A lot of media attention on dog attacks lately. I would like to share my run in with a bad dog/owner. I include owner because I believe the owner is responsible for the dogs actions. The owner raised the dog , loved the dog or mistreated it so he is responsible for how it behaves.
About 3 years ago my son, then 6 and I were walking down a dirt road. He was riding on my shoulders. As we passed a rundown farm house A large rotty ran off the porch and down the road toward us. It was obviously in the attack mode. I turned to face the dog, put my son down behind me and attacked the dog by yelling and running at it. The rotty ran off. Realizing that if I had not acted aggressive toward the dog it may have continued the attack I was convinced I should take further action. If someone that did not understand dogs were met by this animal they may be in deep shit.
The next day, deer season was open, I decided to walk to the woods armed with my 870. Knowing that the dog would come off the porch at me I walked by the same house. When the dog attacked I stood still and let him run at me. At 10 yards I blew his head apart. The owner came running out into his yard and started yelling at me. I ejected the spent case and he left.
I continued down the road for about 1/2 mile and a county mounty pulled up. I explained that I was attacked by the dog in the county road and never went on to the property in question. He took me back to the place of the shooting and the evidence was plain.
End of bad owners dog! no charges, no problem.
I hated to shoot a beautiful animal but it was a menace.

Day one, dog comes at me I excell the threat and said dog runs. Day two comes and I travel down said road with the notion that ( further action was needed) because next said individual may not be as dog savy as I. Then shoot said canine with shotgun posessed for 2 reasons/deer hunting/ neighborhood dog hunting! This would make you out 2 B a instigator and looking for trouble. Then again I am sure that their are at least a few people that ar relieved that you saved them from your conceived BAD neighborhood dog. I am sure that you have made some great freinds with certain neighbors. Day one, dog comes at me I return the threat and said dog runs. Day two comes, and I travel down said road with the notion that ( further action was needed) because next said individual may not be as dog savvy as I. Then shoot said canine with shotgun possessed for 2 reasons/deer hunting/ neighborhood dog hunting! This would make you out 2 B a instigator and looking for trouble. Then again I am sure that their are at least a few people that are relieved that you saved them from your conceived BAD neighborhood dog. I am sure that you have made some great friends with certain neighbors. Well you did say that you LET him run at you so this proves you were looking for trouble. If you REALLY were in fear,the dog would have never made it that far, or further more you wouldn't even have been going by that house WALKING again in the first place. NUFF said!!!!
[rolleyes]

Well I'd say you just wanted to kill something.  

That dog didn't attack you.  You even admitted that when you yelled at it on a previous occasion, it ran off.  You had personal knowledge that the dog may have [b]seemed[/b] aggressive but could be repelled with firm words.  Many dogs are like this.  You get close to their territory and they try scare you off.  ESPECIALLY a herding dog like a Rotty.

Now, I'm not saying you had to wait to be physically attacked to act, just that you knew what YOU had to do to protect yourself.  How can you presume to know that it was a menace and would definitely attack others without more knowledge about the dog?  It was damned irresponsible to presume to predict what that dog would do in any given situation, and then to kill it, especially considering your prior knowledge of the dog's behavior.  

Hell, you even went looking for it by intentionally walking near that house when it sounds like you could have avoided it.  Act like that with people and you will get brought up on charges.

Edited to say:
You know what, screw decorum, you're a dumbass.

And another thing, I can't look at your name without thinking PETER PACK, not being rude or implying a gay thought. Nor for anyone else to get some wise ass idea. just seems to look like peter pack to me. maybe you could be called wad of gauze??  [whacko]

When I was eight, my brother started school.  We walked the half mile or so and were not allowed to cross the main street.  I was responsible for my brother until we got home.  One day a German Shepherd comes off a porch and scares the snot out of both of us.  I'm standing there holding my books as a weapon prepared to defend my little brother when a lady comes out and yells at the dog and he retreats.  Next day, same thing.  Third day, dog runs out, I assume defensive posture and lady comes out and yells at me, "If you would cross the street he wouldn't bother you!"  Next day I pack my dart pistol; you know the type, hard plastic shaft with the rubber suction cup on the end.  I removed the cup.  When the dog got close enough, I capped him in the eye. Dog runs to the house howling, lady comes out looking for blood, calls cops, cops call parents.  After my brother and I told our version the cops recommended the lady restrain the dog.  One of the cops told me, "Good shooting, son."

I guess that's the reason I've never put animals above people.

Eddie

An awful lot of agressive words to Peterpk.  Look, if that is a local road that many people walk, or his kid might be on next day/week, then that road is OFF LIMITS to untended agressive dogs.  He knows the cops won't solve the problem until someone is seriously hurt.  He did the smart thing to assure no one is hurt.  The owner of that dog is an asshole.  Good job Peter.  Only people responsible enough to manage large dogs should have them.

As to calling the cops - pleeeaaasssseeee.   They do NOTHING.

My neighbor two houses down has a pitbull.  No problem there.  But it has twice been agressive and unchained.  My wife and I regularly walk in the evening for excercise.  Am I supposed to not walk up my own road that way?  BS.  I now "walk" armed.  If said dog is ever out of its yard and walking towards me again the problem will be solved on the spot.  I don't look forward to that.  But  the owners have been warned.

James

Not flaming, but I too am a coutry dweller.  When my neighbors come by on bikes or walking, and my dogs start running down the driveway at them, I restrain them with a firm voice command.  They will stop in their tracks.
Anything less is an uncontrolled dog.  My neighbors do not know my dogs yet, they could reasonably assume they are a threat if they run into the road after them.  If I failed to restrain them, would the neighbor be justified in shooting them?  YES!  I would hate it, but it's true.  Therefore, I control my dogs.
Lately, after a few times of this, my dogs are starting to figure out it is taboo to run at the road when someone comes by.  Love your dog by training and keeping track of it!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone who has seen my posts knows I am totally against SWAT team raids, etc.  BUT, next time a SWAT guy shoots a dog, lets remember this thread.

This one really rings a bell with me.

Grew up in the Adirondacks, and the nearest neighbor was 1/4 mile away.  They kept several Pit Bulls which were known for being aggressive (the neighbor had warned us about their own dogs).  Frequently the dogs were somehow allowed to run loose, and I suspect they ran deer.

Long story short, I heard a high-pitched scream from outside where my little sister was out early waiting for the school bus.

I saw the dog running at her.  Grabbed the Ruger 10-22 kept by the front door.  And, with a snap shot, sent a .22LR slug through the head of the running dog at about 50 yards, dropping it in a heap (which still took a minute to fully expire).  I was 12 years old.  My mother, fearing legal entanglements, called the sheriff and told the deputy that showed up that she had shot the dog.  Deputy told her she was completely justified, and he ended up ticketing the neighbor on charges involving unrestrained dogs.

I love dogs, and realize that dog was doing what comes naturally to it, but I didn't have time to do anything but act.  I suppose I'm fortunate it turned out as well as it did.

paterpk, You deserve to go to jail or get some free probation from the county. That was purely premediated on your part. Stocking and hunting domestic animals (which is what you did per your own admission) is against the law. The stupidity of people not only acting this way, BUT DESCRIBING THEIR CRIME ON THE INTERNET is absolutely astounding.

Hmmm...smells like premeditated doggy murder to me.

Running dog get's head blown apart.

Running dog ownwer doesn't get head blown apart.

How come you didn't blow the aggressive dog owner's head apart as well?  He was yelling/barking was he not?



Wow!...what a favor you're doing for everyone.  I nominate you for the official "Bad Dog Eliminator" award.

You're damm lucky Zed didn't take his own 12 gauge and...

I'm not going as far as siding with paterpk that virtually stalking the neighbor's dog is ok, but if anybodies dog is threatening me on a public road or off of the owners property and I am unable to retreat I'm going to kill it. If it happens more than once or twice I'm not going to attempt to retreat, I'm just going to kill it. If it ever came to my kids safety then the dog won't get a second chance.

I haven't had to kill a dog yet, but I've been damn close with a weapon drawn and trigger at half pull before it decided I wasn't playing and ran off.

If somebody doesn't want their animals killed they need to control them or move far enough away from everybody that nobody else will have any contact with them.

One less trouble dog to worry about. I would have done the same thing. It wasn't premeditated, it was surgical. When a dog is off its property its a wild animal.

I am with Ponyboy and rainman.

To protect myself, my family and my kids, and that we are not on anyone property, any dog or animal that attack us, will be shot.....That is what gun is for, protection and self defense.

Define "premeditation".  

I hope you guys don't make a practice of killing other people's dogs too often.

I don't think that walking down a public road with your shotgun and then shooting a dog that is attacking you [running at you believing it is about to attack] is premeditation. What if it was a kid, maybe yours, and didn't have a gun?

Did you read the part where he admits to killing the dog under the guise of deer season?  I sure did.

[b]The next day, deer season was open, [red]I decided to walk to the woods armed with my 870. Knowing that the dog would come off the porch at me I walked by the same house.[/red] When the dog attacked I stood still and let him run at me. At 10 yards I blew his head apart.[/b]



I'll keep that in mind when someone jogs my way.  Why he didn't shoot the dog owner is still a mystery to me.  Running and yelling is pretty aggressive behavior you know.

It's unfortunate that dogs get into situations like that and most of the time it's probably the owner's fault.

My lab was chained up on the patio because I was leaving and she would sometimes wander the 1/4 mile to play with the neighbor's rott.

Never a problem before, the rott appeared from around the front of the house and then lunged at me on my patio. I yelled and backed her off but she immediately lunged again and  grabbed my little Chihuahua and that was it for the little one.

Neighbor, vet, and even I was trying to figure it out because dog had never been a problem.  The only thing I could figure out was neighbors boy's dog or dogs was with her that day and she adopted a pack syndrome.

Could have just as easily been a child instead of chiuaua.  

Told neighbor I wouldn't trust dog again and would shoot her if she even ventured into my yard.  He concurred and has made good effort to keep her restrained.

Premeditated, defininately BUT a responsible dog owner should always have their pet somehow restrained at all times unless the dog is protecting them.  My German Shepard is always restrained in my yard if I am not around.  If I am there, she is on  a leash and if not on a leash is well enough trained to respond to my every command.  A well cared for dog is NOT allowed to run rampant where ever it wants to.

I don't care where you live. I think all dog owners should practice "tough love."
It's called a LEASH.