|
| Author |
Message |
paulz
Member
|
# Posted: 12 Dec 2021 09:58am
Reply
Anyone used these sprays? Last night while walking our little dog in the city we met up with a vicious 100lb. Rottweiler, being walked by a 90lb. woman. It was all she could do to keep the thing from attacking. I normally don't get too excited but this one had my heart pumping.
I have carried those little pocket sized pepper sprays, even used it once on another dog and it did work, but only after the dog was upon us. I'd like a bit more of a safety zone.
They sell a dog repellent, Halt, in a 1.5 oz. spray can, supposed to shoot 12ft. Uses capsaicin, which sounds like pepper spray. Anyone used it? What about bear repellent, what is that?
Yes, I could carry a cane or a club, a taser or a pistol. Like to stop it before it comes to that.
|
|
NorthRick
Member
|
# Posted: 12 Dec 2021 01:05pm
Reply
Bear spray is capsaicin. It supposedly has a 30 ft range. In the summer my wife carries a can of bear spray whenever we are wondering the wilds of Alaska. A 12 gauge shotgun is my constant companion in summer time Alaska.
Neither of us have had to pull the trigger so I can't comment on real world effectiveness. However, if I was you I'd carry a can of bear spray. If you are looking to deter an aggressive dog without being lethal, seems like the way to go.
|
|
Alaskajohn
Member
|
# Posted: 12 Dec 2021 01:15pm
Reply
I think the bear spray would work well if you want stand off distance. It would deliver quite a bit of deterrence for on a dog. In the situation as described in the OP, the 90lbs woman would get a good whiff of the spray as well unless the dog was at the end of a long leash.
|
|
paulz
Member
|
# Posted: 12 Dec 2021 04:02pm
Reply
Bear spray sounds good. Been shopping a little online, about $70 for a two pack.
I read that dog ownership has taken a real uptick since Covid, with folks spending time at home and traveling less.
|
|
gcrank1
Member
|
# Posted: 12 Dec 2021 04:17pm
Reply
Tough question
Will a person sprayed lose control of the dog?
Will you be liable for whatever happens after that?
What about you being charged with assault? You know they will say they had their dog under control.
I often carry a walking stick or substantial cane, poke, jab, thrust and wack is still effective.
|
|
paulz
Member
|
# Posted: 13 Dec 2021 09:43am - Edited by: paulz
Reply
Good point, bear spray may be overkill in an urban situation. OTOH the more necessary aim with the dog spray may be hit and miss in a panic. The bear spray is more of a no miss.
Some good reading here:
https://www.explore-mag.com/Gear-Review-The-Differences-Between-Bear-Spray-vs-Dog-Coy ote-Spray
Dog spray and bear spray are staple gear items for many adventurers, but what’s the difference between the two?
Carrying dog spray or bear spray gives you the confidence to adventure farther and explore more. It’s important to know how and when to use each.
I asked David Nance, CEO of SABRE Security Equipment Corporation, everything you need to know about bear spray and dog/coyote spray.
Q: What is the main difference between SABRE’s dog coyote spray and the bear spray?
A: Size of the canister and range. Bear spray is 225 grams in Canada, which releases a seven-second spray similar to a fire extinguisher with a range of 9 to 10.5 metres. It’s a heavy fog with a 2.4-metre diameter. Dog spray is 22 grams, which releases in a 10-second thin stream. It has a range of three to 3.5 metres.
When a bear is coming at you, their head is moving up and down. With a firearm, accuracy can be a challenge. Bear spray is more effective at deterring a charging bear because it’s easier to hit them.
Dog spray is often used because you’re protecting your dog from an attacking dog or coyote. You don’t want to spray your own dog—only deter the aggressive dog.
Q: What do you do after you spray a bear?
A: After you spray a bear, slowly back away—don’t run. Regain your composure and then walk the opposite way.
Bear spray is psychologically incapacitating, but it's not the same as throwing a net around it. The bear's vision is taken away, but that doesn't stop the animal from charging. The best thing you want to do after spraying is to think of it like a train still coming at you... step to the side!
Both dog spray and bear spray do not leave permanent injuries to the animals. The dog will be okay; the bear will recover. It’s meant to give you time to back away slowly or get yourself and your dog away during an attack.
Q: What are the ingredients and how does it work?
A: The active ingredient is the same, but bear spray is twice the strength. There is one per cent major capsaicinoids in dog attack sprays and two per cent in bear attack sprays. Each has the maximum strength allowed by the EPA and are Health Canada certified, so you know it’s an effective and humane product.
Psychological effects that can occur are fear, anxiety and panic because the animal doesn't know what is happening. Physiologically, it makes them close their eyes because they are dry and trying to produce natural tears. It also causes a loss of breath sensation. They may sneeze and cough, which is distracting, and ultimately it does cause some pain in the eyes and nose, causing them to leave.
The effects will be similar on coyotes, moose or cougars.
Q: Who should carry dog spray?
A: Anyone with a dog, especially someone who walks in urban areas with lots of other dogs, and cyclers or runners. Dogs are like bears—they love to chase after people on bikes or people who are running. It’s in their DNA.
Aggressive dogs off-leash are a problem. Some dogs are trained to attack. One of the sweetest dogs out there is a Pitbull, but there are owner issues with the way they are trained.
Dog owners are dog lovers, so they don’t really want to inflict pain on the attacking dog, which is great, but when that attacking dog starts to get a hold of your dog, then everything changes. You could get hurt or your dog could get hurt. With dog spray, in 15 minutes, the attacking dog will go back to normal—so everyone will be okay.
Q: What possible effect could dog spray have on humans if used incorrectly?
A: Believe it or not, human pepper spray is stronger. There isn’t a government agency that regulates the strength of personal spray in the USA, where it can be carried. [Pepper spray is illegal to carry in Canada.]
If you were to spray a human with a dog spray, the effects would be similar. They might get more of a burning sensation to their facial area because they’re not protected by fur. However, if they have any sort of medical issues, they should get help if they experience any significant effects, such as breathing not being restored or pain not going away. In that case, seek medical help.
Q: What are some common mistakes people make when using dog spray or bear spray?
A: People often think you should extend your arms at a 90-degree-angle and spray, but you can actually spray over the bear’s head. You want to aim slightly downwards, more at a 45-degree-angle, because the bear will be moving closer to the ground.
Don’t wait until the bear gets too close—when it’s 10 metres away, you should be spraying. The best-case scenario is if you don’t have to use the spray at all: talk to the bear calmly and back away slowly. But distance is your friend if you have to use the spray.
With dog spray, aim for the eyes (ear to ear). This will take away the dog’s vision temporarily, granting the opportunity for you and your dog to escape.
|
|
NorthRick
Member
|
# Posted: 13 Dec 2021 01:44pm
Reply
Quoting: gcrank1 Tough question Will a person sprayed lose control of the dog? Will you be liable for whatever happens after that? What about you being charged with assault? You know they will say they had their dog under control. I often carry a walking stick or substantial cane, poke, jab, thrust and wack is still effective.
If you are spraying the person's dog because it is attacking yours, they've already lost control of their dog. I wouldn't hesitate to unload a can of bear spray on a dog attacking mine. If the owner gets caught in the cross fire, oh well.
However, keep in mind, if the wind is blowing toward you, you can get caught in your own spray cloud.
|
|
paulz
Member
|
# Posted: 13 Dec 2021 02:08pm
Reply
I bought two pack of these, one for the cabin, supposed to be the best. Yeah last time I had to use the pepper spray the owner was 50 yards away yelling at her dog. But the little pepper spray only went a few feet, the dog was already at us. Did work though, it stopped and started rubbing it's paw over it's face.
I don't intend to use it unless the dog is off leash and an attack is immanent. Maybe I'll start carrying a stick too for hand to dog combat. But this dog the other day was big, strong and had a fierce bark, I wouldn't of wanted any part of fighting it off. Did go through my mind later though, try to grab the collar or just kick like hell at it, or throw my dog and myself on the roof of a nearby car?
|
|
|
gcrank1
Member
|
# Posted: 13 Dec 2021 02:50pm
Reply
Rick, we had more than one occasion where the other dog aggressively pulled their 'owner' over to us with our 67# male Husky, both on leash. We were trying to back off but in the open.... I was thinking that at least that dog was on a leash and maybe the owner would be some restraint. If I had spray and cut loose, the clould enveloping the dog and owner, would it suddenly be a totally loose dog? Then what?
I will admit that my first inclinations are to stand my ground and defend our 'family', other dog and owner to suffer the consequences....but a reasonable man must do reasonable things or it can get ugly in court.
Then there is the flip side where it is going too far and time to go total Alpha, kick butts and bang heads!
|
|
Brettny
Member
|
# Posted: 13 Dec 2021 03:00pm
Reply
My father use to get chaised by dogs riding his bike so often he would carry dog spray. He used it once and it worked. After that time though he would dismount and run after the dog pushing the bike. The best defence is a good offence. I have also used this tactic before with a charging dog. It worked well.
|
|
|
