Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Cattle Prod for Dog Control

My Lab and I get our exercise by taking a brisk walk twice a day. Unfortunately, I live on the edge of town and the number of loose dogs and coyotes is getting worse.

In the past couple of weeks we have been attacked twice and watched by coyotes from only about 20 yards off.

One attack by a blue heeler resulted in a tear directly below my Lab's eye. The attack yesterday was by a boxer mix who grabbed my boy by the throat. My boy fighting back and my two kicks to the ribs sent him running.

I tried pepper spray once, but the wind made me more of the victim. I've tried a stick etc, but I am looking for something to change the loose dog's mind before they get close enough to bite.

My question is; Have any of you ever used a cattle prod on a dog? They are designed for a much larger animal so I was wondering if it would do permanent harm on a dog? I've asked my vet and he had no idea, (or at lest wouldn't say for legal reasons). Asked a friend and he said he had never used one on a dog, but his wife dropped to her knees when he gave her a jolt to the thigh. Accidentally I suppose.

What do you guys think? Don't want to use lethal force, but tired of getting attacked and threatened. On the other hand don't need to get sued by the liberal animal right nuts either.

Okay, I'll make a confession here, and I really hate to do this. I have an Australian Shepherd. She was a handful as a puppy, and up to about a year and half old. Wouldn't leave anything alone.......including a couple of my chickens that got out of the pen. I am not going to tolerate a chicken killing dog, as it's been my experience over the years, that once they start, they keep it up. I got one of the dead chickens and a cattle prod, and whipped her with the chicken, while shocking her with the prod. Now, she is a whiny dog anyway, but she was really squalling. Later, I felt really bad, and swore to never do it again. Must have worked, as she has never bothered them again.

Sounds encouraging as it seemed to have the desired effect of changing behavior.

That is my goal, to change the dogs behavior not harm them. Might be more effective, (and more fun), to use a prod on the loose dog's owner. Then maybe they'd keep their fences fixed or build a kennel.

Take a 22 RF semi auto loaded with CCI CB caps and shoot the dogs. The dogs and coyotes will leave you and your dog alone. The cartridge will not
cycle the action and you can keep the brass for later disposal.

Sounds like a good idea to me...especially if you could use it on the owner..

When I walk my boy Rommel I carry pepper spray, and a Glock...thankfully haven't had to use either yet...

What about rat shot??

I knew a houndsman once who had a shocker--it wasn't very big around but about 5ft long. He hit me with it--in the butt thru baggy Carhartts. Got my attention right smartly. A dog fight in the box is serious buisness.
He owned the best behaved pack I ever hunted with.

I would think rat shot and CB caps would eventually kill th a dog or at least r quite a vet visit. Not saying that’s good or bad, but shooting dogs with a firearm opens up other issues.

Last year the wife and I were on a walk after dark in a nice area with $600k homes on 10 to 15 acre lots, and I pulled my CCW 38sp on a threatening dog (deep growl, hair up, teeth barred, lunging at us, etc at danger close distance of 3 to 5 yards). Kept it at my side to be ready, as it got closer. Then its owner decides to walk down and all heck broke loose about me about to shoot his "didn't do nuthin" dog. It got a little physical, as he decided to get in my face and I stopped his advance with a stiff left arm to his chest, as I was trying to back away, all the while I already had a gun drawn! Crazy! What could go wrong? After we got home I called the sherrifs office and reported the whole mess and total cluster. Needless to say i did not mention the firearm.

The above is not something I'm espescially proud of. But it is just to show why I started carrying something less than lethal for dogs. Defense and deterant is needed, but perhaps a firearm in a sub-division push Cujo back is not the best idea.

I initially opted for pepper spray, but I don't care for it. I'm about to get a combo flashlight/stun gun that should do the trick. Not all that expensive and I carry a flashlight anyway. Kind of like your cattleprod idea, but with a light.

The cattle prod will not harm a dog at least not in my experience but it will certainly get the attention. A CB cap can kill a dog . 🐕

A CO2 BB pistol I’ll usually change one attitude as well and can be applied at a greater distance than a cattle prod.

Get the prod and zap them fuggers on the ball sack if ya can!!! Let us know the results, get a good chuckle out of it.😃😃😃

I like the CO2 BB gun idea, too. Walther sells one based on the PPKS design.

Many years ago, I had a neighbor who's favorite hobby was collecting dogs, then letting them run loose on my farm. A dog, by itself, is usually not much of a problem, but when they run in packs, they can be. Rat shot won't kill them, and it will flat get their attention. On the other hand, a 243 will send them to doggy heaven.

Neighbor's pit bull mix was making a nuisance of himself even after I had gently and politely warned/hinted for him to control his fleabag. One day I was working on a project that was not going especially well and the SOB came into my yard and started growling at me. WRONG!

I grabbed a shovel and smacked the ground hard with it. He started running and I gave chase yelling at the top of my lungs, looking like one of the Scottish peasants in "Braveheart" minus the kilt. I'm really glad he ran because I was too busy to dig a big hole with that shovel or get chewed on and have to go to the er. I was all in....either him or me. He kept his distance after that. Shortly thereafter, the dog catcher got him.....no I did not call him even though I probably should have. Someone else in the neighborhood got enough of getting growled at while getting the mail and having their shoes toted off from their porches.

So yeah, I recommend a shovel for its versatility. Get a pointed one. It can be used for intimidation, dispatch, and burying of evidence. Can be used as a walking stick. Its extra weight could be seen as a training aid.....much more manly looking than carrying a couple of itty bitty weights while walking. If anyone asks, just tell them you have it in case your dog has to use the bathroom.

The cattle prod sounds fun too.

Ya'll's coyotes must be different from ours. The ones around here are very timid and elusive. Scary that they are watching you. I'd say they need killing.

Not mentioning the gun worked out for you, good.

It was a terrible idea. Your premise to report was to be the first to tell the story,
if the other guy had reported, you lost all credibility.

I like the cattle prod idea, dogs are smart and will usually learn the first time when it comes to extreme pain, it'll give them a good attitude adjustment.

Bear spray, worked every time for me even if I missed, just that 30ft blast did the trick, like ten times in as many years.

'Course, it was $50 every time to replace it.

Maybe a super soaker water gun with windex?

Get a nice piece of hickory or stout wood about an inch in diameter, 4 ft long.Fashion so you can put an old door knob on one end that is filled with lead. A good hit with the knob will pretty much take the fight out of any dog.Cattle prod is great idea though.

Hot shots work well on dogs. Especially if you have a good one that hits hard.

It will not injure the dog, but IME, it will get their attention.

Years ago I had a blue heeler cross that I was training to heal in a target-rich environment. I was working him on roping steers, helping to bring the steers back to the chute. Occasionally running one that was missed to the stripping chute. Lots of activity. Lots of fun for a dog so when I said "heel", he was easily distracted. So I leashed him and had a hot shot in my right hand. Every time he didn't stay right at my heel when being commanded, I just swung the tip of the hot shot around behind me and tapped him with it. This hot shot would store a light charge if you hit the button and let go. So I walked along with a "loaded" hot shot so to speak.

Did the trick. Maybe had to do it twice, and once later when he briefly forgot his manners.

You get a good hot shot that's strong and it will bite pretty good. Something the dogs have never felt so it scares the crap out of them for that moment. Should work quite well.