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What do you bring with you on walks for protection?

15K views 274 replies 39 participants last post by  Chip18 
#1 ·
So I was with Mila this morning going for a walk down to the beach. I like to take her in the morning because less people are out and she can burn off some of her energy starting the day off right. Mila is 3 months old and about 20lbs+ I need to weigh her again. Anyways, we were walking and there was an older man looked like he was in his 80's or so walking his little chihuahua about 20ft down the path. Mila sat down to take a sniff of nature so I decided we would just wait for them to go by then keep walking.

I had her leash shortened up just to make sure I had a good hold on her incase the little dog excited her, I didn't want the older man to be nervous that she would reach them. Maybe it was a bad idea now in hindsight. He stopped once he saw her and was making eye contact with me as he reached down to the ground. I thought in my head for some reason that he was going to be picking up a stick because the way he was looking at Mila. When he came back up I saw that he had not just picked up a stick but lifted up a huge log about a foot around and 2 feet long! I was surprised. It looked like something to knock me out with, I am only 5'2" not my puppy.

I got a VERY, VERY uneasy feeling about the situation. I watched him carry it as he came towards us down the path. The whole time Mila was just sitting there silent not being threatening or aggressive in any way. The manner in which this guy did this was a clear message saying, "I got this in case your dog comes after my little dog". I kept my eye on him the whole time as he passed us and made sure I was in between Mila and him. She didn't bark or anything when they went by, he then randomly commented that she was "going to be a handful to handle". I said nothing and kept going.

I watched them keep walking and saw him throw the log down once they got further out of reach. It may sound silly but the situation was upsetting to me. I had never felt nervous or anything like that before with her or as concerned for her safety. I felt vulnerable because I knew if anything would have sparked him the situation would have gone badly because that log was no joke and could have caused serious damage to myself or Mila. I also knew that to the cops an elderly man with his little dog would make us automatically look like the aggressors since Mila is still a GSD who even as a puppy can be intimidating to some. Thankfully nothing more happened but it really made me think about needing something to protect ourselves when we are out since you never know what situation you can run into.

I would never want to have any situation with my dog turn into a serious one but I do realize that people are unpredictable and it is best to have something for safety and never have to use it then not having it when I unexpectedly need it, whatever "it" may be. So what if anything do you guys bring with you on walks with your dog for protection/safety?
 
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#7 ·
Pepper spray and sometimes a skinning knife. In my state it is legal to carry a pistol, so when I get a pistol I will carry that as well.

I also carry a parting stick as a precautionary tool, for my dog.

My husband and I bought a taser walking cane for my father in law because he was attacked by two GSDs on a walk, the sound alone from the taser is terrifying. My in laws have small dogs though, so it was a dangerous situation.
 
#78 ·
I also carry a parting stick as a precautionary tool, for my dog.
Not to derail, but aren't parting sticks usually more damaging or just ineffective for a breed like the GSD? I've had two pit bulls (one was a mix) in the past and always kept parting sticks handy since both of mine were dog aggressive and we tended to have a lot of strays in the neighborhood. I was always told that the stick may do more harm than good to my mix because his snout wasn't quite the breed standard for an APBT or just a bully breed. Obviously I could be wrong or have just been misinformed so I was just wondering :)

To respond to the OP, on walks I usually will bring a pepper spray, with my previous dogs I would bring a break stick or walk with an old walking stick I had just in case
 
#9 · (Edited)
Here's the thing you've got to remember living in California (I moved from there about 18 month ago). If you arm yourself with a club of any kind that is a Felony/wobbler in the State of California 22210 P.C. So the way around that is to get a legitimate walking stick and that is lawful for you to possess. If you use it as a weapon your explanation is simple. I was being attacked and all I had was my walking stick to defend myself.


The crazy thing about California is if you carried a loaded firearm (as long as you are not prohibited from possessing a firearm and you have no weapons violation or prior arrests for weapons violation(s)) then the violation for carrying a loaded firearm is a Misdemeanor. Look at California Penal Code section 25400 for further information.


Good luck!
 
#10 · (Edited)
Bear repellent in the mountains and collapsible baton in urban.

For you, if you're not accustomed to combat, pepper spray. And it sounds like you handled that perfectly. My former trainer is a skinny woman and carries pepper spray one her doggy pouch, for animals and humans.

Get used to those reactions from people and dogs. A lot automatically think a GSD is aggressive. I'm always surprised when people ask if my happy, sweet pup is aggressive. I guess her high, wagging tail and smile make her look ferocious. :rolleyes:
 
#12 ·
Well you handled it well ... apparently you have a well trained dog and that is always step one! You and your dog handled the situation well. But ... and I was not there ... you saw the guy approaching and you saw his concerns. So that is pretty heads up on your part. But ... "assuming" you had the space ... what would have been helpful "would have been to step aside and give them space." :)

When I walk my dogs ... I don't insistent on the right way (and I am not saying you did) but if I see another dog approaching in my direction ... I will cross the street or step well aside ... my dog is behind me and I give the other dog the "Right of Way." I don't know you I don't know your dog, you keep your distance ... I'll keep mine," is how "we" roll ... works out fine.:)

And the walking stick yes ... good advice I gave it myself in here.:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...-if-another-dog-attacks-your-while-leash.html

But a fine point with the "Walking Stick" you don't use it to strike a dog ... you use it to "Block" an offending dogs, access to your dog. Charging dogs ... don't see you ... all they see is your dog. If you get in the way ... by first having your dog behind you ... and you block them ... that gives the "offending dog" time to stop and think and perhaps decide ... "to make better choices??" And yes ... since it's been asked before a "well trained dog" will stand behind you calmly while you defend them!

Rocky and I do ... this, all the time and it only went "wrong once" and that was my bad ... "apparently" I can't see in the dark .... who knew??? And I also did not carry a "Walking Stick" ... despite my advise! We got attacked at night by as I found out later an ex-military DDD! She got one quick hit and I spun and she retreated but I messed up ... my bad. :0

All that said ... that guy and his sense of unease ... yeah I get it. I'm a "Bully" guy and my smallest dog ever was my "Boxer" at 65 lbs. If a dog got by me, I knew she could defend herself but ... "that never happened."

But ... I was on a walk with my "Clients" amazingly well trained "Westie" off leash no issues ... dog stayed by side. But when we went to an area ... where we usually see no dogs ... there was a women with a "White GSD" and her dog was on leash and clearly under control. Nonetheless her dog was "staring at mine" and it made me "uncomfortable!" She looked like the "is your dog friendly type?? And I have "Zero" interest in such encounters in any case but with a small dog ... I felt particularly uncomfortable?? That feeling was new for me?? I put the leash back on my charge ... and we quickly got of "Dodge!"

So while that guy may have made a "poor choice" in insisting on his right of way ... he does earn my respect for being willing to defend his dog. Walking a small breed dog around unknown dogs was a bit more anxiety filled than I expected???
 
#20 ·
The path was about 6ft wide and I did make sure to stay on the opposite side up against the bushes so they had the rest of the path to go by. I definitely agree with keeping our distance when passing just to be safe! Unfortunately it is the first time that someone has acted scared of her and it was a pretty unsettling experience. I'm glad I have this site so I can have others to relate to since I know it is something I should get used to. It absolutely reinforced the importance of keeping her socialized and trained so that she doesn't have anything else working against her!
 
#13 ·
Yeah I wouldn't rely on any non professionally trained dog to protect against humans. From dogs? Sure, my dog has no fear, but he has never experienced a person trying to attack him or I, there's no telling, he might try to protect, he more than likely would just run. So I carry pepper spray and a skinning knife to protect against people.

Any medium-large dog, especially with a particularly intimidating appearance, will deter attackers however.

Side note, at 3 months this puppy should have looked like a puppy, they don't really look like dogs until around 5 months. Any intelligent person who has dog experience should know that puppies don't have what it takes to attack and be 'dangerous'. He also said GOING to be a handful, he knew it was a puppy. That is the most unsettling part about this, this man was prepared to clobber a puppy.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Really the biggest thing, and maybe its just my personality. But communication was lacking. You can even practice before going out! Even if he is a good man or a bad man. If his intentions were just concern of your dog and he was willing to hit your dog. Than your concern should be alleviating that concern of his or directing him so he doesn't have to decide. "Hey! I have my dog on a leash, mine is in training, please keep a distance!" If you get weird or "uppity" vibes from someone, be a b*tch like me, "Please stay away from my dog, were in training." Or in the case of my fear aggressive dog to strangers, i pick her up in last resort conditions, as EVERYONE wants to pet her.
Also, in the case of a dog, once a pitbull ran up to us. I picked up her because the pitbull had clear intentions of attempting to attack her, so i picked her up so if he got her, it would just be feet/leg and not vital organ area. (My dog has total trust in me clearly lol) And i used my foot/leg to push/kick the pitty back from us. I am willing to get bit for my dog! Eventually the owner came over. I was furious with her... "MY BABY!!!" (As i'm holding my 80 pound GSD) lol


I plan on buying a handgun, 9mm would do it. I would use on a human if needs be. Make sure if you buy a gun, you learn safety and how to use it properly otherwise your just handing over a weapon to the enemy essentially..

Also i carry pepper spray. I can use on a dog or a human.

With human predators the best thing to do is to show them you are a fighter, most predators don't want to go after someone who is willing to fight back. So making eye contact, and using an authoritative tone of voice can help in those situations. "STAY BACK!" I would rather be rude to a nice person, than to be nice to a bad person, and regret not having my bad ass side on that time, because i didn't want to hurt someone'es feelings.

Also for less serious cases in dogs, you can get a "pet corrector" spray, that has compressed air.

Because i am a ranter here is a quick summary: ;)
  1. More communication, take a self-defense class
  2. Pet Corrector- compressed air canister to carry with you for dogs
  3. Pepper spray for human or dog, or other wild animals
  4. Depending on where you live, a handgun, learn safety and how to use it.

Oh and sometimes keeping another leash around your body (for quick access) for a loose dog coming up to you can be helpful, if its off leash with or without the owner. :)
 
#15 ·
An eighty year old guy and a chihuahua? You don't have to kill anyone. Get over it. The old guy was protecting his little bitty dog. He's old. Have some understanding. Its not tha big a deal. Carry pepper spray. Thats what I carry in case of criminals,crazys or .... breed of fighting dog not allowed to be mentioned.
 
#16 ·
An eighty year old guy and a chihuahua? Get over it. The old guy was protecting his little bitty dog. He's old. Have some understanding. Its not tha big a deal. Carry pepper spray. Thats what I carry in case of criminals,crazys or .... breed of fighting dog not allowed to be mentioned.
So a man with a log is prepared to hit your 3 month old puppy, and you wouldn't care. Lol got it.
 
#19 · (Edited)
..............
I would never want to have any situation with my dog turn into a serious one but I do realize that people are unpredictable and it is best to have something for safety and never have to use it then not having it when I unexpectedly need it, whatever "it" may be. So what if anything do you guys bring with you on walks with your dog for protection/safety?

Erica, I hate you had that experience. I had an older guy flip out on me one day because Ranger was off leash (3 month old pup) I pointed him to the cops who were about 50 yards from us and told him to go talk to them. So I know what you are talking about.

I dont know if you have seen any of my videos but on a recent one I was talking about this guy came out of nowhere in the middle of nowhere and he looked like he was fresh out of the mountains. When you are out the scariest predators are the 2 legged kind but there are still coyotes, rattle snakes and I have heard of dog packs running wild that will attack a single dog.

I must say though that I have had a few experiences where my life was in peril. You will never catch me anywhere without a pistol or two.

I would recommend a hand gun if you are fortunate enough to live in a state that allows carry.

Just my .02
 
#21 ·
I live in Texas and have my conceal carry so I carry my pistol. I also carry pepper spray, because I would much rather use that in a non-lethal situation. My godfather is former SWAT, police chief and is also a conceal carry instructor so as a single woman he wasn't about to let me go out on my own without proper training.

I also run a lot and have conceal carry leggings.

Too many stories about people danger, let alone animal danger, out there to not be realistic.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
#22 · (Edited)
I just wanted to point out also that his dog was the smaller one since he was the one nervous why didn't he pick his dog up if he was that concerned for its safety? Picking his dog up is a safer solution and doesn't involve attacking a dog which could provoke an attack on himself from either the dog or its owner.

Also, I like the pepper spray ideas since my state has so many limitations!
 
#36 ·
I would have probably started a conversation with the older gentleman. A lot of times that will put people at ease. If after that he was a jerk then open up your trench coat to reveal your sawed off shot gun. Loaded with double aught buck. Then just calmly say. NO WARNING SHOTS.
LOL. Just kidding about the Shotgun. However, I do try and engage people. A lot of times you can visually see the fear or unease change to calm and relaxed. You never know his experiences. His dog may have just gotten attacked by a gsd last week?
 
#39 ·
I would have probably started a conversation with the older gentleman. A lot of times that will put people at ease. If after that he was a jerk then open up your trench coat to reveal your sawed off shot gun. Loaded with double aught buck. Then just calmly say. NO WARNING SHOTS.
LOL. Just kidding about the Shotgun. However, I do try and engage people. A lot of times you can visually see the fear or unease change to calm and relaxed. You never know his experiences. His dog may have just gotten attacked by a gsd last week?[/

Yeah, we know you are kidding. :)

:rofl:
That was funny. We needed a little levity here and there.
 
#40 ·
I usually have a gun on me even though our gun laws are also very strict, I'm lucky though because I live in a rural area and most places I'm walking are my own family farm or neighbor's farms. It's very normal around here to have a rifle in your vehicle year round even though it's illegal in most situations. Aside from that I always have a medium sized foldable knife on me, comes in handy for all kinds of non self defense things too. You have to be careful on the legalities of anything for self defense, there are some areas where even pepper spray is illegal, pretty ridiculous. I think you reacted very well to that situation however I would have looked into reporting it to the police, sounds like he was threatening you/your dog. What kind of a nut job threatens a 3 month old puppy and a young woman, this guy definitely has a few screws loose.
 
#44 ·
People who carry a gun- are you ready, able, and trained to be able to safely and effectively draw, aim, and fire your weapon in a high tension, high stress situation? Do you practice at the range at least monthly to hone your skills?

Also, people who carry, are you mentally prepared to make an instantaneous decision to take someone's life?

Carrying a gun is a big responsibility. I hope people who carry are doing so responsibly.

I've known and respect people who carry responsibly. But to carry a gun and not be properly trained or prepared for any scenario is a safety issue for everyone around you, and scares me far more than an 80 year old man with a stick.

Mace, and a walking stick should be enough protection or deterrent, if your dog isn't enough deterrent already. A well trained GSD is pretty much enough to prevent attacks from almost anyone.

Most attackers are looking for a soft target, and with a GSD along, you are not a soft target.

If someone picked up a stick when they saw me and my dogs- and they have- I'd just give them wide berth. It's not going to be possible to talk someone out of their fear of your GSD. I've learned to just yield- yield trail, go around, whatever. I'm not going to change their mind, and I'd prefer to avoid a confrontation. Reactive people, like reactive dogs, are happiest when the perceived threat just "goes away".
 
#45 ·
I shot my first gun around 6 or 7, when went to hunters ed as a young teen, so I learned to handle a weapon. No one is ever really prepared to take a life. Veterans will tell you the same, they were not ready for that. I live in a state where it is legal to carry a pistol as long as it is visible, many many people do around here, trained or not, and I have not heard of accidental shootings as a result, not even that many self defense shootings actually. If a GSD doesn't deter someone, a holstered pistol surely will.
 
#52 ·
I always keep a pocket knife. I use Kershaw brand. It's legal length, handy and makes me feel a little more comfortable when I'm out and about alone or when I had my boy before he passed.
 
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