View Full Version : Dog bite
I was hiking on the Conecticut AT Monday on my 4 day trip and was planning to stay at the Stewart Hollow lean-to for the night. On the blue-blaze trail to the lean-to two dogs ran up to me barking. One black long hair and a short hair white and brown. I never had problems with dogs before and was not worried. As I got to the lean-to I saw two men in the lean-to. At the same time one of the dogs bite me on my left calf. The owner wasn't too concerned that I was bleeding. I also got a bad vibe about the two guys (not backpackers) so I left. Not sure about the dog rabies shots I ended up at the hospital that night and now have to get the whole series of shots. The CT State Police know and Animal control. Be careful if you are near that lean-to. Look-out for a black long hair dog. Not sure what breed it is.
SGT Rock
04-11-2007, 17:16
Thanks for the warning. Is anyone from the animal control going out there that you know of?
This needs more publicity than just here. Hell of a way to end a day, not to mention $1500 for the shot series. (Still that pricey?)
Hope you mend well.
Toolshed
04-11-2007, 19:29
Good reason to have a gun handy.
The local animal control went out that night but did not find anyone. The State police know about it also. I have to thank the fire department of the town of Kent. I called my wife who has a medical background to find out if I should get off the trail that night. She called the local hospital and they told her that I should. I started walking south and met up with the fire rescue truck. I was going to hike back to town but the fire department came out in force! Boy did I feel foolish! I only had two punture wounds. I got a ride to New Milford hospital that night. And yes, the shots are a lot of money! I am more upset at the owner and his lack of concern about his dog bitting me. Something told me not to make an issue with him (I was by myself). So now my wife does not want me to again by myself (I told you so).
The Weasel
04-11-2007, 20:03
Good reason to have a gun handy.
Better reason to have a camera.
The Weasel
Ouch Hawkeye, hope you are feeling better. That's a drag that it happened to you. I hope your hiking goes smoother from here on out! :)
Hawkeye,Let me know if you need a hiking partner if you want to hike in CT,I carry mace with me but it is tough to know when a dog is ready to bite - Shame on the owners of the dogs.
If the dog seems mean and gets within three feet of you,time to react with what you carry:(
dogs on the trail are suppose to be on a leash
Programbo
04-11-2007, 20:48
Awww..I`m sorry to hear about your bite and shots..I hate mean dogs..I`ve been bitten like 3 times by peoples dogs who "don`t bite"...Now that I take blood thinners I`m even more wary..Weary?..Whatevery
Isn't it interesting that mean dogs are generally owned by mean people? One of my major annoyances from hiking in the south (way back when) were dogs -- sometimes feral, sometimes "pets" that clearly wanted a piece of my hide at a few trailheads. I remember fending off a whole pack of mean nasty mutts at the trailhead in Pearisburg. Yikes.
RockStar
04-11-2007, 22:31
WOW that guy is lucky. I LOVE dogs but, if some owner was watching their dog attack me...Id crack my hiking pole over the dogs skull until he retreated. ANd THEN cuss the guy out and demand his information. If he refused Id threaten to crack him in the head with my poles. Now I am sure this isnt healthy behavior but, after all the health issues I have had...1500 in shots and possibly an injured ANYTHING to ANY extent would make me feel justified. That and I could blame it on "not taking my meds" ;) Unlike the dog...I am not under threat of being put to sleep. :o
Frolicking Dinosaurs
04-11-2007, 22:49
... I`m even more wary..Weary?..WhateveryMany of us ladies are wary and weary because of dogs ;)
Hawkeye, glad you were not severely injured. You were wise to follow your gut in regard to the owner.
Isn't it interesting that mean dogs are generally owned by mean people? One of my major annoyances from hiking in the south (way back when) were dogs -- sometimes feral, sometimes "pets" that clearly wanted a piece of my hide at a few trailheads. I remember fending off a whole pack of mean nasty mutts at the trailhead in Pearisburg. Yikes.
I was thinking about using pepper spray for protection. Dog repellent is weak (less than 1%) because they haven't the tear ducts to carry it away. But after one has sprayed an attacking dog there is still the owner, possibly aggressive, to deal with in which case the full powered stuff (10% & up) may be needed. Of course the owner wouldn't know that you used a weak solution to fend off his dog and perhaps just the threat of being sprayed would be enough to make him/her think twice.
I'd guess the two would weigh 8 or 9 oz.
Kiyu
Toolshed
04-12-2007, 07:15
....I carry mace with me but it is tough to know when a dog is ready to bite - Shame on the owners of the dogs.
I agree, For years, I worked in an industry where I had to go to residential areas to do work and met up with a multitude of dogs and have bene bitten several times. Most dogs are friendly and wary - What I did find though, over the years is that dogs that came up to you and barked typically would not bite, and usually stopped short of coming right to you, as they were wary. This is not hard science, but my anecdotal thoughts.
Dogs that did not bark were usually the ones to run up and bite or try to bite. You sometimes get nervous dogs that might bite out of fear, but the mean ones just come at you with no sound warning. These were usually the ones around farms, and homes way out in the boonies.
I still recommend shooting anything that bites you.
I just learned to pick up a big, stout stick on the trail before it crossed any rural road where I could hear dogs barking. But sometimes I'd be swinging that stick for a long time before the mutts gave up.
Basic general psycology could of helped you out more than any weapon.Im sure the animal was startled before it acted defencively protecting its owner.The owner is responsible not the dog.That dog probably wonders if you had your shots.Good luck.
Hawkeye,Let me know if you need a hiking partner if you want to hike in CT,I carry mace with me but it is tough to know when a dog is ready to bite - Shame on the owners of the dogs.
Good intentions BUT let me relate a story from my days as a local small town cop. Clyde Clough, a local dairy farmer called me. While his wife and he were out a Doberman with a mouth and face full of porkupine quills had forced open his door and gotten into his shed. The doberman had no tag and bared his teeth when anyone came into the room. I called the game warden and the State Animal Control office and headed for Clydes house. When I got there I took out my mace, pointed it at the dogs eyes, walked up to the growling dog and put a leash on him and walked him outside. About a half hour later the game warden and a State Vet showed up. They told me what I did while brave was stupid. That is when I found out because their eyes are totally different than humans mace has NO effect on dogs. There are sprays to control dogs but mace is totally ineffective and will only further agrivate a dog. ( I guess I should have had my revolver out instead)
Earl Grey
04-12-2007, 08:49
I probaly would have used one of my poles and knocked the crap out of the dog. Handle end first so as to not cut the dog up but then if I had to, stab it with the sharp end.
budforester
04-12-2007, 11:04
Barking dogs are merely nusances; biting dogs should be put down. I favor the revolver, but I have used a spray of ammonia to break up dogfights. Maybe ask the postman what he carries.
I didn't think that I was going to be attacked. Both dogs were barking at me but did not come close to me. The one that did bite me came from behind very quick. I didn't see anyone at the shealter until I got right up to it ,then I got bit. That is when the owner came out and tried to call his dog a few times. Something didn't feel right about them so instead of triying to get info about him I walked back to the main trail. No one came to see if I was OK. Not mad at the dog, just pissed at the owner for not controling the dog.
My wife thinks if I had someone with me things would have been different. Now I have to find some hiking friends.
My wife thinks if I had someone with me things would have been different. Now I have to find some hiking friends.
If someone was with you there would be two bites to take care of.
Toolshed
04-12-2007, 12:15
We used to use a product with ammonia in it when on right-of-ways in rural areas. I beleive a squirt gun filled with a mixture of water/ammonia is also an effective deterrent. But then again why carry a squirt gun when you can have the real thing (concealed carry permit legal, of course.)
This needs more publicity than just here. Hell of a way to end a day, not to mention $1500 for the shot series. (Still that pricey?)
Hope you mend well.
It's only one shot now, and not bad at all. Just had it last year.
Rhino-lfl
04-12-2007, 12:54
Many years ago while fishing, not hiking, I was attacked by a Doberman out of nowhere. Bit me right on the arm when I turned around. I pulled out my knife (I typically carry big ones) and sunk it into its shoulder. Dog let go of me and ran about 25’ with my knife plunged in to the hilt before it collapsed. I pulled the knife out of the dog and then heard some guy screaming at me. He picked up a stick and came at me. I warned him as he approached, and I think he got the message, he just screamed and threatened. He wouldn’t give me his info and the dog didn’t have a collar, I told him I’m taking the dog with me and he got all pissy. I said I was going to bring the dog to a vet and see if it had rabies. They guy said it didn’t but I wasn’t going to believe him. He tried to take the dog, and I said if he touched it I’d fist him with my knife. He insisted on taking the dog, so I said fine I have a compromise. I knelt down and cut the damn things head off to his utter horror, the guy ran like hell, didn’t even try to stop me. Well I packed up my stuff, and went to the hospital since I was a pretty deep wound, cops came and stuff and the hospital sent the dogs head off. Turns out it didn’t have rabies, but I never found the owner of the dog again. If I were you I would have killed the dog and went postal on them, the shock of you doing that would have been enough for them to take you seriously. But I’m no pacifist and think that violence does solve problems.
Rabies is still a series. 1 in the arm and based on weight I had 4 in the butt. I go today for the next one in the arm and 3 more after that. May will my last one.
This would have been good in the dog forum. I'm worried about how to protect Ed from dogs on the trail.
Please note, the dog didn't bite you, until you got around his owner. He bit you once, and backed off. He was warning you away from his humans, and you were wise to leave. The fact that the dog bit you, without them giving a command, or before you showed yourself as an immediate threat (as in, hitting his humans), is the owners' fault.
It sounds like the dog bit and backed off too fast for you to have protected yourself with anything. Bear mace and hiking sticks are your best bet. Remember, the most sensitive area is not the eyes, but the nose. Always be wary when there are more than two dogs, or when you get close to their people (start a conversation with the people as you are walking towards them, so the dogs hear the friendly tone of their owners).
It is also good to know the difference between a get-away-from-my-people attack (like you had), and a full-on attack. Why? Because, in your situation, if you had tried to retaliate, you wouldn't have to worry about just a rabies shot. (BTW, please let us know where you went to get your "series" of rabies shots. That's gotta be pretty backwoods, if they are still doing those, and I don't want to go there, if I get injured on the trail). With a full-on attack, you'll want to fight with everything you've got, and go for the nose.
Hmmmm.....whip out a gun as a defense from two dogs and two rednecks. Yep, that's smart. Here's your sign. :rolleyes:
Many years ago while fishing, not hiking, I was attacked by a Doberman out of nowhere. Bit me right on the arm when I turned around. I pulled out my knife (I typically carry big ones) and sunk it into its shoulder. Dog let go of me and ran about 25’ with my knife plunged in to the hilt before it collapsed. I pulled the knife out of the dog and then heard some guy screaming at me. He picked up a stick and came at me. I warned him as he approached, and I think he got the message, he just screamed and threatened. He wouldn’t give me his info and the dog didn’t have a collar, I told him I’m taking the dog with me and he got all pissy. I said I was going to bring the dog to a vet and see if it had rabies. They guy said it didn’t but I wasn’t going to believe him. He tried to take the dog, and I said if he touched it I’d fist him with my knife. He insisted on taking the dog, so I said fine I have a compromise. I knelt down and cut the damn things head off to his utter horror, the guy ran like hell, didn’t even try to stop me. Well I packed up my stuff, and went to the hospital since I was a pretty deep wound, cops came and stuff and the hospital sent the dogs head off. Turns out it didn’t have rabies, but I never found the owner of the dog again. If I were you I would have killed the dog and went postal on them, the shock of you doing that would have been enough for them to take you seriously. But I’m no pacifist and think that violence does solve problems.
Just understand, Rhino, some people wouldn't run away.
Lion King
04-12-2007, 13:13
Bite the dog back next time...or its owner.
Rhino-lfl
04-12-2007, 13:19
Just understand, Rhino, some people wouldn't run away.
Yup, those are the ones that get beat to a pulp.
Yup, those are the ones that get beat to a pulp.
Hahahahaha! :D Your innocence is so cute. See you on the trail......
Rhino-lfl
04-12-2007, 13:29
Hahahahaha! :D Your innocence is so cute. See you on the trail......
Hey I'm a great guy, just not when I'm pissed off. I don't going around kicking children or anything (although I do carry a burlap sack and a handful of candy with me on the trail :)
I also defend the weak and the meak too when I see injustice. If I were there, I would have killed the dogs for him, the stappled the two guys tongues together, then shared my lunch with him while he but a bandaid on his calf booboo.
ShakeyLeggs
04-12-2007, 13:41
I have had a few runins with dogs on the trail in the past. One thing I learned is to first stop and size up the situation, is the dog aggressive, scared protective. Once I determine that and if I am not in a full on assault I bend over and pick up a sizable rock, or imitate picking one up if one is not available. Then if the K9 starts to move in my direction in an aggressive manner I make like I am going to throw the rock at him. I have found that just making the motion of cocking my arm the dog will stop and take in the situation giving me enough time to extricate myself from the area. But the one time I was in a full on assault from a dog I utilized my hiking pole to keep the dog at poles length. As the dog came at me I rapped him on the nose which gave the mutt pause but as the dog was still trying to get at me I just buried the business end of my hiking pole in his ribs. Now I had an injured and aggressive dog on my hands but as I had punctured his lung and he was bleeding profusely the dog expired not long after the injury was inflicted. Which defused the situation. That was the exception rather than the rule. I was lucky and able to successfully defend myself. And I have a bit more knowledge about dog behavior than most people as in my youth I helped one of my neighbors train guard dogs and learned a great deal about dog behavior. I do not recommend getting into a fight with a dog unless it cannot be avoided, 9 times out of 10 the dog will do some serious damage before you can get away from them or disable them. Your best bet is to stop and back away slowly but being prepared to defend yourself. Just keep in mind the rock trick works most of the time. Also keep in mind generally law enforcement takes a dim view on aggressive dogs and will if circumstances warrant be on your side if you defend yourself.
TIDE-HSV
04-14-2007, 20:07
of hiking, biking and dogs in the south, specifically Alabama. First, the commercial pepper spray "Halt" works. I've had two failures, which I'll talk about later. Mace not only doesn't work on dogs, it doesn't work on bears. Years ago, in the 70s, I spent an uncomfortable winter backpack night in the old Peck's Corner shelter, with a bear repeatedly charging the chain link fence; the 2" galvanized corner posts were bent in several inches from the bear trying to destroy it. One guy had a Mace canister and, every time the bear would lock its teeth into the fence, this guy would spray it in the face. It seemed to irritate the bear, but it really didn't slow it down. Grizzly sprays are capcaisin-based, just like Halt.
Like Shakey, I've used the rock trick a lot when on foot, but you can't really use it on a bike. I have used the Halt from the bike saddle many times. The main drawback is that you have to let the dog approach uncomfortably close, particularly if it's breezy, to be sure of an eye hit.
The two times the Halt spray failed me were understandable. Once was an (urban) immature Old English Sheep Dog, and the spray just ran off the hair curtain over his eyes. He jumped up and bit me on the forearm, although he mostly got my sweatshirt. The owner, a neighbor, declined even to replace the shirt...
The other time was a bit more bizarre. I was biking from my inlaw's cabin on the Black Warrior River, west of Birmingham, through an old, abandoned strip mine, to another relative's house on another bend in the river. It was high summer, and I decided to leave the main road for a side road going down to another "river house," where they sold gasoline for boats. And beer.
As I passed one mobile home, a black Lab came out like a streak and I barely managed to hop off the bike on the side opposite. I grappled for my Halt, only to discover that the plastic tip had come off. I tried to to spray the dog by depressing the stub with my finger, but I mostly just sprayed my forearm. For some reason, I found this hilarious (or, as we say in the South, it turned my tickle-box over). I just thought the dog was mad before. I think it thought I was laughing at it. So, I ended up playing a weird "Paso Doble," except I was keeping the bike between me and him, rather than a cape. Round and round we went. Finally, a elderly, quavery voice came out of the trailer - "Who are you and what do you want?" I replied "Lady, I'm just a biker trying to go down and buy a beer." She came out and (barely) controlled the dog. I coasted on down and drank three. He didn't greet me on the way out. So, the only two failures with the Halt were not the fault of the pepper spray...