Pit bull

[EvanWilliams]

I came down stairs the other day to the sight of my daughter and her kids running inside the house terrified. A large pit bull had gotten out of it's yard and was roaming the neighborhood. He chased my daughter and kids inside my house and was loitering in my front yard.
I grabbed my Colt Defender (closest gun at hand) and went outside. When the dog saw me he jogged towards me then slowed to a walk but and got within 15 feet. I brought the gun up and took off the safety. The dog stopped in it's tracks, sat there and looked around. Then sat there. A guy down the street got out of the car carrying packages. The dog jogged towards him but he made it into his house.
We called animal control. Later I went outside and damn if the mofo wasn't back in the yard and jogged towards me again. Eventually he started chasing cars and ran off.

I didn't shoot him because I could still back right inside my house. Dog seemed aggressive but not VICIOUS. Maybe I was wrong not to just shoot him. Why would a dog act that way in someone else's yard?

As I was pointing that 45 I was wishing I had grabbed the 12 gauge!!

 

[.38 Special]

Awful lot of threads lately about shooting dogs, most taking the tone of "I wish I'd been able to shoot him!"

I'd been under the impression that using a gun in self defense was the last option, especially in the eyes of the law. Seems to me that the judge/jury often ask questions like "Why didn't you just go back inside?"

So I think you did the right thing. I suspect if you'd shot that dog your life would no longer be as pleasant or simple as it had been.

 

[ljnowell]

pit bull or not, sounds like you had a lonely dog on your hands that was looking for attention. You probably didnt even need to draw, lets face it, the dog didnt understand that was a gun pointed at it.

 

[Walkalong]

I agree with ljnowell

 

[SquirrelNuts]

See my sig line. I had two come after me and my family on multiple occasions. I did shoot.

 

[coloradokevin]

pit bull or not, sounds like you had a lonely dog on your hands that was looking for attention. You probably didnt even need to draw, lets face it, the dog didnt understand that was a gun pointed at it.

I agree with this too. Generally, a dog that is hell-bent on attacking usually won't slowly approach you. This dog was apparently curious, probably nervous, and probably scared. Just being a pitbull doesn't necessarily make it a bad/dangerous dog... Pitbulls have a bad reputation because of bad owners and mythology, nothing more!

Nothing in this thread suggest that you should have shot this dog. Calling Animal Control was the correct choice in this instance...

 

[PT1911]

but didnt you know pit bulls, german sheperds and, doberman pinschers are vicious dogs that only know how to kill?

and labs, hounds, collies, and chihuahuas would never hurt a fly, or kid, or adult... NO WAY....

if the dog is attacking you, loved one, or your dog..... actively intervene, but if it is not just stay away and call its owner or animal control if you find it necessary. the fact that the dog ran into your yard (and your kids ran from it screaming (assuming since you said terrified) is going to make you assume some possible untruths. you should never act without knowing the full truth of what happened. People see a big dog and often expect the worst.

 

[hso]

First, that is not aggressive behavior on the part of a dog. Aggressive dogs don't jog up and sit down. The characterization of "lonely dog looking for friends" sounds more accurate.

Second, if you thought there was a threat, of any kind, why did you go out to meet it instead of staying where you were safe and protecting your loved ones. The dog couldn't get in the house, could it?

 

[MagnumDweeb]

Umm OP seemed a little hot to shoot the dog. Had the dog been attacking the kids or going after somebody imminently causing harm it'd be one thing. But if it's running around and not attacking you just call animal control and let them deal with it. My old Border Collie got out once long ago when my cousin was visiting and he left the door open. She came outside looking for me where I was trimming a tree. If you didn't know her you'd swear she was a viscious attack but she couldn't be a bigger sweetheart that loved Halloween when she got to play with lots of kids(and a couple tried to take her home on me).

Pits have an undeserved reputation. Mind you they make me uncomfortable and I'll never own one but my fiancee's grandma has adopted one (a big sweetheart), her friend has one (it's a big sweetheart) and they both bark like viscious attack dogs. Last dog that tried to attack me was a Golden Retriever that lunged for my face and the owner gave me a chewing when I grabbed the dog in mid air and slammed it into the ground(didn't want to bother with me after that, and it came teeth bared, that's no playful nature).

I wonder if at any point someone called out to the dog in a nice way, was the dog barking like it was getting ready to attack, it seemed to stop just within fifteen feet of people, an aggressive dog wouldn't do that. Probably a poor dog that gets neglected emotionally and was got as something to look mean or be a guard dog.

One should never step outside their house to shoot a dog if people aren't in immediate danger. Going and shooting dogs just invites bad critiques of all gun owners.

 

[Dr_2_B]

I agree. Here's what I think is going on. We are so safe in this country right now and devoid of risk, there is some appeal to being in a position to protect one's self from the most likely menace we currently face. Seriously. And the closest we can come these days is dogs.

I know that sounds like psychobabble, but that's what I do.

OTOH, I can definitely see the terrified children triggering Evan's own protective instinct. I'd probably have responded with some resolution as well if my loved ones had felt really threatened.

 

[ArmedBear]

A huge dark blue male pit bull I'd never seen before walked right up to me this morning. His head was close to a foot wide, and he was almost cartoonish, he was such a conspicuously bad-ass-looking dog.

After assessing his behavior and seeing that he was neither scared nor aggressive, I bent down and petted him on the head. He wagged his tail and wiggled, grinning. My .357 stayed in its IWB holster; I never even thought to uncover it.

If the dog wanted to attack you, he would have.

Pit bulls are dogs. There's no reason to treat them any different from a Golden Retriever -- watch for their communications. Act accordingly.

Golden Retrievers are good for some nasty bites, too, if you think that the dog's breed, rather than the dog's behavior, indicates how you should act towards it.

 

[EvanWilliams]

I wasn't hot to shoot the dog. Thinking back, I bet my daughter and her kids were as one poster pointed out just scared by the big dog. I went outside to see where the dog was and to make sure it was not attacking someone else. The dog did bark and occasionally a low wulf but not the menacing growl I am accustomed to seeing from "mean" dogs. As a child I walked to school (3 miles) and was frequently chased by dogs. I learned to stand my ground and carried a small black jack (yes!!). My daughter said she stood her ground until the kids were inside and the dog stood in front of her growling and barking. When she turned to go inside herself, the dog broke into a sprint and was on the front porch as she made it inside.
I wasn't 100% convinced the dog was vicious. I am not convinced that he is a totally benign dog either. My wife and I used to walk down the alley (In Texas everyone has an alley behind the house) and this same dog would go Ape@@@@ and jump to the top of the fence and literally be absolutely blood thirsty in demeanor and behavior. My wife will no longer walk in the alley with me. I didn't recognize the dog right off but when he got closer it was him.
I am still glad I didn't shoot him as I think he is a lonely dog but also a mean dog.
I am just not accustomed to dogs acting aggressively outside of their yards.

 

[Cosmoline]

Sounds like he wanted to play. Dogs planning on a bite don't generally sit down and watch you.

 

[jerkface11]

Even if the dog had been eating your children there are people on this website who would condemn you for shooting it.

 

[ArmedBear]

"Mean" dogs are often just scared dogs.

Ever see these pictures? http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0812/nfl.michael.vicks.dogs/content.1.html

 

[ArmedBear]

jerkface11, I would never condemn anyone for shooting anyone or any animal in the defense of themselves or any innocent person.

I would, however, condemn someone who would shoot anyone, or a pet, without cause.

One's own ignorance does not constitute cause.

 

[tcsnake]

My honest guess is that the dog had gotten loose and was feeling a little out of his element, frightened even a little too (little people running around sights, smells etc). Pitbulls have a knack for instilling fear in the common populace because of a history of violent behavior. Pitbulls in reality are fearfull dogs themselves, the source of any agression in a dog is almost always fear.
Dogs are simple minded creatures, instead of getting a gun next time try a tennis ball. Have the kids stay inside, and call animal controll while you wear the pooch down with excercise. The dogs agression will fade as soon as he thinks its all a game, and starts to relax. My experience on this matter comes from working at an animal shelter. Dogs can sense YOUR fear, and when they sense it, its flight or fight time.

 

[jerkface11]

Yup all this dog did was chase his children in his yard. If the owner valued it's life they'd keep it fenced in. Much like the owner of the dog that keeps urinating on my Mercedes.

 

[MisterMike]

Good posts so far. It's good to be cautious with a strange dog, but it's illogical to assume anything on the basis of the breed. It wasn't all that long ago that pit bulls had the public image of a family dog, viewed as labs and goldens are today.

The right call is to phone animal control, unless there's an imminent danger.

 

[Logos]

He was patiently waiting for you to throw that gun so he could retrieve it.



False notions about pit bulls abound.

They DO require extra caution......their genetic line, unfortunately, is that of a killer. They have killing instincts unmatched by any other dog breed.

As a lab will instinctively fetch......as a pointer will instinctively point.....the pit bull will instinctively kill.

The second problem is that some of them have actually been trained to kill by owners who used them in dogfights.

So.....extra caution is warranted.

They have killed people. They DO kill people.

Most people have prejudices for or against pit bulls that are unrealistic.

REALITY checks are required for this dangerous but trainable breed. Even the most well-trained pit bull has INSTINCTS that could be triggered by the right stimuli......killing instincts. You can never be totally sure about or trust a pit bull because of this fact.

Most are not well-trained, I'm afraid.....thus exacerbating the problem.

 

[EvanWilliams]

I wish I had known that when I was a 10 year old kid. I would have been easier to conceal/explain a tennis ball vs a 6 inch hardened billy club i bought at the army navy store.

 

[ArmedBear]

Most people have prejudices for or against pit bulls that are unrealistic.

So do you, Logos.

American Pit Bull Terriers weren't bred to kill anything, even each other. Jack Russel Terriers, Dachshunds, real German Wirehaired Pointers are bred to kill, and nobody's afraid of them.

They're bred to be competitive, obstinate and to not let go. Their bloodlines go back to bull-baiting. Ever play tug-of-war with one? Now that dog fighting is illegal, they're used for weight pulling competition. Strong, stubborn and competitive, they actually enjoy dragging huge amounts of weight up ramps just to prove they can. Their temperaments are easy to understand if you spend any time with them. They're basically like human "jocks" in high school.

The aggression long bred into them was DOG aggression, and the instinct to be the Alpha over any dog they contact. Actual fighting dogs were bred to have no human aggression, so that they didn't hurt their handlers in the fighting ring.

Since then, drug dealers and other scum have bred and/or beaten human aggression into a few of them -- although their dogs are likely not actual papered APBTs.

That's the thing: a dog's appearance doesn't tell you much about it. Its behavior speaks volumes, if you're not a trigger-happy redneck who sees a dog and can think of nothing but "must shoot it."

 

[travellingJeff]

Poorly handled, imo.

The OP wishing that he'd just shot it is indicative of the "Op Team Tango Niner" ninja-warrior mentality that the Interweb has bred. I'd have probably gone outside, armed as always, petted the friendly guy, and tried to get him back to his owners.

Of course, I could grab my katana and kill every animal within a ten mile radius..... *eyes rolling*

 

[76shuvlinoff]

Had it been my property I also would've left the house to check it out with either my 870 or my carbine. I have a daughter and horses and dogs of my own and investigating is a requirement, shooting however is optional. I would have challenged it to leave (with a round chambered.) The rest is up to the stray. I do not shoot friendly strays regardless of breed. If they stick around I turn them over to animal control.

My current two dogs have come from the pound. The cats in the barn showed up stray and were taken in for shots and neutering, I guess I kinda got a soft spot for survivors.

 

[kyo]

its not the breed its the owners. i promise. my rottweiler/german shepherd mix is the sweetest bitch in the world even if she doesn't know you. she will lick you, wine, wag her tail, and all that good stuff. she also knows that if someone comes to my door that its time to bark her face off. and her hair stands and she gets into defensive mode.
dogs know their jobs because the owners give it to them, intentionally or not. my dog also likes to bark, and sprint around to play with others, kids and dogs and adults.
if you see a dog with a tongue hanging out coming at you, it doesn't mean he's gonna eat you. Look at the characteristics of the dog. What is the tail doing? Is his hair sticking up(initially when my dog gets in the park she gets so excited this happens for about 10 seconds) are they barking and snarling? (snarling is when the teeth are blatantly showing). usually you can tell just like a person's demeanor of what animals are about to do.