I'm a door-to-door salesman I'm often confronted with aggressive dogs, how can I legally defend myself?

First, I am sure they are not all "aggressive", they are simply protecting their territory, which is what they are supposed to do. You have invaded their space, they didn't invade yours. I would be disappointed if my dog didn't sound an alarm and charge at a stranger in the yard. Besides that, use cider vinegar/water mix in a spray bottle. They don't like the smell or taste. It will burn the eyes and nose a bit, but won't cause any lasting harm. Another trick the mail man told me he does, he always makes sure that he pets his own dog before hitting his delivery route. Says a dog is friendlier if you smell like one too.

Run away. Change jobs. If this were a cartoon a string of sausages would work but im not sure thats such a good idea in the real world. If it were me and you sprayed my dog with something I would attack you for doing it, so I think thats a very bad idea, youd spray "scruffy" the french poodle and get beat up by "mad les" his seven foot bouncer owner.

dont go to those houses

probably not. If a door to door sells man sprayed my dog i would be pretty pissed and if it were legal i would fight it in court

If you are on the property of the dog owner, you can not use pepper spray or any other product on the animal. You chose to go onto the property, even though you were not invited. If you opened a gate, or walked near the animal, it's your own fault.

You can't. By entering a garden you are trespassing (uk law - civil. Unless you do damage or similar then it becomes aggravated then you get arrested as that's a criminal offence). An open gate suggests an implied invitation but then the dog wouldn't be loose. So, Enter at your own risk and then you trespass, then you get bitten or worried and NO you cannot defend yourself. Thats right I think.

Probably not. You can try spraying binaca peppermint breath spray into the dog's mouth--it tastes terrible to them. However, if they are already agitated, spraying them with anything may escalate their excitement and cause them to be more violent, not less. Another thing you can do is carry something to block the dog, such as a large, hard briefcase. Stay calm and confident around the aggressive dogs. There is a book on calming signals for dogs (I think that is actually the title--I haven't actually read it) that might be useful--it could teach you how to indicate to the dog that you are not a threat.

i recomment that you walk with a stick long enough to ward them off

You can only use "Reasonable force" to defend yourself... that is if you think your life is at risk ... so for a Rottweiler you would use more force than a Puddle..If you get bitten you can sue the owner for damages.I would ask the Police for more info on this.A uncontrolled dog is regarded as a weapon..!!Hope this helps ....

i think what you are proposing is illegal, you are stepping into some1's property & the dog which is proabably trained to protect said house from intruders which you are till you are welcomed by the home owner & you want to attack & disable the animal? are you nuts? i understand you have a job to do but if you encounter a house with an aggresive dog you should move on to the next house, i personally have 2 bullmastiffs which are large breed dogs & they do act aggresive towards people who'd enter at their own accord & i'd be really upset if i came home to find my dogs temporarily blinded cause of some1 like you

Pepper spray but they have to actually be attacking you not just growling and barking at you!! If they are just barking and growling and not actually attacking and you spray pepper spray you will get into troubleAlso if they have a mean animal then go on to the next house. More then likely they have a vicious animal to keep people away. And well you are a person. So take the hint and stay away.

You did not say what you are selling. Get a pocket size device that irritates the dogs hearing. You can switch it on as soon as the dog goes nuts. If it works the dog will shut up and try to hide or he might begin to vomit after a while. After you leave the premise switch it off. No one will be the wiser.

Use pepper spray, and spray into the dogs face. It don't hurt the dog in the long run, but will stop it in its tracks immediately. Dog will yelp and run off. Our electric company provides this pepper spray for their meter readers.

Most States have public laws governing responsibilities of dog owners when they bite other people inside the owner's property. Rules in every State varies, so you have to do a little research about the laws in your State. It is not a crime if you spray a dog outside the owner's property. But if you tresspass a private property and spray on their guard dog, you could have a civil liability. Dogs are sometimes designed to prevent thieves and dor2door salesmen from disturbing the inhabitants. As much as possible avoid the doors with dogs -- rest assured, there is always other doors for you.

There is a spray that is similar to Mace for humans. It is occasionally used by postmen and it is called "Contra Spray". It is a CS gas for use on dogs. I don't know where you can purchase it.Another suggestion is to take a course in dog psychology. In Germany their postmen saw a huge decrease in the amount of dog bites when they gave their workers training in dog psychology.Alot of people, however, do not want to be bothered by door-to-door salesmen, and will actually TRAIN their dogs to go after you. Maybe you need a new line of work.

If you see a dog in a gated yard, don't go in. Don't tempt fate, avoid the dog you see, it is not worth your life. Watch out for dogs behind screen doors, they will sometimes rush out when the owner opens it. You have every right to defend yourself from an unrestrained dog, it is the owners responsibility to keep their dog under control. To protect yourself, always carry a large bag with you and feed it to the dog if attacked. Never turn your back to the dog and back away until you can get safely away. There is a pepper spray product called Halt you used to be able to buy at pet stores, you could check around for it. If you are attacked, report the attack to the local animal control authorities, even if you are not bitten. Sue the owner if you suffer any kind of loss or injury. As long as you are participating in a lawful activity, you are probably allright if you hurt the dog in the process of protecting yourself.

Keep pepper spray as a precaution. It is legal to defend yourself with AND nonlethal. BUT, you may also want to try a few kind words and a pocket full of dog biscuits.

If you are on private property.... nothing that why we keep dogs!psCan't see you selling ANYTHING to a dog owner, when you have hurt their dog!!

If you came to my house my dog would almost certainly bark at you. But not bite. I doubt ur saying youve been bitten - they are probs just barking - get a backbone....or a decent job!