Which is more difficult, fighting off one large dog or several small ones?

In My Humble Opinion
1

As I stepped out of my house the other day, I was circled by 3 small yippie dogs that my neighbors own. These dogs hate my dog, and by extension, hate me. So as they’re running around me barking their little heads off, I notice that one of them is actually biting my leg. It wasn’t hard but I could definitely tell what was happening. The neighbors called their dogs off and apologized. They were very sorry.

So it go me to thinking, which would be harder to fend off, one large dog (like a German Shepherd) or four or five little dogs (some breed in the 20 pound range)? Assume that none of the dogs has been taught to be aggressive.

My guess is that one big dog would be more difficult because I don’t think the little dogs could get me down on the ground whereas I’m sure that a German Shepherd could. Once on the ground, I don’t think that a person would stand much of a chance.

Your guesses?

2

I think maybe the little guys could do more damage because you might be inclined to go easy on them (that is, not kick or hit), whereas with the big one you would be willing to fight back harder. Not sure, but maybe.

3

I agree with you. At least assuming the dogs are all trying pretty hard to get you.

With the small dogs you can easily disable / kill each in turn while ignoring the minor damage the others are doing. That won’t work if there are 50 of 'em, but for around 6 or fewer you’re gonna win unless you’re real unlucky or not really motivated to try.

The one big dog will need all your skill & aggression to defeat.

4

I find it difficult to believe any number of pugs would be threatening.

5

I’d rather fight several small ones. After being punted through the air and (unlike cats) failing to land on their feet, they’d start losing interest.

Now, fighting several small dogs and the expectation of potential bystanders that I’m not going to harm them because it would be cruel for me to do so…that’s a bit trickier.

6

That will last only until it becomes clear that the dogs are intending to do as much damage to you as possible (as opposed to just barking and yippiing at you from a standoff distance). Once it becomes clear that these little bastards are out for blood, I don’t think I’d be inclined to hold back.

7

20lbs is the size of a smallish coyote. And coyote packs bring down large dogs all the time. Usually they steer clear of people, but they did eat that folk singer girl the other year… So if the smaller dogs were especially tough and organized, I would rather fight the big dog. But if it was a pack of Pomeranians, I would punt the little fuckers into the next state.

8

As long as the dogs are small enough that they can’t reach your throat by jumping or knocking you over, I think you can dispatch them before they can incapacitate you. Enough small dogs could theoretically knock you over in a coordinated attack, but you specified untrained dogs.

And still, given a choice between fighting five high-jumping Jack Russells and one German Shepard, I’m taking the Jack Russells every time.

9

Over the years, as I remember the events:

2 Hyper German Shepard’s, I really only had to actually get hands on with them one at a time due to another guy’s help & a fence. He almost lost an ear but he was trying to bear hug the dog. Not such a good idea. I got a couple bites on one arm, some scratches and so really sore muscles from what I did with that adrenaline mega dose making me use my arm in ways it was not intended. But I got’er done.

Walking back from a pond a bit of a ways from the house, a pack of 7 smallish to midlin sized dogs of the strange mutt persuasion came down the slope & out of the trees. They were angling away from me which I thought was good because there I stood in all my glory, flip flops, shorts & a “T” shirt. First time I had gone out from the house any distance without a weapon. ( go figure )

There had been sightings of this type of pack for about a week, killing calves, lambs, chickens & turkeys, running cattle, etc.

All was cool until one in the middle of their pack noticed me & swung towards me. Four came towards me & the others had stopped.
The smallest was about Border Collie size and up to about a good sized pit.
I got a 6’ large stout stick to hand & just watched & waited. After a bit they started to move towards me slowly. I screamed, raised my club and charged them. They broke as I had hoped and 3 went all the way to the main group. One did not, but stopped and again turned towards me. He did not look all that scared of me. Rut Row !!!

I tried yelling for the wife to get a gun & come save me. She did not seem to hear me. All the dogs heard just fine. Now they All were slowly moving my way. I was most worried about the one closest to me. I started swinging the club and advancing steady towards him making as many nasty sounds as I could make up but staying away from dog type sound.

After a bit of this I started angling off towards the house & although that one dog stayed with me moving on the same angle so the distance was not really changing. He now had all the attention I could muster. This guy was real trouble.

I got to a pretty good fence around the lower orchard, climbed across and feeling a bit safer, moved quicker towards the gate to the yard. As I was about ½ way across the yard, the wife came out with one of the weapons & asked why I had not called for her. ( I did not say anything. )

The next afternoon I saw them chasing the cattle in our leased pasture & took a rifle & tried for them without hitting a cow. Last shot as they were going behind a line of trees produced a yip and a dog limping a little.

Next was the Chihuahua that got the current wife. She is a country girl, can skin a deer, Be a pretty good vet for cats, dogs, &V little critters.

She is not found of horses because of their size & the lack of an ‘off’ switch.

In all her years of being around almost every kind & size of dog, having many herself, it took the census to get her bitten. One of the places out at 40th & Plum was without a human. It however had a little Chihuahua hat was hung up bad on a small wire leash. Well, she was not going to leave it like that so started in on getting it free. She was being careful but right at the end the ungrateful little basxxxx bit her good. Her supervisor insisted on a trip to the emergency room. Took most of a night.

Now about the Chow on the street when I was little… Ahhh, this is prolly too much as is so I will save those other happenings for another day.

Bawahahahaha

10

It depends on the viciousness of the dog. Some small dogs can be more vicious than some large dogs.

11

Several small ones.