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Camino Devil Dog Deterrent

Teddie

teddie
Donating Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Frances10, Norte11, Frances16, Primitivo23
My original post was "Dog from Hell" ( having had some negativity on the thread name ), I have concluded a long arduous Camino Primitivo early November and am feeling some remise not updating my findings concerning a 'dog deterrent device'. Although my understanding and love for dogs runs long, I am aware of situations where a loose dog can be a threat to the health of humans ( I am not naive ) and will not elaborate. I had attached a powerful pen light ( erroneously thinking 1850 lumen but in reality 350 ) to my walking cane having a "strobe setting". I tested it on myself....saw dots for a minute or so.
I am happy to announce 'it works' !! , it disorients without harm or threat ( yes, I did have two occasions to field test otherwise).
The flashlight setting ( strobe not the correct choice ) proved invaluable with the morning "underthebed check".
 
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I hope that this ( and other similar "weapons",) is not going to be used by a lot of pilgrims. I fear that it will be used by people who are afraid of dogs as a prevention and will use it the moment they see a loose dog. They will not wait till it is clear if the dog is aggressive.

This is "dog-unfriendly" and it would probably have a negatieve influence on the attitude of the dog towards pilgrims. certainly if "unarmed"
 
I think Teddy is wise enough to only use it on an attacking dog. I love it .. doesn't harm but a dog might alter future behaviour if it has had the light deterrent - the only deterrent I knew of was to push your fist right down into the throat when it leaps at you - stops them breathing and when properly pushed in their jaws are too wide to bite - but you only have one chance at that.
 
Are there issues with dogs on Camino France or just Primitivo? And how frequent is this?
 
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Just a small reminder that the prevailing wisdom when being approached or investigated by a dog is to “be a tree” and stay as still and upright as possible. Also remove your hat if you are wearing one. I know this flies in the face of our instincts to run away or face off with a dog, but if you be a tree, most dogs will lose interest and move on. You just need to wait them out. Nerve wracking for many, I know.
 
I don't know Teddy, probably you are right and he will use it only against attacking dogs. I was talking about people who are afraid and use it before the dog has shown to be agreesive.. (by mentioning means for dogdeterrents in this forum fear of dogs on the camino is unnecessarily enhanced. In my 7 caminos I can remember only one encounter with an agressive dog. To take along special stuff for deterring is also not usefull, because bending over and ( pretending to) pick up a stone is a signal that will be understood by most dogs.
 
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CaminoFitz said:
Are there issues with dogs on Camino France or just Primitivo? And how frequent is this?
Click to expand...
I cannot answer for the Frances; no issues - zero - on the Primitivo, BUT the Verde ( the variant that starts just outside Lugo, most definitely. And only at one place
 
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Your worried about the wrong thing!

There far are more cases of tendonitis and shin splints than dog bites on the Camino. Your time is better spent on training to avoid tendonitis and shin splints then worrying about dogs.

-Paul
 
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You know what dogs do to trees to mark their territory.
 
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Tincatinker said:
Yes. Not many.

Shirley McClaines excellent book on the Camino is probably the best resource. Or you could try entering “dogs” into the forum search engine
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Cognizant that humour doesn't always come across, especially to new members, I will point out that I believe that the first sentence of the advice regarding Shirley Maclain was likely intended as dry humour while the second sentence regarding the search engine should be taken more seriously.
 
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Rick of Rick and Peg said:
The questions:


The answer:


Two dog deterrents combined into one handy device.
Click to expand...
Well, I’m having trouble imagining exactly how he’s using it. But I guess if he’s being attacked by a dog, he turns on the strobe and points the cane/strobe at the dog as well as defending himself with it?

I’m a bit freaked out by barking and aggresive dogs, probably because when I was a small child, I was viciously bitten. I always planned to get some pepper spray in Spain, but never got around to it!

I think what some people don’t understand that if a dog is barking and growling and lunging, many people feel attacked whether the dog actually bites them or not. Defensive equipment is designed to prevent the culminating bite. If I’m walking peacefully by someplace, I’m not to blame for the violent reaction of others, human or dog. I completely sympathize with the OP, @Teddie
 
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EugeneB said:
Great actress, but very disappointing book on Camino.
Click to expand...

Ah, but it wasn't a book about the Camino, that was the mere pastry that held the hidden rich filling. - it was a book about being alive and living a life in this weirdly dreamlike virtual reality and doing what one can without the instruction manual - and in the final three pages it all makes sense.
 
Wait until it is clear the dog is aggressive? Really? Given the dog will already be in close proximity and can cover ground far faster than I can run, has teeth and powerful jaws, just how close do I let him or her get?
I would point out I love dogs and would never do anything to one unless I am actually attacked. Pretty much how I treat other pilgrims to be honest!
 
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In summary, there can be dog incidents along the Camino, as there can anywhere, but they are rare - especially on the Camino Frances where dogs are used to seeing thousands of pilgrims pass through their territories.

The only time I have ever been bitten by a dog was in my own neighbourhood, without warning, by a yappy little dog on a leash.
 
Probe a dog, get bit. Leave the dogs be dogs!
 
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C clearly said:
In summary, there can be dog incidents along the Camino, as there can anywhere, but they are rare - especially on the Camino Frances where dogs are used to seeing thousands of pilgrims pass through their territories
Click to expand...
Since dogs are so used to pilgrims on the Francés if you are on the Camino Francés and a dog continues barking and being aggressive you should check to see if you have strayed from the trail.
 
I walked the Camino Portuguese from Lisbon in September. I had multiple instances of aggressive dogs and was chased twice in one day. To be honest the whole experience traumatized me to the extent I have doubts I will do a third Camino. I am now afraid of any dog even on a leash . If I ever do another Camino I will have to walk with someone the whole way.
 
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You could walk with me, I have this largish cat that watches my back for me when I walk.
 
It seems to me that Emilio in his movie The Way missed a great opportunity for further character development of his 4 main "protagonists" not knowing about "black dog" (pun intended).

I have my own definite ideas about how each one would have reacted to a dog approaching them (individually) with motives unknown - any takers?
 
Dogs never have been an issue for me in Spain. The most frightened episode with them happened yesterday. I was walking alone on Sierra de Madrid and a very big Mastiff (cowscaring in the mountain) came from behind and put his front legs on my left side. He was almost my height. Didn't bite me. He was just playing.
 
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My point is that dogrepellents are not only dog-unfriendly but also not very useful. Precisely because of the point you make : the only moment that you can sensibly use a repellent is before the moment a dog becomes agressive. Wheather this is the case depends on the judgment of the pilgrim involved. If he/she is afraid of dogs this could lead to using a weapon unnecessarily against all/ many dogs.
If you are going to walk in rural areas where you could meet loose dogs you must be prepared for this and know how to react. Like I and others have allready said incidents with dogs are rare ( naturally there are far more situations where peopfe feel threatened)
If a dog is really agressive, it is not likely that other villagers would accept it that he runs free. Certainly on muchwalked caminos dogs ( and their owners) will be accustomed to many pilgrims.
 
I have complete sympathy for those people who had bad experiences with dogs and developed possibly disproportionate fear. It's like cows to me...I have several bad experiences and don't want to be in the same field with cows and bulls alone. I don't have fear of dogs but hate it when they jump on me with the muddy paws. I hate even more when the owner says 'don't worry, it's friendly'. I don't want them to be friendly in the way do....muddy paws and drooling all over!
When I walked in Gran Canaria, I got barked by so many dogs at once from the roof tops, gardens and everywhere. Many were chained but some were loose. Not many people walk there. So I was often the only walker on the road and path. One little yapping dog bit my heel. Luckly, my boots were too tough for the little dog. I don't like confrontations and tried to keep peace with them. I think dogs can sense our mind. But my being friendly strategy didn't always work. I was advised to pick a stone ..It worked. I didn't need to throw the stone but the action of picking a stone stopped them. One day, a German shepherd run after me, barking. I said 'hello' and it quietened and followed me. It escorted me for the rest of the walk against other barking dogs for the day.
 
I intuitively used this approach for years and it worked great… until it didn’t. Just recently tried this and had the dog run around and smell me as usuall and then it bit me in the calf. Yikes! Maybe it was the jamon I smeared all over my legs.
 
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Rebekah Scott said:
Dog attacks are vanishingly rare on the Way. They are another reason to use a walking stick. Dog comes at you, BANG. Dog goes away.
I've only had to do this once. It worked.
Click to expand...
Don't know about them being vanishingly rare but..
Yep, simple solution.
 
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Little Dog bit me the other day. Not nasty, just grabbed my hand and held it. So I stopped still and she let go. Took me a few moments to figure out what was going on. Realized that I'd been moving quite quickly toward the latest grandson who was crying and Little Dog wasn't sure what my intentions were. So she checked.

The trouble with dogs is their limited language: wag, pant, cringe, bite.... And their limited reasoning: ignore it; guard it; eat it...
 
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Tincatinker said:
The trouble with dogs is their limited language: wag, pant, cringe, bite.... And their limited reasoning: ignore it; guard it; eat it...
Click to expand...
... stay away from it; its not natural.

Several years back, and for most of them, I often remarked to Peg that dogs we met on our walks started to retreat from me. They would back up sort of bowing and woof at me (not bark or growl). Their owners mentioned that it might be because of my beard or hat but these never caused any dog concern before. About a minute after the last incident I figured it out because I was due to get a facial melanoma removed in a week. The dogs were reacting to my disease. I haven't had that reaction from dogs in the two years since. Dogs did better at diagnosis than doctors I had been seeing face to face over the same years. One take-away, see a specialist in dermatology once in awhile.

Though this is off topic I hope the mods allow it to stay for its dog gone usefulness.
 
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Rick of Rick and Peg said:
... stay away from it; its not natural.
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Maybe not "natural", maybe not "right". Smeagol the Beagle will ignore anyone and anything any time she can. So when she growls at someone I put myself between them and the rest of my family immediately. If Smeagol says it ain't right it ain't right.

I'm glad for your recovery amigo
 
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Rick, I realize you are being serious, but I see it as an old "dog's tail" myself.

Tincatinker said:
So when she growls at someone I put myself between them and the rest of my family immediately
Click to expand...
The family dog when I was growing up was a Beagle named Trixie and quite loveable. However...when eating her bowl of dog food if you got near her she would growl, and look up at you staring daggers while continuing to chow down like it was her last meal. We were enemies at that moment, but I would laugh, being a "little imp" as my mom sometimes called me. She had to stop giving Trixie chicken bones after the dog choked on a lodged bone. Luckily my boyfriend was visiting and grabbed a leather glove nearby and crammed his hand into her mouth and got it out, but Trixie still bit the glove and tried her darndest to keep him away.
 
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