The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Four-Legged Threats

hangglider · January 29, 2012, 09:41 AM

Shurshot I agree with you almost 100%. The first elemental command that every owner teaches their dog is "sit." If you yell this loud enough, most dogs will stop dead in their tracks. I've used this dozens of times on dogs charging me and it has worked every time. I also crouch a bit--they tend to be more aggressive towards a larger target I've found.

My opinion is that it is fairly easy to tell between dogs that are trained specifically to attack (though in most areas I believe it is illegal to do that and not have 100% control and warning signs at all times). These dogs will growl, bare their fangs with gums drawn back and hackles raised the moment they see you and rush you without slowing down as they get near. A "challenger" dog will almost always slow their charge down as they get near to see what you're about. I have a watch dog that behaves this way--though he is never out of my control off my property and has never attacked and bitten anyone or any other dog (without being attacked first).

I think it is fair to defend yourself with a weapon if you are fairly certain that you are about to be harmed--and make no mistake that certain breeds specifically trained to do so can maim or kill fairly quickly. Being a dog-lover myself, I would hestitate before dispatching a dog unless I was certain of the imminence of serious injury, just as I would before shooting a human.

My biggest fear is how I would respond if somebody shot or seriously harmed one of MY dogs--they are my kids and I feel just as defensive of my dogs as I do of any human family members. In general, I find dogs have more admirable qualities than most humans. When they go wrong, it's almost always because of their human owners. I live in Maine part of the year, and despite ordinances that dogs remain on leash under control of the owner when off their property in most towns--that law is widely ignored by many owners of the "let them be free" camp. These people in general do not care neither about their dogs nor what consequences their dogs inflict on their neighbors. Behind almost every trouble dog there is a scumbag human.

January 29, 2012, 09:41 AM	#162
hangglider Junior member Join Date: December 24, 2011 Posts: 212	Shurshot I agree with you almost 100%. The first elemental command that every owner teaches their dog is "sit." If you yell this loud enough, most dogs will stop dead in their tracks. I've used this dozens of times on dogs charging me and it has worked every time. I also crouch a bit--they tend to be more aggressive towards a larger target I've found. My opinion is that it is fairly easy to tell between dogs that are trained specifically to attack (though in most areas I believe it is illegal to do that and not have 100% control and warning signs at all times). These dogs will growl, bare their fangs with gums drawn back and hackles raised the moment they see you and rush you without slowing down as they get near. A "challenger" dog will almost always slow their charge down as they get near to see what you're about. I have a watch dog that behaves this way--though he is never out of my control off my property and has never attacked and bitten anyone or any other dog (without being attacked first). I think it is fair to defend yourself with a weapon if you are fairly certain that you are about to be harmed--and make no mistake that certain breeds specifically trained to do so can maim or kill fairly quickly. Being a dog-lover myself, I would hestitate before dispatching a dog unless I was certain of the imminence of serious injury, just as I would before shooting a human. My biggest fear is how I would respond if somebody shot or seriously harmed one of MY dogs--they are my kids and I feel just as defensive of my dogs as I do of any human family members. In general, I find dogs have more admirable qualities than most humans. When they go wrong, it's almost always because of their human owners. I live in Maine part of the year, and despite ordinances that dogs remain on leash under control of the owner when off their property in most towns--that law is widely ignored by many owners of the "let them be free" camp. These people in general do not care neither about their dogs nor what consequences their dogs inflict on their neighbors. Behind almost every trouble dog there is a scumbag human. Last edited by hangglider; January 29, 2012 at 10:01 AM.