Dog attack.

[powderman]

WE stopped at a recycling center headed out to shop. A very large german shepherd came over while I was talking to the guy, he petted it then it went on towards my car. As I  was leaving it started slowly walking towards me, suddenly it lunged and snapped at my leg, then I kicked it away and kicked again as it came in again and I was grabbing my 38 out of my pocket. A guy ran over and grabbed the dog by the neck so I never pulled the gun. It tore a hole over 8 in long and  I felt the teeth but it didn't draw blood. I was so ticked I didn't even talk to them but showed them my pants and told em I'd be back after I changed clothes. I went back and went to the office, I've done business with Chuck well over 20 years. I said, how about buying a pair of slightly used jeans. He said, I don't buy jeans and they wouldn't fit me. I showed him the big hole and said, you'll buy these, this is whats left from your dog. He got a scared look and said, I reckon I owe you a pair of jeans, I said, yep, I reckon you do. He said, tell me how much you want and I'll pay it. I said, I only had 2 good pair and those were one of them and I had to go all the way home to change and come back. I said make it $30 and we'll call it even. He said, take $50 for your trouble. He said the dog was supposed to have been gone that morning but his workers couldn't catch him. I've known this man a long time and he's worked hard for the business he's built through his own sweat so I didn't call the law, we just made a gentlemans agreement. Glad I wasn't just a hair closer. I'd of shot the dog if the guy hadn't grabbed him. POWDERMAN. 

[Dee]

In my 20 year past career, I have no idea how many dog attacks I investigated. Most of these attacks however, were from pit bulls, and chows, or mixes of the two, but I will say not always. People that own the dogs, ALWAYS SAY, the dog has always been gentle and wouldn't hurt a flea.
What 99.9% of the dog owners just don't get, is that these dogs don't "usually" bite THEM, because they (the owners) are considered by the dog to be the alpha male, and or, female of the pack. Dogs and people do not think alike. We see the dog as a "family member", and the dog sees us as "pack members", and an obstacle to the top of the "pecking order" of that pack.
This past week in Arlington, Fl, a baby boy just a few weeks old was laying on the bed beside it's mother. The family pet "pit bull" jumped up on the bed, grabbed the baby by the head, and jumped off the bed, mauling and killing the baby. The owners "once again" claimed the gentleness of the dog. I suppose they can have that engraved on their infant son's tombstone. Killed by the "gentle family pet pit bull".
Powderman, I admire your restraint and calmness in the situation, as I have been confronted "many times" in my 20 year career with aggressive dogs, sometimes with their owners assuring me, "he won't bite". I did then, and do now, give the dog one chance MAYBE to retreat, and behave himself, then I turn the lights out with no apologies. Little dogs have many natural enemies, even if "in their own minds" (instinct), and big dogs (especially certain breeds) mark their territory, and sometimes defend it "in their own minds" (instinct).
My K-9 patrol dogs were all German Shepherd, and were dangerous to anyone other than the handler. Yes, I allowed them to interact with my family, BUT! I kept a constant vigil. They were what they were, and I had made them such, as I trained patrol dogs from pups, not venders. A good sized healthy Shepherd has about a 750 psi bite. Something to think about yes? These dogs, like many large breeds are territorial. That's why we used them. To protect the territory.

[OldSchoolRanger]

Pm - Your definitely a better man than me.  I was bitten twice, and believe me it's not fun. 
I love dogs, and had seven different dogs over the years.  But, I feel the same way as you do.  If it attacks, I plan on putting it down.  I don't plan on the score being 0 - 3.

[powderman]

DEE. The dog was used by the owner to protect his place at night and was left loose to do so. I know that his losses had been pretty bad before he got the dog. Upon opening up every morning they would lock him back up. Evidently he had attacked somebody else because Chuck said he was supposed to have been gone this morning. He said his guys couldn't catch it this morning but one was petting him. I didn't tell Chuck that either. Anybody who works as hard as those guys do, it's a hot dirty job,  I have a great deal of respect for and I was afraid he might fire one or more of them. Jobs of any kind are hard to come by and I didn't want to see anybody lose their job from one mistake. I'm ok and as far as I'm concerned it's over. I could see the fear of a lawsuit in his face, but thats not going to happen, no sense in making lawyers richer. Mistakes are made everyday, we learn and adjust. POWDERMAN. 

[Sourdough]

Like Dee, I've turned the lights out on more than a few that refused to back down.  Sled dogs are notorious for being aggressive.  When one or two get loose and they find their way to my back lot, they are told once to go home.  If they don't take a hint, they are history.

Most of the attacks I have had were by German Shepards.  Two were by Lab/Pit bull mixes. 

People were always dumping dogs off at my Grandpa's farm.  Some were friendly, some were not.  Few survived the first contact, as my Grandpa had all the dogs he could use.

[mechanic]

We had an old gentleman who owned a gun store here, and was a friend of my dad's.  He had a large shepherd who lay behind the counter with him.  Because he was hard of hearing, I leaned over the counter and pointed at a gun and said loudly, "that one".  I barely made it out of the store to my truck, and I had to jump in the bed.  The dog circled once, then twice, all the while the owner didn't bother to come out.  I shot him in the head on the third round of my truck. 
 
The old man came out with a gun then, and I truly thought I would have to shoot him too.
 
People who have large enough dogs to kill people, should realize that some day, they just might, and they should be handled accordingly.  My daughter has a well trained shepherd.  Whenever anyone is over other than family, he stays in his kennel, as he should.
 
By the way, I was banned from the store for life, and threatened with civil action.  The deputy that was called said I was justified.  My Dad remained friends with the old geezer.  I chalked it up to senility on his part and let it go.
 
Ben

[Sweetwater]

Several years with a paper route and 10 years driving a UPS truck, I have only had a few encounters that got my hackles up. Only one bite, that didn't make it through my Wellington boots, and from a dog I saw nearly every day. One big german shephard scared me as badly as a black bear with cubs - been there, too - Powderman, ya done good, in my book.
The bottom line is, animals are animals and not people. They will turn to their primal instincts when you least expect it. I had a cat that would sit in my lap and purr, and leave me bleeding from both legs when she decided to leave. She don't live here anymore.
 
Jeff
NRA Life

[Graybeard]

Well Charlie what if because you didn't press the issue he decides it's OK to keep the dog and the next time it attacks it kill or maims some kid there with a parent?

Mean dogs that attack need to be put down and I mean FIRST TIME.

I don't like dogs even a little bit and would have no hesitation to put one down if it attacked. In fact I have done so in the past.

[powderman]

BILL. I'd of had to shoot it with the guy holding it, didn't seem like a good idea at the time. The guy was there before I could get my gun out, he was only about 15 ft away. I'd have killed it if I  hadn't been beaten to the draw so to speak. Chuck told me that had they been able to catch it early this morning that he had somebody that was going to get rid of it so I believe I was not the first to have this experience. His word is good enough for me, known him over 20 years. I will stop in there next trip that way but theres no doubt in my mind the dog has been taken care of.  POWDERMAN. 

[sidewinder319]

Pman you did well, self control while armed. I recall when I was a kid one of these incidents that got out of control. A rancher had a  hired hand who lived alone in a Line Shack with an old dog. The rancher caught the dog killing sheep. He told the hand to tie the dog up. He also said if I catch him killing sheep I will shoot him. One Sunday the rancher shot the dog attacking his sheep. Later that day the hired hand shot the rancher on his front porch.  Point is these dog problems can get way out of control.

[bobg]

  Never been attacked by a dog but did have the neighbors lab mix come on my property and attack my beagle. Almost $300 in a vet bill to get her sewed up. Took the bill to the neighbor and he told me the dog wasn't his which i knew it was. Talked to the local chief of police. He told me the next time it crossed the ditch on to my property shoot it and drag it up in front of my garage and call him and tell him i came out of the garage and the dog attacked me. He would pick it up and put it on the guys porch. Not sure what happened but i never seen the dog again.

[Tommyt]

Glad you came to a gentleman's agreement
However your draw is too slow
 
All in fun
Tommyt
 

[powderman]

TOMMY T. YEP, I need to work on that. I've always felt that it's better that men solve their problems without involving police and lawyers. POWDERMAN. 

[Sweetwater]

I've always felt that it's better that men solve their problems without involving police and lawyers. POWDERMAN. 

OH YES!! Whenever possible. You will find that is Scriptual. IF tried, most can come to a better agreement than can the authorities.
 
Jeff
NRA Life

[Dee]

I've always felt that it's better that men solve their problems without involving police and lawyers. POWDERMAN. 

OH YES!! Whenever possible. You will find that is Scriptual. IF tried, most can come to a better agreement than can the authorities.
 
Jeff
NRA Life

1st Corinthians Chapter 6 verses 1 thru 8.

[Sweetwater]

I've always felt that it's better that men solve their problems without involving police and lawyers. POWDERMAN. 

OH YES!! Whenever possible. You will find that is Scriptual. IF tried, most can come to a better agreement than can the authorities.
 
Jeff
NRA Life

1st Corinthians Chapter 6 verses 1 thru 8.

Thanks, Dee!!
 
Jeff
NRA Life

[bluedog6]

I agree with Powderman. That's what is wrong with the whole country, everyone wants to sue someone. Maybe this was a wake up call to the owner of the dog.

[Land_Owner]

All is well that ends well, but you are still peeved over the incident and that is evident in the tone of your OP, not that I blame you.  It is a slow chemical burn when an incident like this occurs and it takes a while for the Primordial Soup in one's veins (adrenaline laced testosterone) to burn out.  Good recount.

[powderman]

LAND_OWNER. YES, I'm still peeved at myself. Even though there was no indication of an attack until it did I should have sensed something wrong but I didn't. I'm a bit upset that I was so slow in getting my gun from my pocket. I never pulled it all the way out because the guy had the dog by the neck pulling him away and at that point I did not want to further aggravate the situation by pulling out a gun. I had never feared dogs before but now I must admit that I would be very edgy around one, at least for now. My wife saw the dog circle me just before it attacked. I had been too busy talking to the guy instead of watching the dog. She was afraid to holler because her window was down and she was very vulnerable, being only a few ft away. I've gone over the situation a hundred times and cannot think of anything I could have done different, or would want to. POWDERMAN. 

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

   From my exp. the dog issue is more of a danger to us than lions or bears...just a few weeks ago, I was walking in another  town ...I had spent several days here hunting deer in the area..last morning before leaving, I took a walk for exercise...as I retraced my steps back to my camper, a huge rottie walked out of the the tall grass on the opposite side of the road and just ahead of me..he did n't growl just stood and watched as I approached...I had just noticed on the last house I saw some 50 yards back a sign saying beware of dog...I slid my S & W model 60 into the vest pocket and continued walking...the dog circled and came in from behind...I stopped and took a couple steps toward him and said in a calm voice, if you want to keep living you SOB go home...he took a couple steps back stopped, and looked, I continued on my way, but watched him until I was out of sight...It was a comfort beyond words to know I had protection for myself..I think the dog sensed I wasn't fearful of him..but who knows...I has amazed me though in this discussion that someone hasn't said, we were in the dogs territory and it was our fault not the animals..

[powderman]

...I has amazed me though in this discussion that someone hasn't said, we were in the dogs territory and it was our fault not the animals.. " src="http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/Smileys/default/angry.gif">

 
HEH, aint that the truth. POWDERMAN. 

[Land_Owner]

Dog's "territory"?  PM "deserved it"?   - HA!  A business, open to the Public, better be prepared to protect itself from any and ALL incidents, including one of its own making, that results in an injury to John Q. Public while on the premises.  We The People don't take kindly to incidents of this nature or those of like import.   IMO it would be a landslide judgement for PM in finding fault with the business.