Minimum caliber for dog protection

[Strykervet]

While I'm at it, I would recommend a revolver for dog specific control. A couple of ratshot up front, followed by more serious rounds. Usually ratshot or a .410 with birdshot will make them tuck and run. But if that doesn't do the trick, use what you use on bad guys.

All that said, bear spray works better. Seriously. They have very sensitive noses. If it will stop a bear, it will certainly stop a dog. Also, most dogs will back away if you stand up to them. They want to assert their dominance, not get into a scuffle.

No reason to kill little Johnnies escaped pet if not expressly necessary. And don't use a .22. We aren't exterminating living beings the way the Nazis did to lower costs.

Above all, be humane.

 

[Strykervet]

Based on many years of cycling, I've never had a dog that didn't back off if I barked back at it.

Now if your fear of dogs is so bad you shoot one, you better consider the dogs master and his displeasure.

Clutch

Roger that. Shoot my dog and you better be prepared to shoot me because you got one hell of a beating coming.

And I can't afford to pay your medical bills, so keep that in mind too.

 

[19-3Ben]

Based on many years of cycling, I've never had a dog that didn't back off if I barked back at it.

Huge +1. As a cyclist the general wisdom is to just spray them in the face with your water bottle and they back off immediately. Never had to do it, but I know a few who have and it worked well.

 

[Strykervet]

22LR in the head is real quick. 45 ACP in the big middle is not.

If A dog is attacking you, the air horn trick will not help the child who does not have one.
Shooting attacking dogs protects the rest of the human race.

Wrong, been there done that. You'd be surprised at the tenacity of life. I fired 5 rounds directly into the brainpan of a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, a feral dog but childhood hound that was gravely injured, and he pulled through until I could get the shotgun.

Use the least amount of force possible. A can of mace is not that heavy, and trust me, it works.

 

[Tennessee Ned]

Just carry a fanny pack full of kittens. In case of a dog attack, deploy countermeasures!

 

[NMGonzo]

.357

 

[SpaceFrank]

When I saw the thread title, my first thought was "depends on what's attacking your dog..."

 

[scythefwd]

any single mut smaller than 80 lbs, I'll use a stick. Anything larger and I'll have to get personal... I don't cary when I run.

 

[MCgunner]

I did a night in county lock up for defending myself against a dog attack. It was tossed out and never went to court, just sayin'. Lock up wasn't fun and the lawyer bill was 2K. A 115 grain +P worked, though, from my Kel Tec. It was a chow dog came in MY yard and attacked me and my 2 cats.

I carry a small can of pepper gas now.

 

[Frozen North]

Oh, one more piece of wisdom I have learned in the urban, dog infested jungle....

When you hear the bark and know they are on you STOP in your tracks and face them. Most of the time, this will end the encounter all together. Never underestimate how quickly a dog can close a gap and grab you good! By the time you turn to jump a fence or climb a tree, they are gonna have ya! You cannot outrun or outmaneuver a dog!

Spray! Spray them good! Don't hesitate to spray, it won't cause them any harm that you would care about anyway. Spray it up their nose and deep in their throat when they bark.

 

[gordy]

slower hollow points for dogs.

A few years back, I was out feeding my 3 labs.
There were 4 dogs coming out of the shed.
One very large (90 to 100 lb. male lab) who was not my dog.
Was having a good time in my shed with the 3 female dogs of mine.
I had to get my 357 to let him know to go home.
The first shot I put over his head to tell him to go home.
The shot really pissed him off. As I was stepping back to get away from him I shot one more round. This one went into his chest and came out the other side.
He was even more angry. He was hurt and still coming.
One more to the head put him down.
I was a little pissed that the 357 didn't put him down right away.
It was a HP, but it did not expand at all. It was like ball ammo. I found the bullet in the dirt.
I am convinced that you want a slower bullet that will expand on impact.
Your choice will work good.
PS- We had puppies a short time latter. 3 black and 2 brown and one yellow.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I raised chicken as a boy and I killed 40 + dogs over the years with a 22 Rifle using HP ammo. I have killed 8-10 using my Ruger MKII with a 6 inch barrel. A 32 H&R Magnum will do the job. Shot placement is key.

You can also carry a brass headed cane. I sent 1 pit to the meet Jesus using my Brass Balled Oak Cane. 1 2 handed blow on top of his head ended his life. I looked around and went on with my walk.

 

[Jim NE]

In the non-firearm section of THR. I ran into several strong opinions about pepper spray. Many folks are convinced that it's the best protection against Grizzly bears. Not because it has the stopping power of a .357 or .45LC, but because there are times when a gun leads to other problems, as other people on this thread have pointed out with the dog scenario. I really don't have an opinion about pepper spray, as I don't have direct experience with it, but it sounds like something worth investigating.

I should mention that several years ago in my hometown, a pitbull attacked a HORSE, if you can believe it. The responding officers shot the dog 8 or 9 times with either .38's or 9mm's before it died. Of course, pitbulls move quickly, and the cops may not have been trained to shoot such creatures, but regardless, it demonstrates the challenges of that approach. The horse had to be destroyed, BTW.

Here's what I'd do: carry that .32 mag as a backup, and use the pepper spray FIRST. If you find the spray works, then you you've got your solution. If it doesn't, you've got a gun.

 

[Remo223]

Pit bulls are very hard to kill...even with a gun.

It doesn't matter what kind of animal you are defending against, the best thing you can have is your own dog. The dog will get between you and whatever is attacking and will take the heat off of you long enough for you to decide whether to fight or flee. If you flee, your dog may not live though. If it is a dog that is attacking, the dog will automatically go after your dog before going after you.

Dogs also make good jogging companions unless you run marathon like distances in hot weather. Dogs can't do that. If you do decide on a canine jogging companion, let me offer a little bit of advice. Obviously you do not want anything stocky. But perhaps not so obvious to many folks is that you do not want anything with a pug face, short snout, or massive round head and wide jaw. Long narrow heads and snouts are preferred. This is because dogs cool their bodies partly with their tongues and snouts. The longer the better.

For a faithful body guard you need intelligence. So don't pick out something known for stupidity. German shepherds are obvious choices. Huskies are very tough for their size...a little tougher than most other breeds of equal body weight and body type but they aren't smart and not renown for obedience. A german shepherd husky cross would be a nice mix. Standard poodles are also a good choice to cross something with.

 

[SleazyRider]

Pepper spray will put any dog on it knees ... assuming the wind is blowing in the right direction (which is not a good assumption!).

You might consider a sjambok, from Cold Steel. It's light in weight, and available on Ebay for under 20 bucks. Since I began walking my dog with it, I leave my .380 at home.

 

[hmphargh]

Well said Remo, another consideration is that you don't have to carry a dog for protection, the dog carries itself.

It should probably be mentioned that depending on where you live you may need to shave the dog's coat back in the summer if you plan to run with it, even if you typically leave the coat long when not exercising with it, this is especially true for German Shepherds, Huskies, and similar dogs. If you do decide to go the dog route, you may also consider an Australian Shepherd, Border Collies or a cross containing one of those two dogs, they are incredibly smart, do well in hot and cold weather, and have a good temperament, though they are prone to hip dysplasia.

 

[macadore]

Dogs can weigh 150-200 pounds. Use the same caliber you would use for humans.

 

[gofastman]

An air horn.

Really. I've spoken to people who work in dog boarding and doggy daycare places about what they do in the event of a dog fight that can't be settled by a person simply yelling at/tugging on one of the dogs.
Unanimously, the answer has been that a simple air horn is the most effective thing and is universally used around such facilities.
The sound is so sudden and at such a pitch that it just stops dogs right in their tracks.

An air horn powered by pepper spray!

 

[TYFOOON]

In oregon, under law, if a dog is off leash on public property or your private property than it is considered to be at large and can legally be shot for being a nuisance or a threat.

The holy'r than thou "you shoot my dog I'll shoot you!" Please. Go to prison for acting an ass. Whatever. Your dog attacks someone, me or mine, one bite and it's toast if you're not there to wrangle it.

I was jogging one day and heard a man screaming. I drew my (don't laugh, P3AT) and entered his back yard to assist. He was being torn apart by his own dog (pit) in his own back yard. I started yelling "I have a gun, do you need assistance!" He begged and screamed for me to "shoot the dog!" While I was trying to decide where to shoot this dog I realized there was another pit now on my six oclock and getting really ugly. I turned raised the gun and prepared to shoot it in the mouth or chest just as two sherrifs deputies came through the back gate with their guns drawn.

Realizing I was now aiming in their direction I dropped the gun, reached for the sky and yelled that I was a CHL holder and a passer by. The first deputy entered past me, the second picked up my gun and shoved it in his pocket about the time the first deputy fired a three shot burst into the pit. Issue over.

They thanked me, informed me of the prior issues with this dog, and called animal contol for the second Pit. To this day I am really glad I did not have to fire the .380 at a 60 lbs or so dog.

 

[Animal Mother]

Walking Dead said:

Really an air horn! I couldn't tell anybody I carry an air horn for protection. Might as well barrow a purse from the wife and hit the dog with it.

bwahaha!! Walking Dead, you really crack me up. Honestly, an air horn, while effective just makes me think of a rape whistle. I'd probably stick with mace.

 

[22-rimfire]

Pepper spray if you are concerned in an urban environment.

 

[Hangingrock]

I do a lot of walking in a rural area which is populated with various breeds. Most I get along with others require countermeasures. Your demeanor and a medium weight walking stick usually deter aggressive behavior. Should those counter measures fail your CCW may be required which in my case would be G17 or MP9. I’m not into compact or subcompact weapons.

 

[ants]

You wouldn't need a gun if...

... you always jog with a friend who is slow.

You don't need to outrun the dog.
You just need to outrun your friend.

 

[mbt2001]

Pepper spray!!!!!

PEPPER SPRAY!!!!!!!!

1st off you can start a feud shooting a dog...

2nd, I knew a guy that hit a pit bull that had his dander up with a .45 twice. The dog ran off, had an operation, and showed up 2 months later.

 

[1stmarine]

There is a little keltec PF9 I think in 9mm parabellum. It is a nice little package with 7+1 hollow points you can take care of any dogs and crocks
if they show up.
it is a 9mm in a 32ACP type of package.