nitetrane98 said:
I'm going to lay this tragedy squarely on the head of the dog owner. He's obviously done no obedience training and lacking that had no business allowing his dog off leash.
In a million years you won't convince me that that GSD was a vicious dog. I'll bet my bottom dollar that he was probably a young rambunctious 1-2 year old male who's sole purpose in life is to find something/somebody to play with. There is also no doubt in my mind that the original 7yo got knocked down and scratched by exuberance from the dog. If the dog was vicious the kid would be dead.
It saddened me to read this but of course you had no way of knowing and took the better safe than sorry route.
It sickens me to read all the, "Atta boy, great shooting." replies.
nitetrane, I love German Shepherds. My favorite breed. Had two of them growing up. They were good dogs. The one loved people, and loved to wander if you didn't watch her carefully. The other one, she was a good dog, but very suspicious of people she didn't know, coming onto her property. However, my parents made sure she was controlled.
There was a GSD in the neighborhood I grew up in, and he was MEAN. When that dog got loose, you ran for home. Fast. He'd bite with half a chance. Matter of fact, my father went after that dog with a shovel once, because it was sneaking up on my neighbor's son. He was wearing a walkman (this was probably 20+ years ago) and doing yard work. The dog was sneaking up on his back, and my father saw it, and went after the dog.
Eventually, the dog musta died of old age, and the owners moved. So, I would say, you MIGHT be right, in that the dog was young and playful, but, and it's a big but, you weren't there that day. You don't really know the specifics, and it's real difficult to convey some details online.
Rat made the best judgment call he could in the situation. Second-guessing him isn't right.
And, regardless of whether or not he NEEDED to shoot, 3 hits out of 3 shots on a moving target, is good shooting. Like it or not.
Rat, good job protecting your child. I'da done the same.