OMG! Everyone PLEASE read.

[Okiecruffler]

I had a similar situation happen once. I was just walking, my body doesn't lend itself to high speed activity. I had gotten in the habit of carrying my P32 instead of my P-11. The dog, one of the biggest rotties I've ever seen stopped only about 5 feet away and I had my P32 trained on it's head. Never thought to try to run away from it (see reference to sluggishness above). Luckily the owner came out and grabbed the dog. She didn't know he was roaming the street. Turns out the meter reader had left her gate open and she didn't know it when she let the pup out. But I remember thinking as I looked down the barrel of that P32, "this isn't going to handle this" I stopped carrying the 32 after that.

 

[Deepdiver]

.45Joe, if you want to carry while you are running, try a Galco bellyband holster. I think they are about $35-40 at very on-line dealers.

I frequently carry while I run and the belly band works real well under a t-shirt or sweat shirt. Keeps the piece holstered real tight, and does not interfere with your running posture. I carry a .38 snubbie while running, so I don't know how well a 1911 Gov't would work - but the bellyband will accomodate almost any standard handgun.

- FWIW

 

[rayjay]

I've talked mail carriers that tell me that pepper spray doesn't work on some dogs. I knew better then to run but like I said it was a reflex. And yes the owner got an ear full from me while he was sitting in the back of the sqaud car. Yea I ripped him a new one(made sure the cuffs were on first ). Alot of the witnesses were also cased around the neighborhood by the same dog too, so they were glad to see the dog go. They, and I, blame the owner for the dog being so aggressive and I sort of felt bad for having to shoot the dog, after all, it wasn't the dogs fault.

 

[zxc]

having bit by dogs 3-5 times in my life I can imagine the scare..you ran well though and should you carry, a lightweight baton/ sturdy staff of 4 ft or so in addition to pepperspray is my advice.Id use a gun as lastresort in this case. Too easy to miss a lunging animal. Keep him at bay with the stick, then pop him-head shot. from experience it will likely stun the animal (380) enough for a second ( eye/ ear) shot.Good running !!

 

[ACP]

I'll second the suggestion that you ditch the CD player/radio and headphones.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Glad to hear you were in great shape to do battle. Sometimes when walking my sister's old German Shepard (female), we'd get confronted by aggressive dogs. If there was ever any threat to either myself or the dog, I wouldn't have thought twice to use my gun on the animal. If you're threatened, you're within your rights to do what you must to get through it.

 

[BluesBear]

I have taken this solemn vow, to protect myself and my family from all enemies both foreign and domesticated.

 

[Gordon]

Here's a hint from someone who loves dogs but worked as an animal control person fom 17 to 19, and a ranch foreman /owner the rest of my 59 years and assisted hundreds to animal heaven one way or another. If it was owned by a home owner, this is the easiest and best paying lawsuit in Ca. I'd let the sucker have a bite on leg for $100,000 anyday! Call an ambulance and a lawyer! You CAN shoot the dog immediately so the vets can examine it's brain for rabies. You could feed the animal your leg while preparing the pistol! Hint #2 (if youdon't have stomach for that) would be to bait the sucker on to your property and use a rifle(.223 up wok well ) and bury it quietly! Why live in fear?

 

[Mannlicher]

I am not all that sure a Keltec .32 or a .380 would be much good against a big dog anyway. Dogs can move real fast, and they are not easy targets. A miss or a flesh wound would probably be the result of a quick shot in low light. He would still own your butt.

I used to control hunt feral dogs, for a large Timber Company in North Florida. They had a lot of trouble with these packs of dogs attacking the guys cruising timber. Trust me, dogs are very hard to hit, and most take a lot of killing. I found a Browning A-5 in 16 Ga, with a heavy load of #2 shot, to be about the best for dogs.