20. Stopping a “mad dog” was evidently a needed social skill in the past
There were several methods of safely fending off the unwanted attentions of a mad dog in days past, with the Handbook for Boys describing one, which was repeated in several other publications and collections of tips for dealing with life successfully. It presumed that whenever out in public, a Scout would be equipped with a walking staff or stick, as well as the neckerchief which was part of the Scout’s uniform, and the wide-brimmed hat. Any could be used to fend off the dog, which would turn to disabling the defenses before striking at the defender, mad dogs being mad, but presumably not stupid.
By distracting the dog by proffering the hat or neckerchief on the end of the stick, or simply the end of the stick itself, the animal could be maneuvered into a position favorable for “giving you the opportunity of disabling him with a kick”. However this method, as noted, was entirely dependent on being properly equipped with a distracting device and a stout stick when the dog chose its time for attack, and unless one was (the Boy Scout motto was Be Prepared), one was more likely to have to rapidly arrive at another method of dealing with a mad dog.