[animal]

If the dog comes swimming out making "I wanna eat you up noises", you got a problem whether it’s trained to attack or not. If he does that, you can be guaranteed of a bite if he gets close enough. Having a firm footing when he doesn’t is a big advantage. Go deeper, and you lose your advantage.

A dog won’t usually go out into the water past having a good footing and being trained as an attack dog doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with it. If he does that, something has ticked him off enough to make him decide to attack and who knows what that was … The thing might freak at the sight of a fishing pole because some neighborhood kid teased him with one, or the silly hat you’re wearing might trip some other trigger.
Freaky wierdness happens sometimes, and dogs can be freaky and weird sometimes. I can’t imagine faulting a guy for firing on a dog grunting and growling while swimming towards him no matter what caused the dog to do it. It might make me wonder about a guy that shoots the dog while it’s still on shore… if for no other reason, a swimming dog is a much slower, easier to hit target.

Dunno what set off the one I face-snagged, and he didn’t give up right away either .. had to lead him back and forth and dunk his head a couple of times before he decided to go back to his owner. Only then did I release enough line to let him go back to shore This thing was a big ugly mean mutt. Sorta lab-ish with a blocky square head like a pitt After observing and talking to the owner, I’d bet the dog had NO training at all.

Imo, going to waist-deep water filters out the bluffing dog and gives you a great advantage over the determined attacker (determining the threat level and simultaneously choosing the battlefield). After that, weapon choice, usage, etc. are just tactics for stopping a clear and present danger.