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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Carrying Defensive Tools on Walks?
Pestle 07:18 PM 12-29-2018
WELL. Had about the scariest day of my life. Was out for a walk with 6yo DD when a polar bear (maybe a white Malamute or Great Pyrenees; if memory serves, it was the size of my house) ran snarling up to us and circled us, snapping and growling. I put myself between it and DD but it kept circling to get at her. I just kept turning and turning, not making eye contact, keeping my kid pressed against me. Little twig of a woman eventually hustled around the corner and tried coaxing it away with food (she had no leash!), but it ignored her. Finally she came up to us, tried to shove the food into DD's hands (!) saying "Do you want to feed him?" and I said "Please just take your dog away." She withdrew to the side of the road. It was so surreal. I was hoping a car would drive by, but nothing.

Finally the dog walked over to the woman, but as soon as DD and I started moving from where it'd had us, it charged back over. She lured it back again, and I got DD into a neighbor's yard, thinking I could yell for help and try their door if it came at us again (maybe risk getting shot for breaking into their house, but at least get something between the dog and DD)! It didn't come at us again, fortunately.

So I'm rattled and afraid to leave my house, especially with the daycare kids on Monday. We'll definitely be playing only in the fenced-in yard, no walks. I've reached out to the heads of the HOA to see if we can identify the owner and find out whether they live here or are just here for the holiday.

But now I'm thinking I need to have pepper spray when we're outside. And maybe something else? It's legal to carry an expandable baton with a training course in my state, and I can't believe I just looked that up.
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Aussiedaycare 08:33 PM 12-29-2018
I work with pound dogs so we are trained in what to do if a dog attacks. We are told to carry an umbrella - if a dog approaches you in a menacing way open the umbrella and use it as a barrier. Stand tall and stomp your feet while slowly going towards the dog, in a deep voice say (don't yell) Go Home again while moving towards the dog. Try not to panic, don't scream as that will excite the dog and continue to stomp your feet as hard as you can.
I have been in a few 'interesting' situations so I understand how scary it can be but you need to try and stay as calm as possible and make yourself as big as possible.
I'm sorry you and your daughter were in such a scary situation and hopefully you are able to make a complaint where you are so the official people can visit the home and make the lady aware that she needs to keep her dog under the appropriate control.
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Michael 02:26 AM 12-30-2018
Carry OC Bear Spray.

https://www.counterassault.com/produ...-belt-holster/



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Josiegirl 02:33 AM 12-30-2018
Wow, I'm so sorry you had to go through that! Yeh, I'd've been terrified being in your position with your dd!! Did the woman SAY anything, like he's not dangerous, his bark is worse than his bite, anything at all??
My dogs can be mighty protective but they're always on leashes. And if they did get away they'd only jump on you and lick you to pieces. It's hard to know what a strange dog is capable of though.

Pestle, are you the one whose group is constantly taunted by school kids, walking back and forth to school? I bet that bear spray would do wonders to curtail their actions too.
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LysesKids 07:32 AM 12-30-2018
Originally Posted by Pestle:
WELL. Had about the scariest day of my life. Was out for a walk with 6yo DD when a polar bear (maybe a white Malamute or Great Pyrenees; if memory serves, it was the size of my house) ran snarling up to us and circled us, snapping and growling. I put myself between it and DD but it kept circling to get at her. I just kept turning and turning, not making eye contact, keeping my kid pressed against me. Little twig of a woman eventually hustled around the corner and tried coaxing it away with food (she had no leash!), but it ignored her. Finally she came up to us, tried to shove the food into DD's hands (!) saying "Do you want to feed him?" and I said "Please just take your dog away." She withdrew to the side of the road. It was so surreal. I was hoping a car would drive by, but nothing.

Finally the dog walked over to the woman, but as soon as DD and I started moving from where it'd had us, it charged back over. She lured it back again, and I got DD into a neighbor's yard, thinking I could yell for help and try their door if it came at us again (maybe risk getting shot for breaking into their house, but at least get something between the dog and DD)! It didn't come at us again, fortunately.

So I'm rattled and afraid to leave my house, especially with the daycare kids on Monday. We'll definitely be playing only in the fenced-in yard, no walks. I've reached out to the heads of the HOA to see if we can identify the owner and find out whether they live here or are just here for the holiday.

But now I'm thinking I need to have pepper spray when we're outside. And maybe something else? It's legal to carry an expandable baton with a training course in my state, and I can't believe I just looked that up.
Oh, I totally get it... I had a scare last year and my babes were babies in strollers; We have a few BIG dogs in here, 2 of which are Rots, but they were allowed under ADA for a retired serviceman with PTSD. I finally asked that he not walk his dogs near my property for the safety of littles... I do carry protection & have turned in neighbors who don't control their dogs. I have since shut down, but now discovered that the service man has a Big German Shepard as well now (saw all 3 dogs on leashes with him in his yard)
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sharlan 01:48 PM 12-30-2018
Scary. I can understand. Dog may be man's best friend but I'm not comfortable around them. I would have freaked out.

The HOA board needs to be notified.

My dd and I walk at night and we carry our "weapon". We have a small military grade flashlight. If it doesn't blind someone or something, swinging it should knock them out. We also carry pepper spray and a high pitched personal alarm. We've never needed it but we carry it just in case.
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e.j. 07:04 PM 12-30-2018
Originally Posted by Pestle:
WELL. Had about the scariest day of my life. Was out for a walk with 6yo DD when a polar bear (maybe a white Malamute or Great Pyrenees; if memory serves, it was the size of my house) ran snarling up to us and circled us, snapping and growling. I put myself between it and DD but it kept circling to get at her. I just kept turning and turning, not making eye contact, keeping my kid pressed against me. Little twig of a woman eventually hustled around the corner and tried coaxing it away with food (she had no leash!), but it ignored her. Finally she came up to us, tried to shove the food into DD's hands (!) saying "Do you want to feed him?" and I said "Please just take your dog away." She withdrew to the side of the road. It was so surreal. I was hoping a car would drive by, but nothing.

Finally the dog walked over to the woman, but as soon as DD and I started moving from where it'd had us, it charged back over. She lured it back again, and I got DD into a neighbor's yard, thinking I could yell for help and try their door if it came at us again (maybe risk getting shot for breaking into their house, but at least get something between the dog and DD)! It didn't come at us again, fortunately.

So I'm rattled and afraid to leave my house, especially with the daycare kids on Monday. We'll definitely be playing only in the fenced-in yard, no walks. I've reached out to the heads of the HOA to see if we can identify the owner and find out whether they live here or are just here for the holiday.

But now I'm thinking I need to have pepper spray when we're outside. And maybe something else? It's legal to carry an expandable baton with a training course in my state, and I can't believe I just looked that up.
I get so annoyed when I hear stories like yours! I'd love to know why some dog owners just don't seem to get that not everyone is a dog lover and that while the dog may be gentle, friendly and loving toward his owners, he's downright scary when he's snarling, snapping and growling at people who don't know him.

My dd used to love to walk around our neighborhood until an older man from somewhere up the street started to walk his dog at the same time. Although his dog was on a leash, it was a long one that he'd loosen as he got closer to my dd. (She even tried crossing to the other side of the street to avoid him but the leash was long enough that the dog could cross over to her.) He let that dog run and jump up on her despite the fact that she told him she was allergic to dogs and didn't like strange dogs jumping all over her. He kept trying to convince her that his was a good dog and that she should pat him. The whole time, she just wanted him to get the dog off of her and leave - and she bluntly told him so! She finally just stopped walking for awhile. It's ridiculous that she had to give up her walks because that dog owner refused to control his dog. If we had known who he was or where he lived, we would have reported him to the dog officer. I hope the HOA can help you identify the owner of the dog. Hopefully they can help you put a stop to any future problems with the dog and its owner.
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Cat Herder 07:01 AM 01-02-2019
Livestock prods are fairly cheap and super effective. https://gallagherelectricfencing.com...ock-prod-shaft

I also concealed carry.
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daycarediva 09:35 AM 01-03-2019
I carry

a switchblade/pocket knife that is ALWAYS in my front right pocket.

an ultrasonic sound remote thingy (worked on a coyote once)

pepper spray (clipped on my keys)


Never leave home without them. I walk my dogs at 4:30 AM (pitch black) and around 9pm (pitch black in winter)

Also- call animal control. Pretty sure everywhere has leash laws.
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Tags:dog danger, dog problem
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