Most dogs make awesome pets. Pups are extremely loyal to their owners and make wonderful companions that can serve us with various purposes as watchdogs, hunting dogs, running buddies, best friends, and more. Unfortunately, not all dogs are always our best friends.
About 4.7 million dog bites take place in the United States each year, according to theCenters for Disease Control. Although not all of these bites require a visit to the ER, they still can be painful and upsetting.
Some can be serious and run up expensive medical bills. Every year, a few even prove fatal. In 2018, more than 40 Americans died from dog attacks. Total costs attributed to dog bites were estimated at about $1 billion.
This shouldn’t cause panic; there’s no reason for you to swear off dogs or worry that you’ll become a dog-bite statistic if you take a few safety measures seriously. Some reasonable precautions will help avoid problems with snarling dogs. These include making yourself appear as big and strong as possible, yelling at an aggressive dog and physically defending and protecting yourself, if necessary.
No one wants to harm a dog, but it’s necessary to take prompt and effective action if you are in a dangerous situation or about to be attacked. As many employees of the U.S. Postal Service know, pepper spray is one of the most effective weapons to deter dog attacks. Inexpensive, compact and effective, it can repel aggressive canines without causing any lasting or long-term damage to them.
SABRE makesDog Sprays that are EPA-approved, short-term, and humane. These sprays were formulated to be safer for you, your pets, and even an attacking dog. Read on to learn the four things you should know about dogs and pepper spray.
Will Pepper Spray Stop an Attacking Dog?
Pepper spray is one of the best ways to stop an aggressive dog or pack of dogs from biting you, and SABRE Protector® Dog Spray is specifically formulated for use on aggressive dogs. It is compact and be easily carried on your belt, in a pocket or purse when you are walking, jogging, or riding a bike. Most importantly, its effects are temporary, but the effects last long enough for you and your pet to escape to safety.
Because these pepper spray canisters fire multiple bursts, you can spray more than one animal if necessary. You can also deliver repeated bursts if one dog keeps on attacking.Special pepper sprays designed specifically for dogs are on the market. These provide just the right amount of pepper to safely and humanely deter attacks but not injure a dog long-term.
Many have ranges of 10 feet or more, allowing you to stop an attack dog in its tracks so you can move away safely. These sprays are designed to provide short-term protection from an attacking dog. After you have disabled the dog, get to a safe place and contact the authorities so no one else will be confronted with that dangerous animal.
Besides protecting you and any human friends, children or family members with you, pepper spray can guard any dog or dogs with you. As any dog owner knows, some pets can become extremely aggressive when they meet other dogs. Preventing an attack can avoid serious injury not only to you and your dog but also to the attacking dog.
Can Pepper Spray Kill a Dog?
SABRE pepper spray for dogs is specially formulated with 1.0% Major Capsaicinoids, the humane amount allowed by the EPA, so it will not kill dogs. Dogs have extremely sensitive noses, eyes and ears, so the amount of pepper required to halt their aggression is not as high as the strength formulated for humans.
Spraying an aggressive dog will irritate the nose, eyes and skin, temporarily incapacitating it, without causing long-term damage if used correctly.
Make sure to usepepper spray specially formulated for dogs. These have lower concentrations of pepper than sprays made for deterring human or bear attacks.
Is It Legal to Pepper Spray a Dog?
Pepper spray is legal to carry in all 50 states for people who are 18 years old or older. It’s wise to check with your locality about local laws and regulations that may apply.
Acceptable reasons for using self-defense spray vary by state and locality. You should use your discretion when dealing with an aggressive animal. Resort to pepper spray after you attempt to avoid contact with the animal or if you can’t deter it by yelling at it to go away or threatening it.
Pepper spray offers a humane alternative to protecting yourself with a stick, baseball bat, knife or other weapon.
On the other hand, pepper spray should not be misused or abused. It should not be used as a training method for any animal, including dogs. It should not be put in the hands of anyone who might abuse animals with it either. Animal cruelty laws exist across the U.S. to deter and punish this kind of misbehavior.
How Effective Is Pepper Spray on Dogs?
As legions of USPS employees as well as runners, walkers and others can attest, pepper spray is extremely effective on dogs as a humane, short-term safety solution. It offers an affordable, portable and dependable extra layer of protection against dog attacks.
If you are concerned about aggressive dogs, it is wise to carry portable pepper spray formulated for deterring dogs, like SABRE Protector Dog Spray, with you. That way, you will never walk, jog or bike alone.
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Dog Spray FAQs:
- Will Pepper Spray Stop an Attacking Dog?
Spraying an aggressive dog will irritate the nose, eyes and skin, temporarily incapacitating it, without causing long-term damage if used correctly.
- Can Pepper Spray Kill a Dog?
SABRE’s Protector Dog Spray is formulated with 1.0% Major Capsaicinoids, the humane amount allowed by the EPA, so it will not kill dogs.
- Is It Legal to Pepper Spray a Dog?
Dog spray is legal to carry in all 50 states for people who are 18 years old or older. It’s wise to check with your locality about local laws and regulations that may apply. It should not be used as a training method for any animal, including dogs. It should not be put in the hands of anyone who might abuse animals with it either. Animal cruelty laws exist across the U.S. to deter and punish this kind of misbehavior.
- How Effective Is Pepper Spray on Dogs?
Dog spray is extremely effective on dogs as a humane, short-term safety solution.
