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Q: I live in Mumbai City (India). The issue is 1. How can you deal/handle stray dog attacks. 2. Unarmed self-defence techniques appropriate for adults Your website has been quite useful. However in India we do not have access to pepper sprays etc etc. As a parent I would like to teach kids, as far as possible to rely on their own skill (mental/physical ) to deal with the situation. A: 1. I would suggest that all of you carry a rattan cane or stick. I have seen a case where a person intervened in a dog attack with a stick and successfully stopped an attacking Pit Bull. You might also consider carrying an umbrella. They are useful for thwarting an attack. When you open the umbrella and position it between you and the dog, you are hidden behind the fabric and the dog is bewildered. I know that the workers at an electrical utility where I once was employed used this successfully all the time. It does take some courage, because the dog will continue to bark and snarl and might even try and move around the barrier formed by the umbrella. Just keep the opened fabric between you and the dog and try to retreat to a safe area. You might be forced to climb onto a car or other object that the dog cannot climb. DON'T RUN! The predatory instinct in most dogs (some are more "prey driven" than others -- some are "food driven") will cause them to chase you and they can run decidedly faster than you can. You will be dragged down and mauled. I've seen a person try and kick a dog away, but I've been told that you should never do this because they will instinctively attack that leg, thereby pulling you off balance to the ground. Protect your throat and face as well as possible. I have seen a person drive off a really large dog by repeatedly punching the dog in the face as fast and as furious as he would punch any man in a fist fight. The guy suffered some minor puncture marks on his hands and wrists which were caused as much by him punching the dog's teeth as were caused by the dog biting him. I have driven off a pack of wild dogs in Mexico by throwing rocks at them. I mean I really THREW the rocks with intent to injure the dogs. I did, in fact, hit one which yelped and they moved away. I was hunting with my bird dog once and was surrounded by a pack of wild dogs. They were incredibly bold, however, I was carrying my shotgun so I was not particularly worried. But I finally had to shoot a warning blast over the dogs heads to force them to move off. 2. Unarmed self-defence techniques for adults can fill up a lifetime of study. Remember that big fish eat little fish. So you either have to appear to be a big fish or present yourself as a poisonous little fish that is too much bother to eat. Here's basically what you can do: First of all, wake up! Who’s watching you? Look around, is someone giving you a hard look? Or alternately, does someone quickly avoid your gaze? Watch people’s hands as you are walking, don’t look away when you pass. Cross the street if you have to avoid a group of tough looking young men. Don't get too drunk. Are you in the habit of boasting about your fancy watch, car, apartment? Second of all, keep from getting hit in a vital area! Get your hands up in front of your face to protect your head. Keep your mouth closed with your teeth clenched. When your mouth is open you are ripe to get your jaw broken. Circle away from his power side (circle to the right if he has his right hand cocked back, circle to the left if he has his left hand cocked back). You need to be either two arms lengths away from him (outside of his kicking range) or all the way in tight against him (holding him in a boxing clinch). Anything in between puts you in range for his punches and kicks. Third, use your strongest weapons against his weakest targets. Use the proverbial knee to the groin when you are clinching. Smash him with your elbows in the face, throat and neck. Kick him in the knee, groin or lower abdomen. Kick straight ahead using the bottom of your foot like you would kick in a door. Or kick straight back like a mule using your heel. If you are untrained, resist the urge to kick with the top of your foot like you are punting a football, you will probably use too much of your toes instead of your shin (ouch!). If you try to trade punches with him, you're probably playing right into his game. Finally: Get a barrier between you and him (even if you have to run around a car). Yell for help. You can't count on people coming to your aid, but he might think someone will render assistance. Use a weapon (the rattan stick or cane you are carrying). Use a chair like a lion tamer. Throw ashtrays at him. Make your escape. Lose your ego and your attitude. Retreat and escape. And train like your life depends on it. One day it might.
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Thank you so much. As I mentioned earlier
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