to pepper spray a dog?

[happydazed]

well not actual pepper spray, its intended specifically for dogs and tested and approved so I am hoping wont actually cause them any harm.
My ds has been bitten once, not badly just nipped, my friends little girl was bitten again not too badly but drew blood, my ds has also been knocked over twice, on one occasion he was only 18 months old, toddling along next to me and a dog ran over jumped up and knocked him backwards his head hitting a stone wall, he was dazed, very upset and had a big lump on his head. All this has happened in local parks, with owners saying oh dont worry the dogs friendly, and then oh dear he's not usually so boisterous...

Because of this I avoid parks with the kids, which is such a shame, I have a beautiful park at the end of my road and I haven't been in it for 3 months, today we ventured in to feed the ducks with 5 kids under 3 between us, a dog ran up knocked 2 of the kids over, it was a staffy type and very boisterous, the children were very upset, we picked them up but it kept jumping up at us, the owner said it was our fault because the children were playing with sticks and the dog wanted them.

I have tried to train the children how to behave around dogs, to keep calm, to keep their hands by their sides etc, I am used to dogs, but if a dog runs at any 3 year old I know especially one who has been hurt by a dog before they scream and run away, I really don't know what I can do about that, it s often suggested to me by dog owners that it is my fault for not having the children behave appropriately but if they keep their dogs with them it wouldn't be an issue!

Summer is coming up and I don't feel I can safely take my children to the park or the beach which is just as bad. I know there are plenty of lovely responsible dog owners out there but unfortunately not all are. over 6000 people were admitted to hospital because of dog attacks last year so I don't feel I am being paranoid. Am I unreasonable to pepper spay the next dog that runs towards me or should I just accept parks have been given over to the dogs and children should stay in the fenced in playground areas.

I think there's something wrong when parents have to carry around buckets of rocks to shake as a deterrent. LEMming's comment is a bit worrying in that the OP has clearly stated that she wants to use pepper spray as a defense (we've all cleared up that pepper spray doesn't work, but the point of a defense stands).

Oh I see. Thanks Lester.

I'm not sure that people think dogs are more important. I base all my knowledge on my experience with my dog. Generally people over react, 6 years of it wears thin and I find myself doing one long and continuous eye roll for the whole walk.

People who are so defensive, I assume and hope, have trained their dogs well and are equally as tired of people judging their dogs.

I realise and am very forgiving of the fact that people are stupid judge my dog purely because of his breed.

The last big walk (ie not on the streets but in the car to a forest) I took him to was in a family place, where there were a lot of family dogs.

One was a white ball of fluff and very cute but very vocal. My dog and hers had a little conversation. She found it hilarious that her little dog was barking at mine. I was very nervous they weren't having a nice convo and my dog would bark back. Luckily, it seemed a pleasant, one way chat and my dog just watched.

Another was a husky who was pulling at the lead so his front legs were up, also was quite vocal, again I worried but all was fine.

Finally, a little choc lab mongrel came up to my dog and sniffed his bum. Male owner miles away texting and not watching dog. Female owner seeing to kids and not watching. I actually had to ask the guy to call away his dog as his wasn't being nice to mine and I could feel mine was about to argue back. He made it sound like I was the one with the aggressive dog and should have been watching. And if anything had happened, everyone would have thought it was my dog causing issues.

My point, tho I've strayed from it massively, is that all dog owners need to treat their dogs as I treat my rottweiler. Like an animal. Not something that can't turn at any minute regardless of how well trained they are.

Fwiw, he's not a status dog. I simply like big dogs and he was the fattest cuddliest pup I ever saw

As a first defence, I'd always advise taking one step towards the approaching dog and saying loudly 'SIT'. If the dog has any training, most will suddenly drop their arse to the ground automatically. Then make your displeasure known to the owner. Spraying anything at a dog, especially one you fear might be aggressive, would be very dangerous. A pet corrector spray might be useful to scare it away, and won't do any harm to the dog. Feel free to bawl out any owners who do the whole 'He's only playing' schtick. That pisses me right off. If a dog is off lead in a park, the owner should have good control over it. My spaniel ignores people and other dogs when we're out, but he doesn't much like being approached so I don't take him to parks. My poodle cross would run up to people demanding a fuss, so he's on lead around people until he grows up a bit and learns some manners. If either dog knocked over a toddler, I would expect a deserved bollocking and would be apologetic to the point of tears.

My point also is that one persons 'defence' is another persons 'dog is vaguely close and I don't like it'

But lemming there is just no excuse for allowing your dog (on or off lead) to get close enough to complete strangers that they could spray it with anything. Dog owners like you infuriate me. I want to be able to use public spaces without having to interact with dogs - whether friendly, aggressive or anything inbetween.

If I had a pound for every time I've had to drag children off my dog and beg their parents to teach them about respecting dogs personal space I would be able to pay someone to post on here for me. It's a two way street.

But I'd be really nervous of what might happen to you if you sprayed a dog, I can't imagine an owner anywhere that wouldn't take enormous exception to that. Whatever your feelings about dogs, that's a step too far.

Sorry, that last post was for evees.

Brokenbut, I get a bit exasperated with all the opinions tbh, unwarranted and not asked for, whilst minding my own business!

Pepper spray will not work as a defence and may well make things worse.

There is not a huge amount that you can do as a defence. Stand your ground, make yourself BIG, make yourself LOUD and authoritative. But that will only work if that is what the dog reacts to; you may be confronted by a dog that responds to quiet and calm. Working at a rescue I have come across both, but you cannot tell in an instant. I am trained, and I still can't.

Actually the shaker idea is probably the best one - it may scare the dog, or simply distract it. Either way it gives the dog owner a chance to control their dog and the OP the chance to get between the dog and her DC.

There are no 'dog apologists' on this thread, and OP has been given plenty of support and advice. Knee jerk reactions help no-one.

Dog owners like me infuriate you??? Why? Have I not said I always keep my dog on a lead and don't let him approach strangers????

I'm sorry, but I think that's not reasonable, LB. My local park has paths around a lake on which you are always going to be near enough to a dog to spray it. I don't think you can suggest dogs and their owners stay effectively out of sight or only in designated areas.

Lester, I have dogs, actually just the one atm, I don't like it either. I think if you dog will run up to people you need to lead them as not trained enough and need more 1 to 1

But none of us on this thread have said we let our dogs run up to people
(Though mine herded ppl e yesterday ) but that was my own fault, she will have to be leaded for the foreseeable.

I agree owl and thought I had made that clear which is why I don't understand Lester's comment.

Broken I think it would be an excellent idea for dogs to only be allowed in designated areas of parks. Seems to work in other countries. Just think how nice that would be for the rest of us. No out of control dogs and no poop so that we could let our children play without fear of being bitten/knocked over/jumped up on/covered in slobber (or poo).

Evees maybe I've misunderstood you but you come across as someone who thinks people shouldn't complain or take anynaction because they think your dog is too near. You may be confident that your dog won't do anything untoward but how can anyone who doesn't know your dog know that.

If I'm on a street and I'm walking poocheroo and someone walks the other way, I always pull him away from them and towards me. If they look scared I stop and get him to sit until they walk past. Not mentioning the fact that they can cross the road. I don't understand why anyone needs to be near a dog if they don't want to be. Obviously on a park with dogs off lead it's a very different story but I always plan it so if we go to a place like that it's when people aren't around.

Obviously my pp didn't say that but they certainly didn't say what you're assuming.

Ok owl and evees, maybe I'm unfairly painting you with the bad dog owners brush. I grew in the country and my family always had several dogs, and lots of the people i knew then had dogs too, but since moving to the city and having children I've come to the conclusion that there is no place for dogs in urban areas. There just isn't space and too many of the green spaces in my city are ruined for children and non dog owners by out of control mutts and their piles of poo.

Hmmm, I grew up in the country too and now live in a v big town but haven't noticed any issues.

I like to think I'm a responsible dog owner...

I live in the country to be fair. We did live on the coast, and we holiday on the coast but tbh I don't walk mine in parks. Oh I have taken them to the park actually whilst the children played, but the equipment is fenced off and I keep them/her on a lead. Them meaning the dogs when I had the two, not my children.

Do you not think we get fed up of other dog owners? I find the worst thing about having a young collie us the advice I get off other dog owners and those that know the most about collies (the experts) are those that have one

If pepper spray would work then it would be reasonable to do it of the dog is jumping on you etc, but you risk the dog getting aggressive or getting spray on your child.
I could think of other means of protection, but dog owners would be enraged, even if it's their dog that is jumping on people, pawing at their clothes whilst barking wildly, getting aggressive and generally making the person feel threatened.

Those that do not have one
I hate this kindle

I am not sure why I am a bad dog owner anyway
My dog us always on a lead unless appropriate to let her off which atm is limited because she is bonkers and adolescent :)
I think most people would agree it's not appropriate to let a dog approach and jump up people, surely? Especially small children.

The sooner that muzzles and leads are compulsory in shared public spaces, the sooner fear of dogs will diminish. And the dog attacks.
The laws are getting tighter and tighter all the time, driven by fear and inconsiderate dog owners. There are a lot more restrictions now than when I was a child in the 60s, and I hope that they continue to restrict the right of a dog to bite, jump up and snap or generally assault members of the public who were doing nothing at all to warrant it.
I completely agree that children should be taught good manners around dogs, including asking permission and being sensible and considerate.

Have to say if my dog was being a twit I'd be happy for someone to spray him. I used to have the spray called bite back and used it to stop him chewing sofas and mobile hones. He got thru 5 of each. There was no danger of him reacting badly to it. He simply skulked off and showed he hated the smell (as we all did)

As a dog owner, my biggest hate is the little dogs that bark aggressively at my dog while the owner laughs about their big brave dog. My dog shits himself and hides behind me terrified.

To me all dogs should be trained as big dogs. Ie, that it's not ok to jump up, bark at, poo near or run to anyone.

if the dog bites and draws blood then report it to the police and get a picture of dog and owner as they can then deal with it. there are no laws insisting that dogs are on leads in public places unless they are considered to be on the dangerous dog list, but similarly to asbo's the police can force specific owners to take action over their dogs. ( i speak as a dog owner who has born witness to a bloody big akita on a flexi lead nearly kill another dog while its owner just laughed and said it was the other dog's fault for scaring her akita - the other dog was a bloody puppy on a lead)

as others have said, doing anything like spraying the dog could provoke a worse reaction and possibly an attack so i really wouldn't advise it.

I do walk my dog off her lead and she is bonkers but i do put her on a lead if there are kids about as she is bouncy and whilst she doesn't bite i wouldn't trust her not to be spooked and nature to over come nurture.