Best way to deal with aggressive dogs?

gman042

Been around the block a few times
A former driver told the story about a guys Rottweiler. When the dog was younger it was all right but as it aged it became more aggressive.
Anyway....as he was making delivery(the guy gets shipment of blinds) to the side porch the dog was on the porch. It would not let the driver put the box on the porch as it kept barking and lunging at him. He decides to approach and put the box down anyway but as he does the dog takes after him. The driver pops the dog upside the head with a hard punch and the dog goes yipping around the corner of the house.
What really pissed him off was the fact that the owner watched the whole thing from the side window. Then the guy comes and says the driver that was coolest thing he had ever watched.
Seems like owner did not have his priorities quite right.
I delivered there a couple of weeks ago and the dog would not even let me out of the truck. Thing is it is passing its aggressive tendencies on to a rotty puppy and a bull dog too.
 

JoeVser

Active Member
Im not a dog person, i like cats. I just find them annoying cause they bark and are too needy. But that is not my question. I dont know how to deal with aggressive ones. Ive been biten twice but not bad cause they were little ankle biters who barely broke the skin. Those ones are little bitches and im not worried about them cause i can just kick them off if they bite me.

What i am worried about is this example: I see a big rottweiler barking on other side of fence as im walking by. So i say "heyyyy doggy" in a nervous baby talk voice and keep going cause figured he is trained not to leave his fence. Then i turn around and its right in my face growling aggressively. So im like uhhh... So i just point and say "get out of here." But hes not really listening to me at all. And is just running around in circles kind of trapping me. So its making my delivery reallly slowww cause i just slow walking down this long driveway trying to get out of there. Eventually a neighbor comes out and chases him off.

The point is, i dont know how to deal with big aggressive dogs. Should i yell at him or talk to him in friendly baby talk or what.? Do i walk like im ignoring him or walk backwards facing him. Cause right now i just try to say stuff and they ignore me and im just assumming sooner or later ill have to fight one with my diad cause i dont know how to calm them down.
Try dog bisquits. They work and the dogs remember you. Everytime they see the Fed Ex van,they'll know they'll get a treat and will be friendly to you....
 

iowa boy

Well-Known Member
Around here we have some dogs that absolutely hate the sound of the truck, but the second the truck shuts off, their demeanor changes completely. They become the most docile animals but the minute you restart the truck, they flip out all over again.

The best ones are the ones that actually try and bite the tires as the truck moves down the driveway and how they try and twist and contort their bodies and heads to try and figure out how to grab that tire with their mouth.
 

watdaflock?

Well-Known Member
A knife stab in between the dogs ribs puncturing a lung will slow down any aggressive dog.
As long as they still have the other working lung they should have no problem surviving the trip to the vets.
 

watdaflock?

Well-Known Member
You would get fired for carrying the knife.

Wow! Even a small multi-tool which has a two inch blade?

I've always had something like this on my key chain.
Leatherman-Style-CS-Keychain-Multi-Tool-Hero-Sm.jpg


Now I wonder if I stab an attacking dog as a temp seasonal jumper/helper would that effect my Seniority position? Some of the country routes around here come across some darn vicious (loose) dogs.

imo- Ridiculous a driver can't carry something small like a multi-tool on his key chain and use it if attacked.
 

oldngray

nowhere special
Wow! Even a small multi-tool which has a two inch blade?

I've always had something like this on my key chain.
Leatherman-Style-CS-Keychain-Multi-Tool-Hero-Sm.jpg


Now I wonder if I stab an attacking dog as a temp seasonal jumper/helper would that effect my Seniority position? Some of the country routes around here come across some darn vicious (loose) dogs.

imo- Ridiculous a driver can't carry something small like a multi-tool on his key chain and use it if attacked.

Carry a box cutter.
 

cosmo1

Perhaps.
Staff member
A knife stab in between the dogs ribs puncturing a lung will slow down any aggressive dog.
As long as they still have the other working lung they should have no problem surviving the trip to the vets.
Why? If I'm being attacked am I not allowed to protect myself?

*(edit) Just to make it clear I'm in no way looking to hurt a dog for no reason but would protect myself if attacked.
Yea right and dogs never appear unexpectedly either.

Just go back to being an awesome loader with the proper shoes, and leave the real work to the big boys.
 

joeboodog

good people drink good beer
A knife stab in between the dogs ribs puncturing a lung will slow down any aggressive dog.
As long as they still have the other working lung they should have no problem surviving the trip to the vets.

If you get close enough to stab a charging, snarling dog in the ribs with a two inch knife, chances are he is going to get a chunk of you. DR bag at end of driveway or they get it the next day.
 

Rainman

Its all good.
I carry an old CB antenna, but a long stick works just as good. Hold it out at arms length and most dogs won't come past the end of it. In the last 25 years I've done that, I've only had to whack at 2 or 3 dogs. If they still come at me, they're :censored2: is mine.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Thanks for the info. I'm gonna start driving in Nov and was a helper last year. I love dogs but they seem to hate the loud trucks and "sexy" uniforms. I don't ever want to hurt a dog; but if a pit, rot, or g shep is on me that is good to know. I've never been in serious danger from a dog so I would not have thought to do that (hopefully as a last resort).

If a big dog is coming at you and you know you are going to get bit...then your #1 priority has to be to keep it away from your face, your neck and your balls. Your best option is to assume a crouched position, bend your right arm and position it horizontally in front of your face. If the dog locks on, then place your left forearm squarely behind its neck and pull that arm inward while pushing outward as hard as you can with your right. With enough force you can break the dogs neck, or at the very least bend its head backward at an awkward angle and then body slam the dog into the ground with you on top of it. Ideally, however, you can avoid this situation altogether by keeping a couple of dog biscuits in your shirt pocket. I have seen the biggest and baddest dogs get stopped dead in their tracks and turned into sweethearts simply by tossing a cookie at them.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
I carry an old CB antenna, but a long stick works just as good. Hold it out at arms length and most dogs won't come past the end of it. In the last 25 years I've done that, I've only had to whack at 2 or 3 dogs. If they still come at me, they're :censored2: is mine.
We are (supposedly, at least) forbidden from carrying weapons.

There is, however, no rule that prohibits us from carrying flashlights. My personal favorite is the 5-cell Mag Light. It is basically a war club with a light bulb at one end that can easily crush a skull with one good blow. Mag Light makes an accessory belt ring that works like a holster so you can carry it even when your hands are full. There is a reason that Mag lights are popular with the police and it isn't because they are pretty. I'm glad to say that I haven't yet needed to use mine on a dog, but there have been several occasions where having it has provided me with peace of mind in a scary situation.
 
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