Blood Thirsty Pack of Dogs

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If you can comfortably fire a J-frame 38, then a 9mm should be within your abilities assuming you have enough hand strength to operate the slide and other controls.

There are a number of quality, relatively high-capacity but still small enough for carry 9mm autos. Glock 26, S&W M&P Compact, Ruger SR9c come to mind.

If you live in the area where that pack of dogs is reported and are out and about in places where they might be a threat, then a higher capacity handgun seems likea prudent idea. The bear/pepper spray idea couldn't hurt either, and would give you a choice of options depending on the situation.
 
If you dont or wont practice shooting at smaller, fast moving multiple targets, the bear spray might be the better choice. Only thing I worry about there is, one wrong shift of the wind, and/or you not paying attention, and you might be helping the dogs.

I agree with the high cap pistol, and would suggest you get accustomed to shooting multiple times on multiple targets, quickly. The first round may break the contact, but if it doesnt, you'd better be on top of your game. Keep in mind too, animals usually dont watch TV and arent influenced by what they watch. Just because you shoot them, doesnt mean it will stop them, unless you hit the kill switch right off.
 
For a pack of blood-thirsty dogs, nothing beats a 12 gauge. If I were disabled and lived in an area where wild dogs are a problem, I would consider carrying a registered Saiga SBS. FWIW, I have caught a pack of dogs run on the back side of some rural property I own in NE Georgia. They didn't bother me, but it sure made me think.
 
I don't know too many people who would describe themselves as "older and disabled" who could, for practical purposes, carry a shotgun around with them in their daily routines. While a shotgun would be a good weapon for putting down aggressive critters, it's probably not a useful suggestion for most people with physical disabilities.

Sprays or handguns are probably more practical. High frequency noise generators could be, too.
 
As pack members, the destruction of one will influence the behaviors of the pack as a whole. Drop one, and the rest of the pack WILL be more hesitant. Drop two....
Click to expand...

Very wrong. Don't count on that. Dogs do not have to be part of a pack to behave in a feral manner. A lone dog, like a family pet, can turn feral when let out for the night. And they often do.
I have had one encounter with the law in my 72 years. I was once arrested for shooting a dog that had killed three of my registered purebred cattle. The case actually went to trial. I brought in an expert witness who said even family pets often turn feral when allowed to run loose. They can be killers then revert to gentle pets when home again. They do not need to be part of a pack.
BTW, the judge dismissed the charges saying I had a right to protect my property.
As for your best choice of protection. I carried a scoped .243 with frangible bullets in the truck and shot at long distance before they even started coming my way.
 
Dogs

For my own reasons, I have done a number of careful web searches for evidence (versus opinions) regarding dog attacks on humans. People seem to have had varying experiences with standard pepper spray. Some have said it was effective for them, and others reported the opposite. I have seen no direct, specific reported experiences using bear spray for dogs, but if you search the web you can find videos of bear spray deployed, showing that the bears (looked like black bears) moved away very quickly. From the videos, it didn't appear that blowback on the sprayer was likely, as the spray goes out with considerable force for 25 feet and more.
So, bear spray is certainly a consideration. Still, if packs are a local problem, a high capacity semiauto would seem to me to be a prudent choice. However, I have seen NO objective data that support a revolver capacity (5 - 8 rounds) as insufficient.
BTW, the majority of serious injuries from dog attacks have occurred in children.
 
First of all, I have to say that, the only "blood thirsty" animal in this world are humans. And that is an unquestionable fact.
Secondly, "no, you do not stand tall and stand firm" if you do not want to be attacked. You kneel down and speak quietly so they do not fear you. (Yes, they have no intention of "eating you".)
And lastly, if you fear dogs, they will know there is something wrong with you. Be mindful of yourself, and if you fear them, if you will get excited, there is a chance that a pack will attack you.
So be armed, and be prepared.


All the best
 
So you suggest kneeling down so your face and throat are even closer to the potential threat, and your mobility it almost nil. Excellent plan.
 
This is NOT a hi-jack:

I've heard enough pro/con about Glock, that I had to check out a few; I now own 4. I'm hearing the same blather re: "judge" et al. So I have one: 3"x3". I'll keep you posted. If I were the O.P., I'd consider a "proofed" Judge and an accessory hi-cap .45 acp to dispatch a goodly number of canines. That first, then the bear-spray. I'll tend to the "proofing" now, planning on 3" oal brass, trimmed, stoked with varying discs and ØØØ. I'll find what works out to 10 yds. and if nothing does, I'll set down and shaddup. (anyone have any unused .303 Brit brass, or 9.3 x 74 R?)
 
Ok, I will say this again, it seems...:)
They do not want to eat you. They attack you, because they fear you. You have to show them that you are not a threat.
This is the case for dogs.

This will not be the case, if you are out all alone in the mountains, and if you are being chased by a pack of hungry wolves.


Best
 
That does not square with attacks on children and elderly folks.
A pack may be bloodthirsty, and kill for the joy of killing.
Jerry
 
Dear Jerry,

Animals (that do not have a developed brain telling themselves that they are something else) does not have a perception as "joy of killing."
They kill only in these circumstances:

1. They need food, and you are of size that they instinctively estimate as prey.
2. They feel that, themselves or their offspring are under threat.

Children and elderly or sick, can sometimes seem as prey to wild animals, but I very much suspect this situation can occur regarding dogs, unless they have somehow did this before. (hunting and eating human, by some bizarre incident)

Dogs are very much domesticated animals that have been living among humans for so long time, that, to put it simply: They know us...
They know that we can not be their meal of choice...
We are big, and we fight back...

To summarize:
They have no perception as joy of killing, they know we fight back, so the only logical explanation is that, if they behave aggressively it means they feel a threat from us.
I am only suggesting that, "you have to show that you are not a threat".
In most cases, this will simply do the trick.

On the other hand, irregularities and as mentioned before bizarre encounters sometimes happen, but to talk about them would be nothing more than speculating.

All the best
 
Dogs have been trained to attack and kill humans.

Both by militaries, as well as by civilians.

The dogs may take no "joy" in it, but to imply that it cannot be is perhaps too broad a statement.
 
My God, I am feeling tired already.

Dear Doc Intrepid,

So regarding this thread, are you suggesting that, we should consider the possibility of military trained dogs? Or dogs trained by some psychopath?

No argument, and I mean no argument, regardless of its subject can be made upon irregularities and "one at a lifetime incidents".

Let's put it this way:
99% percent of the time, dogs do not attack people. If they do, 99% of the time, it is because they feel threatened.

I hope this will suffice.


Best.
 
Not all "packs of dogs" will be feral, but some certainly can be. You get several dogs who have been mistreated and trained to fight or attack ruthlessly (e.g., by drug dealers, etc) and you could encounter a pack that is not out for prey or protecting young so much as doing what they were abused/trained for: to attack ruthlessly.

Considering that there is a chance to encounter one or more abused, feral dog(s) I would suggest:

1) Always be ready for the worst case scenario FIRST, then de-escalate response if time available and indication of lower threat. That means a higher capacity/power handgun ready at hand.

2) DO NOT waste time calling Animal Control if you feel immediately threatened (dogs on same block of street with you). They do not have emergency response capability in most towns. They show up when available and that could be next hour or two days hence.

3) Having a non-lethal means to protect yourself would be good. If you get pepper spray get some that shoots a stream of liquid, not just a fog spray. It could be raining or windy. I would only use a fog pepper spray as last ditch defense for "they are on me and ripping me apart" and accept that I will get as much as they do. A stream pepper spray could be effective at 10 ft or more.

Like any threat of human or animal nature you have to evaluate each situation. The best thing is to run through various scenarios mentally and determine what behavior and circumstance will be signal to you that you are in grave danger. A pack of dogs 50 ft away and just mulling around yapping is not the same threat of a pack 50 ft away and running full bore toward you snarling.

If you see a pack coming near you, do not get transfixed on just the ones to your immediate front. Many packs soon develop the tactic to keep the prey busy to the front while one or more members loop around and attack the rear to hold or disable the prey. I've seen this behavior not just in feral dogs, but even tame dogs in play can have this instinct. Backing away before any get a chance to get behind you is imperative. Once surrounded your chances of survival go way down. I would apply this principle to a pack of feral dogs or feral human gang.

ETA: A quote of the Deer PArk police from the article: "because the dogs appear to be killing for fun rather than food." Over 100 animals killed in the last few months.
 
Fightingbard, just a few months ago, not too far from the University of Georgia, a retired couple was killed by a feral pack.

The wife was killed first. Apparently, she was walking their dog, and the pack attacked it. It's not clear whether she tried to defend the dog, and was subsequently attacked, or whether she and the dog were attacked. Either way, she was killed. (Reports at the time indicated animal control and police thought the dog was probably the initial target; I don't believe there were direct witnesses.)

The husband, a retired UGA professor, went looking for his wife. He found her, and the pack had not departed the area. While he was trying to assist her, he was attacked and killed.

Police ended up catching and killing over a dozen dogs, associated with the pack.

Feral packs don't behave in predictable manners.

They are also growing more common, due to the weak economy. People have to move, to find work, or simply lose their homes. Many of them just seem to ditch the dogs somewhere, or leave them at their old home.

I've ended up with three dogs, over the years, who were abandoned animals.

I would not recommend kneeling, etc, when dealing with a pack. Retreating, slowly and calmly, in an arc (non-linear movements are considered less threatening or antagonistic by dogs), while avoiding direct eye contact might work.

It would be good to have other options, if that doesn't work.
 
dog bites

If anyone wants to kneel down and speak softly to aggressive canines, that is their choice - but not mine. Dogs of significant size can be very dangerous. I have seen too many unwary folks in emergency rooms with serious injuries to take a casual approach to a dog that is behaving aggressively. I have pasted data below from the Centers for Disease Control:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)

Dog Bite: Fact Sheet
(See CDC MMWR article.)

How big is the problem?
• About 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year.
• Almost one in five of those who are bitten, a total of 885,000, require medical attention for dog bite-related injuries.
• In 2006, more than 31,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs.

I don't trust unfamiliar aggressive humans and I don't trust unfamiliar aggressive dogs, and I'm certainly noy going to kneel down in front of them. So far I have not needed reconstructive surgery, and have no desire to have that experience.
 
I had 5 acres of land out in the country many years ago. I used to like to walk my property at night. Obviously their were no street lights. So i carried a Mag light and a .357Magnum. We had a problem with feral dogs. Some just got loose and joined a pack. Others were coyote/dog hybrids. With a pack their is usually an alpha male. He's usually out in front. 2-3 times dogs came after me. Whenever I popped the lead dogs head with the .357 that and the muzzle blast sent the others running. Most people mauled by dogs are unarmed. All I know is what worked for me.
 
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