Dealing with Aggressive Dogs

I would like to start by saying that I'm a huge animal lover. Specifically dogs, I own two a Golden Retriever and a Yellow Lab both are very loving and loyal animals and both are treated like family! I've had my Golden for over five years and the lab is a year old. They are great with people and they love my three year old. They are, by nature, protective of our home. It is instinctual that our home is their territory. Knowing this I am very cautious to ensure that my animals are safe and secure. This in turn also assures that neighbors and other animals are also safe and can go about their business without having to worry about my dogs. Being in the self defense business we get calls everyday from distressed and concerned individuals who are victims of an aggressive neighborhood dog or dogs. We hear it over and over again. People can't walk around their block without fear of being bitten. Others are afraid to walk their dogs at a park because unleashed dogs attack theirs. Still others have had their bike rides turned into a very traumatic situation as a dog chased, causing them to fall of the bike and be attacked by the animal. Worst of all we hear of small children who are bitten badly or attacked by dogs. No one should have to sacrifice their leisure, recreation or family time because of aggressive canines. They shouldn't but they do! In 2008, an estimated 4.7 million Americans were bitten. Children are the primary victims. The elderly and home service workers such as mail carriers and meter readers are also high on the list. As many as 800,000 people annually require medical treatment for dog bites! So how can you deal with an aggressive dog humanly so you can get back to enjoying the great outdoors? I suggest carrying and utilizing a dog pepper spray. Mace is a well known and highly respected company who manufactures a canine defense spray or dog spray. The brand name is Muzzle and it is EPA approved and proven extremely effective in preventing dog attacks. Extensive testing has proven it to be the safe and humane way to deal with dog attacks. This is the ideal product for walkers, joggers, bikers or delivery drivers. How does it work? Simply, spray the animal in the facial area to get the desired effect. Muzzle is a pepper spray formulation made specifically for dogs. It causes the dogs eyes to swell shut and causes temporary blindness. The respiratory tract is inflamed which makes breathing very difficult. Discharge, coughing and choking are all effects. A dog attack will be instantly stopped by spraying directly into the face of the animal. This will allow you and your family plenty of time to get to safety. No permanent damage is done to the animal and the effects wear off after about 20 minutes. Some individuals would prefer not to have to aim and spray at a charging dog, even though with a little practice you could stop an attack before the animal even gets close. Some people like to carry a stun baton for protection against dog attacks. A typical stun baton is 18 to 20 inches in length. The entire shaft of the stun baton is electrified so any part other than the handle carries a high voltage charge. In my experience the majority of attacks can be stopped by simply firing the stun gun in front of the animal. The loud sound and electricity are usually enough to scare them off. If not, simply touch the animal and pull the trigger. You will likely hear a loud "yelp"; then see it tuck the tail and run. In humans, a 2 second stun baton shock is likely to cause disorientation, loss of balance, confusion, muscle spasms. In animals, this rarely occurs because you will only make contact for a split second and they are gone. I have customer who swear by the stun baton. Many tell me after the first run in, they are now able to walk right by the same dog with no additional trouble. Again, stun batons are non lethal meaning they will not cause any permanent injuries. So if you are like millions of others being harassed by the neighborhood dog, it's time to take your street back. Time to start walking, jogging or biking again. Time to spend time with family and friends outdoors. Do so with the confidence and peace of mind you'll have from either the dog spray or stun baton.