Pepper spray vs dog efficacy

[RTR_RTR]

I'm a big dog lover, but that doesn't change the fact that it's not terribly unlikely one will eventually be in the position to need break up a rough dog fight, fend off a dog charging a toddler, whatever. I've carried (and been fairly confident in) pepper spray (designed for humans - foxlabs mix) to be able to do this for a while. I'm just realizing however that I haven't heard much anything about people's experiences in actually using it for such a purpose - thus this thread.

I'm particularly interested in hearing about experiences breaking up a dog fight / dog attack where the dog is really committed. If anyone has experience to share, I'd love to hear it.

On a side note, I'd really prefer this thread not become a discussion about breeds, and that's frankly not that relevant a point in the thread, so I'd ask breed doesn't even get mentioned. It's your post though, obviously.

Thank in advance

 

[Smokey Joe]

Halting dogs...

RTR-RTR--In my area, there are quite a few road bicyclists. The bicycle shops sell a squirt-can product called "Halt!" which comes out in a stream abt. 6-7' long.

It will stop a Doberman pinscher coming at you in full attack mode--I had to field-test it one time and was mighty glad to have it along. I'm pretty certain that he was fully committed to the attack. Hosed down Mr. Dobie's face, and he suddenly remembered he had an appointment to be at. Thank goodness.

I like dogs a lot, and I used to kick them when they attacked me on the bicycle. That worked, too. Decided that the pepper spray was more humane.

 

[Owen Sparks]

A dogs sense of smell is much more sensitive than any humans. For this reason peper spray works well.

 

[RTR_RTR]

Thanks for sharing Smokey

Owen - I'm not sure if this is the cases in dogs, but I assume it's the case in most mammals due to it being the case in humans, and there isn't generally that much variation in something this big in organisms so closely related - Painful and nonpainful stimuli generally travel to the brain through different pathways, so sensitivity to one won't necessarily correlate perfectly to sensitivity in the other. I'm also not sure about the substance. I know something like ammonia will activate pain pathways, but I don't know if something like capsaicin, before it reaches a concentration that actually damages tissues, activates pain receptors or if there's an alternative pathway for pain activation through normal sensory receptors for things like "spicy" that don't (to my knowledge) actually cause tissue damage.

 

[bobkat]

While bicycling I use Bear Spray that we used to carry backpacking. C
arry it in a water bottle holder on the bike.
It definitely turns Rottweilers, at least the one that tried to floss his teeth on my shorts and dine on my butt. Now when we ride by his home place he runs behind the owners barn and doesn't even bark. Whimpers a bit.
Had another Rotty show up on our deck in the middle of the night and tried to crash through our bedroom window that goes almost to the floor. The county sherriff used bear spray and it sure worked on him, too. I covered him with a 9mm till the deputies arrived.

 

[Kingcreek]

I've had mixed results with pepper spray and dogs. I had a big mean farm dog come at me while cycling up a hill and I couldn't outrun him. A face full of pepper spray did nothing but I beat him with a tire pump while shielding myself with the bike frame until his owner hied him off.

 

[RTR_RTR]

Thank y'all for the info.

In reference to my post earlier, this actually came up recently - OC does activate pain sensors, so it would be a different pathway/set of receptors than smell/taste

 

[Loic]

Longgg time ago, I think I was 16, I had to use it against a German shepherd, the effect was instant, the dog was shaking is head and turning in circle.
Oh and I love dogs too.

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