Do you treat your pets like children? If so.....

[i8godzilla]

Glad you and yours are okay.

Edited until further clarification....

Where you on your or your neighbor's property after you crossed the fence?

Once we crossed the fence--the direct line rather than up the drive--we were no longer on my property.

@Excaliber -- You have touched on points that are have/are part of our decision process as we move past this incident.

Yes, I have had a brief conversation with the male occupant next door. No, I do not believe that we will become buddies any time soon. Enough said!

One other point that I was unaware at the time of the incident is that the two non-leashed dogs have killed another neighbor's chickens and brought the carcass back to the leashed dog. Apparently, this was investigated by the local sheriff's office and worked out between the two parties involved.

As of yesterday, I believe there is only one dog remaining next door.

Thanks for all of the comments. I truly hope that others can take something from this and not have to face what has become a small nightmare for us.

[The Annoyed Man]

I am happy to know that the three of you survived. It sounds terrifying. If that were my neighbor, we would be in court. I'm not entirely buying the "they were just protecting their property" bit, because you describe the neighbor dogs as having trespassed on your property first, including immediately before the incident happened. That neighbor needs to A) be held liable for the injuries sustained to you, your son, and your dog; B) be cited by law enforcement for failing to have control over the dogs; and C) be told by you that the next time one of his dogs strays onto your property, you will shoot it.

Some people just need to be told the truth, no matter how much they don't want to hear it, and it needs to be repeated, and then acted out, until they get it..........even if they never do get it.

One of my favorite quotes was uttered by former president Harry Truman. He said, "I never gave anybody heck. I just told them the truth, and they thought it was heck."

TAM,

I ordinarily side with you; however, there is too much gray area here.

The dog of the first part intruded onto OP's property. The dog of the second part (OP) chased the dog of the first part back onto and into the dog of the first part's property whereupon dog of the first part's canine friends rushed to its aid. The dog of the second part's (OP) armed human handlers then rushed onto and into the dog of the second part's turf whereupon they were set upon by the defenders' of first dog's turf.

There are several real transgressions here and all go back primarily to the unleashed and uncontrolled dogs of both parts. I suggest that these sleeping dogs be let lie under their respective constraints and all humans learn from this encounter into the canine world of protectiveness and territoriallity and constrain their supposedly domesticated animals (including cats).

PS:

There are few, if any, who love/d there animal family members more than Mr. & Mrs. Oldgingo.

Oldgringo is exactly on point here.

A minor meander by a couple of unrestrained dogs turned into a major deal on the property of the neighbor where the OP's dog, the armed OP, and his son were on really thin legal ice.

As a dog owner myself I fully understand that he couldn't have stood by while his dog was killed by the others, but coming to the aid of the beloved dog placed its owner in an extremely dangerous and legally very sticky position.

I wince at the shot fired in the air, but it caused no harm in this case and apparently helped to break up the melee.

The neighbor might not be the OP's best buddy, but it should be recognized that he could have whipped up a firestorm of trouble for the OP and didn't. He might be due for a small token of friendship and thanks.

I''m glad it turned out without major permanent injury, prosecution, or both, but for sure it had the potential to turn much uglier than it already was.

Many thanks to the OP for sharing this very nasty experience so we might all think it through together and learn - the true purpose of the Never Again topic.

Real life situations are seldom as simple and clean as the ones in our imaginations.

I only have one objection, otherwise I agree. Here's that objection. OP's dog was unrestrained, staying on its own property, and being a good dog and not wandering off the reservation so to speak. Neighbor's dog was unrestrained, and not staying on its own property. That is what started it. I will grant you that all the dogs should have been restrained, but if your dog doesn't wander, your culpability is not as great as the owner whose dogs wander and cause trouble. OP stated that this was not his first run in with neighbor's dogs loose on OP's property.

Neighbor is responsible. If his dogs had been restrained, none of this would have even happened.

[Ameer]

I only have one objection, otherwise I agree. Here's that objection. OP's dog was unrestrained, staying on its own property, and being a good dog and not wandering off the reservation so to speak.

I thought the dog fight happened on the neighbor's property.

[KC5AV]

I only have one objection, otherwise I agree. Here's that objection. OP's dog was unrestrained, staying on its own property, and being a good dog and not wandering off the reservation so to speak.

I thought the dog fight happened on the neighbor's property.

It did, but the neighbor's dogs wandered onto the OP property. That is what started the whole thing.

[bayouhazard]

I only have one objection, otherwise I agree. Here's that objection. OP's dog was unrestrained, staying on its own property, and being a good dog and not wandering off the reservation so to speak.

I thought the dog fight happened on the neighbor's property.

It did, but the neighbor's dogs wandered onto the OP property. That is what started the whole thing.

That's true but it sounds like the fight didn't start until the OP's dog went onto the neighbor's property. Went off the reservation so to speak as TAM said.

I'm not blaming OP (or Jack) but I also think it's wrong to put all the blame on the neighbor or his dogs.

[speedsix]

...good point...the fight began after the visit by the attacking dogs was over and the intrusion by the bitten dog began...them are the facts...

[Carry-a-Kimber]

...good point...the fight began after the visit by the attacking dogs was over and the intrusion by the bitten dog began...them are the facts...

I retracted my earlier comments but now that it is clear what happened I will say it again. The OP is very lucky he didn't get himself shot.

[speedsix]

...I love dogs and my two mutts are spoiled rotten...but I believe we have a great responsibility to keep 'em to ourselves...one of mine shrugged out of his leash on a walk and ran back and nailed a neighbor's beagle who was being held in the arms of a neighbor...after we'd stood and talked and walked on a yard or two...could have cost me a lot...the hide wasn't broken but the neighbor was a nice person and forgave me...I was very thankful and went out and got an aggressive harness...strike one on me!!!

[mamabearCali]

So sorry to hear of all that. Sounds like everyone will be ok and yall learned alot. Those type of situations always get sticky. Especially as the confrontation started on your side of the fence but ended on his. Really sticky. Glad all is well.

[ninemm]

To answer the OP's original question:

I have to admit that, thanks to maturity, I'm probably a little more understanding and may actually treat my animals better than my children.

[Oldgringo]

To answer the OP's original question:

I have to admit that, thanks to maturity, I'm probably a little more understanding and may actually treat my animals better than my children.

My man!

Oldgringo's animals treat him better than do the children and grandbrats. That's why my animals are sheltered, the kids and their spawn can fend for themselves. I know those are hard sayins', but they brung it on themselves.

[koconcept]

at one time i had 12 pitbulls and never did one of them run loose except on hunting trips. Pet owners need to understand a few things. 1.When you take ownership of an animal you are responsible for that animals well being and safety. 2. when you take ownership of and animal you are responible for the damages and injury that animal may cause on another animal or person. Proper containment is not cruel it is resposible.

[RPBrown]

To answer the OP's original question:

I have to admit that, thanks to maturity, I'm probably a little more understanding and may actually treat my animals better than my children.

My man!

Oldgringo's animals treat him better than do the children and grandbrats. That's why my animals are sheltered, the kids and their spawn can fend for themselves. I know those are hard sayins', but they brung it on themselves.

Our animals give us a lot less problems than did any of the kids growing up

[Keith B]

at one time i had 12 chldren and never did one of them run loose except on hunting trips. Parents need to understand a few things. 1.When you become the parent of a child you are responsible for that childs well being and safety. 2. when you become the parent of a child you are responible for the damages and injury that child may cause on another child or person. Proper containment is not cruel it is resposible. (Left that last part as it is appropriate)

Fixed it for you.

[Oldgringo]

at one time i had 12 chldren and never did one of them run loose except on hunting trips. Parents need to understand a few things. 1.When you become the parent of a child you are responsible for that childs well being and safety. 2. when you become the parent of a child you are responible for the damages and injury that child may cause on another child or person. Proper containment is not cruel it is resposible. (Left that last part as it is appropriate)

Fixed it for you.

Good job, Keith B. , big time, really big time!

Back on point: if the OP's dog had practiced some descalation by showing its tail rather than snarlingly advancing onto the trespasser dog's turf, we'd be discussing...er, uh...the family Obama's travels at our expense.