# Throwing Treats to an Attacking Dog. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 4, 2004, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485 "2004-03-04T11:01:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/21 "2004-03-05T00:26:41Z")
You can also obtain small pocket-sized battery-operated devices that generate a high-pitched noise (above human hearing) but which is audible to dogs and hurts their ears. I’ve used them when doing political doorknocking, and they work quite well. Dogs generally stop, whine, and back away. So you shut the device off when they do that, and turn it on again if they start toward you. They usually run off to the back yard of wherever. The only time this didn’t work was when a dog surprised me and was very close before I could activate it. ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/22 "2004-03-05T00:37:55Z")
Phlosphr said: > [@](#): > > The thing to do is to not look the dog in the eye, not engage the dog aggressively and stand there. This says several things to the attacking pooch. That you are not afraid and are not going to give chase, and that you will not engage through eye contact. The dog will stop it’s charge but a few feet from you and maybe even in a threatening manner. But they will stop. Case in Point. I think it depends to some extent on the type of dog though. A pit bull, in full attack mode, will probably attack whatever you do and there’s not much you can do except run or fight back. Ridgebacks aren’t aggressive - I don’t think there is any recorded instance of a purebred Ridgeback ever attacking anyone without just cause (Ridgeback crosses, yes but not pure Ridgebacks). On the other hand, if a Ridgeback _does_ decide to attack you (because it has just cause) then there’s no point in running because it’ll catch you and there’s not much point in fighting because you’ll just make it angrier. A full-grown Ridgeback can bring down a zebra. All you can do really is review your life so far because chances are your life is about to end in the next 30 seconds. [Ask this guy.](http://www.critterhaven.org/newsletter/archives/inthenews_oct.htm) > [@](#): > > The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles (spcaLA), California gave its 18th Annual Hero Dog Award to “Rocky,” a Rhodesian Ridgeback from Pennsylvania. > > Rocky received the award at a ceremony held at the Pedigree Great LA Dog Walk in Griffith Park on October 7, 2000. The award consisted of a plaque from spcaLA, a year’s supply of PEDIGREE Food For Dogs, and a goodie bag from PEDIGREE filled with treats. Rocky and his human companions, Joan Staples and her daughter Laura, were proud to lead the dog walk. > > Here’s how Rocky earned his award: During a late Sunday night while the Staples slept in their Hatboro, PA home, they were startled by the screams of their 8-year-old daughter, Laura. An intruder and known sex offender had snatched her from her bedroom and was carrying her down the stairs as he covered her mouth trying to prevent her from screaming. All Laura could do in the midst of her restrained horror was to kick her bedroom door as the intruder carried her out. It was this hard sound that woke Rocky from a deep sleep on the third floor and alerted him that something was wrong. > > Rocky flew down two flights of stairs and threw his massive body against the man. The would-be kidnapper then dropped Laura and ran with Rocky in close pursuit. Rocky managed to bite the intruder numerous times before racing back to check on Laura, who frantically screamed in the comfort of her parent’s arms. > > The intruder had managed to escape, but was soon found by police in a nearby park, bleeding from multiple wounds. On another site I found about this story it said the guy would have died from his wounds if the police hadn’t found him and taken him to hospital. It also said that for the next few weeks Rocky never left the girls side for a moment. When she slept, Rocky sat next to her bed all night. I love hero animal stories. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/23 "2004-03-05T01:01:53Z")
> [@pcroughn](#): > > Dude…fireworks! Is there anything they can’t do? Dude!.. …scenario… PCROUGHN sees attacking dog. Pulls out firecracker. Scrambles in pockets for his BIC. Flicks his BIC. …This just in…Local person found with his throat ripped out…details to follow… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/24 "2004-03-05T02:05:23Z")
My God, you folks think that every canine encounter is going to be fatal. Generally speaking, most dogs are protective and territorial but not vicious. When I rode my bike I would _never_ attempt to attack a dog. (That’s asking for trouble IMHO). In every instance, if a dog came chasing after me, I’d come to a complete stop. Then I’d speak to him calmly and he’d quietly go back to his yard. Then I would _slowly_ pedal away. (No sense in getting that hunting instinct flowing into his brain again). I think basically barking dogs are just trying to ‘say’ “hey this property is mine buster - and I see you - and I’m letting you _know_ I see you”. Yes, I know sometimes a dog can be totally deranged (remember those Presa Canarios a few years ago?) but in general dogs aren’t as vicious as you might think. Oh and in all my years, I have _never_ been bitten by a dog. By the way, I loved that Rhodesian Ridgeback “Dog Hero” story. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2004, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/25 "2004-03-05T02:25:32Z")
“Faster, son! He’s got a taste for meat now!” ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/26 "2004-03-06T17:21:55Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > My God, you folks think that every canine encounter is going to be fatal. > Generally speaking, most dogs are protective and territorial but not vicious. > When I rode my bike I would _never_ attempt to attack a dog. (That’s asking for trouble IMHO). In every instance, if a dog came chasing after me, I’d come to a complete stop. Then I’d speak to him calmly and he’d quietly go back to his yard. Then I would _slowly_ pedal away. (No sense in getting that hunting instinct flowing into his brain again). I think basically barking dogs are just trying to ‘say’ “hey this property is mine buster - and I see you - and I’m letting you _know_ I see you”. > Yes, I know sometimes a dog can be totally deranged (remember those Presa Canarios a few years ago?) but in general dogs aren’t as vicious as you might think. Oh and in all my years, I have _never_ been bitten by a dog. > > By the way, I loved that Rhodesian Ridgeback “Dog Hero” story. A letter carrier explained barking dogs this way. > [@](#): > > You gotta look at it from the dogs point of view. I show up, he barks, I leave. The dog thinks he is doing a good job. My dog (90 lbs of love everybody mutt) barks like hell every day when the mailman shows up. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/27 "2004-03-06T23:35:47Z")
That reminds me of an explanation I heard for a dog chasing the paperboy: 1. dog chases the paperboy 2. dog’s owner takes the newpaper and smacks the dog 3. now dog recognizes the paperboy as the person who brings the thing he gets smacked with 4. dog chases paperboy ---
**Author:** ![BlackPheonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BlackPheonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackPheonix)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/28 "2004-03-07T00:16:53Z")
Soft spots will be the nose, mid chest and stomach. Use the animal’s momentum against it and use your own height advantage. Dogs do maul people and sometimes there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Oh, and the best thing you can carry is a net. Dogs are notorious for ignoring everything once they’re hell bent on a person. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/29 "2004-03-07T00:33:53Z")
> [@Jojo](#): > > Phlosphr said: > > . A full-grown Ridgeback can bring down a zebra. All you can do really is review your life so far because chances are your life is about to end in the next 30 seconds. > . If what you wrote is true, then I wonder why owning such dogs is allowed. Why not a lion, while we’re at it? And I don’t buy the “they aren’t agresive and will only attack with just cause” (and beside, a just cause could be, say, a neighbor entering your courtyard to say hello without warning). Dogs are never fully reliable, and there’s always a risk that they’ll attack someone out of the blues. If this dog is the lethal war-machine you’re describing, then it should never be free around anybody. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2004, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/30 "2004-03-07T02:42:43Z")
All this talk about the danger of dogs. How about some statistics regarding people who have been injured or killed by dogs as opposed to violenece committed by people? Isn’t it awful how drunk dogs are responsible for 50,000 traffic deaths on our nation’s highways each year? And it was just tragic how those two vicious dogs planned that lethal shootout at Columbine High School. All right I realize I am being extremely sarcastic but in reality aren’t people a bigger threat percentage-wise? ---
**Author:** ![seriousart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@seriousart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seriousart)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2004, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/31 "2004-03-07T08:25:18Z")
Two weeks ago my wife and I took our new sheltie out for a walk around the neighborhood. This is my first-ever dog and I’ve fallen in love with it, big time (not\* that\* way, of course). A house about a block and a half away from us has two full grown St Bernards in a 5" tall pen in their backyard. Well on this day the two dogs were out in the larger, 3" fenced yard, romping around with their owner, a big fat guy in his early 60s. One of the St Bernards ran up started barking at us, but I calmed my wife and dog, explaining that the dog was just saying hello and to just keep walking. Well, about 2 seconds later the dog had bounded over the fence, grabbed my 18 lb dog by it’s hindquarters and vicously thrashed it back and forth like a chew toy it was trying to rip in half. I freak out and jump the Bernard. Grabbing it’s collar with my right hand and throwing my left arm around it’s neck, using my right forearm to press against it’s head to keep the biting part away from my head. It drops my dog. Stupid. I know. Nothing I would have done had I had a chance to think about it, but soon as I saw my dog screaming in fear and pain I just jumped. By shear luck, I got away unscathed. I dunno if I caught the dog by surprise or what stopped it from mauling me, but the attack was soon over when the owner finally made it over to secure the dog. We rushed our dog to the vet and luckily it was largely unharmed. Because she got grabbed by her very fluffy butt, the padding saved her. Between the fluff and her fearless (read: stupid) owner, my dog didn’t even have the skin broken, though she was seemingly sore. Had she got bit around the neck or belly she probably would’ve been a goner. The Bernard’s owner paid for the visit and vowed that he was going to either give the dog away or have it destroyed, as “he was getting to old to deal with it”. As of today, the dog is still in his yard (in the pen). I’m trying to figure out what to do. My biggest fear is that it would attack one of the hundred kids running around the neighborhood in a similar fashion, without the luxury of a full grown man (with an apparant deathwish) to throw it into a headlock. Me and the wife had a dark chuckle looking at a website for St Bernards. “Mild mannered, gentle, great with other animals…” Apparantly the dog in question hasn’t been to that website, yet. ---
**Author:** ![JejuLife](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9dc877/32.png) [@JejuLife](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JejuLife)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2004, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/32 "2004-03-07T11:32:40Z")
The absolute worst thing about where I live is the teeming hordes of stray dogs and dogs that no one bothers to tie up, lock up, or keep in their house. Every day, when I take my dog out for a walk, I have to be on a constant look out for these huge dogs to come bounding over at us. Usually, all I have to do is pick up my dog, which renders him “invisible”, and they amble off again, checking back now and then to see if the little chew toy has reappeared. I’m sure that not all of them want to eat my dog, but since Noodle has this insane desire to rip off the heads of any dogs within his sight, the chances of Noodle instigating a fight are huge. I’ve once held Noodle over my head while a giant Rottweiler has his paws on my shoulders and is straining to sniff Noodle (who wants to rip his head off) for several minutes until a passerby finally helped out. I’ve also several times had to grab Noodle and run for the safety of a nearby shop because a couple of large dogs are snarling and running at me. So far, I’ve been very lucky. Noodle has been bitten once and I’ve been bitten once–by a dog in a pet shop. The dog was running at Noodle, who was sniffing some dog snacks, and I tried to pick up Noodle quickly. Managed to stick my arm right into the other dog’s range and I got bitten. Got lots of freebies from that pet shop for weeks afterwards. 🙂 Oh, and I’ve also charged a couple dogs that I was pretty sure would back off if confronted. (and was ready to quickly run the other way if necessary) In general though, I try to always be aware of my surroundings and always be aware of which shops are open and if their doors swing inwards or outwards. I also keep an eye out for large sticks I might want to use, dirt I can throw in their eyes, etc. Considering the daily hassle I have to put up with because of all these dogs roaming around everywhere, I’m EXTREMELY glad I didn’t take that job on Jin Island…the island where the Jindo (Chindo) dogs originated from because I’ve heard that you can’t go anywhere without running into loose dogs running around. ---
**Author:** ![Alexxandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@Alexxandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alexxandra)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/33 "2004-03-07T14:20:28Z")
I was walking my dog (border collie) at an off-leash area, and we seemed to have the whole place to ourselves. Along came a rottie, no owner in sight, which didn’t _attack_ my dog per se, but kept acting agressive to her and not leaving us alone. (She was still on a leash at this point.) So I smacked it on the head, hard, with my umbrella. It backed off, and came at us again. I hit it again, quite a bit harder. It came at us once more, and I raised the umbrella in the air. It looked at the umbrella, considering, and decided to back off and go bother someone else. Not the smartest thing to do, but it was all I had at the moment. Advice given to me by a dog trainer, in case of an attack: 1. DON’T RUN. The dog can always run faster, and you trying to get away can kick in its prey instinct. 2. Stand your ground, and don’t look or sound afraid. If necessary, rush at the dog, making agressive noises. 3. He suggested yelling, “NO! BAD DOG! BAAAAD DOG!” in an authoritative tone. YMMV. 1. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/34 "2004-03-07T20:37:48Z")
> [@seriousart](#): > > Me and the wife had a dark chuckle looking at a website for St Bernards. “Mild mannered, gentle, great with other animals…” Apparantly the dog in question hasn’t been to that website, yet. Not to minimize your awful experience but I’d say your neighbor is the proverbial _bad owner_. In my experience properly socialized and trained St. Bernies are big pussycats. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/35 "2004-03-07T22:12:01Z")
This is way out there, but twice, my dog had been ‘attacked’ by other dogs. Note that these where dog ‘fights’ where a group of people get together, and there are a few dogs around. Umm. It was total instinct on my part. I just dove in yelling and screaming and scared the shit out of the other dog. I basically went wild ass crazy and scared the crap out of the other dog. Probably not good advice, I never thought about it I just did it. But it worked. ---
**Author:** ![jacksen9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jacksen9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacksen9)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/36 "2004-03-08T00:23:11Z")
> [@nitroglycerine](#): > > Last summer when I was walking the baby, A huge Doberman came charging out of an alley and jumped up at the stroller. I let out a blood curdling yell and rushed the dog as aggressivley as I could, knowing I was going to get bit, and possibly get f-ed up pretty bad. To my surprised, the dog turned tail and ran away as fast as he could. Now this was a Doberman, who are generally intelligent dogs, not prone to sensless violence. He probably realized that he messed up and did something he shouldn’t have. In fact, there might have had a baby in his house, and he was just making sure my baby didn’t belong to his pack. I hate to think of what would have happened if it would have been a well mannered breed. > > So what should you do in a situation like that? You have a baby or small child that you have to protect, so standing still might not be much of an option. I’d have to go by instinct, go on the offensive and protect the child at any cost to myself. My neighborhood frequently has loose dogs about. I walk my aged dogs and I have had to have one of my dogs stitched up because of an aggressive Rotweiller. Since then, I carry a walking stick that I like to carry regardless of the threat from loose dogs. I just like walking with a walking stick. I have had great success with the technique mentioned above. I point my stick at the dog and yell “no”. I carry a couple of golf balls in my pocket and I will throw those as well, if necessary. None of these aggressive dogs seem to be after me. I think they are after my dogs. I think people in this situation have few attractive options. This works for me. I thought about a water gun but so far the stick and golf balls seem to work. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/37 "2004-03-08T00:44:35Z")
How would the law react, if you shot the attacking dog dead? It seems to me that your life is being threatened by a snarling ,vicious, teeth bearing dog… coming at you real fast, kind of satisfies the shoot/don’t shoot rules. One healthy bite on an artery in your leg, arm, or, wherever, is going to kill you. I, personally, am not going to rely on a loud scream or a golf ball to fend the sucker off. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/38 "2004-03-08T01:27:33Z")
I once had a neighbor who owned a vicious chow, as a matter of fact it ended up mauling their son very violently. Good thing they moved away. Anyway sometimes I would go outside and it would act sort of aggressive(of course at the time I didnt know how violent this dog could be) So I bought a cheap capgun like the kind kids play with and whenever the dog got close I squeezed off the round and it ran away. Worked every time. ---
**Author:** ![Reader99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df788c/32.png) [@Reader99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reader99)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/39 "2004-03-08T03:33:46Z")
many sources for this stuff, including hardware and pet supply stores: [http://personalsecurityzone.com/cgi-win/order/prodlist.exe/PSZ/?Template=ProdDetail.htm&ProductID=10717](http://personalsecurityzone.com/cgi-win/order/prodlist.exe/PSZ/?Template=ProdDetail.htm&ProductID=10717) apparently formulated differently from anti-human pepper spray. ---
**Author:** ![Apricot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Apricot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apricot)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485/40 "2004-03-08T03:56:38Z")
My father, who breed agressive dogs, had some good advice. If you feel threatened, reach down and pick up a handful of gravel or fake it like you are. Every dog has been hit in the face with a handful of gravel and they don’t like it. If they haven’t, you can show them. I’ve had great luck with it. I just maintain eye contact and reach for the ground and I haven’t had a dog yet not turn tail. Other advice from my Dad~ if you’re being bit, grab the paw and squeeze as hard as possible, or knife them in the paw. Dogs can’t continue to bite if that nerve is being hurt (with the exception of locking jaw dogs like pits). I haven’t had the opportunity to try that one, thank goodness. Dad also taught me where to kick to get the liver. Liver kick with shoes on equals DEAD. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/throwing-treats-to-an-attacking-dog/232485.md?page=3)