My neighbor was attacked by a 115 pound male lab 3 weeks ago and the dog belong to the family - it came close to killing him and he is not a small man. Several things I learned from this:

1. If you encounter a dog that ever shows aggression toward you, either get rid of the dog immediately (no matter how much you feel attached to it) or change your route to avoid it. You may avoid an attack once but don't count on it happening twice.

2. Dog attacks happen in a flash and are very fast. Most people will not be "ready" for the attack. If you are attacked by more than one large dog, you are toast.

It would be in your best interest to carry a large walking stick. I cannot imagine a cop who would bother you about that if your out walking with your family. The stick would be useful in keeping a distance between you and the dog.

I once blew cigarette smoke right into the face of a charging pit bull...i know it sounds stupid to place my face anywhere need his face...but I just somehow knew it would work and it did..he ran off and felt like Mcgyver man....

I carry a knife and a xenon flashlight when I go out training to the playground. Everybody let's their dogs loose, I love dogs, but some are seriously bad raised.

And putting a vest/sweater around your arm isn't going to do jack shit. The pressure a pitbull or Amstaff is able to develop with it's jaw is enough to severly fracture your forearm in a very nasty way. As someone already said, the viciousness of animals cannot be known.

Best thing to do is search for higher ground, stand tall, make alot of noise and kick it with the heel of your foot in the face. Don't place your foot into their mouth though.

And try to control your fear/shaking, they can smell it.

Just thought of this while I was training at a park after sundown.

How about deodorant? That stuff sting in the eyes and nose, could possible stop an attack or no?

I definitely think deoderant would work...anything that stings or hurts them could prevent an attack....

If you're going to actually carry deoderant around with you, you might as well just carry ammonia instead.

Yeah probably. I train at the park often, so I only had my backpack with me. But a bottle of ammonia it has become!

Thanks, I'll look into that!

Do you throw the entire bottle at the dog while he's charging or open the bottle up first?

That could take a few too many seconds no?

ive heard people say 'i will just run at it, im much bigger and heavier than it' well i caught a bit of frozen planet the other night where a wolf was fighting a buffalo. if a charging buffalo doesn't do much damage, a charging human will do nothing. dont charge.

A spray bottle. Shoot some ammonia at its muzzle.

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