Follow you home...not just a Nickelback song - Page 3

MarineCorpsAT · September 7, 2011, 09:46 AM

Like others have said do not discount the beagle. My wife and I used to live over a church in Riverside California. One night the alarm in the church went off (happened all the time) And I grabbed the keys and the dog (a beagle mix) and went down to shut off the alarm again. As I usually did I sent the dog in first and she would go down the hall and around the corner and come back. This night however she started barking and growling. As I had peeked around the corner she had a parent of one of the kids in the youth group pinned against the wall.

The front door was not closed and he simply came to get his kid. This dog is now 16 years old and deaf but if she know there is a problem she will still be in the fight.

tmlynch · September 7, 2011, 09:28 PM

Quote:

As for the dog - no doubts about her whatsoever anymore. Sent a loose pit packing yesterday when it ran up on us out in the backyard. Had to stop her from swallowing the part of its ear she tore off.

Awesome! Beagles are the best dogs ever. They will do anything for, or to be with, their people.

Stressfire, I hope you enjoy your beagle as much as we have ours. I will warn you the most accurate prediction I have ever heard was when my wife and I were walking our puppy on the hike and bike trail. A gruff older guy walked past, turned to us and said, "He'll steal your heart!"

MarineCorpsAT, I'll confess to getting a bit misty when I think back to our dogs when they reached that age and condition. They gave so much to us that we couldn't repay. On a lighter side note, the beagle nose never stops. On his "last trip" to the vet, one of the beagles was snuffling for M&Ms our daughter dropped in the minivan.

Tom

msb45 · October 2, 2011, 03:15 PM

Get a good small flashlight. Surefire if you can or even an Energizer at Walmart ($15 works great). If you light him up in the shadows it sends an I'm prepared message without brandishing or saying a word.

Cell phone is also a must. Tie the dog's leash to a fence and free up both hands. If he wants to make a move do it where you've not lead him home or are in a bad spot.

In the end you lived to learn, that's what counts.

Lost Sheep · October 2, 2011, 05:01 PM

A little off-topic, but if it should ever come to "flap-shoe" claiming that you brandished a shotgun at him, demonstrating that you "brandished" only a ringtone lowers his credibility that much more.

When I heard signs of lock tampering, I think I would have just banged on the frame of the door with my fist as hard as I could. (Obviously, this is adrenaline talking.) I know that if I am trying to be stealthy, an authoritative, unexpected noise so close to my head is a bit unsettling. I know this is tactically unsound and practically unwise, but viscerally satisfying.

Looking through the window from the side of the door OPPOSITE the doorknob was a sound move. You are about three feet away from him and just barely in his peripheral vision while he is focused on the lock. Even if he was armed, his hands are occupied. Getting a good look at his face would be strategically a VERY GOOD idea if it did not involve significant risk.

If you had his face, the local police might be inclined to put some effort into connecting a name to the incident.

If you spot him around your neighborhood in the future, you will be better prepared if you already know where the legal dividing line between vigilantism and vigilance is. Likewise, the legal definition of "stalking" vs permissible activites.

He knows where you live, what your dog looks like, what you look like. Do what you can to level the field of battle.

Be aware, where there is one, there are likely more. Don't get blindsided by another danger while protecting yourself against this one.

Alerting your neighbors is not only tactically, strategically and legally REALLY good and wise, it also enhances their safety. Good citizenship.

Does your neighborhood have a Community Council or the like? Does your city have a program like Neighborhood Watch? Mine does, and the police department even has a sort of "ride along" program. If your city council or or city executive (Mayor or City Manager) does not have an outreach (preventative) program for the police and fire departments, these are good things to suggest, especially around election time.

I know at your (probable) age you don't have a lot of time to devote to such preparations, but if many individuals share the load, it is possible to make a neighborhood much safer. Local police take a much kinder view of organized groups acting in cooperation with police (like the very reputable Neighborhood Watch model) than individuals acting on their own. Some departments even share their communications systems.

Good luck,

Lost Sheep

p.s. I agree on the flashlight. I have a "tactical" flashlight that puts out a LOT more than your best standard flashlight. Enough to disorient a stalker/assailant and with a grip designed to be used in conjunction with a two-handed hold on a handgun.

But the best "standard" flashlight that is also a sub-lethal weapon which also is classed as not being any more of a weapon than your average doggie pooper-scooper (which might be pretty good if it is full) is a 4 to 6 cell Mag-lite. The ones using "D" cells are substantial clubs, but the ones using "C" cells are handier batons.

SatCong · October 2, 2011, 06:03 PM

What does you wife (you alluded to a father-in-law) think about your fiance?

Mike

orionengnr · October 2, 2011, 09:36 PM

Quote:

the fact is that she does not like guns,

Does she like intruders?

Stressfire · October 3, 2011, 11:50 AM

Kinda surprised this thread came back, to update:

Quote:

What does you wife (you alluded to a father-in-law) think about your fiance?

Hah, force of habit, she and I use the wife/fiance terms interchangeably, what can I say, she likes to be called wife

And we might as well be married already, we act like an old married couple

Anyhoo, after a bit of daylight observation, I did discover that the "gentleman" either lives or stays a few houses down the street. Was driving to work one day and saw him out on the front porch with about a dozen other residents - still not sure what the story is there, but assuming they all live there. "Crack house" might not be too far off the mark - but meth is much more popular in this area of the state.

I'm calling it a win, it did encourage the lil woman to cave and at least learn how to use the guns I have around and loaded on a regular basis, went shooting together the past couple weekends - and my baby cut the center out with the .45 and cut the sticks down with the loaner Maverick.

October 2, 2011, 03:15 PM	#53
msb45 Member Join Date: February 27, 2005 Location: TN Posts: 21	Get a good small flashlight. Surefire if you can or even an Energizer at Walmart ($15 works great). If you light him up in the shadows it sends an I'm prepared message without brandishing or saying a word. Cell phone is also a must. Tie the dog's leash to a fence and free up both hands. If he wants to make a move do it where you've not lead him home or are in a bad spot. In the end you lived to learn, that's what counts. __________________ "I would advise persisting in our struggle for liberty, though it were revealed that 999 men were to perish, and only one of a thousand to survive and retain his liberty. One such freeman must possess more virtue, and enjoy more happiness, than a thousand slaves." - Samuel Adams - 1774

October 2, 2011, 05:01 PM	#54
Lost Sheep Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 3,341	A little off-topic, but if it should ever come to "flap-shoe" claiming that you brandished a shotgun at him, demonstrating that you "brandished" only a ringtone lowers his credibility that much more. When I heard signs of lock tampering, I think I would have just banged on the frame of the door with my fist as hard as I could. (Obviously, this is adrenaline talking.) I know that if I am trying to be stealthy, an authoritative, unexpected noise so close to my head is a bit unsettling. I know this is tactically unsound and practically unwise, but viscerally satisfying. Looking through the window from the side of the door OPPOSITE the doorknob was a sound move. You are about three feet away from him and just barely in his peripheral vision while he is focused on the lock. Even if he was armed, his hands are occupied. Getting a good look at his face would be strategically a VERY GOOD idea if it did not involve significant risk. If you had his face, the local police might be inclined to put some effort into connecting a name to the incident. If you spot him around your neighborhood in the future, you will be better prepared if you already know where the legal dividing line between vigilantism and vigilance is. Likewise, the legal definition of "stalking" vs permissible activites. He knows where you live, what your dog looks like, what you look like. Do what you can to level the field of battle. Be aware, where there is one, there are likely more. Don't get blindsided by another danger while protecting yourself against this one. Alerting your neighbors is not only tactically, strategically and legally REALLY good and wise, it also enhances their safety. Good citizenship. Does your neighborhood have a Community Council or the like? Does your city have a program like Neighborhood Watch? Mine does, and the police department even has a sort of "ride along" program. If your city council or or city executive (Mayor or City Manager) does not have an outreach (preventative) program for the police and fire departments, these are good things to suggest, especially around election time. I know at your (probable) age you don't have a lot of time to devote to such preparations, but if many individuals share the load, it is possible to make a neighborhood much safer. Local police take a much kinder view of organized groups acting in cooperation with police (like the very reputable Neighborhood Watch model) than individuals acting on their own. Some departments even share their communications systems. Good luck, Lost Sheep p.s. I agree on the flashlight. I have a "tactical" flashlight that puts out a LOT more than your best standard flashlight. Enough to disorient a stalker/assailant and with a grip designed to be used in conjunction with a two-handed hold on a handgun. But the best "standard" flashlight that is also a sub-lethal weapon which also is classed as not being any more of a weapon than your average doggie pooper-scooper (which might be pretty good if it is full) is a 4 to 6 cell Mag-lite. The ones using "D" cells are substantial clubs, but the ones using "C" cells are handier batons. Last edited by Lost Sheep; October 2, 2011 at 05:10 PM.

September 7, 2011, 09:46 AM	#51
MarineCorpsAT Member Join Date: October 4, 2007 Posts: 81	Like others have said do not discount the beagle. My wife and I used to live over a church in Riverside California. One night the alarm in the church went off (happened all the time) And I grabbed the keys and the dog (a beagle mix) and went down to shut off the alarm again. As I usually did I sent the dog in first and she would go down the hall and around the corner and come back. This night however she started barking and growling. As I had peeked around the corner she had a parent of one of the kids in the youth group pinned against the wall. The front door was not closed and he simply came to get his kid. This dog is now 16 years old and deaf but if she know there is a problem she will still be in the fight.

October 2, 2011, 06:03 PM	#55
SatCong Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2004 Location: Twangtown Posts: 175	What does you wife (you alluded to a father-in-law) think about your fiance? Mike