Dogs in the countryside--Do you just not wander after dark?

[FawnsGhost 5]

I live in BKK. There are some dogs roaming but always humans around.

 

When I travel outside the city, it is always a hassle at night. Never know when a dog is going to jump out of the bushes barking, chasing, call its friends to help menace us.

 

I love the Thai countryside but I am a small woman. I didn't grow up with wild dogs and don't have good instincts. Last holiday to Bangkrachao, it was so nice to walk around but once the dogs came out I just wanted to sit in a bar near my homestay because I can only deal with being surrounded by growling dogs once before it's not fun to take a walk.

 

Maybe there's nothing I can do and a bunch of men will tell me, "Go back to your country if you can't handle it." 

 

Or maybe I'll get some ideas for how to approach this sensibly instead of staying inside after 7:30 pm.

[CharlieH 22,125]

Carry a bottle of water, anything appears squirt water at it, it will in most cases retreat. 

[Lamkyong 1,596]

no body around /dark ?   Mace ETC  IS YOUR FRIEND

[lust 4,281]

A small foreign woman shouldn’t be walking around alone in the dark especially in desolate areas, sorry.

[BritManToo 24,082]

I always bend down and pick up a rock or stick, dogs are gone before I straighten up.

[Nyezhov 10,036]

One of the worst I ever did was at like 11pm in Lopburi from near the station to my hotel about 600m away, but through no light railroad tracks shackdog country....two things are handy..

 

A monopod....or more commonly

 

A bottle sling with a bottle of water. Knock one of those fleabitten toothsters right out......

[JWRC 337]

Dogs don't change their habits just because it's nighttime, they will still jump out of bushes during the day. The fear is in you, the only thing to fear,  is fear itself.

Take to carrying a stick, it might help you beat off human attackers as well.

[pikao 132]

Walking around the countryside after dark in Thailand isn't a good idea anyway, I think. Regardless if you're a woman or a man. Apart from the dogs you have the snakes, the centipedes and..... you name it. I don't see too many Thais wandering around after dark. My wife doesn't. The ones that do might be people you don't want to encounter

Regarding the dogs a big gun would probably be best. Jokes apart, I would carry a large and solid stick, not to hit the dogs in first place, but to hit the ground in case they approach. Usually scares them off. An aerosol filled with water boiled with a lot of chili and then filtered through a coffe or tea filter (paper ones, so nothing gets stuck in the nozzle)

should work like a pepper spray. Could also work on people

Personally, I don't walk around at night

 

 

[shadowofacloud 688]

My experience is mostly limited to beach dogs, but these seem to be deterred by a bamboo stick well enough, even when in a pack.

 

Usually the sight of the stick is enough, but if not, just hit your palm with it a few times or hit the ground.

 

Never had any issues. But then I am a dog person and not easily frightened by canines.

[androokery 219]

I usually take off my backpack and show the dogs I might just swing it at them, just need eyes in the back of my head because there's almost always one dog that tries to circle round and bite my heels...

Thailand would improve immensely if they just got rid of all these free-roaming dogs. 

[pikao 132]

6 minutes ago, JWRC said:

Dogs don't change their habits just because it's nighttime,

Have to disagree. Where I live there's a road where dogs ( about 10 ) lay down peacefully (lazy) during the day, but that changes dramatically at night. When you drive by on your bike they chase and try to bite you

[androokery 219]

And to answer your question: there are roads and areas I avoid after dark, exclusively because of the dogs. 

[Nyezhov 10,036]

Buncha dogs on a street corner in Surin, saw the Thai guy in front of me cross the street and so did I. If he would have kept going past the dogs I would have crossed the street anyway

 

 

[Solinvictus 419]

35 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

Go to one of the Thai markets and pick up one of these boys. Colt M1911 BB gun.

Scares the dogs but no harm done. But, as others have advised, don't be wandering the neighborhood alone at night. 

BTW, wild dogs live in Africa, what you experience is soi dogs gone bad.

I think this may be more effective in terms of both "fixing the problem" along with the TM30. Might be able to just pick it up too at a local market.

 

Edited November 18 by Solinvictus

[CGW 5,716]

Your correct to be concerned about dogs here, one of the truly sad aspects in Thailand, they have rejected animals that were domesticated and put them back on the street, poor animals have long forgotten how to take care of themselves! They become extremely territorial as a result!

I never go for a walk without at least carrying a stick, stones/rocks work as well.

There are more dogs than people where I live, most are a very sad sight!  

Edited November 18 by CGW