Gun owner, my dog, scary situation

[sit,stay]

Originally Posted by stealthq

It's possible that's what he thought he was doing, but what he did was illegal, regardless, and if he went to any half-way decent CHL class that point should have been hammered home repeatedly. When you carry concealed, the only time anyone should know you have a gun is when you are drawing your gun to protect yourself or another. You don't talk about it, you don't show it. You certainly don't deliver a caution or warning with it in your hand because anyone with half a brain cell is going to think you intend it as a threat.

There is no concealed carry permit needed in Alaska, so no class is required. Anyone who can legally own a gun in that state can carry it, concealed or open. Although jurisdictions vary (federal property would be exempt, I would think).

Hopefully the OP learned a lesson about allowing dogs off leash, and maybe the gentleman who had the gun considered his actions in hindsight and learned something as well.
Sheilah

[sit,stay]

Originally Posted by Muskeg

A dog that will actually bite a random person with intent to do serious harm- that is rare.

What do you think? Is is ever appropriate for a dog to bark at someone on public trails (off leash)? Does it depend on what the dog looks like?

Not every person you come across is going to know that a random bite is rare, though. Regardless of how much experience they might claim in the moment!

I don't think it is ever appropriate for a dog to randomly bark at anyone or anything while out in the community. And unless I have asked for the dog to bark, I would consider any barking to be random. I don't allow my German Shepherd Dog to do it. I don't allow my Australian Shepherd to do and I don't allow my Pug to do it.
Sheilah

[selzer]

Originally Posted by Kyleigh

SOOO ... I'm not trying to start a war here, but I'm confused ...

Some people on here get absolutely livid that a police officer shoots a dog that is charging them ... but most people on this thread are agreeing that they "might" shoot the dog if it charged them ...

What's the difference? A charging dog is still a charging dog ...

Or is the difference in the people who get mad at the police officer, not the same people who would "shoot" the charging dog?

We are all dog enthusiasts. Some are also gun enthusiasts. SOME of the gun enthusiasts, like to think about how they WOULD protect themselves or their families with their gun, against a dog or a human. Now I would guess that most of us do not carry guns, and therefore when dogs charge at us, we need to respond to the situation without pulling out a non-existent firearm and blasting away. It is really pretty amazing that so many of us have made it to whatever age we are.

Now, I suppose it could be that SOME of the most of us that do not carry a gun with us everywhere we go, think that if we can handle a dog situation without pulling out a gun and shooting the dog, then maybe police officers should be able to do so too. I think that even most of these think that if the dog is charging, the cop is on legitimate buisness and the dog is not behind a fence in his owner's yard, well most of us do chalk it up to the dog having a poor excuse for an owner. If the dog is in a DOG park PLAYING and the cop is there with his PET on a leash and feels the need to shoot and kill the dog, or if the dog is within a fenced yard doing its job at a house the police are not even interested in, well, it is a dog forum and yes we will get hot about it, because we see people doing what any of us might do and these people get their dog shot. If the person or dog is out of bounds, then we might feel bad, but most of us are not out to beat up on the police for killing the dog. Most of us. Just an opinion.

[codmaster]

If a dog charges at me (or at my dog) and is clearly seriously aggressive about it; then too bad what happens to him/her. Self defense and all that sort of stuff!

Where I grew up in the city - if you started a fight, then if you got the worst of it it, too bad - your fault!

And just a hint to you folks who think that a puffed up stance and a loud "BOO" is sufficient to protect you and your dog - please realize this for you and your dog's safety -
YOU JUST HAVE NOT MET THE RIGHT (WRONG?) DOG YET!

Not every dog out there will turn tail and run based on a "yell" from you!

[selzer]

Originally Posted by codmaster

If a dog charges at me (or at my dog) and is clearly seriously aggressive about it; then too bad what happens to him/her. Self defense and all that sort of stuff!

Where I grew up in the city - if you started a fight, then if you got the worst of it it, too bad - your fault!

And just a hint to you folks who think that a puffed up stance and a loud "BOO" is sufficient to protect you and your dog - please realize this for you and your dog's safety -
YOU JUST HAVE NOT MET THE RIGHT (WRONG?) DOG YET!

Not every dog out there will turn tail and run based on a "yell" from you!

As I have said, it is amazing that so many of us have made it to whatever age we are without carrying around lethal weapons. It's really funny that in many countries, that just isn't an option, and dogs are not eating people left and right.

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by selzer

As I have said, it is amazing that so many of us have made it to whatever age we are without carrying around lethal weapons. It's really funny that in many countries, that just isn't an option, and dogs are not eating people left and right.

How many dog bites are there in the US? For me, I am concerned about myself and mine not statistics - only takes one overly aggressive dog to bite me or my family.

Got to be ready - don't need a gun anyway, club will work just fine.

BTW, how "many of us" have NOT made it, but instead have gotten bitten by a dog?

Ever got bit?, it hurts!

Besides I don't care about what other countries do, I live in th US.

[selzer]

Originally Posted by codmaster

How many dog bites are there in the US? For me, I am concerned about myself and mine not statistics - only takes one overly aggressive dog to bite me or my family.

Got to be ready - don't need a gun anyway, club will work just fine.

BTW, how "many of us" have NOT made it, but instead have gotten bitten by a dog?

Ever got bit?, it hurts!

Besides I don't care about what other countries do, I live in th US.

The majority of reported dog bites are to children, and generally to children living in the home with the dog. There really aren't that many dogs running around taking chunks out of strangers. It simply isn't that common. The reason you hear about it, is because it is news, it is out of the ordinary.

I have never been bitten by a dog that I did not know in some way or was not asked to take care of.

Yes I have been bitten. I was bitten by my friend's newfoundland when I was about 11, still have the scar. I was bitten numerous times by a poodle on my paper route. I hated that dog, and the feeling was obviously mutual. I was bitten by a couple of dogs that I tried to care for, for their owners when they were out of town. I was bitten by my own dogs, usually accidents breaking up fights. Two of them were serious bites, one taking 18 months to heal completely as it was in my calf and it was a huge bite. Another was pretty awesome on my hand. Yeah it hurts. But again, these were all dogs I knew in some way, and none of them would I have shot or clubbed. Well, maybe the poodle.

I just cannot imagine walking through life worried about getting bitten by a dog. I may as well go around worrying about getting struck by lightning.

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by selzer

The majority of reported dog bites are to children, and generally to children living in the home with the dog. There really aren't that many dogs running around taking chunks out of strangers. It simply isn't that common. The reason you hear about it, is because it is news, it is out of the ordinary.

I have never been bitten by a dog that I did not know in some way or was not asked to take care of.

Yes I have been bitten. I was bitten by my friend's newfoundland when I was about 11, still have the scar. I was bitten numerous times by a poodle on my paper route. I hated that dog, and the feeling was obviously mutual. I was bitten by a couple of dogs that I tried to care for, for their owners when they were out of town. I was bitten by my own dogs, usually accidents breaking up fights. Two of them were serious bites, one taking 18 months to heal completely as it was in my calf and it was a huge bite. Another was pretty awesome on my hand. Yeah it hurts. But again, these were all dogs I knew in some way, and none of them would I have shot or clubbed. Well, maybe the poodle.

I just cannot imagine walking through life worried about getting bitten

GOOD for you! Anybody you know that does this?

by a dog. I may as well go around worrying about getting struck by lightning.

selzer, gotcha!

[lhczth]

This thread is starting to walk the line of becoming political. Please stay on topic of what was a scary situation for the OP and how they may avoid this situation or worse in the future.

ADMIN Lisa

[DJEtzel]

Originally Posted by Jax08

I hate guns. First, I would have been terrified...and then I would have been furious. The dog recalled immediately so no reason to start making threats at you. I would have called the police.

I'm sorry, did the OP say that he threatened anywhere? I did not read his dialogue the way so many people here are taking it.

I felt like he just let her know in too open of a way that he was going to shoot the dog had it not turned around so she should really be careful of her dog's actions... That's not a threat at all, just letting her know for her dog's sake.