I was ambushed...

I was out shooting one of my 45 ACP's down by my lake. Was in the middle of a working my way through a magazine (was on my 12th reload, I had been shooting awhile).

Suddenly I hear a noise from behind, something moving fast through the grass, and before I can turn my head I get tackled from behind.

I don't drop all the way, just staggered forward a bit. I feel fur... and tongue.. and suddenly my neighbor's 80 pound black lab Cinder is licking my face. I holster the sidearm and try to fend it off with my free hand.

I pet Cinder, she goes running around in circles, nosing through the grass, looking back up at me, going to another grass pile, looks back up again.

As I catch my breath and try to get my heart rate back under 2,000 beats per minute I figure out what she's doing.

She's looking for the bird(s) I shot. (I didn't shoot any, but she sure as hell thinks I did).

Anyway with a rowdy dog looking for game animals running around, I pack up and head back. Figure my shooting day is done. Take the dog back to it's owner, have a lively conversation about it, and head home.

I've had a lot of interesting experience a the range but I've never, ever, been tackled by a dog WHILE firing a weapon before.

PS, neighbor has one of those fancy buried electric fence thingies - doesn't work so well, I guess.

Could be worse.....there's a news link the other day about a guy who was shot by his dog while hunting.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/dog_shoots_man_in_butt_W9IG8f0oyj6SDKeecnoy0N

LOL. Good thing it wasn't a curious bear looking for the deer you just shot.

Sounds like the training to retireve (and the fun of it all) overwhelmed the fear of getting zapped. Dogs will run through invisible fences if they are stimulated enough to do, such as protecting a family member or doing something they have been specifically trained to do. (Or else the fence was off...) :rolleyes:.

Glad it all worked out...after that, I'd head home for clean undies.

Clearly, you were in Condition White. :D

Could be worse.....there's a news link the other day about a guy who was shot by his dog while hunting.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/nationa...yj6SDKeecnoy0N

Tell ya. Do NOT dress yer dawg up in those silly outfits. This one got his revenge!:D

This was truly a nice short read and is one of the funny things in life that can happen. Poor dog couldn't find those dang birds you shot. But for a few short seconds that pooch was in he glory.

I've got a funny story regarding electric fences, but it's not gun-related so you need to PM me to get the story.

Clearly, you were in Condition White.

not sure what condition white is but I bet was durn close to a code yellow or brown needing a change of shorts

I thought it was going to be a snake or something dangerous. Good thing you knew the dog/it got you first. Could have ended sadly. All is well that ends well.

On a side note, the invisible fences don't seem to be the most effective things and cost alot of money. A buddy of mine had a husky that figured out; if she got a running start then jumped over the underground wire (or whatever), she get a milder shock (while in the air) and land safely on the other side of it.

Many people underestimate the problem solving skills of dogs. Some experts say that an adult dog can possess the reasoning ability (for figuring it out certain things) of about a
three year human child. Mine figured out how to open the slotted wooden doors (that hinge in the middle and run on tracks) as a puppy.

Anyway with a rowdy dog looking for game animals running around, I pack up and head back. Figure my shooting day is done. Take the dog back to it's owner, have a lively conversation about it, and head home to change my drawers.

There I fixed it for ya.;)

Classic.

Avid hunting dogs go crazy when they hear gunfire. She thought she was missing out on a hunt.

Electric fence will work for retrievers..... IF you switch to long electrodes and dial up the "stimulus"

I find it funny how our Golden will jump up on some people (my MIL) all the time, but will never jump up on others (my wife or I).

My theory is that there's such a thing as being too "friendly" with a dog.

Even the neigbors dog needs to be lower on the pack heirarchy than you.

Just my canine head shrinker thoughts...

Dogs will run through invisible fences if they are stimulated enough to do, such as protecting a family member or doing something they have been specifically trained to do

Our electric fence is cranked up pretty high, but our Boxer has occasionally run through it to chase a deer. She just loves to chase those deer. She did not love coming back home through the fence, though.

I have learned how to cure dogs from jumping up on you. All you need is a good lower back. When the dog jumps up grab him by the paws, lift him off the ground and give him an "airplane ride" after a few times he will quit handing you his paws.

did you have to change your drawers afterwards?

My Golden would run through his electric fence chasing a rabbit or something. Then sit and howl until someone shut it off and brought him back over. Dang I miss that dog, kinda wish I could have brought him with me.......

k-frame +1 a friends lab goes nuts when he hears shot- retrieving is way more important to him than sex or food

Pretty funny now, but I can only imagine what a scare that was!

I went by a friend's house and he said his Lab had taught herself a new trick. He whipped out his 45 and shot it into the ground, whereupon his dog proceeds to dig up the bullet and bring it to him!

I told him he'd be miles ahead if he could teach the dog to find the brass.:D

No, didn't have to change my drawers, but I was shaking a little on the walk back.

That dog got so wound up looking for game I couldn't get 'er to settle down.

We got close to the other owners house along the path, and I said "Cinder GO HOME!"

Off she went, straight to the door. Her gait was a little off but that was from a stroke she had a couple years back. She's 7, if I recall correctly. Hunted down plenty of game in her life. Couldn't tell she was that old when she was buzzing all around me, that dog was acting like a year old puppy!

My very first encounter with her was shortly after we moved in. I didn't know any of our neighbors yet, and was out in the garage working on my motorcycle. In comes a black dog - thought it was my lab/dalmation, but then I didn't see any white on it's belly and realized it was a different dog!

I looked at her and said "We gonna be friends??"

She sat down right there in my garage panting.

So I grabbed a length of rope from my pickup truck and looped it around her neck. We went for a walk up the road one way, but she didn't seem to have any specific direction. Turned around and tried the other way. She marched me right up to her door.

I nervously rang the doorbell, didn't know if it was the right house, but I wanted to get this dog home. Anyway, I met my neighbor. He introduced me to his man-cave in the garage complete with a full size fridge full of Budweiser, a foos ball table, and a lot of nice looking trophies on the wall.

We got along fine. :)

Great story. I was thought you were going to say you were being attacked by a bear.

"He introduced me to his man-cave in the garage complete with a full size fridge full of Budweiser, a foos ball table, and a lot of nice looking trophies on the wall."


I HATE when that happens !! LOL, great story!

My female lab goes nuts just like that when we shoot in the back yard. If we aren't shooting something for her to pick up, she gets locked in the kennel in the house and HATES it!

I could just see the thought bubble above that labs head as she first heard your shots in the distance.

Bang!....Humm? Bang!.....Bird? Bang!...Bird. Bang!..Bird! Bang! BIRD!!!

I wonder how many shots you fired before she decided enough was enough, electric fence or not she WAS going to go get those birds! :D

Dogs are awesome.

Electric fences and bird dogs... When they are real birdy, nothing stops them. I had a springer spaniel that would snatch birds out of the air, ambush them at his water bowl, and even snatch them off the electric wire --those ones were already dead. He'd also run miles and fetch other people's birds too if you didn't keep an eye on him in the field. If you said "bird" quietly under your breath, you may have well yelled it at the top of your lungs.

The cocker I have now, the ONE time six years he showed interest in a bird was a couple of weeks ago --he saw a turkey "coming towards him" on the tv. This dog is real smart, but he's no gun dog. I learned that either comes natural or the pups learn it from the parents.

That story is funny, made me think of that springer, he sure was like that too.

Something is wrong with people who don't like dogs.

I could just see the thought bubble above that labs head as she first heard your shots in the distance.

Bang!....Humm? Bang!.....Bird? Bang!...Bird. Bang!..Bird! Bang! BIRD!!!

I wonder how many shots you fired before she decided enough was enough, electric fence or not she WAS going to go get those birds! :D

Dogs are awesome.

Haha yeah no kidding!

I'd shot 12 magazines by this time - was putting up fresh targets again, so there was a pretty long lull. His wife must have thought I was done shooting and let the dogs out (I'm sure they were SCREAMING to be let out by then).

When I started up again, I didn't get through half of a magazine before that dog closed the quarter mile distance to me; and I was doing draw/doubletap drills.. so it sure as hell didn't take long at all.

I went down and talked to the guy that night, they're gonna try turning their fence up this next Sunday when I go out back, to see if their dogs do it again. If so, might run in to an issue. If I shoot while the dogs are indoors, they'll go nuts and drive them up a wall. If I shoot while they're outdoors, they're gonna tackle my ass!

I already have to watch when I shoot out back, because of a neighbor who is a nurse, who works swing shifts. I don't want to wake her up when she's catching z's at noon or anything. So I watch for her car to be gone before I go down and do any volume shooting.

Wish silencers were legal in Illinois. Then I could shoot anytime, AND be considerate of my neighbors.

Gun people love DOGS!