[horsefarmer]

I am looking for a dog repellant while horseback riding. I don't want to kill or even hurt these dogs. Just teach them to stay away from the horses. Anyone know how much power these things pack and maybe a brand recommendation? I'm not looking to spend anymore than necessary to get the job done. I have also thought about rat shot in a 22 but at close range, it might be more effective than I wish. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Ed Norman]

I knew a gal who carried ammonia cleaner in a squirt bottle on her bike. She never had return customers.

 

[bill not in oh]

Some CO2 BB guns will penetrate a car door. Some of the higher end guns have an adjustment so you can control the velocity of the pellet. I would think that a squirt gun with an ammonia solution might work so long as the wind didn't carry the 'ammo' back to you or the horse....

 

[fordy]

.................Those paint ball guns look mighty good to me . Don't know the range but it ought to be as far as a BB pistol . Plus , if the offending Dawg goes home with red paint on his grits the owner might also realize he just as well could be loosing blood instead of paint . , fordy

 

[horsefarmer]

I've considered the ammonia. Well, not exactly. I was actually thinking pepper spray. I would shy from the paint ball just because I'd rather the owner not even be aware that their dog is being trained in their absence and lack of sense to teach it to stay on the property. I've got a couple that get right under and bark and growl. I have another horse that trains them herself but the last time instead of comig from the rear like usual, the dog challenged from the front and she stomped it to death. Didn't go over well.

 

[wdchuck]

Wrist rocket, aka sling shot, with dried legumes for ammo.

Quiet, cheap, environmentally friendly.

 

[Bearfootfarm]

If you dont want to HURT or KILL something you DO NOT SHOOT IT with any kind of gun

 

[morrowsmowers]

Instead of the standard BB gun, try an Airsoft gun.

Ken in Glassboro, NJ

 

[ColumbiaSC.]

If you can still get them buy a sping loaded daisey bb pistol, one cock and you are ready to shoot! they hurt like the dickens but I doubt it would break the skin. When I was a kid I put a copper bb in my left hand wanting to 'see' how much power the CO2 came out, you know, more people are killed by the UNLOADED GUNS story! I was one of them, I thought I had shot the last BB but no! 20 years later I had to have it cut out by a Dr. The copper wore away and it started to rust and hurt. I still have it in a bottle to show the kids if they ever get as stupid around firearms!

 

[comfortablynumb]

I dont want to souund ignorant but..... you gotta be kidding me.

22 rat shot? BBs? AMMONIA?

you know they do make cans of dog repellent mace, every meter reader and postal carrier has one.

ammonia and BBs and ratshot can blind a dog, if you haddnt thought of that. Airsoft pellets I dont think will make a substantial sting thru fur to deter a dog.

you could get a 36" stock prod and zap them, thats not inhumane.

ratshot spreads and will leave a nasty wound. Ammonia will blind, and BBs can lodge under the skin and make a nasty sore.
I know ive pulled enough BBs out of my dogs and cats from witless nimrods who like to plink animals with BBs.

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc...area=&browselist=494&dept_id=495&c=&sort=&r=1

you can get them 48 inches long.

an example of the spray;

http://www.tbotech.com/dog-repellent-pepper-spray.htm

dont be cheap, get a 48" hot shot and shock em.

no ammonia or bbs or ratshot, ok?

 

[EDDIE BUCK]

Do you know who owns the dogs? A chat with the owner, about problems the dogs could cause and that He or She would be financially responsible, could do the trick.

 

[peter nap]

That's am interesting problem and one I understand. I ride a bike and dogs do get to be a problem. In days not to far past, they made guns just for bike/horse/walking to protect from dogs. As a matter of fact, I have one of the 5.5 Velo Dog pistols. It;s close to a 22 magnum.

On the other hand, I like dogs better than people for the most part. One day last year while arguing with the president of a hunt club that leases land next to mine...he said I guess your going to shoot our dogs if they come over the line....I said ..."No, I like the dogs better than you so guess what's going to get shot.

I had an old English sheep dog that used to bark at people. He was inside the fence. One woman who walked by every day threw a rick at him once. I threw it back and hit her. I expected a visit from the Sheriffs department for a week but it never came and she found a new place to walk.

The point is...hurting dogs isn't especially good but dogs hurting you or your horse isn't either.

I carry pepper spray everywhere anyway and it works pretty well on dogs without hurting them. They also tend to shy away from me after being sprayed.

Good luck. It's a tough problem.

 

[fin29]

On the other hand, I like dogs better than people for the most part. One day last year while arguing with the president of a hunt club that leases land next to mine...he said I guess your going to shoot our dogs if they come over the line....I said ..."No, I like the dogs better than you so guess what's going to get shot.

Around here, that's called criminal threatening, LOL. If someone came and told me they were going to shoot my dogs for chasing stock, I would call the dogs and get them penned; on the other hand, if someone told me they were going to shoot me, I would call the cops.

But I bet you had a smile on your face when you threatened them...just a little neighborly ribbing, right? :hobbyhors

 

[Micahn]

I carry pepper spray everywhere anyway and it works pretty well on dogs without hurting them. They also tend to shy away from me after being sprayed.

Good luck. It's a tough problem.

I could not believe anyone had not said pepper spray.
You can even get it for paint ball guns now days if you want a longer range.
Will cause a lot of pain for any animal or human you want to keep away. Any animal hit with it will remember and will not go near you again.

 

[horsefarmer]

No, I'm not kidding. The owners are well aware, at least of the specific dogs I am thinking of. A couple of days ago, they were in the yard when their 3 dogs came after us. I stopped the horse and asked them if they were going to do something about their dogs or if they wanted me to. Got no reply so I started slinging the rocks I had put in my pack just in case. They backed off but were back the next day. I have no particular interest in maiming or killing them but I also have no interest in getting maimed or killed myself. From my perspective, the dog can do anything it wishes until it steps into the street. At that point, it is a nuisance and a danger to someone (ME) legally traveling down a public thoroughfare via a legal means. I shouldn't have to tolerate it and don't intend to. I have run competition courses on this horse shooting my pistol from his back and don't believe I haven't thought about that also. I am looking for a non lethal means out of consideration for the dog.

Thank you all for the helpful suggestions. I have concerns over sprays because I don't want blow back on me or the horse. Someone privately advised me about a pepper spray foam that I am looking into. If that doesn't pan out, I will try the ammonia in a squirt bottle before I resort to a pellet gun. Thanks again.

 

[Bearfootfarm]

Vinegar would probably work about as well as ammonia, and be less likely to do permanent damage

 

[horsefarmer]

Thank you. I'll try that first.

 

[Nel frattempo]

We use those cans of air that hook to a horn thing-y and it makes a very loud piercing sound. Scares off most everything. We train our own dogs with a two short "beep beep" to "come" when they are way off at pond but other animals run from it......including human hunters.

 

[Wolf mom]

In your place, I think I'd borrow a paint ball gun & use that - as a first step to alert the owners. Then if the owners didn't pen their dogs, I'd use something that would hurt, but not really injure the dogs.
I too would be concened that pepper spray or ammonia would blow back on you or the horse.
Whatever you do decide, being on a horse with dogs darting around, is a dangerous place to be. If you use a gun of any kind, make sure your horse is stable around loud noises & holds still for you to be able to aim. You also need to be careful of bb's richocheting (sp?) off rock back to you or your horse.
Let us know your decision.
The horse forum would probably have good ideas also.

 

[sugarbush]

You could find somewhere else to ride your horse; or you could try some of these other ideas and when you spook your horse because of a high pitch noise that you can't hear, you can live the rest of your days just like Chis Reeve.