How I’m Safeguarding Against Another Dog Attack Hiking the Camino de Santiago (Not Meant to Scare!)🐾

Dog attacks remain pretty rare on the Camino de Santiago, but I experienced one in France. Here’s what happened and how I am protecting myself on future Caminos (because not walking another Camino isn’t an option!).
Air horn: (affiliate link)
Disclaimer: Please consult airline regulations before flying with this item! Your safest bet is to purchase something similar once you’re in Europe.
What Fears Arise When Hiking the Camino de Santiago: • What Fears Arise When ...

[@pmgrana]

I'm bringing my service dog Annie, an Aussie/Doodle. No worries with her. She is over the top happy to meet people and make friends. Because she's a service dog for PTSD, she's more than happy to sit with you if you need attention. Plus I'm a very responsible dog owner. I call her to me when on the trail when I see people approaching to gauge if they are uncomfortable. Oh, and I pick up her poop.

[@ShazWag]

Thank you for sharing. I've not done a camino yet and am planning to do the Camino de Santiago next year. This is definitely one of the things that scare me. I honestly think I'd feel more comfortable with pepper spray, although you need to make sure the wind isn't blowing in your direction if you feel the need to use it.

[@smv67]

Thanks for talking about this again. I’ll be on the camino in June and this is something I have concern about since I’m not a dog/pet person and would not know what to do. The horn is a great idea. Thanks!

[@mercegil3763]

Thank you so much for the video. This is one of my greatest fears, thank you for addressing it the way you did. I'm a solo woman walker, I've done walking trips in different Europe countries, and on my last trip I suffered a dog attack by two dogs who were in a public trail (it was in Catalonia) and they simply wouldn't let me pass through. I was really scared, alone in the middle of nowhere and I acted like a prey which didn't make the situation any better. After this incident I am very triggered by dog barking and I can't enjoy my walking anymore, I am always alert to when the next house is approaching and since then haven't had the courage to take on another solo walking trip again. Now I am thinking about how I could overcome my fear, maybe doing the Camino de Santiago? My thought is that maybe because more people are there I feel like the chances of encountering aggressive dogs will be less (usually I picked more solitary trip destinations). I am thinking about buying an ultrasound dog repellent, but I am aware that they don't always work (it dependens of the wind, and if the dog is deaf or really old they don't work either). But carrying walking poles and the stone trick seem a great option too. Thank you for the video again :)

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

I’m SO glad you found this helpful. I understand how triggering a dog bark is.

[@matthew-merchant144]

This is very nice. I have been thinking doing Camino de Santiago for a while, so I am glad to come across your channel and seeing what your experience has been like. Keep up the lovely work and all the best on your journeys.

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

Thank you so much for the lovely comment!

[@thornbranchtravels]

We had some close encounters with sheep dogs in the French Pyrenees! Thanks for sharing this info! 🙏

[@pmgrana]

I'm bringing my dog. I thought about the working dogs that I might run into. There are sections the the French Pyrenees where I will be careful and keep her close.

[@filiporoque4997]

thank you for bringing up this topic Dogs, last year I was on the Camino Del Norte, a young girl `Iris`from Holland was bitten by a farm dog just before Gernika she got treated by a doctor and immediately flew home out from Bilboa, and then it Happened to me 4 farm dogs geared up on me before Larado (Luckily I was walking with the help of Hospital Clutches) and I started swinging them around and backed up slowly, similar incident happened just after I left `Gijon` ( and then it happened again after Baamonde) now I have invested in a Siren 190 db, and a Dog taser with a blinking flash light, please be careful dont hurt yourself "Buen Camino"

[@RC-qf3mp]

According to the AVMA, you should NOT make loud noises when a dog is threatening. That provokes a dog attack. Stand tall, keep your ground, don’t look a dog in the eye, but keep your head so that you can see the dog from the side. Carrying a stick is better than trekking poles. Put it in front of you as a barrier, but don’t move or wave it around. Just be cool. I had a large German shepherd escape under a gate to come after me. I kept my walking stride. I could sense the dog near me, i tried peering left, didn’t see him, tried peering right, didn’t see him. I didn’t stop to turn around, i kept my same stride. The dog was inches behind me. I was on his territory and took a wrong turn. I walked back the way i came, the dog’s nose was probably a few inches from my back. A very well trained animal. He didn’t bark or growl. I’ve encountered more boisterous dogs, i do the same thing. If a dog were to approach, your best defense are your knees. Just lift the knee up if the dog jumps or comes at you. I’d prefer that over trekking poles, but a big walking stick is best. That’s how the Dog Whisperer uses a stick or even something as simple as a tennis racket. My attitude towards the situation is completely different from yours - the dogs are there for a reason and you are guests in somebody else’s land in another country. Hiker beware. Respect not just the law, but the customs. Custom is more powerful than law anyway. People in those communities know which dogs to watch out for, and the dogs are probably good at distinguishing community members from strangers. Your horn looks pretty useless and could endanger people by provoking an attack. A whistle is easier to carry (many bags come free with a whistle on the chest strap), in case you want to make noise. But experts recommend not making noise with a threatening dog. The dogs aren’t pets, they are there to serve a vital purpose, and that purpose supersedes the interests of passing tourists. Travel with somebody else, at least one of you can carry a large walking stick, it’s a sufficient barrier to ward off even a large dog from an able-bodied person. It’s not the job of poor people on countrysides to make sure their home is an adequate tourist attraction. They have livestock to protect, from coyotes, wolves and thieves. Respect that or don’t hike there.

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

I can’t say I agree with much of this, but o do appreciate the time you took to provide your input!

[@RC-qf3mp]

@@WanderlustingLawyer I have expert opinion on the matter of dogs. I also cite expert opinion (the AVMA). In a court of law, you’d be welcome to call your own experts, but i see none. I see fear-mongering about dogs and very dangerous advice that will endanger your viewers if they heed it. 1) Carry a big stick instead of trekking poles. 2) use your knees in absence of a stick. 3) do not make loud noises, do not shout, do not stare at or face the dog. All animals know that an aggressive predator has eyes on the front of its head and will face you. humans are predators. Your video makes stuff up out of thin air instead of consulting expert advice.

[@magdalenavinsova478]

Hello, I like your view on this topic. However I am still a bit concerned about dogs when I walk alone with my two little kids (4 and 1 year old, so there is a good chance of crying or yelling in such a situation). Can you write me your opinion what is best to do in such situation when it occurs? Thank you!

[@RC-qf3mp]

@@magdalenavinsova478 ALL experts agree not to antagonize a dog by screaming or shouting. Carry a big walking stick. Be mindful of your surroundings. Do your research on the trail your hiking. Use common sense. Use your knees if a dog jumps at you. Ultimately, if you’re going to be vulnerable with a kid in your hand and another walking with you, well, that’s a risk you take.

[@lauradeflores8671]

Thank you!! Perfect overview and very good advice!

[@dancurran8977]

Thanks for the video. I need something like this for the bike trail. By the way, some use bright flashlights for personal protection, but I have read conflicting information about how it affects dogs.

[@suem3577]

Thanks for sharing some of the "real" things that happen on the Camino. I was not attacked, but was scared when several loose dogs were in front and behind me along the trail. I was in Airexe on the Frances, on my way to a restaurant around 6:30pm, so I didn't have my poles. One gigantic dog was barking aggressively and blocking me from entering the path to the restaurant with the owner screaming at the dog but the dog did not listen. I had no choice but to walk forward, which meant now I could not go back to my pension because he was following me up the path. Then another loose dog appeared, almost looked like a coyote. So I tried walking up further and there were 2 more dogs barking aggressively. I was stuck. I prayed and about 30 minutes later, 2 pilgrims came walking down the path with their poles - I told them I was scared of the dogs, so they walked me back to my pension, one on each side of me like guardian angels! The dogs barked at the three of us but did not come as close as they did when I was alone. To be fair, this was a small agricultural town and it probably was not a good idea to go out in the evening. But the pension had recommended the restaurant as there was no other place to get food. It ended up okay as the host of the pension offered to pick up some food for me from the restaurant as she saw how distressed I was. I did have one more incident on another stage with a dog growling at me that I didn't see, but it seemed I got too close to the shed that he was in. Now if you ever post a video about cyclists on the Camino, I have another story to tell you!!

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

I can only imagine how you felt in those 30 minutes. I’m so happy your Camino angels appeared. I also had Camino angels appear after this incident when I was crying so hard I could barely put one foot in front of the other. Luckily, I don’t have any bad cyclist encounters, but I’ve heard of a few!

[@bendunselman]

There are also devices that generate very strong ultra sounds that people can't hear but dogs can. The idea is that you 'zap' the dog point at the dog and push a button it gets confused or scared and flees. Never used it yet don't know its effectiveness.

[@VivianInTheOC]

I was attacked by a dog while standing in my own driveway, here in Southern California. The dog was roaming the neighborhood unleashed and it completely knocked me to the ground. I was able to get away with minor scrapes. That same dog later bit another person and attacked an Amazon driver. The dog owner was eventually found and Animal Control was called. The dog was taken away for 10 days. I also now carry that same dog horn on my daily walks. It is something I never want to be unprepared for again!

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

So sorry that happened to you! Do you still see the dog?

[@FiftiesForward]

I was biking and a little ankle biter climbed the fence and came after me ! I stopped suddenly to scare it and it worked..I don't know if that would always work ..I don't like biking in neighborhoods if I can help it

[@Yvo931]

Where do you get an air horn when you start a camino? Because they're prohibited on airplanes (both hand luggage and check in).

[@anneoestreicher7333]

I keep one of those Birdie alarms (where you pull it and an alarm sounds) on the front of my pack for that reason or even if I am just hurt and need assistance. Never needed to use it but I like having it on me.

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

I’ve heard those are great! Absolutely no reason to have something that brings you peace of mind.

[@karlahart_AK]

I haven't walked the Camino (yet), but do bicycle tour solo internationally, and have accumulated dog encounters in countries I don't know the language. From a friend who is a skilled dog trainer at home, I observed she would say Wrong, rather than No. I started doing the same when a dog approaches in a manner that makes me uncomfortable. I think the voice intonation with WRONG is more powerful sounding, and likewise gives me a bit more feeling of control, than NO, which ends with generally ends with an uptone, especially when I'm scared. I also have a loaded touring bicycle to put between me and a dog (multiple dogs make this more concerning), but so far, it has felt helpful. Walking sticks and the airhorn are good tools as well. Bicyclists often also will squirt a dog in the face from their water bottle to startle it. That probably isn't so useful with hiking and a different style of water bottle.

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

Great tip! I wonder if “wrong” would work on a dog in a non-English speaking country.

[@karlahart_AK]

@@WanderlustingLawyer It has for me in South Korea and Taiwan. I also use it with bears in Alaska, where I live. Or perhaps, it helps me with calming down and that projects. I think it is the voice tone, not the word.

[@alanmentzer8756]

I certainly would not minimize your frightening dog incident. But in multiple Caminos treks my wife and I frequently heard the urban myths of "vicious Camino dogs" and stories of "packs of feral dogs" repeated from pilgrim to pilgrim like ghost stories around the campfire. "It didn't happen to me, but I heard . . . " " I met someone at my last albergue who said they talked to someone else who said . . ." While with over 400,000 pilgrims walking a year, I am sure there may be actual cases of dog bites, but we always found these stories overblown, exaggerated, and repeated by pilgrims already fearful of dogs. We have never had a negative contact with a dog on the Camino. Most dogs were bored by the pilgrims walking past, a barking dog safely behind a fence, or a too friendly dog trying to follow us out of a village. Safety and caution with any dog is always important, but the "vicious Camino dog" rumors are grossly overstated.

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

Yes, I can and do speak only to my own experience. You experience was also mine on the Camino Frances. It’s other routes that have proved more problematic.

[@FrequencyFit]

@@WanderlustingLawyer dogs smell fear... this is an opportunity for growth & learning...isn't that what the Camino is about?

[@yucasola]

I use that same horn on the grandkids when they come for my waffles in the morning. Just kidding 🤣 Excellent info; thanks.

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

😂 The waffles are sacred!

[@joniirvin1469]

Silly question perhaps but can you travel with the horn or do you purchase there?

[@robtex99]

You're speaking of a threatening dog not a dog attack. I had a couple of similar experiences but thankfully it did not come to fruition.

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

No, I am speaking of a dog attack. I prevented myself from getting bitten during that attack by using my poles.

[@robtex99]

@@WanderlustingLawyer Evidently you've not been attached by a dog or you would know the difference..

[@sharonlivingstone5956]

​@@robtex99Don't argue with a lawyer 😁

[@robtex99]

@@sharonlivingstone5956 "Facts is Facts"

[@shakeyj4523]

@@robtex99 Yes, facts are facts, and you are factually incorrect. The idea that warding off an attacking dog with long poles means it did not attack is absolutely ludicrous.

[@JR-yo1fu]

Boars are the most dangerous animals at the camino.

[@WanderlustingLawyer]

Luckily I have not come across any, but I believe it. There are tons of wild boars in the south of France where my wife is from.

[@JR-yo1fu]

​@@WanderlustingLawyer In any case, I have been walking all my life across the north of Spain and I promiss you I never had a single real dangerous issue.

[@lauralane1760]

​@@JR-yo1fuJust because it didn't happen to you doesn't mean it will never happen to other people.

[@Wish_11]

Dont be silly, police officers use firearms to protect themselves against dog attacks. The police employ K9 dogs and are huge dog advocates, but police shoot dogs all the time as it is necessary. You can google and see that tasers and sprays never work. You're don't want to rely on water spray bottles and pole stick or a blow horn, or a rock? - get real. You are putting your life endanger if you are not trying to use serious lethal protection. Videos like these are infuriating because the creator is only concerned about not harming the dog/s by using fake and phony protection that does NOT work. SEE AT 14:18 is all about her fake dog love. Part 2 she'll probably suggest singing a lullaby to the dog predators to escape a likely fatal dog attack. And she is right about victim blaming following a dog attack; This is worldwide. That's why millions of children are attacked by dogs yearly, many disfigured for life and it's by the so-called fake family dog (familiar dogs). Dogs are not territorial, dogs are cruel and enjoy attacking period. Whether you hiking in some foreign land (French alps) or whether you walking down you neighborhood block, the sad reality is you're in danger of dog attacks. It's the dogs nature and not the owners fault. Blame the dog, not the owner. I had to pay for a gym membership to exercise in safety and guess what? Some dog nutter forced their nasty dog inside the gym because of fake emotional support or fake service animal bullcrap laws. The only service dogs provides to to endanger others especially children. Google how many dogs attack live stock for fun, they don't even eat them just slaughter real animals.