Rottweiler Near-Miss

Hi Matt,

It depends on who is kicking me in the nutts,If someone who is wearing steel toe boots like I was, kicked me in the nutts a couple of times as hard as he could I highly doubt I would have the same fight left in me,as my nutts would have been splatterd inside my pants.

As for gouging the eyes,he was shakeing me like a rag doll,I used my thumb and jammed it in his eye but that didnt work,Punched him about 20-30 times right in the face kicked him in the chest and ribs,all that happend was a swollen punching hand,I grabbed his nose and tried to rip off

My dog worked him real good,needless to say that dog no longer walks this earth.........I did find this out,when being eaten one doesnt have time to think,you just react in any defense manner your body is allowed.It wasnt like fighting another man,which ive been in a few dozen times,this was way different,I still have problems with my hand to this day.

Its just a strange feeling being in that situation,its hard to explain.
 
Yes,It is true there are some real psycho dogs that will not relent in an attack until dead.People should be aware of the devastation these animals can cause.I think the outcome depends alot on the persons determination more than what weapon that is being carried.You may laugh at a 4 inch folder,but if it was effective enough for a man to kill a Grizzly bear(slightly larger than a Mastiff,Rottie) with,It is more than ample in my determined hands.All I have to say is,I would really hate to be the nasty, stray dog that gets to experience the release of all my pent up anger,frustrations,with my 4 inch folder or walking stick
:)
 
Featherstone,

I understand what you mean by "strange feeling". Some kind of a "no-fear" state where you just understand that "this is happening" and you react any way you can.

It's "all out". Do or die.

Your hand must have been seriously damaged... broken bones and teared ligaments... I guess.

That's the kind of story that makes me quite mad. Some people are just totally stupid believing their "big puppies" will never hurt anyone.

Some dogs, for any reason, just get pissed off and attack people.

I was feeding one of my friend's Rott while they were on vacation. She was being friendly with me the first day. The second day, when I came in their appartment, I didn't see the dog. I went to give him water and some food, and then I heard the growling... The 100 pounds female Rott was between me and the door, and she was apparently not happy about me being there. I don't know why.

She did not attack me, but it took me something like 15 minutes of "negociations" before I could leave the appartment... Probably among the longest 15 minutes of my life...

Some hints from my Bull Mastiff buddy, to deal with aggressive dogs:

1 - Barking is a way to warn the pack about your presence. (Defcon 4)

2 - Growling is a way to warn YOU about THEIR presence... (Defcon 3)

3 - Showing teeth, raising hairs, etc, are not a positive sign... (Defcon 2)

4 - As long as the dog does not attack, you can sometimes de-escalate the situation (or at least not make it worse):

- don't look at the dog in the eyes (look at the legs/chest, so you can see the dog moving, though)
- no not face him square
- do not move forward
- do not show your teeth (smile, etc.)

Back off slowly, putting your body 45 degrees from the dog (with your weaker hand in front). If you're a right hander, turn your body sideways to the right, so you expose your left hand. The dog -- if it charges -- will most likely snap that hand/forerarm and shake it/try to take it off. That'll hurt like hell, but least you'll have your good hand most probably uninjured and you will be able to use it to defend yourself.

You better give the dog your forearm to chew on rather than your hand. Hands are made of complex, tiny pieces of mechanics that are very precise and hard to repair. Forearms injuries are easier to deal with, medically speaking. It's like repairing an hydraulic lift as opposed to fixing a swiss watch... Most attack dogs are trained to grab the forearms anyways.

Cheers,

David
 
Ok, question to all:

You are attacked by a *determined* dog (as described above). Nowhere to run to, noone there to help. The only thing you have is a knife.
My suggestion would be to take the military knife fighting stance so you can 'feed' the dog your weak-side arm (form a fist so you don't lose your fingers and by all means don't fall to the ground).

1. Primary target for the knife would be the dogs neck. Stabbing/slashing the neck should kill a dog rather quickly, considered all the vital stuff that runs through the neck (nerves, big arteria, veins, etc.).

2. Another good target with immediate impact would be the lungs, but I'm not sure whether they are easy to puncture. Someone with knowledge in dog anatomy around? :)

Any other suggestions?

-Connor
 
Well, back to my situation with the 3.5 inch SERE 2000. What I was calculating at the time was if he clamped down on my left forearm, I would then have a real good hold on him (by the mouth). I could use it to raise his head up and drive the knife vertically (point up) into the underside of his neck (many times).

I have seen some home video footage of these kinds of dog attacks on television. Rottweilers and pit bulls don't seem to bite, bite, bite a person. They tend to get a good clamp on somewhere and hang on for dear life. Usually jerking their head from side to side like they are trying to tear a chunk loose. They will do this for minutes.

I saw a video of a guy doing what I described with a pit bull which he was easily able to lift right off the ground. What did the dog do? Hang on in the air and shake his head from side to side. He never let go. This may be painful, but it's like a boxer tying up both hands for the dog. It would give you a wide open shot with a blade in your other hand.
 
These all sound like good suggestions to me (especially the dog behavior tips). Why not carry all 3 tools, it's not hard. A knife (fixed or folder; whatever you are comfortable carrying) ready to deploy quickly, a can of pepper spray (i think this is better than the bleach/ammonia idea as this is purpose made for this kinda stuff and not conncocted of permanently disabling harsh chemicals; may save some headaches legally later[not saying bleach wouldn't be as effective or more so]), and a long walking stick. The stick not only can be used like a bat to strike, but also as a spear to jab and keep a greater distance between you and 50 or so teeth. With all 3 tools you have different options and ranges to work with. Ofcourse, dont forget a cell phone too!
 
In my situation if I had a knife it would have been hard to slice his throat as he was trying to pull me to the ground,if I would have had a blade on me I would have stabbed him right on the side of the neck,it would have been hard as there was so much shakeing and pulling towards the ground I probably would have stabbed myself LOL..

Moine,

You are right,the only thing I was thinking was this Bastard is trying to pull me down to the ground to get me at my weakest point and kill me,there was NO WAY I was going to the ground,screw that.

I think a ATC hawk would be a good choice,hell any tool would have been good rather then my fist LOL.
 
hey guys... it's me with the soapy waterbottle...

Featherstone45, your last statement jarred an old memory...

Years ago, and I can't find a reference to back it up, I spoke with an MP at Quantico Marine Base when I was on the old highschool rifle team. He was a K9 handler, and as I'd had shepherds growing up, we got to talking. According to him, most trained attack dogs learn to deal with humans in an upright position - he claims the fastest way to screw up a dog's attack is to turn the body slightly and drop to your knees. This puts you on the dogs level and it's one thing dog's don't relate to humans.. He claimed this breaks the dog's attack mode due to the percieved physical change now before him: in that moment of confusion, a counter-attack will usually be sucessful... painful, but openings occur that a standing human wouldn't be able to face. Yeah, kinda scary as your throat is now on his level... but now you have a chance to react first...

No, I won't do any testing on this, but it is something to think and ask about... FWIW...
 
Originally posted by featherstone45
In my situation if I had a knife it would have been hard to slice his throat as he was trying to pull me to the ground,if I would have had a blade on me I would have stabbed him right on the side of the neck,it would have been hard as there was so much shakeing and pulling towards the ground I probably would have stabbed myself LOL../B]
Click to expand...

Featherstone, was the dog backing up and taking you with him as he jerked from side to side? Or was he just jerking from side to side so violently that you were falling down? Or was he pulling down toward the ground and jerking from side to side? (I assume from what you are describing that he was making you fall forward)
 
Minuteman,

Correct he was shaking from side to side while pulling down,his hind legs were close to the ground as he was using his weight to pull me down,he would pull back using his weight and kinda bounce like he was tugging,then he would shake...Sorry if thats confusing,its hard tpo explain on a computer.
 
Originally posted by featherstone45
Moine,

You are right,the only thing I was thinking was this Bastard is trying to pull me down to the ground to get me at my weakest point and kill me,there was NO WAY I was going to the ground,screw that.
Click to expand...

Yup. You've reacted like you had to. Unfortunately, many people just fall into some kind of shock in such situations and freeze. These people get killed. You survived.

I'm glad you came out alive, and I hope your hand is still usable...

Cheers,

David
 
Originally posted by featherstone45
Correct he was shaking from side to side while pulling down,his hind legs were close to the ground as he was using his weight to pull me down,he would pull back using his weight and kinda bounce like he was tugging,then he would shake...Sorry if thats confusing,its hard tpo explain on a computer.
Click to expand...
No, actually I think I've got the picture. What you've described sounds exactly like what I saw in the home videos. Even the little pit bulls seem to use the same method -- even though you can lift them right up off the ground. Pit bulls and Rottweilers appear to be designed and programmed in about the same way, just built to a little different scale.

This is good information to know, though. Sorry you had to learn it the hard way! It seems important to find a way to stay on your feet in a situation like this, since being on the ground gives them many more valuable targets to go for. Any advice in retrospect on staying on your feet? Or on avoiding the initial lunge and clamp down altogether. Dogs don't really seem to move that fast. I think they mostly count on intimidating their opponents (animal or human) into slowing down or locking up under stress and on the fact that you never know what they're about to do next.
 
Connor-

It's always been my first thought to FEED the dog my weak arm. I figure if it's got hold of that it's not gonna get hold of anything more delicate like my groin or face.

If I had a long blade, say 6" or more I'd put the blade under the rm in the dog's mouth and bring it back across slicing it's throat. If that didn't work then I'd saw back and forth until it did.

If the blade was less than 6" I'd stab the dog in the neck, aiming for the throat through towards the spine. I guess you'd have to be really lucky to get the spinal cord, but it'd be worth it.

Fortunately I've never been attacked by a dog, however I did have a close call at one point with a large German Shepard jumping up to bite me face and neck, it never fully attacked though, I think it was a bit scared.

Matt
 
me again... Featherstone is actually describing the same motion all dogs do when the bite and pull... had a german short-hair pointer - he'd grab one end of something, I'd grab the other and we'd play tug of war.. He'd actually hold on, shaking his head from side to side and I could actually lift him off the ground. Of course, he was just "playing" which isn't necessarily what a dog attacking is doing... But, if you play with a dog like this, the quickest way to get him to let go was to blow into his nose... dogs can't seperate breathing from mouth to nose the way we can...

Will that help when you're in the position Featherstone described...I don't know... haven't been there...
 
I witnessed 2 Rotties go after a jogger in a public park in Denver. Dogs had escaped their yard and went hunting. They found a poor guy jogging down the bike path and each grabbed an arm, trying to tear him in two.

I was fresh out of the shower in the AM and heard a cry from the bike path- "Help!Help!". Looking outside, I saw these 2 Rotties pulling the man apart. Before I could get my shirt on and shotgun out, the dogs had been spooked by a passing car...who picked up the jogger and transported him to safety.

Called the Denver. They said "So what. Call Animal Control".
 
Hey Guys,

My hand works fine,it just tightens up sometimes and hurts like hell when its cold,but then so does the hole body LOL.

I tell ya I never thought it would feel the way it did,It felt like someone smashed my hand with a hammer,I guess it was all that pressure,I just hope none of you have to face that crap like I did,Im just glad my dog got out to rip that bastard up,As soon as my dog grabbed him he let go,I got back and wrapped my hand with my shirt,I didnt even want to look at it but we all know how that is we all neeed to peek,when I saw that hole and what the inside if my hand looked like:eek: It wasnt pretty LOL.
 
Originally posted by StuU
I was fresh out of the shower in the AM and heard a cry from the bike path- "Help!Help!". Looking outside, I saw these 2 Rotties pulling the man apart. Before I could get my shirt on and shotgun out, the dogs had been spooked by a passing car...who picked up the jogger and transported him to safety.
Click to expand...

Thank God some people still care about other people in this stupid world :rolleyes:

Just last week I was jogging in the woods and a dog (medium-small sized hunting-type bastard) sneaked behind me and tried to snap my right calve. I heard it coming, so I could evade the teeth (it was close, though). Running people seem to stimulate some kind of a "chase the prey" attitude within them. I don't know.

The owner of the dog called it back just in time. Good thing his dog had been well educated, and he was paying attention. He apologized... I thanked him. He's a responsible owner.

Cheers,

David
 
Once, many years ago, I was hunting with a friend on an old man's land who only allowed my friend (and his guests) on his property. The guy lived kind of like a hermit in a ramshackle old farmhouse where he had about a dozen or so dogs he took care of. These were good sized, mostly mixed-up labs and hounds and bird dog breeds.

When we met him at the house, the dogs were all lounging around, walking up for pets on the head, etc. No barking or chasing or anything of the kind. After we spoke to him, we headed back into the woods where we ended up meeting the dogs again several hours later while they were on "patrol".

Needless to say there was quite a transformation! The dogs encircled us and began barking, growling, and showing teeth. As the dogs to the front put on a big intimidating show, the dogs behind would quietly slink up close for an attack. If you turned around to face them, they would back away and trade jobs with the other dogs who were now behind you. Round and round we went with the dogs that were behind trying no sneak in for a bite.

I assume that this behavior, with this many dogs, was actually "hunting" behavior rather than "protective" behavior. I believe that in this case we were actually prey. I certainly felt like prey. I've never experienced that before or since, but it is very eerie indeed to feel yourself slipping down the food chain!

We didn't want to shoot any dogs as that would have ended our hunting on the old man's land. We finally shouldered shotguns and stood back to back and started moving down the trail. Standing still was not helping our case and had only fueled the confrontation. When we started moving, we obviously had to close on some of the dogs on one side of the circle, but they yielded and let us pass. It seemed like either the shotguns, or our attitude mounting them, told them that they needed to stand down on this one. Very creepy situation.
 
Minuteman,

That sure must have felt weird.

Dogs are pack hunters... They really are good at it too. My two dogs are hunting together very well. When they find a rabbit hole, for example, one of them is barking to fright the rabbit out of it's hole, while the other one stands at the exit waiting for it.

Over here, there are packs of wild dogs. Man do I hate these bastards... They're mostly abandoned/lost hunting dogs. They roam in the mountains and forests. Only the meanest and biggest survive, and they behave just like packs of wolves... but they're not afraid of humans like wolves are. They eat small deer, sheep, goats, etc. They also attack people from time to time. They just don't care, they want to eat anything they can kill.

I've seen them from pretty close once or twice. Whenever I can, I shoot rocks or bearing at them with a good slingshot. I want them to associate my smell with intense pain. Until now, they fled everytime, but I guess one day I'll have to face them for real. That's not a happy thought.

In the mean time, I practice emergency tree climbing -- LOL

Cheers,

David
 
An old guy in our neiborhood used to carry a golf club. A putter I think. Better than nothing, and it don't scare people. A ball pien hammer is another deadly weapon that doesn't arouse fear in the general population.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top