Ignorant dog owners put me in a funk.

[VaBeachFamily]

So, my husband had Panzer out on their nightly walk, and he sees two Pit Bulls in a yard. He sees the owner, and figures he is already in front of the house, so he just keeps walking. Sure enough, about a house away, they start coming at them full speed. Panzer rears up and puffs out and attacks the one that got to her first, sending them both running. We have spent the last hour checking her all over just in case, and she seems fine, but what the heck are people thinking! The man proceeds to apologize, all the while my husband is telling these people " You better be glad it wasn't my wife's shepherd, he would have just demolished your punk *&^ dog" Thinking it's time to acquire a handgun, and a stick taser.

[APBTLove]

God yes get a gun and learn how to use it. Tasers aren't bad either. You are so lucky those dogs acted like curs. Two on on young dog would have been a nightmare.

That makes my blood boil. IDIOTS like that are the reason certain breeds are looked down on.

[Falkosmom]

APBT is right. It could have been a lot worse.

Check the internet though, I have read numerous times where most pits and even many rottweiler are impervious to tasers, pepper spray, and so on.

[Konotashi]

Maybe something like a crowbar. Big to lug around, but if you bash a pit bull in the head with it and they don't let go (if it lives), you can use it as a break stick.... Or even a hunting knife. Can be used to stab, or also as a break stick.

I hate to even think of doing something like that to a dog, but if it's to protect my own, then so be it.

Glad no one was hurt.

[fuzzybunny]

I don't know about a handgun. Seems like a slippery slope. I agree what happened sucks and yes the situation could have potentially been bad if the PB's attacked but walking around with a handgun popping every dog that charges you doesn't seem like a good answer to me. If everybody carried, there would be a lot of dead dogs because unfortunately this is something that happens all the time.

[Good_Karma]

Did you report the incident? That would be my first step. I've also had very good success with using pepper spray. It has worked on at least four separate occasions with four different dogs.

I'm sorry this happened to you, I know how scary it is.

[VaBeachFamily]

Carolyn, yes, we reported it, but they did nothing because they didn't answer the door. The animal control that they send out are lazy and could care less. Also, generally I will make a loud noise, and a dog will run away. We have learned to NOT walk on certain streets because there is one lady with a huge chow that lives in the front yard, and again, animal control says it's ok, even though not on a line, and it charges us a lot, I carry a rock and just throw it towards the dog and it runs away, but it tried to get my son one time on his bike, and I whacked it with a bat. Pepper Spray doesn't always work, Tasers , unless a stick taser, require I let a dog get too close, and a BB style gun, god forbid, isn't going to stop a dog like that. If I am getting charged, especially when out with my dogs and/or my kid, I completely believe in shooting the animal. I am sorry, I am a dog lover, but my dogs are NOT let out unattended so no risk of them getting out, and when they ARE outside without a lead out front, they have awesome Recall, no matter the situation, and it's been tested more than once, but generally even out front I have them on a long lead. If the authorities don't want to do anything, I really shouldn't be forced to go out of my way to avoid these streets, as my neighborhood isn't all that large.

APBT - see... you understand. It could have been a chihuahua, it would have pissed me off. matter of fact, there is an Australian Shepherd down the street that charges us, and the owner says NOTHING, so one day, I carried a tire iron, and I told the guy to get his dog, and he just stared at me, so as Cullen grabbed the dog as it jumped in my face by the neck, I whacked it on the head ... never again have I seen that dog outside with no leash on. Sorry to be 'violent' but... I will always put myself and my own first, and if you can't control your dog or use an ounce of common sense, I will do what I have to do.

[Konotashi]

Originally Posted by VaBeachFamily

I will always put myself and my own first, and if you can't control your dog or use an ounce of common sense, I will do what I have to do.

Amen.

[longhairshepmom]

I have full symphathy. It has happened to me before and I can't stand those irresponsible dog owners.
However, carrying a handgun and using it ?? That sounds real safe, given that there is a lot of commotion, pulling on leash, mayhem etc during a dog attack/fight. Thats all we need is people with loaded guns waving around. Esp. in neighborhoods with kids. Those bullets don't stop. They keep going, and chances are that in that mayhem one misses the dog. Bullets could easily end up in a kid or any other person. This isn't the wild west.
I would suggest a sturdy stick, something along the line of a walking stick that can be turned into quite the effective weapon.

[fuzzybunny]

Originally Posted by longhairshepmom

I have full symphathy. It has happened to me before and I can't stand those irresponsible dog owners.
However, carrying a handgun and using it ?? That sounds real safe, given that there is a lot of commotion, pulling on leash, mayhem etc during a dog attack/fight. Thats all we need is people with loaded guns waving around. Esp. in neighborhoods with kids. Those bullets don't stop. They keep going, and chances are that in that mayhem one misses the dog. Bullets could easily end up in a kid or any other person. This isn't the wild west.
I would suggest a sturdy stick, something along the line of a walking stick that can be turned into quite the effective weapon.