize it's happening, the dog is usually already latched on. I had to break up an awful dog attack once (dog on dog) and no amount of pulling or interference on my part would get that dog to let go. After a long, long time, the dog was distracted by someone else coming over, and she let go. I know that doesn't help a lot, but you can't really anticipate what would happen. Instead of planning specifics about protecting everyone, how about reading up on dog body language and teaching the kids how to properly approach a dog (strange or familiar)? Are loose, unsupervised dogs a big problem in your area? If so, can you walk in a different area?

[lisams]

I've talked to DD about how we always ask the owner before approaching a dog, and that if we see a dog without an owner we never ever approach or touch them, we try to avoid eye contact and stay calm, no yelling or running away, etc.

In our area I've seen only a few dogs without owners in the past couple years. But in the past few months 2 children have been attacked - I don't know the specifics of what was happening at the time, but it just scares me. One time was a baby and the mother was able to get her baby in a garbage bin to keep it safe from the dog (around here we put our garbage bins out front on pick up day) but the mother ended up with some pretty serious wounds.

Maybe I'll carry a steak I can throw far away to distract the dog, kidding, kind of...

[jillc]

Hi Lisa,

You're right, steak would be too expensive... but hot dogs might fit the bill! ;)

I'm thinking about your question...

[s_gosney]

Hey Lisa, I don't know anything about the other incident you mentioned, but I know that in the most recent one the dog belonged to the girl's own family. It had been screened through a foster family and adopted out to this family. But, I know that for me at least that makes me more afraid rather than less (that it could be a familiar dog).
As for your question of how to react/what to do though...I don't have an answer. Kylee loves dogs though and it's so hard to get kids to understand that they can't just go up to them.
I hope you're able to come up with a plan that makes you more comfortable.

[Jo..]

I've been worried about the same thing. We walk every night and sometimes 2 large dogs are loose, and they aren't friendly.

With most dogs, turning and looking at them and shouting NO in a big deep voice will make them stop in their tracks. If this doesn't work, you need to have a plan B.

I am considering pepper spray myself, and probably a good thick stick.

If you see unleashed dogs in your neighborhood on a regular basis, call animal control.

[Radosti]

When I was in college, I was doing a lot of petsitting in the summertime. I petsat these two yorkies every weekend. Well, one day I was walking them around the block. And their neighbor (who I knew was really weak from chemo) was walking her very powerful Russian Wolfhound. He saw the yorkies and went into attack mode. Threw her into the bushes like a ragdoll (she had no business walking him). He picked up one yorkie by the back, but I smacked him upside the head and he dropped him. I let go of both leashes preferring to lose them to dooming them to death. They ran like I wanted them to. I grabbed his leash, pulled her out of the bushes, walked him home and shoved him inside the house. She was hysterical, but I was more worried about the yorkies... he did grab one across the back.

So, I went back to the yorkies' house expecting to start a search, but they were both waiting for me at the door. I checked them over for wounds, but they were fine, just some superficial scratches on the one.

After that, I bought mace and had it on me at all times. I also gave me leverage with irresponsible owners. I walked my Rocky, a rotti mix who was trained for dogfighting before I adopted him, and this one man always let his obnoxious poodle out unleashed. Rocky was very good with his training with me. He listened, but I always feared that if that yappy poodle got close to Rocky and got in his face, Rocky would protect himself and kill the poodle in the process. I asked the man to leash the dog many times, but he just mumbled some nasty crap my way. I finally pulled out the mace and told him that his dog will get maced for it's own safety if it got within 2 feet of Rocky. He finally paid attention and stopped letting the dog out just because it saw us walking by and barked about it.

I've never actually had to use the mace. But it always gave me the peace of mind to know that I could protect the dogs entrusted to my care. I've not gotten mace in a long time. There are quite a few dogs loose in their owners' yards where I walk with DS. But I've been able to control them all with just verbal commands and not being scared. Now, they are all my friends.

[Radosti]

Jo, the guy who lives on the next street over and walks his dog around here always carries a bat with him. I watched one of the other neighbor's dog run out to him, but the owner called the dog back right away. I was wondering if he'd use the bat. The dog that ran out to him is dog-aggressive, but he was just curious that time.

[Snugglibumkins]

I run with a small can of bear spray. I'm in Alaska, so I'm not afraid of the dogs, because most people bring them inside so they don't get eaten!

[Jo..]

You KNOW I am a huge dog lover, but I wouldn't think TWICE about using a bat on a dog that attacked us.

I'm sure after the fact it would upset me, but I will do what I need to to protect my child. I'd use the bat on any PERSON that threatened him too ;).

PS: If your neighbor's dog is dog-agressive, he's a real idiot for letting him run around without a leash. I have heard of too many small dogs out innocently walking with their owners being killed in situations like that.

[lisams]

Good thinking :-)

[lisams]

That's the one I saw. I saw a teaser for the news but I didn't see the whole story. I just read about it online, how tragic. I just cannot imagine what this family is going through.

[lisams]

Yikes! Have you ever had bears come close? Now that would scare me!

So would I look a little crazy if I took a pack of hotdogs, a bat and some mace?!!!!

Seriously though, I'm thinking it might not be a bad idea to just get in the habit of bringing something along to protect us.

[Snugglibumkins]

>Yikes! Have you ever had bears come close? Now that would
>scare me!
>
>So would I look a little crazy if I took a pack of hotdogs, a
>bat and some mace?!!!!
>
>Seriously though, I'm thinking it might not be a bad idea to
>just get in the habit of bringing something along to protect
>us.


LOL...yes we had a bear trying to get into the grocery store a couple of weeks ago. (Yes, I believe in global warming, I see it first hand here). I've had to change my running route to stay away from open roads and run more through neighborhoods where the bears are afraid to wander. I stay away from the wooded areas and the dumpsters.

It's an unusual life. :)

[SASM]

I was attacked by a German Shepherd police dog when I was in the 2nd grade. I just rememebr hitting the ground and curling into a semi-fetal position, protecting my head, chest, etc. The policeman's wife was right there, along with ehr younger son, and she was finally able to pry him off of me. Miraculously, I only had 21 sutures ~ head laceration, my right ear was hanging by a thread, and a laceration on my shoulder and back.

Not sure if this helps but I guess just try to ask your children to remember to protect their heads and ball up ~ limiting their surface area. Good luck and I hope that you can TRY to get past this fear.

[bubbaray]

Bear or dog spray, if legal in your area. Maybe a bat.

A woman I used to run with had a dalmatian that was attacked by a pitbull. The only reason her dog lived through a really vicious attack was that she had a bat with her. And she did use it. She said it was hard not to hit her own dog, though.

Its pretty rare that dogs will attack humans. Usually, if they are in that "mode", they go after other dogs first. If humans get bitten, its usually b/c they were in the way. If you have a dog and kids with you, let go of your dog's leash and get your kids out of harms way. Then, go try to help your dog, but that can be very difficult. A lot of the dog attacks on children aren't "strange" dogs, but dogs that the child has been around/in the home and the dogs turn for some reason (child as prey, or child hurts the dog, or just general inadequate supervision between child and dog by a responsible adult).

BTW, the spray can sometimes make and aggressive dog in attack mode more aggressive, the same as it can with some bears and some people even. So, its not a complete solution either. But, it should buy you some time to get out of a dangerous situation.


Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: 01/2007