What to do when a dog bites you?

[golok]

I have seen TV documentaries that show dogs attacking people.

So the question is: What do you do when a dog sinks his fangs on your leg?

What does a person has to do to ensure the least physical damage to himself? And maybe even the dog?

It's quite hard to calm down when you are in pain and bleeding, and that darn dog refuses to let go.

I once had a friend who was attacked by three dogs at once. He still bares the scars of that horrific encounter with the canine brigade.

 

[flava]

There are no definite rules. It depends on how bad the dog wants your a$$. If the dog just tries to "make a point" about who's the boss arround there, you might get out cheap with a "light" bite. If the dog has it in for you badly, he won't let go easily. A few things that came to my mind and could help in such a situation. Please note these are subjective personal opinions, don't take them as granted.

1. Try to stay up, if the dog get's you down it will get uglier.
2. Don't forget that the dog has only one mouth, you have that plus two hands and two legs, maybe a knife, maybe more. Fight your way out.
3. Dogs don't feel pain the way we do. You can kick a dog untill your leg hurts and he won't mind that much. If a male dog bites you and doesn't let go, grab him by the nuts He'll let go but might get on you again.
4. If you can get a GOOD grab behind the neck he won't be able to get his mouth on you unless it's one of those breeds with very loose skin. Once you get him in your power put him down and don't let go for a while (until he stops grawling and starts to "cry" for instance). This is when you proved stronger.
5. When you get bitten it takes some time to get yourself together because it hurts like hell. This is when you are most likely to fall down.

 

[FEATHERSTONE]

The most sensitive part on a dogs body is there nose,rip at that sucker and theyll let go.but probably come back,flava is right about kickin the dog,if it were me id go with the nose and eyes

 

[frank k]

This is not an easy question, since what works with one dog may get you killed with another.
With a fear biter or bully, you can often chase them away by yelling, throwing something at him (like your keys), staring him down, or evan chasing him a bit exct.
With a harder dog the above will get you mauled badly. In this case it is best to stand still, don't make eye contact or turn away, just stare at the ground. Keep your hands in your pockets or tucked under your arms. Speak softly or not at all. When you feel it is safe, slowly back away.
If the dog is intent on biting, and nothing else is avalible, give him your weak arm (not your hand), lift him off his feet and choke him out (this takes more time and strength than with a person), keep hold of his neck/collar in case he tries to spit out your arm and go for your face or neck. If he gets you in the leg don't pull away, instead push your leg further in his jaws, while pulling forward on his collar with both hands (be ready to lift him and choke him out), if someone is there to help, have them lift his rear legs. If you have an impact weapon, club him accross his head.
Don't let the dog get you on the ground (if he dose protect your ears with your hands).

 

[Leanwolf]

There are many places in the United States (don't know so much about other countries), where feral dogs are a real problem. Then, too, there are the usual local oppsie poopsie pettsies that are not on leashes, and their irresponsible owners allow them to run loose and sometimes tear people to ribbons.

That being the case, plus having seen the results of dog attacks more than once, and considering I've been bitten once years ago by a "nice" Doberman (nine stiches and a scar to this day), and considering the fact that I carry a Colt's .45ACP Lightweight Commander, I'll deal with an attacking dog with some 230 gr. HydraShoks.

That's just my solution: I am not saying it'd work for anyone else.

L.W.

 

[condahaw]

Amen to that. It seems every morning when I read the paper there is yet another account of a child killed or maimed by dogs. For dogs like that the only good dog is a dead dog. I have two dogs (Labs)myself and three kids and the issue of vicious dogs - feral or not, is one of great importance to me. There are a lot of irresponsible dog owners out there and if one of their dogs attacks me or mine and I'm still around to take care of business afterwards (if I haven't already) then my duty is clear.

I have considered this problem for years and there is no clear solution. A vicious dog is an opponent I hope none of us has to face. If I could carry a pistol all the time, well that would help, I guess my blades will have to do in the meantime.

Respectfully submitted...

 

[psy-ops]

If by chance a wild dog took a deep bite into me I would kill it, without thinking twice. In a court you would have the bite marks to prove that it was potentially life threatening.

I don't think I would even get bit. maybe snapped at while playing. but I don't let strange dogs within 5 ft of me.

today I was riding my bike and I saw an akita-husky type wandering looking lost or for food. it had a collar but it looked pretty ragged. I instinctively put my hand on my spydie and rode the bike one handed until I was out of range.


martial arts isn't only to defend yourself against men. other than a highly trained attack dog, I feel relatively comfortable defending myself against any dog.

 

[mnblade]

Not that this is in any way relevant to dealing with feral or vicious dogs .... but I thought I'd relate a funny story about an encounter I had with a large, and quite territorial lab.

I was in a small town in the northern part of the Czech Republic, just walking around the village, exploring. Well, I was walking through a field near a school - a field that, apparently this lab took to be HERS! Just strolling and minding my own business I heard her barking and growling like crazy and running right at me. It all happened so fast that I didn't have time to think, other than, "I'm about to get chomped!" On whim, and remembering the "sit" lesson from the obediance school we'd taken our dog to, I held my fist out in front of me about waist high as if holding a treat. Just as the dog came close, I raised my fist up as high as my face and yelled "Sit!" in Czech. Lucky for me, she was a darn good student (and could understand my lousy pronunciation) and she plopped her butt right down, looking at me all the while with an expression that said "Hey! That was dirty trick!"

After she sat, I let her smell my hand and told her what a good dog she was, etc. and we became good buddies.

Again, not a trick I'd rely on with an angry rottie or doberman.

 

[Ric24581]

Last week I responded to cover an officer on a call where a 15yr old girl was being attacked by a pit bull.

The dog had dragged the girl down the street, but when the primary officer and EMS arrived (before me) the dog was gone. As they treated her and loaded her into the ambulance, the dog returned.

I arrived to find a huge crowd of people in the yards and sidewalk, an ambulance crew trying to load the girl up in the middle of the chaos, and a scene right out of the movie Gladiator in the middle of the street. Here is what occurred prior to my arrival...

When the dog returned he had tried to attack a person getting out of his car. The large number of people in all directions made the use of a handgun very dangerous. The officer deployed his Asp baton while the firefighters armed themselves with whatever they could...one with a fire extinguisher, one with a pry bar, and one with a long "gaffing hook" used to pull down loose debris during a fire. They got the dog's attention away from the driver of the car, and quickly found themselves the target of his attack.

When I rounded the corner the street was filled with CO2 "smoke" as the extinguisher-armed firefighter tried to ward off the attacking dog. It was having little to no effect. As each person struck the dog, he turned his attention to the new attacker and went after him. The street filled with smoke, with men wielding a variety of weapons, a crazy dog in full attack mode, an ambulance crew scrambling to load their patient, and a crowd of screaming spectators, made for quite a scene when I pulled up!

I had an instant to choose between 2 weapons that I could add to the mix that was already there...a 12 gauge beanbag shotgun and an AR15 rifle. With the large number of people in all directions, I felt my best chance of getting the "safest" shot was with the beanbag gun.

As I ran up, the extinguisher went empty. The dog was trying to eat the nozzle. I found the clearest backdrop I could find, took the sharpest angle downward I could, and shot the dog in the ribs (immediately followed by screams of people who were horrified...believing I'd just killed the dog with a shotgun). The dog yelped, jumped back, and immediately went after the firefighter with the pry bar. I fired again as the dog jumped, missing low. I immediately fired again and struck the dog on the left shoulder. The dog spun away and began limping down the sidewalk.

I stayed in the street and followed alongside the dog looking for a cleaner shot...ready to switch to my handgun if I could get a good backdrop. The dog was clearly hurting and trying to get away, but after a short distance he just stopped and looked at me. It looked to me like I'd "broken" him, so I yelled "SIT!!"...and he obeyed the command. I followed up with "DOWN!!" and he slowly laid down. I yelled "STAY!!" followed with "GOOD BOY! goood boy!" and covered him with the bag gun until animal control arrived. He was captured easily and had a look on his face that was like "save me from the mean men!!".

Humor aside, it took a tremendous impact (point blank 330fps lead shot filled canvas bag...twice) to overcome the dog's desire to bite. When he was limping away he looked like he got the wind knocked out of him. A full blast from a fire extinguisher just made him more aggressive. Strikes from a pry bar and an Asp didn't phase him at all. I doubt OC would have made a difference once he was attacking, and it never got used because of how close everyone was and how dangerous a spray of OC could be to someone trying to defend himself from the dog. The primary officer said his last plan as I arrived was to try to get the dog to bite the Asp and try to shoot him in the head with as much downward angle as he could get...and he was very very worried about it.

Using a handgun would have been extremely dangerous. My missed beanbag round tore on impact with the street and peppered an occupied vehicle downrange with #8 birdshot (minimal damage). If it had been a handgun round it could have been *much* worse.

Since everyone made it ok, there was quite a bit of joking afterward about the "Gladiator" approach to fighting the dog.

I responded to a dog attack last summer where a pit bull had bitten the owner's nephew. A single bite, just above the ankle, broke the 12yr old's leg and the wound was gushing with blood. It was completely crushed.

 

[allenC]

Well, this is what I was taught in the Army:

Use you rifle or your fixed-bayonet.

If that's not an option, find a medium length sturdy stick and get your back against a tree.

Unarmed: Crouch down with your left forearm (if you're right handed) out in front of your face.
Let the dog bite into your left forearm, but just as he strikes, wrap your right arm around the back of the dog's neck.
Next, you shove your left forearm away (farther into the dog's jaws) and upward, while at the same time you pull your right forearm downward and toward your chest.
You have to do this with all of your might and do it fast. And push forward with your legs hard to generate power.
This should break the dog's neck and/or jaw.
Thank God I never had to find out if this really works, but our trainers assured us that it had been proven effective.

If there is more than one dog, find a tree or find water real quick.
Water is best (lake, pond, stream, river, ocean, swimming pool) because you can drown the dogs rather easily. Apparently, dogs have a hard time fighting and treading water at the same time.
I've never fought a dog in the water but I have seen a raccoon fight off four hounds successfully while on a rock in a river.

Good luck,
Allen.

 

[coyotlviejo]

We have feral dog problems around here from people dumping their unwanted animals in the woods to fend for themselves. Other than cougars, when I'm in the woods I mostly fear other people and feral dogs. While not a direct answer to the question, I thought that I'd mention that in many remote areas around her the unsaid understanding is that feral dogs get shot on sight.

And when I was a boy growing up in the Siskiyou Mountains I was also taught that any dog that attacked livestock was to be killed on sight.

In direct answer, I think I'd cut its throat - at least if it was going crazy on me. It seems like that would bring it to an end quickly. Of course, if it's an ankle biter just kick if off and keep a-walkin'.

Take it for what it's worth...