Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 43

Thread: Dangerous Dogs

  1. #1
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Offshore
    Posts
    11,477

    Dangerous Dogs

    Yesterday evening I was walking Elvis, my 110 pound bloodhound. I have invested several years training him for tracking lost persons. I have invested about $4000 in professional instruction for him as well. He's 4 years old now, and coming into his prime.

    We were walking a loop road in my neighborhood, a private community - all the streets belong to the homeowners.

    At about the halfway on our walk, there was one of our very-part-time neighbors walking a dog unfamiliar to me on the other side of the road. She was trying to get her dog to sit and ignore us as we walked past, while talking on her cell phone with the other hand. Her dog was a powerful pitbull mix of some sort. We proceeded on our way without any pause. When we were about 15 yards down the road, I heard a commotion, turned, and saw the lady being dumped on her side and dragged about 2-3 yards, after which the dog broke loose completely and latched onto my bloodhound around the neck firmly, and began trying to kill him by shaking his neck and biting. One of his beautiful soft ears was in the attacker's mouth as well.

    The lady was still on her phone while on the ground. Indeed, she clutched her phone in her hand, with an active call on speakerphone the entire rest of the incident.

    In my county, it is legal to kill aggressive dogs that are chasing or molesting livestock.

    I was armed with a suitable handgun, a suitable fixed blade knife, and a folding knife.

    I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and tennis shoes.

    My 21 year old daughter was with me on the walk. There were several houses nearby within 150 yards. The other dog's owner was trying to haul her dog off with no result, and was yelling at it with no result.

    What would you have done?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Nevada
    Posts
    12,889
    When I was married to my ex we had a shepherd jump his 6 ft fence and come straight for me. My ex got in front of me and the dog knocked him to the ground and went for his throat. Being a Vietnam vet he knew how to fight. We went home and called the police. That night we went to the house and said do the right thing and put the dog down or we will get a lawyer and sue. My concern was that the dog would kill one of the neighbors kids. The neighborhood was full of small children. They put the dog to sleep. Talking on the cell while walking a big dog is stupid. What did you do? I love dogs but some are just dangerous.

  3. #3
    Senior Member KayLR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    SW Washington State
    Posts
    2,756
    If I'd been armed like you, I would have defended my helpless pet. I have zero tolerance nor pity for vicious attack dogs and stupid owners.
    My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already!

  4. #4
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    8,169
    Really sorry that this happened to you as it is so stressful for both you and your dog.

    A dog like that is a lethal weapon. Did you kill it? I had a German Shepherd dog do that coming after my dog because the owner did not control it. Fortunately, it stopped after biting my dog's haunches.
    I gave her the vet bill which she paid and her son read her the riot act, she told me. I have not seen it loose since.

    The phrase that I use now when I hear that dogs are 'friendly' or 'just learning' or whatever, is that a dog is not a robot . One never knows what it will do. One is either a responsible or an irresponsible owner.

  5. #5
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Offshore
    Posts
    11,477
    I didn't kill the dog. I would likely have, but there was no responsible way to use the firearm in the dynamics of the scrum without endangering my dog, or my feet, or the dog's owner, or any of the several homes downrange, as I couldn't achieve a good angle. Similarly, I didn't use the larger blade, which would have still presented a danger to my dog. I used the still-folded folding blade as an impact tool in my hand to break the other dog's attention and haul it off.

    My daughter took my dog home to clean it up while I chatted with the attacker's owner. Her dog was still snarling and growling and lunging at me while we were talking, even though I was standing a good 10 yards away. I backed away from the scene for about 150 yards once we were done talking, I was convinced the dog was going to break loose again and come for me.

    I then called the Sheriff, who will deal with the situation without me filling out a lot of paperwork and pissing off a neighbor more. Who wants to kill a poor dog in front of its horrified owner, and in front of your own kid? Not me.

    Luckily my dog wears a heavy plastic electric training/tracking collar, and a heavy metal pinch collar, and those collars saved him from a significant amount of damage. Luckily also that my dog, the sweetest dog I've ever had but also quite possibly the dumbest, counts among the half-dozen commands he has master of the "leave it" command, and just stood there like a champ once I asked him to, so I could remove the other dog.

    That dog is going to get itself killed or put down, if it doesn't get a different owner.

  6. #6
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Always logged in
    Posts
    25,378
    I wouldnt have injured the attacking dog because
    I would have had no weapons or skills. But I woild have no problem with anyone who did that to get their pet out of his jaws.

    in a dog fight it is very difficult to shoot the right dog, anyway.

    knifing him might be more doable, dont know.

  7. #7
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Offshore
    Posts
    11,477
    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    in a dog fight it is very difficult to shoot the right dog, anyway, knifing him might be more doable, dont know.
    I'm overly-proficient with firearms, and there didn't seem to be a good way to accomplish using the firearm.

    The big knife would have worked if I'd started at the rear of the other dog with its tendons, but it would have been a messy cold-blooded surgical procedure, and have upset all the bystanders. And still presented a bit of danger of an unwanted outcome.

    I had no intention of grappling with the other dog though, it was solid muscle and teeth, and seemed quite fast.

    I was especially disturbed by the silent attack from behind it pulled off. This was a dog intent not on dominance games, but on killing.

    Luckily bloodhounds are incredibly solid as well, resilient, and have 3x the amount of skin they require on their necks.

  8. #8
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Always logged in
    Posts
    25,378
    Probably this attacking dog should be euthanized, too bad. Owner is stupid. I see a lot of stupid dog owners around my neighborhood yakking on their stupid cell phones, not paying attention to their dogs.

    My own dog is not well socialized and is not allowed out in public. Oddly, he is fine with some dogs coming into his house. He puts up with a series of girl dogs who we foster. He was fine with a young male dog here last year, but granted, this male dog acted like a puppy even though he was 3years old. The boys are generally more laid back about their pack mates than are the females. In my experience, the females just want to kill each other.

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    3,737
    Brings back memories of the vicious dog that lived next door to us when I was young. Nothing worked with the stupid owners until the dog got loose bit my brother and dad sued them. Turns out it was a proven biter and had been moved away from another neighborhood. Dad told us the dog was sent to the states. Should have been euthanized.

  10. #10
    Moderator Float On's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    By a lake in MO
    Posts
    4,665
    I probably wouldn't of had time to think about it and would of ended up dead.
    You showed great restraint and true gun skills by knowing it wasn't the best situation to shoot first.

    We were involved in a neighbor shooting another neighbor's dog but they'd been given ample warning and rec'd 2 sheriff visits who made it very clear neighbor 1 had every right to shoot neighbor 2's dog the next time. Neighbor 2 still tried to claim "why weren't we warned" after the event of the shooting and why we were there as witnesses.
    Float On: My "Happy Place" is on my little kayak in the coves of Table Rock Lake.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •