Dazer against dogs?

[Luka]

I am planning to walk through Belgium and France to connect to the Camino Francés in St Jean Pied de Port. I heard that on the route in Spain dogs aren't a problem, but that they can be in France. Anyone here used a dazer against dogs? Did it serve you well? Was it necessary?

 

[Kitsambler]

After walking in France 3 weeks of September 2010, from Le Puy to Cahors, I would say dogs are not a problem, so there is no need of a Dazer. Almost every farmstead we passed had a dog, typically one of the herding types, and while they were not especially friendly, they were not a threat. Especially if you stay on your side of the fence and let them stay on theirs.

The only time I had any concern, I had got myself lost, wandered off the marked route, and as I was passing through a hamlet, two large dogs jumped out the cargo area of a pickup truck and were enthusiastic to defend their turf. I just avoided eye contact and walked on down the road, and they eventually went back inside.

 

[Luka]

Kitsambler,thanks for sharing your experience! Anyone else?
I am just afraid that dogs will smell my fear...

 

[SabsP]

Luka,

I can only speak for Belgium as I live here, but you will be ok regarding the dogs. Even in the more remote walloon ( ardennes ) area dogs will not be a threat of any kind. They will be on a leash or in a big kennel where they have lots of movement to run around. Also lots of farms have those electronic devices that keeps the dogs on the courtyard ( well this is my experience when doing my training)...
And if you might walk in my street ( also a part of the Via Monastica ) you will only encounter my cats behind the window...

 

[Anniesantiago]

I'm terrified of dogs, and was worried.
But I had no problem at all.

The one time a dog challenged me, I used advice I'd read on this forum:

I bent down, picked up a rock, and by the time I raised up, the dog was high-tailing it home!

 

[Vigdis]

Only know that it is not a problem in Spain.
I understand your problem, I am also afraid of dogs (and was kind of glad to have someone by my side entering Foncebadon after reading Shirley MacLaine's and Coelho's books...).

I brought a dog-dazer, but didt need to, I will not bring it again, in Spain that is.

 

[William Marques]

Yes - we have a dog dazer and it worked for us. It was probably more use as reassurance for someone very afraid of dogs to have in her pocket not so much against the dogs themselves as it was never used in anger. We did test it though and it worked when tested.

 

[Caminando]

I tried a dog dazer and it was ineffective.

I cant stand the brutes though I do like a nice well cared for dog.

You need a variety of techniques, IMO, from raising a stick to whacking them with that stick. Or, reaching for a stone, real or not. If you have a stone, hit them with it. With force.

When they are behind a fence but give you a fright with their sudden snarling, rattle the fence with your stick. This drive the brutes into a frothing frenzy and gives their neglectful owner some grief, as they should have. They shouldnt contain an animal like that every day - it´s a crime.

These are my milder measures.

The more discerning of you get the idea that yes I got attacked by a dog when I was a (12 year old )kid. Nobody helped me in my screaming.Worse than the dog, they were. No I dont hate dogs but ...? I had a serious moment on the VDP when two giant sheepdogs circled me. So yeah...dogs....

 

[Luka]

You need a variety of techniques, IMO, from raising a stick to whacking them with that stick. Or, reaching for a stone, real or not. If you have a stone, hit them with it. With force.

Pardon me? Hit a dog with a stone? With force? I will never be able to do that. I love animals.

 

[Luka]

And if you might walk in my street ( also a part of the Via Monastica ) you will only encounter my cats behind the window...

Nice, I like cats, have one myself! I will pass your home one day. Am now walking the Pelgrimspad I (Amsterdam - Den Bosch) in daytrips. Hope to get seriously in April with six days of walking from Vught tot Diest. You are preparing as well I saw in your blog!

 

[Sojourner47]

Some time ago I worked for 4 years as a postman in the UK, and during that time was attacked 5 times by dogs - a variety, from Jack Russells to German Shepherds- quite badly on 2 occasions. The Royal Mail did give me a dazer; the problem was that walking up someones driveway with a bunch of letters in one hand, sorting them with the other made it difficult to get the dazer out if a dog came charging up...EVERY time it happened the owner said, "well,he's never done that before..."
They would say that, wouldn't they? So, it may be just me (I don't like dogs, being a 100% cat man), but I will be taking a stick with me on the CI next month, and keep an eye out for handy stones to throw, just in case....

 

[camino-david]

Last year whilst walking the Camino Frances I encountered plenty of dogs who would bark and look ferocious, but they were always behind secure fencing and caused no problems At Foncebadon, made notorious by Shirley McLeans book, I didn't see a single dog. If you throw stones at a dog, that only aggravates them and they will look more fierce and bark hysterically, which helps no one.

 

[Caminando]

You need a variety of techniques, IMO, from raising a stick to whacking them with that stick. Or, reaching for a stone, real or not. If you have a stone, hit them with it. With force.

Pardon me? Hit a dog with a stone? With force? I will never be able to do that. I love animals.

You may indeed love animals but I think that when a dog has its teeth into you, hanging off your arm or backside ,then you may wish to reconsider. You will actually "be able to do that" when you are about to become lunch. Ask a postman, as above.

Alternatively you could smother them with love - once you get out of hospital.

 

[Caminando]

Last year whilst walking the Camino Frances I encountered plenty of dogs who would bark and look ferocious, but they were always behind secure fencing and caused no problems At Foncebadon, made notorious by Shirley McLeans book, I didn't see a single dog. If you throw stones at a dog, that only aggravates them and they will look more fierce and bark hysterically, which helps no one.

No david you dont throw stones unless they are on the point of launching an attack.

However, if you had thrown McLaine's book or even just showed it to the dogs, I think they would have turned in terror and ran for miles. Theyre not stupid you know:they knew you had this book and hid when they heard you coming.

 

[ranthr]

Can anyone tell me what a dogdazer is?
In France I once had trouble getting rid of a dog passing a farm. It did not mind my walkingpoles at all but when I cried out a loud FY! in Norwegian it put its tale between the legs and went away.
It did not attack people in front of me or after me.
Was afraid of dogs the rest of the way to Santiago, but did not meet more angry dogs after that.
ranthr

 

[Sojourner47]

Can anyone tell me what a dogdazer is?
In France I once had trouble getting rid of a dog passing a farm. It did not mind my walkingpoles at all but when I cried out a loud FY! in Norwegian it put its tale between the legs and went away.
It did not attack people in front of me or after me.
Was afraid of dogs the rest of the way to Santiago, but did not meet more angry dogs after that.
ranthr

A dog dazer is a small handheld battery powered gizmo which emits a high pitched sound, inaudible to us but distressing to the dog.The idea being that the animal will back off to ease the "white" noise....
Judging by some of the comments on the "albergue etiquette" board, a mains powered people-dazer might come in handy.....

 

[Sojourner47]

.[/However, if you had thrown McLaine's book or even just showed it to the dogs, I think they would have turned in terror and ran for miles. Theyre not stupid you know:they knew you had this book and hid when they heard you coming.

I love it!!!! (the comment, not the book....)

 

[CaroleH]

However, if you had thrown McLaine's book or even just showed it to the dogs, I think they would have turned in terror and ran for miles. Theyre not stupid you know:they knew you had this book and hid when they heard you coming.[/quote]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Wish I'd had a Shirley McLaine book to use on the 2 enormous (seemed large as lions at the time), ferocious hounds that came at us on the Vdlp, on our 3rd day of walking of our first camino. That was scarey, and they were with us, snarling, frightening, for about 100metres, with me holding them off with my one hiking stick. When they left us and went back to the sheep they were guarding, my legs wouldn't hold me up, and there I was.... a blubbering mess on the ground. So now, we always, BOTH have our sticks out.

But, don't want to scare anyone off, just wanted to balance the equation. Maybe dogs are no problem at all on CF but on the less populated routes (which we do) they can be, IMHO, so just be aware. In spite of that attack, we are going back in 6 weeks time to walk our 4th camino, and not worried. We now know about the pretend rock picking up trick, and are watchful, mostly the larger guard dogs are behind fences or chained, maybe I'll find a dozer which sounds effective, and. . . there's Ms McLaine!!

Buen camino a todos. Carole

 

[newfydog]

I see every dog as a challange....to get it to come over to me, belly up and give me a kiss. I can almost always accomplish this, even with big mountain dogs guarding the place.

Every now and then there is an incorrigable one. I have yet to see one of those who doesn't run at the mere motion of picking up a rock. I have never had throw one.

 

[CaroleH]

.......I want to walk with you, Newfydog!

 

[AJ]

I had no trouble with dogs in France, on the Frances, Norte, Primitivo or Salvador. However there were plenty on the Mozarabe and VdlP and the worst problem was the barking! They were mostly the large dogs used for protecting stock.

I carried a stone and if the dogs looked like they might be a problem, I pretended that I was about to throw the stone. It worked every time: they always backed off.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Only the Dazer manufacturer gives it rave reviews. Bicyclists and postmen generally say it does not work particularly well. They recommend an air horn, pepper spray, and a squirt bottle of ammonia as more effective. I have had success with a small boat air horn that puts out a very loud noise! A new manufacturer is preparing a variation on that theme with an air horn device that has a higher frequency for dog ears (which are different than boat ears):

http://www.sounddefenseonline.com/the-p ... -it-works/

 

[elzi]

Use your stick, shout a lot!

I had masses of trouble with dogs in France. Not sure why, I think they just didn't like me, my mum would walk past fine and then the hounds of hell would come hightailing after me like crazy. Often they appeared out of nowhere so it's not like I looked at them funny. Unlike Spain (& Portugal) the dogs in France are not generally chained up or behind fences (not that I agree with the chaining) so you will have to have all your wits about you.

Take a walking stick, hold it out between you and the dog, shout loudly, wave the stick about and keep walking past, make it clear you are intent on leaving the area they are guarding as soon as possible. It's rare a dog will follow you once you are past whatever they regard as their territory. Likewise stay alert, a dog that is sitting chilled out in the road ignoring you may jump up and go mad the moment you take a step onto it's patch.

I had several fairly severe incidents with dogs but I NEVER had to hit one. Threatening to seemed to keep them at bay. The only time I really thought I may be forced to hit a dog suddenly a car went past and it chased that instead! One terrifying incident involved two very large (think bear sized) dogs on a farm which obviously hated pilgrims (pilgrims beware signs all the way through on the route) they stood either side of me within inches very aggressively blocking my path, I was so scared when one of them lurched forward I involuntarily jumped inadvertently hitting out with my stick as I did, narrowly missing the lunging dog. It seemed to take that as enough of a threat to move back a metre or so allowing me to edge past and get on my way...

Eventually I learnt just to be VERY assertive, shout loudly, keep your stick between you and the dog, wave the stick around a bit, keep moving.

I'm not sure I'd want to start casting about on the ground bending down searching for stones, just make sure you're never without a walking stick!

And watch out for little dogs, the only time I've been actually bitten on camino was when I was walking along an urban street not thinking too much about anything when a small lapdog being walked by it's owner just turned around out of the blue and bit into my sandal! Basically stay alert for all dogs.

And I actually quite like dogs!!!

 

[Luka]

Allright then. Conclusion: no dazer, but conquer my fears and buy a walking stick...

 

[mikevasey]

And watch out for little dogs,

The only time i had come close to being bitten was when i was walking the 18 km from Mansillas into Leon. I decided to break the journey up a bit, by wandering around one of the dormitory towns. I saw from the town layout that i could rejoin the camino about 1km on,so I wandered into the town, from behind these slightly open gates came at full speed this little lapdog, me being the fool i am, started to bend down to stroke it, only as it had launched itself into the air did i manage to get my walking stick up and arc it up over my right shoulder with the dog on the end of it. Even after it had got back up, it was still intent on having a piece of me. I slowly backed out of town, ready to impale the fluffy demon if it got closer. So yeah be wary of the big dogs, but watch out for the little ones.


Mike

 

[Sojourner47]

So yeah be wary of the big dogs, but watch out for the little ones.


True - as in my earlier post, the Jack Russell was as aggressive as the German Shepherd, though it didn't knock me over, as the GS did.... :mrgreen: