It would have been interesting to see their response, especially after one commented on the NRA sticker on my truck.

-Blast

I think everyone hit the high points. Which were (IMO)...
1) Good job! You seem to have stopped the dogs actions from escalating and had a plan if things had gotten worse.
2) Pepper/bear spray would have been a nice option to have.
3) Next time call the law. The next person that the object of the dogs attention might not fair as well.

Blast,

Well done. I'd add pepper spray to your hiking kit and call it in to the non-emergency number to report it afterwards (and to the good folks in charge of the park.)

T

While what you did was appropriate for the conditions...

Did you get the owner's name and/or report her to the 'proper authorities".

In the world of what if's - what if a child had been the target of their attack? Seems to me this woman hasn't clue 1 that her dogs are basically 4 legged weapons.

Good thing you had your staff with you. Like the others, I say add pepper spray.

Kudos from me too.

You also demonstrated for your entire class a good response to that situation.

If the NRA comment was non-supportive, you further demonstrated responsible behavior.

And add my vote to the "report it, even this late", even if it's only to get it on the record.

Good job!

The police "Use of Force Continuum" is pretty much what I think of when it comes to how I should handle a dangerous person or animal. It goes something like this:

1. Physical/Verbal Presence (look and sound tough)
2. Light hand-to-hand techniques (blocking, arm locks, pushing ect)
3. Mace/Pepper Spray/other Less than Lethal
4. Heavy hand-to-hand (punches/kicks)
5. Baton
6. Threat of deadly force
7. Deadly force

It's not perfectly adapted; for example, as a citizen I avoid the hand-to-hand stuff whenever possible, instead preferring the methods that allow me to keep my distance and escape. But, the basic idea is there. If it came to aggressive dogs I would do the following:

1. Aggressive stance and yelling
-if that doesn't work-
2. Pepper Spray them and try to get away
-if that doesn't work-
3. Hit them hard with stick/baton/whatever
-if that doesn't work-
4. Shoot if armed and I feel it's necessary to keep them from attacking

With that said, if I see an aggressive dog latched on to a child's arm or something it's getting a kick to the head and a couple rounds of hot lead. There's no reason to waste time at that point.

Query: What were your students doing while you were playing wack-a-rott? It sounds like nothing.

Consider that two rottweilers likely are more than a match for you and a stick, and that once one of them has latched onto you (or someone else) it might be too late to escalate to a firearm.

Given these considerations, I'd suggest that in the unlikely event the situation repeats itself, you should consider asking the students to arm themselves with anything available and to come to your assistance. The dogs were being given the impression that that they were facing only one threat. You and four students are more than a match for two rottweilers and the dogs would recognize that fact as soon as four or five people started yelling and waiving sticks at them.

By the way, my suggestion is not meant as a criticism . . . I think you handled the situation very well. I just don't believe that people can be categorized either as sheepdogs or sheep. Almost all of us have some sheepdog.

It sounds to me like you handled it perfectly. The fact that you could have drawn on the dogs but didn't is the key point for me. You had the capability of resorting to deadly force but kept your head and left the escalation of the situation to the aggressor(s). The stick worked and nobody was injured. GOOD JOB!

On the other hand...had the owner realized that her dogs lives were in serious jeapordy it might have driven home the point that they need to be kept on a leash or better trained. She probably doesn't care for anybody else's safety but I'm willing to bet that the realization that her precious little puppies were very close to a dirt nap it might have gotten her attention.

I hear you Rover! Once I had to defend myself from 3 feral dogs. I had my big knife and that saved my bacon, I broke the spine of the leader and the other two run away. One thing that chilled my blood was that none of them barked, not even once. They just came at me at full speed. I was wearing high boots (because of the snakes) and I had rolled my jacket around my left arm, so I was unharmed.

They were hunting, barking/growling dogs are usually guarding territory or food. A pack will bark when attacking for food but it's usually to confuse/frighten their prey.

An aggressive barking dog is sending a message, a silent aggressive dog is either well trained or hungry.

Disclaimer: I'm not any type of dog expert but I've observed enough canine pack behavior to feel pretty confident in my assessment.