Will Sticking Your Finger Up a Dog’s Butt Stop an Attack?

It's only the end of June and I've already had three run-ins with large dogs on the loose in my neighborhood.  Last night, a black Great Dane ran out barking at my daughter while we were riding our bikes.  My wife and I both yelled loudly and that was enough for this dog to back down. (Turns out yelling is the wrong thing to do?  Keep reading.)  Putting aside the fact that dog owners should be responsible and not allow dogs to roam the streets in residential neighborhoods, it got me to wondering what I could do if a dog ever did attack.

Here's some of what I found while googling the topic

1.  Dog Mace. According to the website, this spray will not only stop most attacks but it will also mark the dog with a UV Dye so the dog can be identified later, if needed.

2.  cesarsway.com says that you should avoid acting aggressive or stressed or yell at the dog. You should stay calm, don't make eye contact and stay in your space. This tells the dog you aren't threatening to them, you just want the space you're in.  If you are attacked, resist the urge to pull away, If the dog is latched on, try lifting the dogs legs off the ground.

3.  Stick your finger up its butt.  Some say that this will cause the dog to let go.  While this option is certainly not pretty, I suppose I can see how it might surprise the dog and make it let go.  If I were being the aggressor in a situation and someone took this route with me, I'd certainly back down.  That said, the National Dog Breeders Council claims that this is a myth.  Aggressive breeds have been known to fight with broken legs so they probably would take little issue biting you with your finger in its bum.  Now you're still bitten, bleeding and look ridiculous.

Please know that I am not a dog expert.  These are simply the most prevalent methods I found when searching the internet. I think I'm going to opt for #1 just to be safe... and sanitary.

And my plea to all dog owners... KEEP YOUR DOGS LOCKED UP!