| Have you ever been riding your bicycle around | | | | button. That's all there is to it. It's also |
| the block when a dog comes running out of | | | | safe and humane. The electronic animal |
| it's yard and starts chasing you down the | | | | repeller is not the repeller of choice |
| street? Maybe you're walking down the street | | | | however, if your walking your dog. |
| when you spot a rather large dog a few houses | | | | |
| away. The dog appears to be unattended and | | | | A second option is to whip out your trusty |
| you don't know if it's friendly. Has this | | | | dog repellent spray. Mace makes a safe, |
| ever happened to you? Your walking your small | | | | humane and effective dog repellent spray |
| dog (on a leash) down the street when | | | | that's EPA approved. It sprays 8-10 feet, but |
| suddenly your confronted by a strange, free | | | | don't spray it into the wind as the results |
| roaming dog and it's growling and in the | | | | could prove to be dis- astrous. Here's how it |
| attack position. | | | | works. When sprayed with a pepper spray dog |
| | | | repellent spray, most dogs throw themselves |
| What do you do? What can you do? | | | | on the ground rubbing their eyes. The painful |
| | | | burning effects of the spray typically wear |
| In the first scenario, described above, where | | | | off within a few minutes, leaving the dog |
| the bicyclist is being chased by a dog, you | | | | healthy and unharmed. Choose dog repellent |
| would probably start peddling faster while | | | | sprays with pepper spray, also known as OC |
| simultaneously kicking out at the dog in an | | | | (oleoresin capsicum) spray, as it's |
| attempt to both outrun the dog and prevent it | | | | ingredient. Other sprays may not work on dogs |
| from biting you. The second scenario has you | | | | that don't respond to pain. It's totally |
| walking down the street when you spot a | | | | non-toxic. |
| large, unattended dog a few houses away. | | | | |
| Lot's of people go for walks carrying a base- | | | | Another option is the stun baton. A favorite |
| ball bat or large stick to protect themselves | | | | among security guards, it is very effective |
| just in case the dog turns out to be, shall | | | | on dogs. Just touch the dog on it's face. It |
| we say, unfriendly. First, carrying a | | | | will drop to it's knees, turn and run. |
| baseball bat or a large stick can be | | | | Normally, however, the clicking sounds the |
| cumbersome and get heavy after awhile. | | | | baton makes when turned on is enough to deter |
| Second, you have to be prepared to beat the | | | | the dog. Stun batons come in different |
| dog (not an easy thing to do). Imagine how | | | | lengths ranging from 300,000 volts to 500,000 |
| you will feel afterwards. So, instead, you'll | | | | volts. A stun baton is a stun gun placed into |
| probably just turn around and walk back | | | | a baton. Stun guns use high voltage and low |
| rather than take a chance. The last scenerio | | | | amperage to temporarily disable an attacker. |
| as described above, has you walking your | | | | It does not rely on pain for results. The |
| small dog on a leash, when your confronted by | | | | energy stored in the gun is dumped into the |
| a larger, strange dog. Most likely, you will | | | | attackers blood sugar by converting it to |
| pick up your beloved pet, hold it close to | | | | lactic acid. Unable to produce energy for the |
| you and then just hope for the best. Trying | | | | muscles, the body is unable to function |
| to run away almost never works. | | | | properly. The stun gun also interrupts the |
| | | | tiny neurological impulses that control |
| Let's look at some other options. One is to | | | | muscle move- ment, causing the attacker to |
| keep the dog from coming near you in the | | | | lose their balance. All this happens very |
| first place. You can accomplish this with an | | | | rapidly. Should the attacker be touching you, |
| electronic animal repellant. Using ultrasonic | | | | the current will not pass to your body. Of |
| technology, the devise produces a | | | | course, as a last resort, you can use the |
| discomforting but not harmful high frequency | | | | baton as a stick or baseball ball to hit the |
| sound, audible to dogs but not to humans. One | | | | dog with. |
| such device is the Ultrasonic Dog Chaser. | | | | |
| It's small and lightweight. It measures 3 & 3 | | | | So go ahead and take that walk down the |
| 4 inches by 2 & 3/16 inches by 7/8 inches. | | | | street, or pull out your bike and ride around |
| That's roughly the size of a deck of cards. | | | | the block again. There's no need to be afraid |
| Weighing in at just 3.5 ounces with the | | | | of those stray dogs any more. Have FUN! |
| 9-volt battery, it's quite compact. It has a | | | | |
| frequency range between 20,000Hz - 25,000Hz. | | | | You can find these devices in some stores and |
| At 135dbs, it has an effective range up to 20 | | | | on most internet sites selling self |
| feet. The device is easy to use, too. Point | | | | protection products. |
| the animal repeller at the dog and press the | | | | |