Dog attacks and confrontations????

P

Profisher777

New member
My friend told me about a incident a couple days ago. He said he was walking his two dogs in the woods ( cocker spaniels) when I loose pitbull charged him and his dogs and was about to attack his dogs. Luckily the owners were close and got the dog off them and releashed it. He continued walking and thought everything was ok. Not even 10 minutes later, the same dog comes charging back and is about to tear his dogs up again. My friend starts yelling for the owners and tells them to leash their dog up and keep it leashed up because its obviously a dangerous dog. This got me thinking, I walk my dogs quite a bit, but I also walk alone alot also. I live in an area were there are alot of loose dogs, and I have been chased, growled at, and circled once by a rot, luckily two teenagers came to my rescue and chased the dog off. If I had to I would put a dog down to save my life, but would it be justified to save your dogs from an attack and also what would be the best way to handle the confrontation of the dead dogs owner. They are obviously going to be upset.
 
This subject has come up before. I would not hesitate to shoot the dog. Who is to say the dog will stop with your dogs and not continue on and put you under the bite. Where I live there are the typical leash laws. Dogs not on a leash are to be in a fenced yard or kennel. I was almost attacked by two dogs in my front yard that were roaming the neighborhood. I stopped a cop a few hours later and told him of the incident. His response in short... "shoot them, they are threatening your safety and not on leashes." So in a nut shell, I would shoot the dog.
 
I really think its rarely necessary to shoot a dog. (Unless it's mad)

Why can't you just give it a good swift kick if it gets too close?

Just a suggestion. That's how I deal with dogs. One good swift kick usually does it.

I'd really hate to try to convince a jury that I had to shoot a dog. Unless I had visible wounds from the dog.

Just a suggestion.
 
If the dog is acting in a manner where it is a threat, then it is going down.

A neighbor's dog came into my yard barking and growling at me and my dog. I moved my dog back and had my hand on my openly carried Glock when my neighbor came to retrieve his dog. The dog was not following commands and had to be dragged back and even snapped at his owner when the collar was grabbed to attach the leash. I watched him take the dog back to his home and I gave him a few minutes to get settled and I called him. I told him that I didn't want to see that dog on my property again and if it came back and acted like it would attack me, my family, my dog, or my guests then I'd put it down and call him to retrieve the carcass. He kinda laughed and said I shouldn't worry because he is really friendly.

Three weeks later when I was gearing up for a cookout with a few friends the dog came back. There was a few small children and I was afraid for them. The dog was flying through my neighbor's yard making a bee line for us. I yelled telling to get the kids in the house, the women grabbed the kids and took them inside. I told everyone to get inside or get behind me. I was OCing my Glock (as I am always armed), I drew my weapon as the dog came across the road. The dog got about 3 yards into my yard and I aimed and fired two shots and it fell. Both shots struck the animal in the chest and the hollow points did the trick. I approached the animal, which was still alive and I placed one more shot into the animals head to end it's suffering.

My neighbor was upset, but my friends where there to back me up and let him know how afraid they were of the dog. One of my friends had grabbed a large hunk of wood from my wood pile to throw at the dog.

The good thing about this was I was able to demonstrate to my friends the importance of carrying a handgun for defense not only from criminals, but from animals as well. One for the couples have taken conceal carry classes and are now waiting for the permits to be approved.

Just be careful about where you live. If I lived in the city, I might have been in trouble for discharging a firearm, but I'm out in the boonies, so I'm cool.
 
We kind of have a situation like that were i live. The neighbors have a dog that will come running at you if your driving up the road barking at you, and when i ride my ATV down the road to get the mail ive had the same dog try and bite at my legs. One day the dog did that to me when i was on my ATV and i nailed him in the face with some pepper spray and that stopped him in his tracks. But i don`t always have the pepper spray on me now that i carry my hand gun, and if he does bite me while im walking or riding up the road he will end up shot. This same dog has even come over to our fence line more than once and tried to start problems with our dogs that are always inside a fenced yard. My mom went over to the owners house and told them that if the dog ever gets onto our property she would shoot it. The owners of the dog called the cops on her for that, go figure ??.
 
It's purely a state matter.

In Ohio, you're allowed to shoot a dog to protect yourself, but not another dog.

That having been said, I know of at least one incident where a woman shot an attacking dog to protect hers and was not prosecuted. Fortunately, in Ohio there's not much tolerance for people who allow dangerous dogs to attack people OR other dogs.
 
Having 4 dogs myself I would not exactly advocate gunning any dog down that comes a-running but I assume we're talking about clearly aggressive intentions here, barking, snarling, tail up, teeth bared, ears back, head down, ie a dog 100% ready to attack or already actively attacking.

In many states you are actually justified in using your firearm to not only defend your own live but that of a pet, too. That would take care of the legal aspect. The only trouble could be that the dogs you were walking can't testify in court so witnesses could be an issue.

I'll be honest, I don't really know if I could shoot a dog anymore. I used to be afraid of them but now I have 4 of them myself and have learned to understand what they are saying. Most of the barking is really just a bluff.
 
All sorts of replies so far and all have valid points--just be careful what you wish for when it comes to shooting anything. In SC, unfortunately, a dog is just property like a bicycle etal---if it is attacked and killed, it is 180degrees from an attack on a human, and is not subject to the same "protection" as human self-defense. Having said that, IMO and based on winks and nods from LEOs, your pet gets attacked---YOU ARE NOW FEARING FOR YOUR OWN LIFE AND POTENTIAL GREAT BODILY INJURY-"THE ATTACKING DOG, WITH BLOOD IN ITS MOUTH, NOW LOOKED AT ME WITH A GROWL AND A LOOK THAT HAD ME FEAR FOR MY LIFE" That is my story and I'm sticking to it.
 
Who let the dogs out?

bob16066 said:
Why can't you just give it a good swift kick if it gets too close?
Click to expand...
Maybe to avoid something like the following (after which the dogs' owner went to prison)?

"By Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News
December 1, 2003

ELBERT COUNTY - Three pit bulls attacked and killed a 40-year-old woman who was on her way to feed her horses Sunday morning.

The pack of savage dogs then turned on the woman's longtime partner - who'd gone to look for her - and also later attacked a neighbor.

Both men were released after being treated at an area medical center for wounds to their forearms.

The dogs were shot and killed by the neighbor's 16-year-old son.

Jennifer Brooke went out to feed her horses about 7 a.m., Elbert County Sheriff Bill Frangis said. Her partner, Bjorn Osmunsen, 24, became worried when she didn't return. When he went to look for her, the pack attacked him outside the house. He got away and called for help at 9:50 a.m.

Deputies found Brooke's body in an indoor riding arena near her home in Meadow Brook Ranches subdivision, Frangis said. Paramedics worked on her for 40 minutes before she was airlifted to Swedish Medical Center, where she was dead on arrival. Frangis said she was attacked "everywhere."

"It was absolutely gruesome," he said. "This was not a five-minute attack. These dogs were methodically moving around."

Osmunsen had a "severe bite" on his right hand.

"The dogs actually ripped his coat off," Frangis said. "He was driven off by the dogs."

The dogs left on their own but later attacked Clifford Lynn Baker, 42, a few hundred yards away at 43248 Meadow Brook Circle, northwest of Elizabeth.

Baker was working in his front yard near his garage about 11 a.m. when the dogs jumped him.

"I got scared because I felt myself going down," Baker told News 4. "I kicked the big one real hard and jumped in my truck.

"The big one had me here," he said, pointing to his left arm. "One of the little ones was jumping at my throat. . . . I'll heal. Unfortunately, my neighbor, Jennifer, won't."

He started shouting for his son, Cody, to help him. Cody grabbed a shotgun when he saw the dogs jumping at the truck and shot them. Frangis called the teen a "hero."

Frangis said the dogs' owners have been "partially" interviewed.

He said that there have been previous complaints about the marauding dogs and that the dogs attacked at least one other person over the summer."
 
Last summer my wife and I were walking our two dogs (leashed) on a marked trail in the woods.
We were on our way back to the entrance when a large dog (not sure of the breed) came trotting towards us; not leashed and no owner in site.
We continued walking and remained calm. The strange dog first sniffed at our malamute who payed it no mind. Then he came over to sniff our golden who I was walking and the strange dog got in his face which was a sign of aggression and before I knew it they were brawling.
I tried to pull my dog away while kicking at the strange dog (btw, you never want to try to pull them apart with your hands). Then suddenly my golden slipped out of his collar and they were rolling and fighting out of control.
That's when I pulled my pistol and fired a shot into a large tree over their heads.
The two battling dogs, startled by the shot, broke off their melee. My dog ran behind me and the strange dog took off down the path the way he had come.
I holstered my handgun and releashed my golden. I checked him out and fortunately he seemed to be ok; no blood or open wounds.
We collected ourselves and continued our way back to the entrance.
When we got to the road there was young couple, across the road loading the strange dog into their car. Apparently they had been walking in the woods across the road. (which means their dog left the woods, crossed the road, and entered the trail we were on!) The man yelled to me and asked if I heard a gun shot.
I told him, yeah it came from me. I proceeded to tell him what happened and I informed him that his dog needs to be leashed.
He apologized and said that his dog never acts like that; he is usually friendly.
I told him, yeah and I'm usually friendly too, keep you dog leashed or the next guy might not fire a warning shot.
Believe me, I don't want to shoot someone's dog. And to tell the truth, the real problem is usually the owner. They all think their dog is friendly and they don't want to leash their dog. Fortunately the warning shot worked. I'm not sure what I would have done next. Shooting the strange dog would be difficult as there would have been a chance of shooting my own dog.

~ John
 
In SC. if a dog is loose and on your property doing damage or killing live stock acting agressive in anyway you have the right to shoot and destroy have done several times myself and Leo stood behind me everytime. Dogs belong on a leach or in a fence not running loose that is why we have so many wild dogs now.
 
Here in Florida there are many who think it's cool to have a pit bull, and are outraged when you 'suggest' they put this thing on a leash. Even though we have a variety of Laws requiring owners to leash at all times- both the police and judiciary dont want to enforce the law in many cases. I shoot these at dogs if they are on my land and I am outside, I have told my neighbors their dog will be shot if he /she makes any aggresive move on me or my family- I did not buy my home to have your dog attack me- nor did I buy here to listen to you whine. So curb your dog or I will do it for you
 
Most of the time you can determine the intent of an approaching dog in order to determine what course of action you need to take. I do a lot of running through my neighborhood and have had labs come up and run with me for a while or had small dogs come our barking but I cam simply stop and they will turn around. However, one afternoon I was running the neighborhood and happened to noticed out of the corner of my eye a dog charging down his driveway, which was a short driveway, towards me. I had about 3 seconds to decide what to do and because there was nowhere to go I just raised my foot to kick the dog and I screamed, probably not very manly like, and that was enough to startle the dog and make him stop just short my me. He then turned around and began following me very closely still growling. I don't know what stopped the dog from attacking me on that day other than the Lord himself because that dog was not doing that to just be friendly. The owners never came outside even though I was screaming at the dog. I later called the animal warden and explained the situation because our city has a leash law and they said they would have to catch the dog out of the fence or off the leash to do anything. I have called then a few more times when I drove by the house and the dog was laying in the front yard off the leash but they have not done anything.

That was before I began to carry and I would have no problem putting a dog down that was in attack mode. It's almost always the same breed of dogs that do the attacking so that creates a high alert in my mind. Pits or Rots for the most part. Occasionally another breed but not near bout as often. I know a lot of city's have began to ban these breeds which I have no problem with or they should at least make sure they stay leashed or fenced.

The area where this dog charged me is one that my family used to walk often but I have since decided to take another route. I would hate to discharge my weapon at a dog but would do so if I felt threatened.
 
I have a 107 lb. German shepherd that will bite on command or if my family is in danger. I think my dog is awesome! But if he ever got loose and approached someone growling or barking and they shot him I would be upset at the loss of a fantastic companion and family protector, but I would have no ill feelings toward the one who felt threatened and put him down. I would do the same to another dog threatening my family or myself. Obviously I would attempt to chase him off first by yelling or shouting at him, but bottom line, humans come first and a threat is a threat.
 
Irresponsible dog owners should not have dogs like irresponsible gun owners should not have guns. A gun won't shoot itself, and a well trained dog won't attack unless its trigger is pulled (by command or defense of the family).

The neighborhoods rots and pits are really friendly in Oregon here...i do not agree with banning these breeds...just the people who can't train them

That said...i don't believe anything is wrong with shooting another dog that is threatening, they can do as much damage as a human if not more..but I don't know the law very well, something I should educate myself on
 
Firefighterchen said:
Irresponsible dog owners should not have dogs like irresponsible gun owners should not have guns. A gun won't shoot itself, and a well trained dog won't attack unless its trigger is pulled (by command or defense of the family).

The neighborhoods rots and pits are really friendly in Oregon here...i do not agree with banning these breeds...just the people who can't train them
Click to expand...

Agreed. I had a pit when I was a child. Very friendly dog because, guess what, that's how we trained it to be... It's not the gun that murders, it's the person who chooses to murder. It's not the dog breed that's bad, it's how the owners train/allow it to be.
 
i have had pits, rots, german shepards, a chow mix, and have all been great dogs. they truly get a bad rap and its mostly cause the minoritys in the areas i lived liked to fight their dogs. gee wonder why the dogs are so aggressive. i would not want to shoot a dog, but if i had to i would. i took a bat to a pit once cause it was tryin to hop my patio almost 4 foot wall to get over... and get at the 3 kittens (1 week old) and their mom. pepper sparay wasnt close but my bat was. im sure it left with a broken rib or 2, but better than dead. i even found the owner of the dog and said next time it wont pan out well for the dog as it would be shot if it crossed my patio.... he told me to try it and watch what happens.... oh ya big tuff ass, btw never saw the guy or dog again.... guess he took it as truth and didnt want a dead dog..... i would have felt bad for killing it... really would have.

can u legaly shoot a dog in texas? specially within city limits??
 
Pepper Spray..

First line of defense, in life and court. The Dog attacked "US" me and my dog, I attempted to ward him off with pepper spray to no avail then had to resort to shooting it..
You and your dog are "US" and the attacking animal is an it..

Plus, wouldnt you feel better about saving yourself and your dog, without killing another dog?
 
bob16066 said:
I really think its rarely necessary to shoot a dog. (Unless it's mad)

Why can't you just give it a good swift kick if it gets too close?

Just a suggestion. That's how I deal with dogs. One good swift kick usually does it.

I'd really hate to try to convince a jury that I had to shoot a dog. Unless I had visible wounds from the dog.

Just a suggestion.
Click to expand...
I agree. With rare exception you can stop even a large dog. A big part of the terror of the initial attack is the ferocity which appears in a dog's demeanor. Most times it's merely for show. There was a time when an attacking dog scared the hell out of me. But after training K9's for over a decade I view this differently now. Now I will become the agressor against an attacking dog... charging him and meeting him directly. Experience has taught me that with a few sticks and kicks he'll usually back off and run.

However, there are some dogs that can be beat and kicked to kingdom come and will not relent. I have a pit bull and can tell you it's very hard to get that jaw open. In such cases a person must do whatever is necessary to ensure they are not harmed. A bite to the leg from a powerful dog can cut the femoral artery causing a pretty quick death from blood loss. So do what you must to ensure complete safety.

I never wanted a pit bull but this was a rescue and I just couldn't say no to those big eyes. Thank God this dog is gentle and extremely friendly to everyone. Loves the mailman, UPS guy, the neighbors and all the kids. Raised in a loving family. But I still won't let that dog out of my sight for even a second. I find just the appearance of the dog makes people quite uneasy.

Link Removed
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New Threads

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 179 (members: 0, guests: 179)

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
49,523
Messages
610,661
Members
74,992
Latest member
RedDotArmsTraining

Share this page

Back
Top