While you may always keep your dog on a leash during a walk, not everyone follows this rule. You might have a job that requires you to go into situations where there might be an aggressive dog on the loose. If you’ve encountered an aggressive dog on a walk or at your job, a repellent spray is a humane way to prevent a dog attack.
There are many options out there for dog repellents, so we’ve made a list of reviews of the best dog repellents for aggressive dogs. We’ve also created a buying guide so you know what to look for when shopping on your own.
Read on for our recommendations.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites:
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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PetSafe Citronella Animal Deterrent |
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Best Air Horn
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SAFETY-SPORT DOG HORN |
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Best Pepper Spray
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HALT Dog Repellent |
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SABRE RED Pepper Gel |
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Sound Defense K9 Warning Device |
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Check Latest Price |
The 8 Best Dog Repellents for Aggressive Dogs – Reviews 2022
1. PetSafe Citronella Animal Deterrent – Best Overall
The PetSafe SprayShield Citronella Animal Deterrent is our best overall choice because this citronella-based spray is humane. It deters the dog without harming them. It works by surprising and distracting an attacking dog with a powerful scent. This strategy works on a variety of animals. It’s formulated to minimize eye irritation. There’s a safety lock on the trigger to prevent accidental spraying. The container is lightweight and easy to carry with you on walks or anywhere you might encounter an aggressive animal.
Because the spray is just a powerful scent, it’s only useful against dogs exhibiting low- or medium-aggressive signs. It may not work against a more violent attack. All in all, we think this is the best dog repellent for aggressive dogs available this year.
- Citronella-based spray deters without harming the animal
- Interrupts animals attacks with its powerful scent
- Can be used on a variety of animals
- Formulated to minimize eye irritation
- Safety lock prevents accidental sprays
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Effective only for dogs exhibiting low to medium aggression
2. SAFETY-SPORT DOG HORN – Best Air Horn
The SAFETY-SPORT Dog Horn is the best air horn because it’s extra loud. This stops most dogs in their tracks. It has an easy-to-use push-button. The air horn is humane enough to be used for training purposes in an outdoor setting. It also comes with a bonus belt clip so you can easily take it with you.
We can’t stress enough how loud this air horn is, so it might not be the best option for most training situations.
- Extra loud
- Easy-to-use push-button
- Stops most dogs
- Can also be used for training purposes
- Bonus belt clip
- Very loud
- Best for protection, not for training
3. HALT Dog Repellent – Best Pepper Spray
The HALT Dog Repellent is our best pepper spray choice because the U.S. Postal Service has been using it since 1966. Mail delivery people certainly know a thing or two about aggressive dogs! The spray is pressurized and accurate up to 10 feet, so you can safely use it from a distance. It contains capsaicin, which is a naturally-occurring extract of peppers. This causes temporary but extreme discomfort to the attacking dog. The spray is lightweight and easy to carry.
The spray can be weak, which gives the attacking dog time to get closer to you. The spray is sometimes inaccurate.
- The pressurized spray is accurate up to 10 feet
- Contains capsaicin, a naturally occurring extract of peppers
- Causes temporary but extreme discomfort to the attacking dog
- S. Postal Service has been using HALT since 1966
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- The spray can be weak
- The spray sometimes is inaccurate
4. SABRE RED Pepper Gel
The SABRE RED Pepper Gel is a good choice for very aggressive dogs. The gel doesn’t atomize like traditional pepper spray, which makes it safer for the user because you don’t have to worry about wind blowback — it only affects what it directly contacts. It has a range of 18 feet. Each container has 18 bursts, and it comes with a flip-top safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge. It also has a belt holster to transport it easily.
The holster isn’t well-made, though, and doesn’t last long. The nozzle also leaks, which makes an inconvenient mess.
- The gel is safer for the user
- The gel only affects what it directly contacts
- Range of 18 feet
- Includes belt holster
- Contains 18 bursts with a flip-top safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge
- Carry holster is short lived
- Nozzle leaks
5. Sound Defense K9 Warning Device
The Sound Defense K9 Warning Device works from up to 25 feet away, so you can stay at a safer distance. The loud signal is specifically designed to be a deterrent for dogs. It’s chemical-free, so you don’t have to worry about coming into contact with the spray or having the wind blow it back in your face. It also doesn’t require close contact with the aggressive dog.
The battery compartment is difficult to open, which is frustrating. It might be ineffective against certain very aggressive, determined dogs.
- Works from up to 25 feet away
- Fully audible and loud signal specifically designed for dogs
- Chemical-free with no overspray or blowback
- Does not require close contact
- Battery compartment difficult to open
- Ineffective against some dogs
6. Sound Defense Dog Horn
The Sound Defense Dog Horn has a powerful, long-range sound. It can repel dogs up to 25 feet away. The horn is compact and lightweight, so you can easily carry it with you. One battery provides up to 1,800 two-second blasts, which makes it long lasting.
This horn is very loud for the user, so it doesn’t just affect the attacking dog. With certain aggressive, determined dogs, the horn is ineffective.
- Powerful, long-range sound
- Repels dogs up to 25 feet away
- Compact and lightweight
- One battery provides up to 1,800 two-second blasts
- Ineffective against certain dogs
- Very loud for the user
7. Dog Dazer II Ultrasonic Dog Deterrent
The Dog Dazer II Ultrasonic Dog Deterrent produces a high-frequency sound that’s audible to dogs but not most humans, so you don’t have to worry about hurting your ears when you use it. It’s made of a lightweight, high-impact plastic that’s very durable. It comes with a low-battery indicator so you never are caught on a walk with a dog deterrent that doesn’t work. It also has a belt clip so you can carry it around easily. It works up to 20 feet, so you can stay at a safe distance.
The sound is inconsistent, though, and doesn’t work against some dogs. This dog deterrent also stops working quickly. While adults can’t hear the high-frequency sound, small children can, and it can hurt their ears.
- Produces high-frequency sound audible to dogs but not most humans
- Lightweight, high-impact plastic
- Low-battery indicator and belt clip
- Works up to 20 feet
- Inconsistent sound
- Ineffective against some dogs
- Unit is short lived
- Can hurt the ears of small children
8. Zomma Handheld Dog Repellent
The Zomma Handheld Dog Repellent uses double-head ultrasound for greater efficiency. It creates a sound that only dogs can hear. This repellent has a flashlight, so you can also use it to see at night. There’s a wrist strap for portability. It can be used for training purposes, since the sound isn’t painful for dogs.
It requires a 9-volt battery, which is something that most people don’t have on hand. Because the sound isn’t very painful, it’s ineffective against some dogs. It’s better for use in training, which could put you in danger by not being enough of a dog deterrent. The built-in flashlight also wears down the battery.
- Double-head ultrasound for greater efficiency
- Has flashlight and wrist strap
- Can be used for training purposes
- Requires 9-volt battery
- Ineffective against some dogs
- Better for use in training than as a repellent
- Puts you in danger by not being enough of a deterrent
- Built-in flashlight wears down the battery
Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Dog Repellents for Aggressive Dogs
There are several different types of dog repellents, and which one you choose depends on your needs. We’ve created a handy buying guide so you can learn more about the types of dog repellents.
Pepper Sprays
Pepper sprays are the most effective against an aggressive dog, but they’re also the least humane. Although the dog will recover from a blast of pepper shot into its face, it will experience extreme discomfort at first. It will cause a dog to experience temporary blindness, difficulty breathing, confusion, and disorientation. This is, of course, what makes pepper spray such an effective dog deterrent against an aggressively attacking dog.
Humane Sprays
Unlike pepper sprays, humane sprays use less painful scents, such as citronella, to deter a dog. The strong scent will cause the aggressive dog to become distracted, which will hopefully buy you time to get away. These sprays don’t cause discomfort and aren’t harmful to dogs. However, the mildness of these sprays likely won’t stop a very aggressive, attacking dog.
Air Horn
Air horns use a loud, painful blast of sound to deter an aggressive dog. Like humane sprays, its main goal is to distract the dog long enough for you to get away. It may not be that effective against an excessively aggressive dog, however. It also causes pain to the ears of the human too.
Ultrasonic Repellents
Ultrasonic repellents use the high-frequency sounds that dogs can hear to distract and deter them from attacking. They are easier on human ears than air horns because adults can’t hear the high-frequency sound. Children, though, might be able to hear it. These types of repellents may not be as effective against an aggressively attacking dog.
Looking for other humane ways of preventing aggressive behaviors?
Conclusion
Our best dog repellent overall is the PetSafe SprayShield Citronella Animal Deterrent because it’s humane. It uses a powerful scent of citronella to deter an attacking animal. It’s also lightweight and easy to carry with you.
Our best air horn choice is the SAFETY-SPORT Dog Air Horn because it’s easy to use with a simple push-button design. It stops most dogs in their tracks. It’s another humane option and can even be used in training.
Our best pepper spray choice is the HALT 91427 Dog Repellent because the U.S. Postal Service has been using it as their repellent of choice since 1966. The spray is accurate up to 10 feet and can protect you from an aggressively attacking dog.
We hope our list of reviews of the best dog repellents for aggressive dogs has helped you find the best one to fit your needs.
Featured Image Credit: simonocampo999, Pixabay
