Bushwalk Australia

*Sherlock Holmes accent* I come to tell you the tale of a wicked beast I encountered yesterday while running on the Pipeline track! A most devilish fiend, I have not seen before! */Sherlock Holmes accent*

I went for a run out along the Pipeline track at Mt Wellington, and just as I arrived back at my car (parked at Morphetts Rd) a dog which obviously lives in the house on the main road there, went agro at me. It wasn't overly large, probably just below my waist, it was jet black and covered in thick fur (very bear-ish!). And, I should say, it really went AGRO. It was crouched down, hackles up, barking like mad, drooling and showing its teeth.

I was only 20m from the road, and I wasn't totally freaked out, so I bent down, held out my hand and made soothing 'puppy' noises (for e.g. 'come here pup! Awww who's a cutey!!"). Unfortunately it didn't like it and it's hackles went up further and it was barking and drooling like mad. I then switched tact and tried stern - I pointed at it and told it "NO. SIT Down". This had more of an effect - it backed off. But then it came back with renewed ferocity. So I decided it was too riled up to calm, and I walked back down to the road and car - but it followed barking and going wild about 3m behind me. As soon as I walked across the road, it went back into their property.

I should also mention, to those that haven't been up the track - the Pipeline track forms the back and side (elevated) border of this particular house. Thus I can understand having a guard dog there might be prudent.

Has anyone else experienced this 'devilish fiend'!? If not, has anyone else come across a nasty sounding dogs in the bush? Once during a night-time rogaine, a pack of dogs from the neighbouring property came to within 4m of our team of 4 - we were ok because they seemed hesitant to cross the property boundary. What should you do in the situation?

Cheers,
Dave

PS I apologise for the introduction - I have just finished the A.C.Doyle novel. (Which I recommend!)

No, but I'd be reporting that to the council (literally, as I live up that way). Wild, untethered dogs are not to be tolerated. They are *&%$#! dangerous.

Dogs generally act like this out of fear....hard to say, but yeah report the incident to council, often someone will run away, dog will chase......can be very nasty especially a young kid.

Best thing is not to acknowledge the animal, no eye contact and slow movements to get past it - definitely do not stick your hand out, that's a myth, you just might lose your fingers!

First, I tried the friendly approach; duck down to the dog's height, change voice to soothing, and yes, in retrospect, it probably wasn't a good idea to put my hand out!

I was lucky that I was much larger, if it was a kid, as you suggested, it could have been nastier. The thing is: it seemed to me as though the dog lived in the house there, on the corner there with the track. It seems to suggest to me that it must act like this pretty often? I may have scared it, running out of the cloud, near to dusk, but my foot falls are loud enough that it would have heard me ages off. Perhaps it's partially deaf.

[quote="DaveGwy"]First, I tried the friendly approach"

First mistake was to try the friendly approach, im guessing the dog didnt want to be friends. They sense fear, so you are best to stand tall, stay calm and walk at normal pace away from it. If that doesnt work, just run like hell

IMHO one word = pepper spray!
the dog legally has to be contained and it can be classed as an attack without physical contact.
so the council can issue a fine now if it left their premises off lead already - local laws officers discretion usually.... also can check registration etc too....

norts puts on his Council hat. I am dog ranger.
DONT runaway from an aggressive dog.
I present a short course to young children at primary school age on how to react when an aggressive dog comes up to you. It is organised by the Delta society.
Excuse the wording
1. Stand tall like a tree but bring your branches and twigs (arms and fingers) into your chest. ie stand tall and cross your arms.
2. dont look at the dog, ignore it look away from it, even when it comes up to you and tries to push you( use a stuffed dog here with the children.
3. if it knocks you over, which is pretty easy for a large dog on a small child. Turn into a turtle and pull your arms and legs in ie curl up like a ball.

True story - a small boy jumped into a backyard and was attacked by a couple of pit bulls( he had done the Delta Dog course a few weeks before. He curled into a ball and only received a few scratches and bruises, his mother unfortunately jumped the fence to rescue him and was badly mauled.

Roger

All very scary, I remember going up a track near Huonville for a walk with a couple of friends, why and where to I can't remember. There was a similarly unfriendly dog there and we only kept it at bay by keeping our faces towards it and our backsides to the drop off the other side of the track.
My youngest son went over the fence into the neighbour's yard to retrieve a ball a few years ago, not realising their dog (which knew him well and had never been aggressive towards him) was there, it caught him at the top of the fence and ripped his leg open. He was in hospital for 4 days on an antibiotic drip then went into surgery to be sewn up with 24 stitches. It attacked him twice before he dropped back into our garden. I have no doubts that he would be dead if it had caught him on the ground. Amazingly enough he still likes dogs!

Some amazing stories. Thanks for sharing.
It's funny you say that Taure-rana, this was in similar circumstances:
At the road end of the Pipeline track one side is bush and the other drops off a good 5m to the house below - I assume the dog came from this house.