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Comment by ahf8Aithaex7Nai | Hacker News Reader

My tried and tested remedy for disrespectful dogs is a hearty slap on the muzzle from above with an open hand. They don't expect it and it seems to hurt them quite a lot. I even put a rather dominant Ovcharka female in her place with this. (At the time, I didn't know how hard they can bite.)

Running away is not a good idea. Better run towards the dog. Then it will probably turn around, unless it is really sure of itself. In my experience, being convincingly dominant towards dogs is enough to fend them off. Grab something as a weapon if it helps you to be confident. If the dog bites, it will probably only bite very briefly and then let go again. Holding and shaking people like prey is unlikely if it hasn't been conditioned. I don't know what you can do in this case. Try as best you can to injure the animal. You are also dangerous and should let the dog know.

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> In my experience, being convincingly dominant towards dogs is enough to fend them off.

The same holds for most non-herbivores, at least until they're so much bigger than you that they don't have to consider you a threat at all (e.g. brown bears).

There's something of an evolutionary angle to it: a carnivore with even moderate injuries might starve, while a herbivore who doesn't die of infection will probably live (grass has a hard time running away, after all). This makes carnivores way more likely to back off from the possibility of injury, with herbivores more likely to hold their ground or even reflexively go on the attack against an equal threat.

I fended up a genuinely scary pack of dogs with the arms up, yell, and be dominant approach one time. It worked despite being a genuinely dangerous situation. Not long after, I was scared shitless when a rat ran towards me (rather than away), despite me gesturing to it to do the opposite. Literally fled in full flight. Animals are funny.

》hearty slap on the muzzle

I think you may have very very nasty suprise in western country. Dogs there NEVER wear muzzle. Plus touching a dog, who has not bitten you yet, is a crime there.

》If the dog bites, it will probably only bite very briefly and then let go again. Holding and shaking people like prey is unlikely if it hasn't been conditioned. I don't know what you can do in this case

Pitbulls have reflex to bite, and hold no matter of what. They were bread to kill bulls this way! Pit will not let go, even when stabbed with a knife!

Owners should carry "break stick", it gets stuffed into mouth to force it open (break the grip). 60% of deaths from dogs in west are because of this reflex! We have no rabies, we have pits!

Yes, I meant the dog's snout. I'm not a native speaker. Whether something is a crime or not is of pretty little interest to me when it comes to an aggressive dog. Last year I had to kick a dog hard and chase it away while jogging in the park. Against whom should charges be brought? I didn't leave my personal details.

Pit bulls are an exception. Most dogs are not pit bulls.

By the way, my life doesn't revolve around attacking dogs. That only happens very rarely here.

Muzzle is a perfectly good word to use here, and your meaning was clear.

I assume they meant muzzle in the sense of snout (even though that's not really accurate). And if a dog is starting to attack someone and they touch it, absolutely no one is going to arrest or prosecute the person for it.

And the owner is going to be a lot more worried about their dog being put down and being in legal trouble themselves.

> Dogs there NEVER wear muzzle

"Muzzle" in this context is a synonym for "snout," not a muzzle guard like you're thinking of.

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