Carrying a knife for protection against dogs (BC, Canada)

M

migo

Joined
Dec 28, 2001
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243
Normally I carry a Kershaw blackout, Mini Mojo or Scallion. They're handy but I don't trust them to be of much use if I actually had to fight with one. There is a dog near my house that is quite aggressive, fortunately he's on a chain, but chains can break, so I would feel somewhat better if I was carrying a fixed blade instead. What I'm wondering about is that the folders are much more clearly tools, whereas a fixed blade is much more obviously a weapon, and what I remember from reading up on knife laws years ago is if you carry anything with intent to use as a weapon it's a problem. In this case I'd be carrying to defend myself against a potential threat that I see every day when I get off the bus and have to walk home.

Any ideas about what the situation might be in this situation?
 
A good rule of thumb is never to state that any edged item on your person is carried as a weapon or defense tool. It's generally illegal, whever you are.

I'd consider some sort of pepper spray and / or a walking stick if either is possible for you.

Otherwise, look for a knife that's sturdy with a strong, reliable lock and a longer blade (3.5 - 4 inches is a good size IMO). Some models worth looking into would be the Spyderco Military, Spyderco Manix, Kershaw Spec Bump, Kershaw Junkyard Dawg 2, Benchmade Griptilian, Benchmade Rukus etc. Good idea to look up your local knife laws before making a purchase.
 
I second the walking stick/ pepper spray combo. Pepper spray in the face will stop an aggresive dog quicker than 99% of what you could do to it with a knife would. Pepper spray is much more effective on dogs than humans.
 
What makes the pepper spray more effective? Is it because of the better sense of smell? I remember having bear mace blow back into my face and while it was painful it wasn't crippling.
 
migo said:
What makes the pepper spray more effective? Is it because of the better sense of smell? I remember having bear mace blow back into my face and while it was painful it wasn't crippling.
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pepper spray is better because:

1. you can deploy it from about 15 feet away, and not have to be up close and personal with the dog as you would with a knife.

2. is generally considered to be quite an inocuous item, even though it is intended for self defense.

3. you wont cause any permanant damage to the dog or yourself.

4. most dogs are quite irritated by pepper spray and will normally run the other way. though there are always exceptions, as with people, not every dog will be effected.


it doesnt have to be crippling, just irritating enough for the dog to lose interest.
 
http://www.tbotech.com/dogrepellent.htm
Mace even makes a spray specifically for dogs. If you carry spray for defense in Canada, it is for protection against animals (bears, dogs, etc...) NOT people.

It's much better to be able to maintain distance between victim and attacker. Dog's can be nasty, just as violent hominids may.
 
A clip board used as a shield will stop you from getting bit better than any weapon short of a firearm,sword or full sized ax.
A Frisbee will work too.
5 gallon buckets really work well.
Just don't run,block the attacks and if you have the balls charge the dog.
Very few will stand their ground.
Even trained attack dogs will give up after a few failed attempts to bite you.
Many animals will go into combat mode if you stab them and will fight until they bleed out which is several minutes at best.
It's better to frustrate them by not letting them bite you in the first place.
In French ring sport the decoy "me" would frustrate the best bred highest trained dogs in the world by "Eskieving" escaping the dogs testing their character in competition.
Give them a target and move it at the last second.
Impress the dog that you are not a beta animal.
The dogs nose is it's most sensitive spot.
Use your shield to slam it's nose or if it comes down to it and the dog is killing you on the ground,bite it's nose and don't let go.
It works. NO BS.
 
Interesting post by Grappler - sorry to see he's no longer with us for some reason.
 
migo said:
What I'm wondering about is that the folders are much more clearly tools, whereas a fixed blade is much more obviously a weapon...
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I'm very curious how many cops agree/disagree with that. I hope one wanders in here and discusses this, although that discussion could easily overpower the original topic. I agree with Vivi that you should always tell the authorities that your knife is a tool and not intended for use as a weapon.

I don't think that a knife is a responsible choice against a dog. If a big dog is coming after you the only way a knife is guaranteed to stop it is if you destroy its brain. I severely doubt that stabbing an attacking dog will reliably take the fight out of it (it might become more aggressive!). Sprays work well. Dogs have powerful noses and they seem to have their mouths open a lot. Sprays can also be used to prevent an attack, whereas I'm not sure that a knife could be of much use unless a dog was not only attacking you but was right on top of you chewing your arm off.

What makes the pepper spray more effective? Is it because of the better sense of smell? I remember having bear mace blow back into my face and while it was painful it wasn't crippling.
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What if it was 15 times worse? Remember, you're not put together like a dog is. I'm not convinced that many sprays are useful against a determined human attacker, but against a dog or bear using them is opening a magnum sized can of WA. Sprays are also more effective against dogs because most of them won't have any idea what hit them. If you had never heard of pepper spray or mace before getting hosed with it I bet you would have been a lot more impressed and surprised.

If you had to use a knife against an attacking dog two things would be important: deployal time and length. If you can't get the knife ready for use fast enough or if the knife isn't long enough to case extremely horrific organ damage and bleeding it won't even slow down an aggressive dog.
 
migo said:
What I'm wondering about is that the folders are much more clearly tools, whereas a fixed blade is much more obviously a weapon....

....what I remember from reading up on knife laws years ago is if you carry anything with intent to use as a weapon it's a problem.
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As for the first statement, I think you got that backward....but that's another topic for another time!

I am always dismayed when I hear about these "intent" laws. Even California doesn't have anything that silly in its knife/firearms laws. Intent is completely subjective! That leaves the decision up to some LEO, who is then left to be judge and jury right there on the spot. That is the rule of an individual (police state???), and not the rule of law! Laws should be objective and unbiased...individuals almost never are...
 
I think the best thing against dogs is to not run away, stand your ground and get ready to fight it. take an agressive step forward and go to punch or kick it as hard as you can. if you can have a stick or a spear that would be my weapon of choice, although the latter is perhaps a little impactical:D
Where im living just now there is literally gangs of dogs in the streets (yes im in Asia) iv had quite a few scares when iv been out running at night with stray dogs giving chase. i just turn to face them, groul back ready to fight, get the surefire out and shine it at them ready to follow up with a hammer fist or good kick, i always run in my hiking boots now as well !!! they have always backed off so far. Iv had quite a few colse calls now and that reaction has become standard procedure for me.
I think stabbing a dog will just piss it off, if you dont get the spine or heart in the first go. i have seen dogs having some really nasty fights here with big wounds inflicted and they just seem to shrug it off and walk away. granted these are street dogs so "might" be a bit tougher and more agressive than an average pet dog but i think if its go time that is an academic difference !!!
for weapons you would really want something you can keep your distance with, if it gets up close your pretty much going to get bitten and torn up for sure unless you have some relly good block and pary skills.
 
Haze said:
I think stabbing a dog will just piss it off, if you dont get the spine or heart in the first go.
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A heart wound might not immediately stop an aggressive attacker (this applies to more than just dogs). I'm sure there are at least a couple of hunters here who can tell us about the time they completely destroyed the heart of a deer or coyote and it ran most of the length of a football field using the oxygen already in its bloodstream.
 
migo said:
Normally I carry a Kershaw blackout, Mini Mojo or Scallion. They're handy but I don't trust them to be of much use if I actually had to fight with one. There is a dog near my house that is quite aggressive, fortunately he's on a chain, but chains can break, so I would feel somewhat better if I was carrying a fixed blade instead. What I'm wondering about is that the folders are much more clearly tools, whereas a fixed blade is much more obviously a weapon, and what I remember from reading up on knife laws years ago is if you carry anything with intent to use as a weapon it's a problem. In this case I'd be carrying to defend myself against a potential threat that I see every day when I get off the bus and have to walk home.

Any ideas about what the situation might be in this situation?
Click to expand...

Get a Wenger Ranger 61. It has a huge OH blade and it's a legitimate multitool.
If a dog attacks you, I hear the best thing to do is to wrap your arm in you jacket and let it bite. When it gets a hold of you stab it in the eyes.
 
auspx said:
Get a Wenger Ranger 61. It has a huge OH blade and it's a legitimate multitool.
If a dog attacks you, I hear the best thing to do is to wrap your arm in you jacket and let it bite. When it gets a hold of you stab it in the eyes.
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i would not recommend this, or ever letting a dog bite you.

requires you to:

1. retrieve and open your knife, while wrapping your other arm in a jacket, assuming you have one.

2. present your arm and hope the dog bites that one, and not the one holding the knife.

3. hopefully stab the dog in a vital area, and not stab yourself.

4. hope the dog lets go, assuming you were able to wound it and didnt drop your knife when you got bit.

as mentioned above, even a heart stoppage does not guarantee immediate incapacitation.

you would need to sever the spine or scramble the brain to get the desired result quickly. that would be extremely difficult with the dog's jaw wrapped around one arm.
 
Folding knives take to long to deploy when dealing with dogs. I recomend a 32" Asp or a baseball bat. Something about the Asp when it snaps opened that really gets their attention.
 
AfterTFD said:
A heart wound might not immediately stop an aggressive attacker (this applies to more than just dogs). I'm sure there are at least a couple of hunters here who can tell us about the time they completely destroyed the heart of a deer or coyote and it ran most of the length of a football field using the oxygen already in its bloodstream.
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I totaly aggree, but i would hope to hit the spine or heart rather than any where ells. at least it will be dying while your getting mauled if you hit the heart, but yes its may not not be instand death but how long it will take depends on how fast it bleads out into its chest cavaty.

either way its going to be a messy fight for both involved i think.
 
Everybody is going back and forth about what the best weapon would be. In reality, any weapon at hand is better than no weapon at all! Many factors beyond your control, will determine how and when you are armed.....and even the best layed plans often come to nothing!
 
reconranger said:
Everybody is going back and forth about what the best weapon would be. In reality, any weapon at hand is better than no weapon at all! Many factors beyond your control, will determine how and when you are armed.....and even the best layed plans often come to nothing!
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the best weapon would be a car.

between pepper spray and a knife, i would take the oc against a dog. distance is your friend.
 
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