deter stray dogs without killing them

[middle TN Nancy]

I've been reading this Predators forum for hours tonight and wanted to pass on something my grandfather told my dad after we moved to the country and had a problem with a pack of stray dogs causing trouble. My grandfather said that he used to load his shotgun with rock salt instead of shot and would shoot them with that. He said it wouldn't kill them, but that "they would take it home with them." I don't know if it is true that it wouldn't kill them, as my grandfather was fairly unsentimental, being a farmer who saw nothing wrong with protecting his farm animals.
Also I don't know how "loading it with rock salt" could be accomplished since I know nothing about guns. I do know that in the city if you let your dogs run loose and they begin chasing cars, they will eventually be run over. In the country if your dogs roam and get into a farmer's chickens or baby pigs, they will get shot. A couple of our dogs started some bad roaming habits, and came home one day shot up to the point that one had to be put down and the other lost an eye. The survivor learned his lesson and stuck close to home after that.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

"loading it with rock salt

That is highly illegal... be carefull what you publish.
He needs an electric hot wire.

 

[Zinjifrah]

I've been reading this Predators forum for hours tonight and wanted to pass on something my grandfather told my dad after we moved to the country and had a problem with a pack of stray dogs causing trouble. My grandfather said that he used to load his shotgun with rock salt instead of shot and would shoot them with that. He said it wouldn't kill them, but that "they would take it home with them." I don't know if it is true that it wouldn't kill them, as my grandfather was fairly unsentimental, being a farmer who saw nothing wrong with protecting his farm animals.
Also I don't know how "loading it with rock salt" could be accomplished since I know nothing about guns. I do know that in the city if you let your dogs run loose and they begin chasing cars, they will eventually be run over. In the country if your dogs roam and get into a farmer's chickens or baby pigs, they will get shot. A couple of our dogs started some bad roaming habits, and came home one day shot up to the point that one had to be put down and the other lost an eye. The survivor learned his lesson and stuck close to home after that.

Loading a shotgun with rock salt requires a knowledge of how to reload shot shells, and the equipment to do so properly. It is not a humane means of deterring an animal, and can result in serious injury. The salt embeds itself beneath the skin, can lodge in the mouth, the eyes, ears, wherever it hits. The phrase 'pouring salt in a wound' is not just a phrase. Salt burns, and it doesn't break down right away. It can stay there for quite a while, being a source of constant pain and irritation, which can cause the animal to injure itself further. I would consider it appropriate to use against a human intruder - not against a dog. To deter a dog, get sonic and olfactory repellents, motion-activated water sprayers, and more importantly, invest in a good fence to both keep other dogs out, and your own in.

 

[middle TN Nancy]

I appreciate your comments. Salt in a wound sounds horrible. Like I said, my grandfather was unsentimental about protecting his farm animals. I mentioned this mainly because I wanted some feedback since I know nothing about guns, and yet I have been reading in this forum about stray or loose dogs killing entire flocks of chickens. I have recently moved to a rural location on 5 acres and have already experienced a pack of dogs roaming through my yard and carrying random things off, such as the empty aluminum cat dish. I'm sure they would have gotten after chickens had there been any around. I've been worrying about my planned future flock, which I am hoping to free range when I'm home so that they can eat ticks and other insects around the house. I really can't imagine myself using a gun against a marauding animal at all. I may have to do some fencing at least around the house.

 

[Zinjifrah]

I appreciate your comments. Salt in a wound sounds horrible. Like I said, my grandfather was unsentimental about protecting his farm animals. I mentioned this mainly because I wanted some feedback since I know nothing about guns, and yet I have been reading in this forum about stray or loose dogs killing entire flocks of chickens. I have recently moved to a rural location on 5 acres and have already experienced a pack of dogs roaming through my yard and carrying random things off, such as the empty aluminum cat dish. I'm sure they would have gotten after chickens had there been any around. I've been worrying about my planned future flock, which I am hoping to free range when I'm home so that they can eat ticks and other insects around the house. I really can't imagine myself using a gun against a marauding animal at all. I may have to do some fencing at least around the house.

If you are not familiar with firearms, then you would need to take a Firearm Safety class, and spend a considerable amount of time becoming proficient with the use of one, being comfortable using one, and safe practices when using one, before even considering protecting your animals - or yourself - with one. Feral dogs, and dogs running in a stray pack, can be a serious danger, not only to your livestock but to yourself. A firearm is a tool, but like many tools - it can injure what you never intended to hurt, if used wrong. It's a useless tool, if you don't happen to be at the right place at the right time, with the right skills, to make it useful. A strong, secure, high fence is far more effective in deterring dogs.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

An electric fence is the way to deter dogs. You won't have to kill the K9s but the bite of an electric fence will make the dog think that you killed it.

No dogs were harmed in the posting of this post.

 

[Tesumph]

I appreciate your comments. Salt in a wound sounds horrible. Like I said, my grandfather was unsentimental about protecting his farm animals. I mentioned this mainly because I wanted some feedback since I know nothing about guns, and yet I have been reading in this forum about stray or loose dogs killing entire flocks of chickens. I have recently moved to a rural location on 5 acres and have already experienced a pack of dogs roaming through my yard and carrying random things off, such as the empty aluminum cat dish. I'm sure they would have gotten after chickens had there been any around. I've been worrying about my planned future flock, which I am hoping to free range when I'm home so that they can eat ticks and other insects around the house. I really can't imagine myself using a gun against a marauding animal at all. I may have to do some fencing at least around the house.

Roaming packs of dogs are a danger to much more than chickens. That is certainly worthy of getting real bullets out, or at least notifying animal control.

I wouldn’t dream of free ranging if you have active daytime predator problems or can’t handle losing some here and there.

 

[RWise]

Where I live "animal control" is a shotgun!
Never heard of rock salt being an illegal load, but I dont do that anyway!
Packs of dogs have came in and killed a full sized goat. They will also mall small kids as in children. I would talk to the owner if s/he will talk, one of my neighbors has tied their big viscous dogs! The other said shoot them,,,,,,,,,problem solved.
An electric fence will help. but is not an end all,,,,

 

[chickengeorgeto]

The low sectional density or weight of rocksalt when compared to lead shot is not likely to create penetrating wounds or draw blood. Furthermore rocksalt will be absorbed by the body if it did produce penetrating wounds unlike lead shot.

 

[Tesumph]

The low sectional density or weight of rocksalt when compared to lead shot is not likely to create penetrating wounds or draw blood. Furthermore rocksalt will be absorbed by the body if it did produce penetrating wounds unlike lead shot.

It will absolutely draw blood and causes “burns.” It’s not lethal at long range, it’s cruel. Shouldn’t be used for the same reason certain snares and other traps are illegal.

FWIW, we once had a cat come into the clinic that was shot by rock salt. It’s not humane.