First Time to Pull My Gun

[Tireshred]

While walking my mixed breed 60lb dog Saturday night, like I do most every evening/night, a loose pit bull attacked her from some bushes, a dog I've seen before but never knew where it lived. I pulled my dog back on her lead and kicked the pit bull as hard as I could in the head and spun it around, it continued the attack, my dog is about the same size, she fought it off until I could kick it again, this time it retreated while barking in an aggressive manner. We tried to get away but every step we took away it took 2-3 closer. I tried to blind it with my 500 lumen flashlight, it seemed to make it more aggressive. I pulled my 45 and was about to kill it, I wasn't going to let it hurt or kill my dog, when it decided to retreat enough for us to get away. I checked my dog out, she wasn't hurt, she can take care of herself, but she's 10 now and has arthritis. I called city police and they said unless it attacked a human (it didn't) they would send animal control Monday to investigate. I never told them I pulled my weapon since I didn't discharge it. I know shooting the dog would have created all kinds of problems for me and it was the last thing I wanted to do, I love dogs and it’s not the dogs fault, it’s the owners who weren't around, but I was running out of options. I carry a flashlight in one hand and the dog leash in the other, I don't have another hand for a club. It's frustrating when this sort of thing happens, and it always seems to be a pit bull, which I know can be a great breed, but in the wrong hands aren't. My friend who lives in the same neighborhood said he said saw an old Surburban grab it and drive off Sunday, either my kicks or my dog might have hurt it, no way to know. Also, I went to Academy and bought Pepper Gel, I think it should stop this sort of thing happening again. I'll pick up a Kimber Pepper Blaster too for my walks. I've had my CHL for a year now and it's the first time I pulled it. I wish people would be more responsible with their dogs, this isn't the first incident of a loose dog attacking, but it's the first where I was afraid.

[Purplehood]

I was a mailman for a couple of years between my Marine and Army gigs. My recommendation, get the pepper spray and keep packing with your CHL. Some dogs are totally immune to Pepper Spray.

[joe817]

Tireshred, I'm glad you and your dog are ok. That was a very dangerous situation and it could have gone south very easily. You did everything you could to avoid using deadly force against that dog. IMO you did EVERYTHING right.

Furthermore, IMO again, you would have been totally justified in shooting it. I'll venture to say the PD would come to the same conclusion. You do have every right to protect your life, loved ones, AND your property.

[Beiruty]

If the wild dog did anything more than barking, like biting, I will pull and shoot. It is unleashed and it is up for the owner for the bad consequences.

[marksiwel]

Dog are property in the State of Texas, you were walking around at Night right?
Also its a pitbull loose on the streets, all you have to say it is attacked you and your dog.
I doubt the cops would do anything

[dewayneward]

I know shooting the dog would have created all kinds of problems for me and it was the last thing I wanted to do,

I am curious as to why you wrote this part. I may be overanalyzing, but the part of "all kinds of problems", do you think that you would have went to jail/ got sued, etc.???

I carry 24/7 and had to pull on a dog a few weeks ago. The LAST thing I wanted to do was kill it. The owner just sat there as his dog ran onto my property snarling, etc. It wasnt until I drew my weapon that the owner decided to call his dog back. Its a shame that owners of dogs can be so stupid because I dont want to have to live with the idea that I killed a dog...but at the same time I am not going to get rabies or whatever else from a dog or have them hurt my kids or wife.

Anyway, just curious as to why you wrote this. I am obviously nervous about some law that makes it OK for a dog to bite you and if you shoot the dog, you go to jail for 10 years or something. I have ZERO faith in the judicial system (long story). I think everyone does their "best", but I dont trust any of it.

I carry on my walks/bike rides with the kiddos and if some dog (obviously not a minature poodle or something) comes barking up to me, I will stop it no questions asked. After what happened to that poor kid in Florida a few weeks back, I am not going to take any chances on the dog being all bark and no bite. My kids life isnt worth it.

[witchdoctor575]

Personally, I would have just shot the dog. you never know if 10 minutes later a kid would have came by and got attacked by the same dog. usually, animal control is short staffed and cannot respond unless it is something serious...by why let it get to that point!

[marksiwel]

Personally, I would have just shot the dog. you never know if 10 minutes later a kid would have came by and got attacked by the same dog. usually, animal control is short staffed and cannot respond unless it is something serious...by why let it get to that point!

I love dogs, but I would have done the same

[Abraham]

I've used many concoctions of store bought pepper spray and found them ineffective, but have found Freeze +P (it also contains OC tear gas) the most effective and at $15.00 for a four ounce can a whole lot less expensive than the Kimber stuff. I used Fox Labs with mixed results.

As a cyclist I encounter loose attacking dogs on just about every ride, so I go through about four/five cans a year and buy a half dozen at a time to keep the shipping cost down.

This is a stream type and I aim just above the head in a downward Z style spraying pattern. If you aim directly at the face you'll usually under aim and miss. I've turned pit bulls, Huskys, German Shepards, and on and on... Of course, every dog is different and there's no gurantee it'll work every time, but so far every one I've hosed has been turned.

This stuff doesn't injure the dog, but causes enough pain they forget about attacking you. You do though have to hit them in the mucous member area i.e., eyes, nose, mouth etc. to be effective. Plus, be aware of wind direction when you spray or the mist will blow back on you and that can be unpleasant to say the least.

[Tireshred]

I know shooting the dog would have created all kinds of problems for me and it was the last thing I wanted to do,

I am curious as to why you wrote this part. I may be overanalyzing, but the part of "all kinds of problems", do you think that you would have went to jail/ got sued, etc.???

I carry 24/7 and had to pull on a dog a few weeks ago. The LAST thing I wanted to do was kill it. The owner just sat there as his dog ran onto my property snarling, etc. It wasnt until I drew my weapon that the owner decided to call his dog back. Its a shame that owners of dogs can be so stupid because I dont want to have to live with the idea that I killed a dog...but at the same time I am not going to get rabies or whatever else from a dog or have them hurt my kids or wife.

Anyway, just curious as to why you wrote this. I am obviously nervous about some law that makes it OK for a dog to bite you and if you shoot the dog, you go to jail for 10 years or something. I have ZERO faith in the judicial system (long story). I think everyone does their "best", but I dont trust any of it.

I carry on my walks/bike rides with the kiddos and if some dog (obviously not a minature poodle or something) comes barking up to me, I will stop it no questions asked. After what happened to that poor kid in Florida a few weeks back, I am not going to take any chances on the dog being all bark and no bite. My kids life isnt worth it.

I don't think I would have been in any legal trouble, other than filling out a report, but I love dogs and don't want to kill one. And you never know about the owners, more stupid civil suits have been filed.

[Tireshred]

Abraham, where do you get this Freeze +P? I bought the gel on a recommendation from a friend who said it works and since it's a gel it's less likely to get back in my own face.

[Tireshred]

Tireshred, I'm glad you and your dog are ok. That was a very dangerous situation and it could have gone south very easily. You did everything you could to avoid using deadly force against that dog. IMO you did EVERYTHING right.

Furthermore, IMO again, you would have been totally justified in shooting it. I'll venture to say the PD would come to the same conclusion. You do have every right to protect your life, loved ones, AND your property.

Thanks joe817 for the words of encouragement, I'm glad I didn't kill it and it all came out ok, but I also agree with witchdoctor575, I started to worry about others who might not be able to fight it off and would certainly have regretted not dispatching the dog if it attacked a child or another dog. Tough call.

[Purplehood]

It might become problematic if you start doing preventive shootings on every stray dog that you come across...

[witchdoctor575]

It might become problematic if you start doing preventive shootings on every stray dog that you come across...

i don't think anyone mentioned shooting stray dogs. But, if a large dog attacks (physically), then has proved itself as a dangerous animal and should be dealt with accordingly. I won't have a questionable dog....i had one that I sent to the pound to be put down because it bit a friend. My kids got attacked in my neighborhood by a neighbors dog. If I would have had a gun at that time I would have shot it too... as it was I gave the impression I was about to shoot it to the local PD and they promptly sent out a squad car. They found the dog in question and wrote the owner a $50.00 fine. never had an issue after that. it is really a time and place scenario. I can say being attacked by a dog is no laughing matter.... teeth hurt, and kids aren't strong enough to fight them off.

[frazzled]

While walking my mixed breed 60lb dog Saturday night, like I do most every evening/night, a loose pit bull attacked her from some bushes, a dog I've seen before but never knew where it lived. I pulled my dog back on her lead and kicked the pit bull as hard as I could in the head and spun it around, it continued the attack, my dog is about the same size, she fought it off until I could kick it again, this time it retreated while barking in an aggressive manner. We tried to get away but every step we took away it took 2-3 closer. I tried to blind it with my 500 lumen flashlight, it seemed to make it more aggressive. I pulled my 45 and was about to kill it, I wasn't going to let it hurt or kill my dog, when it decided to retreat enough for us to get away. I checked my dog out, she wasn't hurt, she can take care of herself, but she's 10 now and has arthritis. I called city police and they said unless it attacked a human (it didn't) they would send animal control Monday to investigate. I never told them I pulled my weapon since I didn't discharge it. I know shooting the dog would have created all kinds of problems for me and it was the last thing I wanted to do, I love dogs and it’s not the dogs fault, it’s the owners who weren't around, but I was running out of options. I carry a flashlight in one hand and the dog leash in the other, I don't have another hand for a club. It's frustrating when this sort of thing happens, and it always seems to be a pit bull, which I know can be a great breed, but in the wrong hands aren't. My friend who lives in the same neighborhood said he said saw an old Surburban grab it and drive off Sunday, either my kicks or my dog might have hurt it, no way to know. Also, I went to Academy and bought Pepper Gel, I think it should stop this sort of thing happening again. I'll pick up a Kimber Pepper Blaster too for my walks. I've had my CHL for a year now and it's the first time I pulled it. I wish people would be more responsible with their dogs, this isn't the first incident of a loose dog attacking, but it's the first where I was afraid.

I am glad it turned out ok. This is a major fear of mine as we are frequently running into large strays and one reason I have for a CHL. As I love dogs, legality aside it would really mess me up for a bit.