Hey there educated dog lovers! I wanted to touch on a subject that I don’t feel gets talked about enough in the dog world. This subject is about the possibility of something going awry with your dog and other dogs you come in contact with while out on the trail, in town, or anywhere for that matter. I would like to share some thoughts on how to be mindful about it and a tool that I like to keep on me that can lend assistance if you have to deal with a difficult and sometimes scary situation like a dog altercation.
I’m not saying you need to be paranoid that something will happen, I am just talking about being aware, knowledgeable, and prepared with a tool that might really come in handy. This tool is a aerosol spray. I carry a specific brand called “Spray Shield” when I am out on the trails with my dogs or when Im out with family or friends dogs. I often have people ask me about the spray and wondering why I would carry it, what does it do, and where can they get one?
This particular brand is a non toxic citronella spray and I carry it as a safety precaution. This is a very handy tool to have on your hip (clips on your pant pocket) for a emergency situation in regard to a dog altercation. I know that everyone has had the thought of, “what do I do if a dog fight or tense situation occurs?” Having a tool like this and practicing how to use it is a smart thing to do! Its best to have some kind of a backup or deterrent that could offer you a possible helping hand in a circumstance like meeting a stray dog that is agressive, or a small pack of loose dogs that are over stimulated, or just a situation where you meet someone’s dog on the trail and your dog and theirs have a disagreement. Its not uncommon that people will stop to chat and often become distracted and stop observing their dog’s body language and a fight breaks out. None of us wish to experience a upsetting situation like this but it’s always better to have a plan of what of what to do and have a tool on you that might offer some assistance. Keep reading for a helpful tool for safety during walks and adventures with your furry family member.
Spray Shield comes in a small hand held aerosol can with a clip on the side to clip onto your pants or pockets for easy access. If you feel an intense situation arise and want to try and break the mode or tension you can give the can a quick shake and lightly press down on the lever to release the citronella spray. You want do your best to aim for the aggressors eyes and mouth. The spray will sting and taste awful distracting or possibly spooking the dogs. This can allow enough time to break up the escalating behavior so you can have a chance to get both dogs under control and separated them before they do harm to each other or to you. It is important to use the spray if a fight breaks out as we do not want to physically grab the dogs body as they could sense that another dog is grabbing them from behind and possibly turn on you and bite you. It’s a safety protocol when dealing with dogs fights.
I will leave a link down below to check it out and a video to observe its function and how to use it. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a video demonstration.
Cheers to happy trailing!
https://www.petexpertise.com/spray-shield-spray-formerly-direct-stop/