When is it legit to pepper spray a dog on the trail? I go trail running in a nearby state park (I live in Pennsylvania) and elsewhere and I'm sick and tired of being approached by aggressive dogs that should be on a leash. I've taken to carrying a small pepper spray unit a little bigger than a shotgun shell. I've told offending owners that they should restrain their dog or it will get pepper sprayed. So far I have not pulled the trigger.

Save some for the owner, too.

Woodswalker wrote:When is it legit to pepper spray a dog on the trail? I go trail running in a nearby state park (I live in Pennsylvania) and elsewhere and I'm sick and tired of being approached by aggressive dogs that should be on a leash. I've taken to carrying a small pepper spray unit a little bigger than a shotgun shell. I've told offending owners that they should restrain their dog or it will get pepper sprayed. So far I have not pulled the trigger.

I find this to be a huge problem and I carry pepper spray as well. I have used it once. If I feel my safety is threatened by an aggressively acting off leash dog, then I feel justified in using it, which is a shame, because it is totally the owner's fault.

This is a huge pet peeve of ours, both my girlfriend and I, and we find more folks ignore leash laws than obey them. I don't want to start a battle but the arrogance of some pet owners has gone over the edge recently. In some trail situations it can be dangerous for a hiker. Hell, I've seen dogs tied to "No dogs allowed" signs at restaurants in Aspen. Though unless the dog is really obnoxious I've stopped calling people out on the leash laws because it's just not worth it but I won't acknowledge them and I smirk.

Tonka wrote:This is a huge pet peeve

Har har.

ExcitableBoy wrote:

Woodswalker wrote:When is it legit to pepper spray a dog on the trail? I go trail running in a nearby state park (I live in Pennsylvania) and elsewhere and I'm sick and tired of being approached by aggressive dogs that should be on a leash. I've taken to carrying a small pepper spray unit a little bigger than a shotgun shell. I've told offending owners that they should restrain their dog or it will get pepper sprayed. So far I have not pulled the trigger.

I find this to be a huge problem and I carry pepper spray as well. I have used it once. If I feel my safety is threatened by an aggressively acting off leash dog, then I feel justified in using it, which is a shame, because it is totally the owner's fault.

What was the owner's response when you sprayed Fido?

I should say that the dog, a large German Shepard, charged me multiple times. I yelled at the dog which initially stopped it, but it very quickly resumed its attack and I only sprayed it when it got within biting range. The dog was immediately dissuaded after getting a face full of spray and slunk away. The owner was nowhere to be seen during the entire encounter. I did get a glimpse of her over my shoulder as I left. She did not say a word to me, and I doubt she even realized her dog had attacked me and subsequently been sprayed.

I have had so many bad encounters with off leash dogs, both on trails and in my neighborhood, that I keep thinking I will get a t-shirt that says 'Leash Your Fucking Dog'.

I would have a very low threshold to spray.

I carry a solid-steel expandable baton instead of pepper spray, guarantees that I can kill the dog. You'd be surprised how afraid dogs get when you raise an object (baton) over your head in a threatening manner. And if the dog doesn't back down - lights out!

An expandable baton is also very useful against humans, if it comes to that.

http://www.weapons-universe.com/expandable-batons.htm

People can be irrational about dogs, especially people who let dogs run free when the dogs should be leashed. I have a friend who was a mail carrier, and several times he maced dogs who ran at him. The owners were always very upset, but appeared to understand his clear statement of the legal imperatives. Be able to recite chapter and verse. From personal experience, the owners are more of a problem than the dogs.

Dogs that aren't attack trained are very susceptible to being bonked on the nose. If you have to hit the dog with a baton, and there is a leash law, courts will back you up the vast majority of times.

Aggressive and unrestrained dogs are sometimes a problem on Black Hills trails also. My last encounter with such was on the trail to the Little Devils Tower. The owner was oblivious to what her dog was doing as she was busy walking and playing with her i-phone. I was able to scare the dog off once with a defensive move, but he decided to try again and I had to pepper spray him then. She apologized but still made no effort to obey the leash law. Disgusting! And I have to wonder what was SO important on the i-phone that she would risk tripping and missing all the great natural beauty around her?

As far as dog owners unrealistic attitudes about their beloved pets, this is something we former postal employees (and current ones too) always wonder about. It is always "someone else's dog" that bites. "Our precious dog would NEVER bite". And over the years, thousands of postal workers and other delivery people have had to make trips to the hospital for wound care. Carrying pepper spray is an excellent plan.

I was attacked by a customers dog mid summer of 2011. My left femoral tendon was lacerated pretty good. I'm a peak a week guy. So, when the next weekly hike came, I found with the wound that the ascent was normal, however the descent, not so much. Felt like I always wanted to fall on my face, no support in that leg.

The peak a week goal was imperative. Had to figure something out. Dusted off the mountain bike in the basement, rode it around the block a few times and found the answer. Did the same route the week prior with the bike in hand. Rode/hike a biked up, hid it, then glided down the mountain, sans about 1000 vert of scrambling, though slow and careful. It worked. After that I formulated summit attempts with the bike in hand until the wound healed, though the passion for the mountain bike remained. So damned fun to ride, excellent short burst workouts, and the ability to move much faster through a route.

Designed and built three different bikes since, mainly with geometry in mind for climbing upwards. Don't really care for downhill, but being able to make it to the top. Peaks are the goal, not radical downtimes. Still, one can be assisted by gravity fairly quick when going down. Today I look at that bad experience of being attacked to lead me to new adventures with the mtn bike. Some bad things may happen for a reason.

Corner Canyon road, in Draper. Roasting down that rough dirt road, very often near multiple designated trailheads, I encountered un-leashed dogs. Even on the upper routes as well. Dogs like to chase fast moving objects... multiple charges from our fellow canines. All because they were not leashed. Not the dogs fault, the owners. Agree with most of the statements above... I carry bear spray, since some of my property is in bear country, but accidents with dogs and a few of their owners is completely preventable.

I love dogs. They're awesome.

I love dogs too, and they love me. But I have seen that in most cases, I hate to claim that in all cases it's true, the owner has encouraged the dog to terrorize other people/hikers. The dogs always stop barking and showing their teeth as soon as the owner asks them to stop.

EVERYBODY claims their dog's "NICE" until it bites you.

Carry pepper spray 24/7. Especially for "extreme Islamic" bow wows.

The dogs that scare me are the sheep dogs that roam the local mountains. Seldom are they around their owners/caretakers and they can be very aggressive. The bears and mountain lions don't scare me, but the sheep dogs do.