Fending off wild dogs (from a runners prospective)

abbydaddy said:
And if all of those things are not an option, run with a stick.
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This!!!

A stick is legal everywhere, and is an effective weapon against a lot of 4 legged and two legged varmints. A nice sturdy walking stick will take out any dog dumb enough to come in range.

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Interesting thread.
I have stopped running mountain trails, even near or technically right in the city because of mountain lions and packs of coyotes. It is very mountainous here with lots of scrub oak etc. The encroachment on their higher territory has some how forced them down into civilization or some such. In the eighties and nineties I ran marathon distances on these trails without a thought. I never saw much in the way of larger animals nor saw tracks.

Now I hear and see coyotes right out my front door at night and we have had at least one mountain lion run from the front yard through to the back and up the hill so I am not dreaming it up. Big deer all the time, one bear and falcons taking rabbits right out of the yard. I have seen all this from the couch.

I once asked a gun expert co worker (he used to work on the tech end of a fire arms company). . . I says will a hand gun stop a mountain lion ? He said if you can hit it. Then I start trying to imagine carrying a large enough caliber to really do that and I gave up. Just too much to carry for real running. And how ridiculous would that look ? Forty four in a holster on my back like a back pack. then . . . get this . . . THE CHEF told me today the latest thing is local thugs mugging people in the parking lot of the park I am talking about at gun point stealing iPads etc from them. Maybe it isn't the mountain lions I need to worry about.

The thread some time back about the cyclist traveling old battle fields in Europe who semi accidentally speared the dog got me thinking about carrying a spear like longish stout thing. Against eight experienced hunters though . . . that would make for a busy few minutes.

I have chased lone aggressive dogs all the way back to their yards and around their yard. I chased one that kept f'ing with me all the way back to it's apartment building and up three flights of stairs till it wanted to turn it's self inside out to get away from me at the top.

Eight though . . . brother . . . that's a problem.
Bingo !
What about a flame thrower ?
Mini flame thrower
like a really little, portable, made for runners flame thrower.
Invent it and you'll be rich. And popular with the locals.
 
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Sosa,
Nice one !
And if questioned by the authorities he can just claim to be a helpful, always prepared, kind of guy.
 
I lived in a country with wild packs of dogs. Constant news stories about people being eaten, especially in the capital (supposedly over a million feral dogs in a country the size of Tennesee).

It was Bulgaria in 95-96.
I saw a man get mauled by about 10 dogs right across the street from the capital building. Broad daylight, with hundreds of people arround.

Many street dogs are familiar with the action of bending over to pick up rocks to throw.

I was confronted by a pack of snarling dogs, some fighting breeds, a d I bent down on the trail and picked up a few rocks. They backed off. And I acted ready to throw as I eased past. It was serious pucker factor!
 
Bigfattyt said:
Many street dogs are familiar with the action of bending over to pick up rocks to throw.

I was confronted by a pack of snarling dogs, some fighting breeds, a d I bent down on the trail and picked up a few rocks. They backed off. And I acted ready to throw as I eased past. It was serious pucker factor!
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A good post above. A sling shot maybe?
 
The smallest Cold Steel Sjambok you can find, 42" current production but they used to sell smaller sizes. You can back most dogs down by smashing the pavement in front of them. I have used one (but not on eight dogs). Very light, very fast, hurts like hell.

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We used to see these in newsreels from South Africa, back in the bad old apartheid days. Here, Cape Town police with sjamboks attack marchers in the Pollsmoor Prison march, 28 August 1985.

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http://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/29/world/cape-town-police-battle-thousands-trying-to-march.html

Very bad historical connotations, but it is only a tool and tools have no politics.
 
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It's in Jordan, the locals here never seen to be bothered, until lats night. This is a new pack for sure, 3 other people were chased. All kidding aside, I'd never be able to get my hands on a flash bang or cs canister or anything like that. Tight accountability in those. The treadmill sounds like the best option for now unless I get one or two more people to start running with me. The police baton... I'd be cracking mut skulls :thumbup:
 
How about a collapsable hiking staff I see those at wall mart all the time. Light to carry but pop out like a baton and should give you enough length to get a good smack on.
 
What about a taser? I'm guessing no on that though.

Honestly you could make your own dog spray. What chemicals can you get your hands on? You could go X part vodka X part water X part cayenne peppers grounded up. Maybe some bleach or ammonia even, just don't mix those together. Anothing you can imagine that would kill your eyes would work on a dog. Mix something up and put it in a spray bottle or water gun.

That's a last ditch effort kind of thing though, because it could piss them off more and make things worse... I don't know.

Any type of club or baton would be comforting

Definitely a knife

How about a sling shot? You'd have to get pretty good with it first though and again it could piss them off more..
 
Chain. This has been my go-to for years. Practice with it so you know how to redirect after impacts and deal with rebounds. I know it isn't a jet pack or a 50 cal, but it works. Or to be more precise, it CAN work.

You can use a length of chain from the hardware store or pick up a choker from your local pet or S&M store.
 
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