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So here is the deal. You are walking from your house to the cluster mailbox 50 to 75 yards down the street to get your mail. You are ready to head out for a while so you are dressed and ready and 'carrying', but want to get your mail before leaving. All of a sudden an above mid sized dog comes charging up the street towards you, teeth bared and growling big time. You cannot be sure of its intent but know it cannot be good. What do you do?
Please post your comments to this situation. Thanks.

Prepare to shoot the dog, and hope you don't have to.

fortworthdude wrote:So here is the deal. You are walking from your house to the cluster mailbox 50 to 75 yards down the street to get your mail. You are ready to head out for a while so you are dressed and ready and 'carrying', but want to get your mail before leaving. All of a sudden an above mid sized dog comes charging up the street towards you, teeth bared and growling big time. You cannot be sure of its intent but know it cannot be good. What do you do?
Please post your comments to this situation. Thanks.

Wild dogs? Stray dog? Where is the owner? Unleashed?
Many questions, but like being charged by a wolf? what do you do? Make ready, aim, and

That's a tough one. I assume I'm too far away from my house/car to duck inside either one. I suppose I would place my hand on my carry gun and prepare to draw quickly if need be. Chances are the dog is not actually going to bite. Most of the time they just bark a lot and try to act big and bad. In those situations I usually try to maintain a calm but firm demeanor with the dog, and so far that's always been good enough. Of course, there is that small chance that today, the dog is actually hell-bent on attacking me, and I likely wouldn't know for sure until the last instant. Like I said, I'd need to be ready to draw and shoot almost instantly.

I wonder... what legal ramifications might one face if the neighbors (assume a suburban area) see you drawing your concealed weapon, right about the time the dog calms down and starts acting normal again? All he/she can see now is a perfectly docile-looking pet and a MWG. Or what if you actually have to shoot the dog? Is there going to be an investigation and is the burden of proof on you to show that the dog was acting aggressively? I don't know the answers to these questions. In my CHL class we talked more about responding to vicious 2-legged predators, although the 4-legged variety might be just as likely.

jeffrw wrote:That's a tough one. I assume I'm too far away from my house/car to duck inside either one. I suppose I would place my hand on my carry gun and prepare to draw quickly if need be. Chances are the dog is not actually going to bite. Most of the time they just bark a lot and try to act big and bad. In those situations I usually try to maintain a calm but firm demeanor with the dog, and so far that's always been good enough. Of course, there is that small chance that today, the dog is actually hell-bent on attacking me, and I likely wouldn't know for sure until the last instant. Like I said, I'd need to be ready to draw and shoot almost instantly.

I wonder... what legal ramifications might one face if the neighbors (assume a suburban area) see you drawing your concealed weapon, right about the time the dog calms down and starts acting normal again? All he/she can see now is a perfectly docile-looking pet and a MWG. Or what if you actually have to shoot the dog? Is there going to be an investigation and is the burden of proof on you to show that the dog was acting aggressively? I don't know the answers to these questions. In my CHL class we talked more about responding to vicious 2-legged predators, although the 4-legged variety might be just as likely.

I still wonder how many new CHLers are very concerned about the use of their sidearm in the defense of themselves against a very aggressive dog who is attacking the CHLer. If the law would justify the use of deadly force against 2-legged predators, what do you expect when you are dealing with the 4-legged animals? Got it? The key words are:"Justified use of deadly force"

Beiruty wrote:

jeffrw wrote:That's a tough one. I assume I'm too far away from my house/car to duck inside either one. I suppose I would place my hand on my carry gun and prepare to draw quickly if need be. Chances are the dog is not actually going to bite. Most of the time they just bark a lot and try to act big and bad. In those situations I usually try to maintain a calm but firm demeanor with the dog, and so far that's always been good enough. Of course, there is that small chance that today, the dog is actually hell-bent on attacking me, and I likely wouldn't know for sure until the last instant. Like I said, I'd need to be ready to draw and shoot almost instantly.

I wonder... what legal ramifications might one face if the neighbors (assume a suburban area) see you drawing your concealed weapon, right about the time the dog calms down and starts acting normal again? All he/she can see now is a perfectly docile-looking pet and a MWG. Or what if you actually have to shoot the dog? Is there going to be an investigation and is the burden of proof on you to show that the dog was acting aggressively? I don't know the answers to these questions. In my CHL class we talked more about responding to vicious 2-legged predators, although the 4-legged variety might be just as likely.

I still wonder how many new CHLers are very concerned about the use of their sidearm in the defense of themselves against a very aggressive dog who is attacking the CHLer. If the law would justify the use of deadly force against 2-legged predators, what do you expect when you are dealing with the 4-legged animals? Got it? The key words are:"Justified use of deadly force"

Just doing what our govenor did

Beiruty wrote:If the law would justify the use of deadly force against 2-legged predators, what do you expect when you are dealing with the 4-legged animals? Got it? The key words are:"Justified use of deadly force"

No, your statement isn't accurate. The statutes prescribe certain standards that must be met to justify the use of deadly force against human beings. Dogs are not human beings, and the same standards do not apply.

Deadly force against a human is justified (in part) by:

(2) when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:
(A) to protect the actor against the other's use or attempted use of unlawful deadly force; or
(B) to prevent the other's imminent commission of aggravated kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated robbery.

There is certainly no reason for me to wait for a dog's "use or attempted use of unlawful deadly force". That's ludicrous. If a dog is chasing or approaching in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack, or attempts to bite or otherwise endanger me, I am shooting it. Period.

Also, dogs can move quickly. I am not standing there with my hand near my holster waiting for a last second draw and shoot. No buddy, I've got the gun drawn and pointed ready to shoot while yelling at the dog. If I can't deter it, I am shooting it before it gets too close.

If I'm dressed to go out, I'm wearing my boots. I would prepare to execute my best Tom Dempsey impersonation.

fortworthdude wrote:So here is the deal. You are walking from your house to the cluster mailbox 50 to 75 yards down the street to get your mail. You are ready to head out for a while so you are dressed and ready and 'carrying', but want to get your mail before leaving. All of a sudden an above mid sized dog comes charging up the street towards you, teeth bared and growling big time. You cannot be sure of its intent but know it cannot be good. What do you do? Please post your comments to this situation. Thanks.

I will stand my ground, yell warnings/commands, a big stick is something good to walk with, but will draw and fire if I have to. If you turn, shy away from or run they are more likely to attack, Pepper spray work on an attacking dog? Not sure if I'd trust it at that point.

One move to make if you have distance is to move to one side and see if the dog changes direction toward you. This will confirm that you are his target before you decide to draw on him.
This also works for people coming toward you and women eyeing you.

Like mentioned earlier, depends :D

I would yell at the dog, and try and see if there is an obsticle that I could get behind or on top of. Killing a dog should be last resort.

Now, I'm not sure how to search for old postings I made, but I am certain the advice that some gave me on a similar question was different. I'd believe that I was told NOT to shoot at a dog because they are small and move in an agile fashion and I might miss and hit someone, etc. That WAS some months ago (maybe over a year ago)...and I could be remembering it wrong (entirely possible) but I don't think so...what I DO NOT remember is who gave said advice to me. Interesting that others have the same question...glad I'm not the only one.

Heartland Patriot wrote:Now, I'm not sure how to search for old postings I made, but I am certain the advice that some gave me on a similar question was different.

My google-fu seems to be working well today. Here's that link you were referring to...I haven't read it all yet.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=43549&hilit=dog
(Edited to link to the top of the page).

Heartland Patriot wrote:I was told NOT to shoot at a dog because they are small and move in an agile fashion and I might miss and hit someone, etc.

You are responsible for the bullets you fire regardless of the nature of the target/threat....

My answer is simple. I would shoot it. If it were chasing someone else, I'd still shoot it.

Dogs kill people, and if it's charging with teeth bared I would say its "intentions" are pretty clear. I actually carry more often because I'm worried about dog attacks than because I'm worried about people attacking me.