I have 3 small, old dogs and when I walk them (always leashed) I often pass houses where a dog or dogs are loose. sometimes one comes running up to us or - more scary - will sneak up behind us. there is a lot of barking and jumping and while nobody has gotten hurt so far it could happen.
what would be a good thing to carry in case I need to defend them? I was thinking of asking the mail carrier what’s in her holster.
The bigger the can the better. When I worked for the electric company I once sprayed a dog with an Asp Defender. Just pissed the beast off more, and I had to kick him in the face. Also, if the wind is blowing, things may not work out well no matter what.
My grandfather from Alabama always took a heavy oak cane when he walked. Dogs understand sticks well…
This is what I use, it shoots a stream so it bucks the wind better but you need good aim.
You need to get the spray in the dog’s eyes or nose otherwise it does nothing.
oh-oh, I don’t have very good aim in general and in the excitement of a minimum of 4 dogs barking and jumping and my three entangling their leashes…
I might need a new plan.
the cane I will think about - at least I can’t accidentally blind myself with it. probably.
I carry a golf club on a Walking Trail in a Public Park. The trail is next to a public street with plenty loose dogs. Plus I walk to the park. I have not had had one to not respect the club. I carried a can of wasp spray at one point due reading it has a better distance, resistance and aim. I also read it is illegal because it could blind the dog if it is not treated.
There are too many people that will turn their dogs loose while in the park thinking they are harmless. I learned my lesson when a neighbor’s dog bit me. I went to the neighbor complaining his Rot was all over his 4’ fence when we passed. I offered to volunteer to add 6’ sections on each side. He wanted to show me the dog was friendly. He called the dog to the fence Rubbed it and asked me to rub it. I rubbed it but he bit me as I removed my hand. Animal ctrl said I was at fault since the dog was in his yard. Even though, I was the third but the only one to report the bite.
Things do not work out well in when 2 dogs are fighting and you are trying to control one of those dogs and use bear spray.
Both dogs stopped fighting and looked at me like WTF did you do that for?
Had to go home (crying, sneezing, and coughing), shower and wash my dog.
Not sure if I would do that again.
My dog has been attacked a few times by larger dogs. He’s the kind of dog that loves greeting strangers we meet on walks so I don’t want to go around carrying offensive weapons that would weird people out.
I started carrying one of those battery powered personal alarms. They are really loud and dogs hate them. I hope it would be a distraction and make it think twice or at least give me a few seconds to get in better position. I don’t know if it would stop a determined dog. The thing fits in a fist good so I figure it would hurt a little more getting hit with it then my hand.
The thing is when dogs get in a fight it happens faster then you can react. Anything you try to do to the other dog your dog is likely to get a piece of it.
I normally carry a .22 pistol for such purposes. Fortunately, I’ve only had to kill 2 stray dogs that have come onto my property.
Those little pepper spray cannisters that you can get at Harbor Freight are almost worthless. Hell, I piss a thicker stream than those things. I’ve used up two of those to date, and the dogs have become more aggressive now than they were before.
If you want to get serious, go with a Kimber Blaster. This is what my brother uses, but to date hasn’t needed it. Nothing that I’m aware of will blast out so much stuff so far, but I imagine there might be some. A bit expensive for something you only get two rounds with, but I imagine you’ll never have those same dogs ever bothering you again if they get a dose of it. It goes without saying be aware of the wind direction when you fire it. I’m going to try it next. I’ll let you know how it goes.
the Kimber Blaster claims it has no blowback; I don’t see how they can promise that. can I ask what your brother does that he needs it? or, just walking a dog?
yes, please let me know if you try it, although the more I think about it the more I’m going off the idea.
that’s something to think about.
since I have 3 dogs and one of them never listens I’m thinking pandemonium. in moments of excitement, none of them listen
and my aim is poor at the best of times.
so a gun would be a really dumb idea.
Walk a known route that has no dogs living along it.
Less chance of a stray dog that way also.
How far would you have to go to get into open country & get permission from a land owner?
How much effort do you want to expend to get you & the dogs walked safely? How often do these altercation happen?
If it turns out you can’t protect them or get them to a safe walking place, then maybe have someone who can protect them walk them for you.
If they are really old, they have seen everything already so get a tread mill and set up a video for them to watch as they trot along… 
That’s why target ranges exist.
Nobody’s mentioned foaming wasp spray? 
I actually broke up a fight between two Rottweilers with this - it worked very well. One of the dogs needed veterinary-prescribed eye drops for corneal irritation for about a week afterwards, but he was fine after that.
I have a cannister of mace but it’s 15 years old and in 15+ years of walking dogs I’ve never had to use it. I have been approached by aggressive dogs, but standing tall and stomping makes 99% of them run away.
He’s just a big fan of Kimber guns and products, doesn’t do anything particularly dangerous, but just somebody that likes to be ready for the unexpected, and likes good quality products. He just showed up a few minutes ago at my place and I took a good look at it, and also asked him about the blowback. He’s convinced you won’t have a blowback even in the strongest of winds, so maybe that isn’t even an issue with it. He quoted 80 mph winds, don’t know if that is a part of their advertising. It’s got two different barrels, with eight different orifices each and evidently has such a strong air charge, they can say it won’t have the blowback.
I should have it in a few days. Just need to do my runs, I might even record for you what happens, because I’m almost certain that a pack of the same dogs will come after me as they have done dozens of times before. Two of the smallest ones are as aggressive as can be, but another two including the big brown dog are friendly, and just want to come up to me and have me pet them. So it might take a few runs before I get a good opportunity to use it without getting the big dog, but sure I’ll let you know how it goes.
So why are you considering going off the idea, and what else are you thinking about in its place?
do you happen to have two dogs named Gus and Spot? 
I’ve been experimenting with walking elsewhere but have had my best luck walking early in the morning. less people to have already let their dogs out loose.
actual altercations are maybe once a month, I guess, and every time but twice it’s been not too scary. but it just takes one, you know?
I would like to move the whole pack to somewhere with less people…don’t sure that means fewer loose dogs though.
and the treadmill maybe for a backup plan when I can afford it - we need to be outside so the dogs can get their pee mail.
good heavens!
um, in 80 mph winds at least the Pom would be airborne. even if I got him a tiny weighted vest he’d still tip over the minute he lifted his leg.
I’m having a tough time imagining hitting another dog without hitting my dogs and maybe I need to be spending those minutes picking up the smallest dog and kicking the attacking dog instead of trying to get the spray out and aim. not saying it’s a perfect plan.
the times it’s been scary it was a surprise, is the thing. none of us saw the dog coming.
I might just need to be paying closer attention.
Again, in my experience it really does not work that well. Dogs are low to the ground and fast and you have to get them in the face. If only one, maybe, but if a pack, forget it. With three dogs tied to you as well…I have visions of you blinded and a Rottweiler carrying off a Pomereranian for a snack.
ala A Fish Called Wanda
The only reason postal workers use the spray is they get in big trouble if they are caught beating neighborhood dogs with a stick…
That sounds like a great idea, or one of those little compressed air horns. My guess is that it would stop the animals short. I wonder whether I’d want to use it a few times with my dog first so it wouldn’t be quite as freaked out, but then maybe it’s best to stop all the dogs short and then lead them away briskly (perhaps after a good shout to the other dogs.)
I don’t think the pepper spray is a great idea either.
My dog is the one who never gives up, once a scuffle starts. I suspect he might have a bit of pit bull in him. Most dogs will quit when being held down by a bigger stronger dog, but mine acts like that guy in Monty Python’s Holy Grail “I’ll bite your legs off!” He’s a little scrapper. Fortunately it’s always been squabbles with dogs who are also his buddies, and has never led to any serious fights, though they sure do sound serious. He’s a rescue, from a box on a street corner in Mexico. I’m glad I’m not in your neighborhood; I think I’d have an issue to solve!
I think a good walking stick is also a good idea, if you have a free hand. I don’t know how I would with more than one dog!
Here’s a youtube clip of a guy getting shot in the face with the Kimber Blaster II, courtesy of his wife. Gosh, I learned you still need to have a good aim.
Okay, well I just run without any dogs, so that isn’t a concern for me, I don’t think it would be with your Kimber either, see the video. But now after seeing how much pain that guy was in, I don’t know if I want to do that to another dog or not unless there were a pack of them really getting the best out of me. So far, I’ve been bitten twice, but none drew blood. I think a dog would be in some very serious pain for a long time without any water to hose him off with.
The scariest thing that ever happened to me, was a pack of four German Shepherds that spotted me from perhaps a 100 yards away, and they came at me at full speed barking and growling with one being very aggressive leading the pack. I was thinking what the hell am I going to do. My jog path is a rural road, I could have jumped over the barb wire fence, but think they would have gotten through that. I had nothing else planned, and never seen them before. About 20 feet from me, the owner from across the street starts yelling at them to knock it off, but several were ignoring the owner, and I had to stop running, and taking aggressive swings with my arms and legs to keep them away. Finally, they listened to their owner, but not before one snuck a bite in at the ankle but didn’t draw blood. I would have loved to have had some stuff that day, and would have unloaded all I had, and not thought twice about it.
I watched and heard elsewhere on youtube, take it FWIW, that Kimber doesn’t make them, but sells them and lets their name be on their product line. I read where Guardian Angel is also the same gun. Shelf life is four years. This one said he took advantage of the sale of buying one Kimber Blaster at full price, but getting a second one for free. I checked e-bay, but didn’t see anyone doing that.
This foam spray covers a wider area, and the aim doesn’t have to be near as good. I think I would have liked that one better, I do not want to have to spend that much time aiming like with the Kimber, but I imagine you may have to watch the winds a bit better if they were too strong with this one.
I carry pepper spray gel - from Mace, pictured here. It has a good distance, and it’s a stream rather than a cloud so it’s more directional. I use this for walking alone and using public transit in the city.
Though I’ve used it and practiced with it, I really can’t see myself using it in a situation where I have a dog or dogs with me, against an attacking dog. Too much risk of spraying my own dog(s).
In your situation, I would use a multi-dog lead that attaches to a waist belt, and carry a good walking stick or expandable baton that can also be clipped to the belt. You can’t have enough hands free in a situation like that. A pocket sized alarm might be useful, but only if you can keep your other hand leash-free to use the stick if needed, too. If I had to choose, I would go with my voice and the stick.