Dog Defense

See if the neighbors will let you meet the dog. make sure its off the chain. I have 3 Rotties, everyone knows not to try to pet them when their fenced area. But if you come over and they are in the house or in the yard with me, they are very friendly and just want attention. They will ask to be petted, then just go about playing in the yard or go sniff your vehicle. The most important thing I can stress is-do not run. Stand still,do not look them in the eye , but talk to them. They are very curious, the dog probably just wants to check you and what you are doing.

my suggestion is to go over and introduce yourself to the neighbor and his dog..and ask the neighbor if you can befriend it cause you are concerned about your safety when you are weeding.

then once you make friends with the dog..buy a bag of one of the dog treats that come in a resealable bag and keep it in your weeding stuff to take with you when you go back there..

if the dog comes back and appears threatening..throw it a few treats..and continue what you are doing.

once you have fed it and been introduced and it smells you..it will not likely attack you unless you make a move at it

you can also get pepper spray..but that might just make it want to kill you, and you can take a gun with you..just in case..but that would be my last resort

i have had problems with dogs on our road when i walk for exercise..some very large very viscious and some in packs

I was bit by my parents' dog when I was 2 years old and terrified of dogs my whole life. What helped me finally conquer my fear was getting my own dog. She is a big dog and a great watch dog. For some reason owning her and caring for her made me have an understanding of dogs better. One thing I always knew was not to let dogs know I had a fear of them. Speaking up to them in a firm voice and not turning around and running back into the house is what you have to do. If the dog was running toward you that does not necessarily mean he is running to bite you......is his tail wagging? Let him smell your hand and do not act afraid of him. I know it is hard to do when you have a fear of him. But that is the only way to overcome your fear. I agree with the poster who said to get to know him with his owners present. Pet him. Maybe you could buy a box of dog biscuits that the owners would approve of and carry one or two in your pocket. That is what the UPS drivers and mail carriers do. Believe me the way to win a dog over is to appeal to his stomach.

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Reflections of katlupe

A wagging tail does not guarantee a friendly dog. I have peppered sprayed dogs charging me...it worked; I have struck dogs in the head with a baton that were charging me...it worked; I have shot dogs charging me...it also worked. The only way to find out a dogs true intentions that is running at you is to wait, then it may be too late. It is not your responsibility to make friends with the neighbors dog if you don't want to. It is theirs to control their dog. If they don't willingly they need to be persuaded legally and financially.

First the nice guy.
Drive up to their placs in your car on the road and explain the situation with the owners. Then try to make friends with the dog IN THE ROAD. What you are trying to do is teach it your a friend at that distance. Take treats. See if it works for you too.

Next the not as nice guy,
Put up a good fence.

If your feeling mean.
Every time you see the kids dirty or bruised call call animal control and CHILD SERVICES and tell them the dog did it.

One thing about dogs is that they have incredible memories. If a dog has ever been sprayed with anything that dog will instantaneously recognize any kind of spray container and the hand position of someone about to spray. They will go nuts at hissing sounds or anything connected with sprays (such as you spraying insecticide on your plants).
A person using the name Moon River is probably a nice, reasonable, gentle person who certainly would not be inclined in any way to gut, spray, shoot, poison or be vicious in any way to somebody else's (especially children's) animals.
To behave in this situation following your own inclinations, Moon River, I suggest you think in terms of training this unknown dog from afar, starting with the barking. Obviously you don't want some beast threatening you in your own yard. If you allow this to escalate, it may progress to the red zone stage. The trick here is to have the dog befriend you and include you in the space it is protecting. The best way to accomplish that , as Ronbre suggests, is FOOD. Boy do dogs remember. Kind hands that feed them delicious treats! Buy some liver sausage (braunschweiger). Dogs go mad for that. It is stinky so they remember it big time.
Now, how to bribe with braunschweiger? Can you drive by and toss some out of your car as you. Pass the neighbor's yard? That way you are protected but free to travel.
You don't want to just walk across your yard to the neighbor's but you can telephone them and visit to make. Acquaintance with the dog. And feed it. I wouldn't ask permission for approved doggy treats. I'd give it the braunschweiger first. Then have them tell you what they want you feeding their dog which puts them off balance.
Also get one of those cunning barking deterrent things hidden in a bird house and put it up at the closest edge of your property line so ghe dog receives automatic correction as soon as it barks at you. When you step out in your own yard.
I would encourage the people to control their dog but you can't count on them. Dogs escape. I'd want it to be my friend when it came calling. Braunschweiger!!!! From then on, treats. Back up position being some reading and watching videos of Cesar Millan. Subscribe to his newsletter. Send him your Question!
And discuss this with your other neighbors, not jst the dog owners. This dog may be a pit bull mix. Or a rottweiler. People talk about their own dogs of these breeds being fruit. Loops. Yeah, but drug. Dealers use. Them for protection. Moon River, you have cause to be afraid, so be proactive. In tipping the scales in your favor across the board. Start by taking control of the dog (food, bark suppressor), then by acting to get the owners to control it more intelligently and competently than they have so far. And as a last measure of defense, someone on here suggested wasp spray as being more effective than bear spray. Cheaper and more readily available, too. I wouldn't use it but it might give you comfort to have it handy.

Yuppers, another vote to go make friends with the dog. Once you threaten him, he'll remember you for life and you'll have an enemy that will threaten you forever.

Do you want to have to look over your shoulder every time you're outside? Sometimes dogs do get loose, unknown by their owner.

Stretch a little, get to know the owner & the dog - bring dog buscuits. Most Rotties are big babies and pushovers.

I'd rather have a neighbor & hs dog as friends than enemies....

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Yes, speaking of memories, my oldest dog was teased by the neighbor kids that rode their bikes to Wait for the school bus. He was a pup,we moved now he is 8 1/2. He absolutely flips out upon seeing a S. bus or bicycle, to the point that I can't take him in the truck. He will spot one and throw his 145 lbs. against the windshield, window or right across me while I'm trying to drive. So being nice to the dog, he will remember "nice" the same as "mean".

Dogs bite nice people all the time....the majority of dog bites are to family members and people that know the dog. The only way to be sure to not get bit by this dog is for the owners to keep it securly on their property which is their legal responsibility.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

This morning I drove my truck to the back corner of the property nearest the dog. Got out and spent about 30 minutes mulching around some trees. The dog was out and didn't pay any attention to me. No barking, nothing.

Later I was walking across the property and he started barking up a storm. I was much farther away than where I had been working when he ignored me.

The dog is on a real long chain and he was running in a big circle for a while. I have never seen a dog run that fast or that gracefully. He runs like a greyhound. It looks like he has a bobbed tail which is part of the reason I thought it was a rottweiler, but he doesn't have the muscular structure of a rottie. The head kind of looks like a doberman. Maybe it is a mixed.

Just so I don't come off looking like to big a scaredy cat, I used to take care of my neighbor's german sheperd whenever my neighbor went out of town. That included feeding and walking twice a day. There used to be a chow that roamed the neighborhood that never acted threatening and I wasn't that worried about it. My neighbor 3 doors away has a rottie that sometimes roams the neighborhood. If he sees me, he just turns around and goes back home.

So I think what worried me was that this new dog doesn't seem to be trained, is chained up for long periods of time, and barks aggressively at me when I am on my property. I had looked up rottweilers before I made my post and found that they are known to be fiercely protective of their family. With that family having 2 small children, I was just worried that I might be seen by the dog as threatening.

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Rich

There's no leash law where I live..consequently, ALL of the huge dawgs in the area eventually end up visiting me..LOL..Right now, looking out my window, there are 4 dawgs lounging on my porch..none of which belong to me..

One of those dawgs is an enormous Chocolate Lab..when she first came down the road from a few streets over, she was aggressive and growling..in other words, she was frightened. I have to admit that even as a dawg lover, her behavior made me a bit over-cautious. I followed her home, met her "people"..found out her name and petted her with her family there.

Next time she wandered down my street, she knew me..I gave her a dog biscuit..fast forward a year later and she guards my house for free along with the other neighbor's dawgs..LOL..I have no pet food bill, no vet bills, yet I have the highest dawg protection in the neighborhood..love it

A dog who spends it's entire day chained, IMHO, is a dog who is frustrated and lacks social skills around people. If I were you, I'd find a way to make GOOD friends with that dog..as soon as possible.

These are some wise words that should be paid attention too.

But she DID ask what to do for "protection"

It's better to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

"Getting over" a "fear" of fire is no reason not to own a fire extinguisher.

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Which is why I suggested the knife. She asked about the actual attack, not the making friends beforehand. When diplomacy fails, it's time for weapons. I learned about feeding the dog your weak hand from an old soldier who was trained to take out N. Korean attack dogs a long time ago. If nothing else, it keeps the dog from your face and throat.

For a time I did carry DH's guthook on my belt while doing yardwork. Mostly because of a loose pitt/lab mated pair and a husky. Never had to use it, but if one of them had followed through on their growls, at least I'd have stood a chance.

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A knife is good if you're resigned to getting bit first, and are physically capable of overpowering a large dog while in a great amount of pain.

Bear spray works from a distance and (hopefully) keeps you from being bitten to begin with.

I'd consider the knife as a backup plan

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So would I. That's why I said bear spray was a good idea. But once he has aholt of you, it's backup plan time. And if you are knelt down weeding the garden, you may never see him coming until he does have you. Plus the nice thing about shock and terror and adrenaline, pain waits to show up later. That gives you time to do battle, then hurt a few minutes later.

You don't really have to overpower the big dog. Let him gnaw your arm and whittle on him, or shoot or spray with the other hand.

I also suggest to try and make friends with the dog. I know you are scared that the dog may attack. Equally you could make yourself a four legged buddy. Meet the dog on neutral ground and bring some treats. Think one word...Liverwurst. I do residential work and deal with dogs constantly. Outside of one really nasty cocker spaniel I've had no problems, especially with the big dogs. Little dogs get aggressive out of fear. Big dogs know they are big dogs. Actually kind of mellows them out.

MoonRiver....

my baby Moose is a rottX. he's the smartest, most loving, and PROTECTIVE animal i've ever owned. he was trained at 8 months and for the first 6 yrs of his life he ran free in the country. we now live in town but he has a fenced yard. when we moved here, it was I that went to my neighbors (to the left and right of us) and introduced them to Moose. i explained that he was very protective and made sure that they understood to talk to him and use his name and tell him 'thank you' for being protective. we've been here 6 months and both my neighbors always talk to him and come to the fence to tell him what a good baby he is. and, as such, he believes that 'they' are his property to also guard them. he's a big mushbucket but i don't tell many people that.

i agree with other posters to get to know the dog (if the owner allows). if that's possible, that dog will be your best protector EVER. find out if the dog understands basic commands because these are important especially with rott's. and, if he's not packing with other dogs, chances are he ain't doin nothin than protecting what he thinks belongs to him. he's gonna be a bigger talker than anythang else. Moose talks the talk but i'm not so sure he could walk the walk. i told my neighbors, 'well, now that he knows you, he'll unlock the door, give you the cash and valuables, help you load'em up and fix you a sandwich'.

moose-luck. you'll be fine, but keep us posted.

As a city letter carrier who has been bitten a few times a couple of good things have been brought up, first i'd visit the neighbor to meet the dog if possible, than you will know for sure the dogs temper, hopefully it will be good! second, if you spray a dog he WILL REMEMBER and will be more hostile toward you afterwards and he will never forget it!