View Full Version : Other People's Dogs
pantherose
02-10-2014, 09:56
How do you deal with other people's unleashed dogs?
I've been bitten, scratched, knocked down by unleashed dogs on various trails. I've tried not looking at them (I was told looking at a dog was a challenge). Swatting with my pole and all out yelling. 1 out of 4 times I'm confronted with bad dog people. The dog's person (when it finally gets there) always tells me it's the first time that's happened, their dog has never done that before. my 5yo was attacked when he was 2 (43 stiches) and won't get out of the car when I try to take them day hiking. In the state of CT it is illegal to have an unleashed dog in state parks & forests. People just ignore the signage.
Does anyone else have this problem? How do you handle it?
Matthew82
02-10-2014, 09:59
Wow, do you carry snausages in your pocket? I used to work at an animal hospital and took less of a beating.
pantherose
02-10-2014, 10:05
I've tried freshly washed clothes in case I smelled like cat. I don't carry anything but a water bottle on short hikes in my town,still I get knocked down. The last time I went out 3 weekends ago I was jumped on and my pants ripped from thigh to just below my knee then 20 ft from my car I was knocked into the mud by 2 dogs. A guy putting his kids into their car dragged them off me.The owner was so far down the trail you couldn't see her from where we were. I rarely eat meat,so I don't know what smells so good.
I was on the trail in CT and had a black lab not on a leash charge me snarling and growling. The owner, a day hiker said "he never does that". I think with hikers it's a combination of the hiking sticks and backpack (and maybe the smell).
Sarcasm the elf
02-10-2014, 10:07
I could give you some general advice, but something about your story doesn't add up. It is normal to encounter dogs on the trail and problems of the sort that you are describing are very rare. Either you have extremely bad luck or there is a god chance you are doing something that is actually setting the dogs off. If you are really having that much of a problem i would recomend seeking out a qualified dog trainer that would be willing to work with you, teach you how to interact with unfamiliar dogs and how to read their body language and how to understand how dogs read your body language. I'm not trying to say that it is your job to deal with other people's problem dogs, but knowing how to handle with these encounters will make your hike safer and more enjoyable.
Carry a small cannister of pepper spray when you have an issue with a dog and the owner don't seem to care, spray the dog he will back down, I also had really bad experiences with unleashed/ ill behaved dogs and the owners don't seem to care. pepper spray is how i deal with them and it works great.:dance
fredmugs
02-10-2014, 10:11
Carry a small cannister of pepper spray when you have an issue with a dog and the owner don't seem to care, spray the dog he will back down, I also had really bad experiences with unleashed/ ill behaved dogs and the owners don't seem to care. pepper spray is how i deal with them and it works great.:dance
Don't forget to spray the dog owner as well. The owner needs to learn too.
Ditto with pepper spray. Use your hiking poles in the stabbing position rather than swatting.
I love dogs and when I get to old to do long distance hiking I will get a dog. I have hiked the A.T. for the last 7 years and every year the only problems with animals are other peoples dogs. I was attacked last year by a dog who belonged to a guy giving out free samples of his dried food stuff. It turned out the dog was half blind and could not see me as human. There are no bad dogs just bad owners.
For every trail dog (it's usually a hunt dog) that wonders my I get the bear spray ready. No way am I taking chances with some strange dog when I'm miles in the wilderness.
Matthew82
02-10-2014, 10:35
Thinking about it, maybe you should just carry snausages. When a dog charges you, throw a couple off into the woods and hightail it outta there.
Hot Flash
02-10-2014, 10:52
I have to say that if you're getting attacked that much, you are doing something to set the dogs off. I have encountered many, many loose dogs both on the trail and in the city, but only once has one of them tried to bite me -- and that was a pit bull wandering loose in my neighborhood.
For me, its day hikers with dogs that I have had issues. Usually, when I approach them I stop and let them past.
squeezebox
02-10-2014, 11:01
Another question ! why do so many dog owners want their dog to visit every other dog that passes by ?
Some are kind enough to ask 1st gives me time to say no ! my dog is great with people cats etc, just doesn't like other dogs.
But the out of control owners with their out of control dogs, that let their dog run up to mine as if unleashed.
And then act offended if I tell them to pull their dog in. " Oh he's just trying to be friendly" , and look at me as if I'm the one that's a jerk.
Frequently these are also the dogs that bark and lunge out of control. So I step aside and we stay out of range.
wornoutboots
02-10-2014, 11:06
I don't let other peoples "possible actions" force me to do things outside of my normal hiking routine like carry pepper spray or anything else. I do carry trekking poles & a knife as my normal routine & I'm prepared to use them if I run into anyone or anything that is is threatening my safety. Sorry dog lovers, but if you're an irresponsible pet owner you must realize you're putting your dogs safety/life at risk anytime you allow it to run loose around others.
~peace~
fertilizer
02-10-2014, 11:43
I could give you some general advice, but something about your story doesn't add up. It is normal to encounter dogs on the trail and problems of the sort that you are describing are very rare. Either you have extremely bad luck or there is a god chance you are doing something that is actually setting the dogs off.
Agreed-perhaps we're getting trolled?
SunnyWalker
02-10-2014, 11:43
I have found on the trail that dog owners seem to feel their dog is entitled to rub his wet nose on me and smell me, etc., and are offended when I try to keep the dog away. That being said it seems that you (panther-) have a unique problem. I would use pepper spray and it works VERY well. Just remember you only have to barely spray the dog and it will stop and retreat. I would save a full blow face spray for dogs that are really vicious, attacking dogs. This comes from my experience on the spray. As for an owner walking up a moment after you "spray" the dog and they are unawares of what happened . . . just keep on hiking and don't stop to explain. That would be my approach. Just remember though, it barely takes a little, teeeny, itty bitty bit of spray and I have found the dog retreats. However, I would not spray a dog for simply wanting to get a smell though. :-?
Odd Man Out
02-10-2014, 11:44
Another question ! why do so many dog owners want their dog to visit every other dog that passes by ? Some are kind enough to ask 1st gives me time to say no ! my dog is great with people cats etc, just doesn't like other dogs...
When I'm walking my dog, he will always want to say hi to other dogs. I will let him get close, but it will be very obvious if the other dog is going to be friendly or not. If not, I pull ours back and keep moving. If the other owner wants to keep moving, likewise I don't give enough slack to allow an encounter. If the other owner also stops, then the dogs get to say "hi".
How do you deal with other people's unleashed dogs?
I've been bitten, scratched, knocked down by unleashed dogs on various trails. I've tried not looking at them (I was told looking at a dog was a challenge). Swatting with my pole and all out yelling. 1 out of 4 times I'm confronted with bad dog people. The dog's person (when it finally gets there) always tells me it's the first time that's happened, their dog has never done that before. my 5yo was attacked when he was 2 (43 stiches) and won't get out of the car when I try to take them day hiking. In the state of CT it is illegal to have an unleashed dog in state parks & forests. People just ignore the signage.
Does anyone else have this problem? How do you handle it? This is just too funny. First post...about multiple dog attacks...just too funny. But the catch has been pretty good. About 13 keepers lol
I love dogs and most dogs on the trail are well behaved, but some just aren't. Just like kids that misbehave, where the parents live in denial that their kid is a little brat (sorry some are), some dog owners are the same way.
We were out with our scouts hiking past Washington Monument in MD a couple of months ago. We stopped to have lunch at the monument. The scouts were sitting around eating their sandwiches when a dog comes running up the trail unleashed and grabs a sandwich right of the bench where the scout set it to get his water bottle. The dog then started going after other scouts food. We chased it off with no more sandwich losses. The owners come walking up the trail, and we tell them their dog stole a sandwich and their response was anger at us for feeding their dog and yelling at it. Still no leash.
A couple minutes later another dog comes running up the trail (no leash) and the dogs start fighting, the new dog owners show up and they pull the dags apart. Then both owners start fighting about whose dog was at fault. It was like watching a comedy act.
Dogs are great, some owners are not. Although, I never had an owner pee on my tent :)
To answer the OPs question: Dogs smell fear and if the dog is dominant they will react. Not making excuses for the owners, but you can control some of these situations by letting go of your fear.
This is just too funny. First post...about multiple dog attacks...just too funny. But the catch has been pretty good. About 13 keepers lol
True, but they didn't post in the dog forum, and actually asked an honest question.
I've never had problems on the AT, but I have heard that sometimes dogs feel threatened by hiking poles. And also, dogs can sense if you are fearful, and that seems to make them more aggressive.
However, in my local state park, where I walk with my 60-lb. husky, I encounter unleashed dogs almost every visit (this in spite of the clearly posted "dogs must be least" regulations). Usually I just stop and politely ask the owner to call his/her dog, or step off the trail to let the pair pass. Some of the dogs are well trained and obey immediately, but others have minds of their own. Many owners apologize, but some are really clueless, and it is often the smallest dogs who are the most aggressive. Once or twice I've mentioned that dogs should be leashed, but then I get an eye-roll and a stony silence. It's an issue for me because my dog weighs 60 lbs. and has a strong prey instinct. If he pounces and I don't anticipate the sudden move, then we have a big mess and possibly an injured animal, or worse.
Sarcasm the elf
02-10-2014, 12:12
Agreed-perhaps we're getting trolled?
It's quite possible that someone is having a bit of fun on a Monday morning, especially since it is their first post. I just like to give the benefit of a doubt when responding.
HikerMom58
02-10-2014, 12:18
True, but they didn't post in the dog forum, and actually asked an honest question.
bfayer--- we think alike. I was going to say it wasn't posted in the dog forum.:-?
As it turned out, I don't think Gus posted his thoughts about g_ _ _ to stir the pot.
This is a test of the emergency dog postings system on WB! LOL Will we pass the test? We can do this!:sun
This is just too funny. First post...about multiple dog attacks...just too funny. But the catch has been pretty good. About 13 keepers lol
Dang, I feel so used.
Like Bode Miller on a medal run.
bfayer--- we think alike. I was going to say it wasn't posted in the dog forum.:-?
As it turned out, I don't think Gus posted his thoughts about g_ _ _ to stir the pot.
This is a test of the emergency dog postings system on WB! LOL Will we pass the test? We can do this!:sun
Wait, no one told me there would be a test, I hate tests...
HM, for me, one test of a troll is if they ask for advice and then tell everyone that gives them advice they are wrong. But heck, I'll give people the benefit of the doubt if it makes you feel better :) Maybe we should start a "troll detector" thread in the general non AT forum.
Ditto with pepper spray. Use your hiking poles in the stabbing position rather than swatting.
In the neighboring state of Massachusetts laws are such that even a justified case of spraying a dog or its owner could put you in a world of legal hurt. In fact, simply possessing pepper spray here (without a permit) can be punished with serious jail time. Sad and dumb but true.
God help the poor SOB who sprays the wrong person's beloved pet.
Anyone remember the DEW line of northern defense against USSR missiles? We always joked that we had a DEW line at home, too: the dog emergency warning system.
squeezebox
02-10-2014, 13:46
People who have aggressive intact male animals, that cause serious problems, like attacking other people and other animals , need to be forced neutering,
dog and owner. Women don't put up with this stuff, Why do adult males feel like they have a right to attack others.
I worked as a jail nurse for a while, and jails are full of men who say " I didn't do anything wrong, the other guy mouthed off at me, so I shot him"
Not BS for real.
HikerMom58
02-10-2014, 14:21
Wait, no one told me there would be a test, I hate tests...
HM, for me, one test of a troll is if they ask for advice and then tell everyone that gives them advice they are wrong. But heck, I'll give people the benefit of the doubt if it makes you feel better :) Maybe we should start a "troll detector" thread in the general non AT forum.
I hear ya bfayer! I think you would make a great "troll dectector", you are hired! You passed the test! I understand you wouldn't be right 100% of the time :cool:,niether would I. I'd still hire you, tho. ;)
My feelings on the dog issue is this- I've never had a bad experience on or off the trail with a dog. Never. So, I don't have strong feelings attached to this subject. (many do)
Having said that, I can empathize with others that have. No prob. I shudder reading/hearing about accounts of those that have had bad experiences with dogs.
My daughter had a negative experience, on the trail, with an unleashed dog running around the shelter area. While running around camp, jumping off ledges & rock etc.. the dog "landed" on her tent. The dog's nail somehow put a hole in her tent. She was mad as a hornet. The owner of the dog felt really bad. He had a sewing kit with him and helped her repair the damage. He apologized profusely. She accepted it and moved on.
This is minor compared to the horror stories I've heard about dog encounter's on the trail.
My daughter has hiked with her dog, on sections of the trail, off leash & around the shelter area. Her dog is small. (12lbs) The only trouble Tamber got into was staring at hikers while they ate their dinner etc.. She was appropriately given a trail name.... "Yogi". :D
Other hikers told my daughter, Tamber was the coolest trail dog they had ever met. She's one of the friendliest dogs, ever!
I could give you some general advice, but something about your story doesn't add up. It is normal to encounter dogs on the trail and problems of the sort that you are describing are very rare. Either you have extremely bad luck or there is a god chance you are doing something that is actually setting the dogs off. If you are really having that much of a problem i would recomend seeking out a qualified dog trainer that would be willing to work with you, teach you how to interact with unfamiliar dogs and how to read their body language and how to understand how dogs read your body language. I'm not trying to say that it is your job to deal with other people's problem dogs, but knowing how to handle with these encounters will make your hike safer and more enjoyable.
And mini skirts lead to rape. No excuses - it's the dog owners responsibility to control their dogs. Pepper spray isn't a bad idea.
Lone Wolf
02-10-2014, 14:39
if ya hike with a dog on the AT it should always be leashed. and no dogs in shelters. ticks
magic_game03
02-10-2014, 14:41
Wow, 3-thru's of the AT, 2 of the PCT, and more trails around the world that I can't begin to count …never had a problem with a dog. It seems like some people are just born to be bitten.
P.S. I'd hate to see these people in bear, cougar, and wolf country. I can see one of them getting mauled by a bear crying out, "who's got a leash, I need a leash over here."
MDSection12
02-10-2014, 14:42
God help the poor SOB who sprays the wrong person's beloved pet.
I was thinking this as well. The spray is non-lethal so I'd be more understanding, but if someone stabbed my dog with a hiking pole they'd better be ready to stab me as well.
This thread does give me pause. I do enjoy letting my dog off leash when I feel it is appropriate. He's very well behaved and generally sits down and waits for me to leash him when we see others. In the six years I've been hiking with him, letting him off leash almost every time, I've only had one problem; a women with two dogs that she said were unfriendly. My dog stopped well short of the dogs, sensing they were not friendly, but the woman could barely control them and was still upset with me. I understand her point, but I also dislike the idea of a 120 lb woman walking two large, unfriendly dogs in a public place. If they are so unfriendly then maybe they don't belong in public (or anywhere?). I love dogs, but I don't see why an owner would keep a dog they feel is a constant liability.
I have been thinking lately, however, that letting my dog off his leash is a liability to him, as was said in here earlier. First off, he rolls in crap when he finds it. Not pleasant, and easier to control on a leash. Second, there is the 'coyote bait' incident posted in another thread. And lastly, and most disturbing, is the possibility that someone who simply does not like dogs will see my dog's friendly approach as threatening and take some kind of action. I would be beside myself with rage, and depending on the resulting condition of my dog, perhaps react quite unfavorably for the other person and for my freedom.
squeezebox
02-10-2014, 14:49
I'm sure your daughter has a nice dog. and would think that most hikers are well socialized, so their dogs will be also.
But do not accept unleashed, aggressive , dangerous dogs,
I live in a poorer neighborhood where some people have dogs as burglar alarms, don't feed them right, don't treat them right. and never get out every once in a while.
And there are many young men that scale their virility upon the aggression of their dog.
And every year in St. Louis there's a story about a loose pit bull etc. that chewed up some toddler.
So keep your dog on a leash and under control
All: I'm almost positive this was a troll thread, so I'm shutting it down.