Prevention of Dingo attack

Hi Alan

Have you ever thought of getting some company for Massie?

One dog that will never let you down is a Heeler and will stand it's ground when push comes to shove.

We have had a few over the years and once they are a mature dog, will not back down and not let you down. Last year our most faithful old girl of over 16 years had to be put down,

Like you, we also have a Kelpie, and when we see your Massie, you would swear it is our Rusty. When our Millie past away, he was one very sad dog and to be honest he was a lost dog. Like Rustie, I shed many tears and after 7 months went looking for another Heeler and not quite 12 months ago purchased a great little Red Heeler.

They get on like a house on fire and you can not seperate them, they are just real true mates. Once he grows into a big boy, he will be the most faithful friend, and heelers will not be afraid of a dingo. We know lots of station people and their dogs have never been taken by dingos and when they hear them, will quite often race off and scare them away.

Just food for thought, but they are one small dog that has real " Balls " when it comes to protecting you.




Cheers




Stephen

I would be more concerned about the possibility of your dog picking up a 1080 bait if you are wandering around in dingo country.

Dingos are fairly timid animals and will usually give you a wide berth, but some of the wild cross bred dogs are a different story. On some of my gold detecting trips over west, I have come across small packs of wild dogs that I have scared off with an aerosol canister horn that I carry to use as an emergency signal if needed. It frightens the bejeebers out of the dogs.

Just for the record, I'm pretty sure pepper spray is banned in all states.

Dusty

Hi Alan

Can't help much with the deterent bit, but I'm sure Massie would be devasted to know you think she's 'Old' - she'll probably never look you in the eye again.

Hi Alan

I just had a thought - what about a 'ging' or 'shangeye' or 'Sling shot' - although not sure if there are legal issues.

https://www.outdoorswarehouse.com.au/Slingshots

Co2 extinguishers work a treat, however a bit big to carry around. why not carry a BLA Safety Gas Horn - Small, W/Canister $20 at BCF. Also never try to run away or turn your back on them. First try to walk away watching them at all times and if they come at you run at them making as much noise as possible. A retractable lead for your dog is also good as your dog can still sniff around and investigate new territory but you can always pull then back close to you.
https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_nkw=retractable%20lead&ssPageName=GSTL
Tony

Unless WA dingoes are different to NT & Qld dingoes, Alan, you shouldn't have any dramas in daylight hours. They will tend to keep a respectful distance until they lose interest, or perhaps become more interested.

Night time is a different story, and they can often become quite brazen, venturing close to your camp. Short of a heavy firearm, the suggestions about the air horn would be most practical as a deterrent. Once an aggressive dog is close enough to use sticks, shovels and other implements, you'd want to hope he hasn't SMS'd any of his mates!

Keep Massie on a lead, especially at night, as 2 dogs can really get on top of a single domestic dog. I've spent a lot of years in dingo country and have never had any worries.

Bob

The more pure the bloodline, the less your concerns should be. Purebred dingos appear shy and avoid people. Hybrid dogs are another matter! Packs of these hybrid dogs are an increasing problem in SEQ.

Domestic dogs in the bush can only really be protected if they sleep in a cage on the back of the truck, at night. Tying one up beside the swag is not so good; Mate had his pillow swiped in the middle of the night.

Dingos are watchers. One professional shooter I know always stands off from a trap about 300 metres and scans for dogs/dingos looking at the one in the trap. Typically gets two scalps per initial result. A successful trap site is always reset and often results in another two scalps.

The purest dingo bloodlines are in the north of SA, extending into the NT and into WA, a considerable distance. Biosecurity Queensland has maps of dingo purity bloodlines as part of their ongoing efforts to kill of the wild dog population.

Iza

Hi,
Last year on our way to Uluru we camped on the Finke river at Glen Helen, we had been away for 3 months so were very aware of the predators at night as our small dog would often alert us to anyone or thing in the near vicinity.

We have a Cub camper and the dog would sleep inside on the floor, usually we dont bother doing up the zips, just letting the canvas fall down in place.

Because our dog will let us know of anything around we have her on a short lead tied to the poles at the back of the camper. In the middle of the night there was an almighty commotion that awoke us, we presume that a dingo or wild dog stuck its nose in the camper and grabbed our small dog by the neck and tried to run off with it but was met with resistance from the lead and my wife screaming.

The next day after looking at the gash in the dogs neck we decided to go back to Alice to get the Vet to have a look. After parting with a few hundred dollars the dog was good to go. The wound was left open to heal by itself. The Vet told us there are a lot of small domestic dogs taken by dingoes, especially around Alice Springs.

A lesson learned the night was to make sure the lead was shorter than than normal.

I've never had any trouble with dingo's yet does anyone think having a dog with you will make them a little more inquisitive does that sound plausible.
I know in QLD the guys that read meter boxes carry spray but they quite often need in not sure if the public can but the wind has to be on your side so in a panic it may work against you. The air horn sounds like a good idea but slowly condition you dog to the noise or he may run off.
It reminds me I think it was last yr on ABC nightlife they talked to some old timers one in QLD, one in NSW they said they use to carry a gun just about every where in the bush in their day it was the norm. If you saw a wild cat or dog you shot it I'm not saying to shot a dingo because it's there but maybe their also coming closer to people now because there is more competition out there these days eating their food. Less people are shooting the pests because the laws have become to strict and made some people scared or suspicious if they see a hunter with a fire arm which was not an uncommon site once. I'm not trying to get off track but there has to be a logical explanation as to why there are so many encounters these days also yeah more land cleared and larger population would also be just part of it.

I spent 15 years living in Gove. Saw many dingo's in town and out bush. Wife was walking our terrier cross in a small shopping arcade early one morning, on a lead, when a dingo attacked and tried to run off with it. Missus screamed and pulled dog off the dingo. Luckily the bastard fled. Dog ended up at vet requiring stiches and was lucky to live. I know of a few people who have lost dogs to dingo packs. German shepards, heelers, terriers.Dingo is a very cunning animal and prefers to hunt in packs. If your dog is faced with a dingo mob it wont matter if it is a heeler, rottweiler or pit-bull...odds are it wont survive. I actually witnessed a mob of 5 pull a large boar down and kill it. Followed the chase from above in a chopper. Always heard them howling at night. I lived in a street light lit street with plenty of houses. They have a lot of patience and as I said...as cunning as an ozzie pollie!!

Hi Alan,

There is a citronella spray called Spray Shield that is used to stop dog attacks. Can't see why it wouldn't work on dingo's as well.

http://animal-care.com.au/index.php/Animal-Attack-Deterrents/Spray-Shield/flypage.tpl

Cheers, Cheryl

We have a Kelpie and have never had a Dingo near us in the outback. True wild Dingo's tend to be very timid but have been told towns are a different matter. We are very mindful of wild dogs. Seen some very big bastards north of Warri Gate at night

Making yourself look taller makes sense.
A ranger at Kingfisher Bay Resort (Fraser Island) told us about the day she watched a dingo stalking a child at the water's edge. The child was probably about 8 and, because she was a distance away from the dingo, would've looked about the size of a wallaby, so the ranger said. She had to run up behind it and yell at the child and parents (not far away).

Not that this strategy of looking taller would be any help to a dog, but it may be a thought to be kept in the back of the mind for people...