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As the owner of 4 SchH III titled dogs(all pets) and someone who has produced dogs used by leo and military personal I agree they are a loaded weapon but one that can be easily stopped by a shot gun.
Your dog should not bite because me because I have my hands in my pockets, that would be a dirty bite and the dog should be corrected. The dog should bark and look vicious.
It should bite when I try to run or become combative.
You also need to get some control over the dog attacking a weapon as the good guys have guns too.
If you read my post completely I said "if I let him go", and gave the voice command to do so. I didn't say he would bite you if you had your hands in your pockets. He would be on full alert, and not take his eyes off you. This dog was retired because he completed his term of service (6 years), the standard duration they are in active duty.
He would not bite you if you ran, unless I ordered him to.
He would only attack someone with a weapon if I signaled to do so.
I think there is a need to work on reading, comprehension, and interpretation skills.
If you think so, then come on over.... (and true he is still a pet).
Large-boned German Shepherd, knows 26 voice commands in Czechoslovakian, former K9 police dog....
If you walked towards me with your hands in your pockets, and I let him go, he would be on you before you knew what hit you.The second he saw your gun, he would be in attack mode.
We recently had a rapist in our city who targeted dog owners. He has since been caught. But over the weeks before he was caught, I became very aware of how being a dog owner actually can put us at risk of all sorts of crimes---robberies, mugglings, burglaries, rapes, etc.
Our dogs are on a schedule. Like clockwork a criminal can know a dog owner's routine. We leave the house everyday at the same time to take the walks. If we dont' walk our dogs, we're opening our door near the same time to let them out to do their business. They don't even have to watch us. Just seeing a dog walker, they know if they follow them they will eventually be heading back into their house.
That key moment when the door is open, it's all they need. Holding a leash while trying to put the key in the lock makes us vulnerable. We're not paying attention to our surroundings when we're entering our house. We holding onto a leash with a dog at the end that might be barking at a squirrel and we're trying to get our door unlocked.
We think we're safe because we have dogs. What crazy person would come after someone who has a dog? We think our dogs would protect us. Maybe they would. Or maybe the criminal would force you inside and leave the dog outside. Or maybe they watched you with your dog and determined your dog wouldn't attack. Or maybe the criminal would have a gun, like the rapist in our town did.
I'm not trying to scare anyone. What are the odds of someone doing this again, right? But as the weeks went on before the rapist was caught, I was acutely aware of a dog owner's weakness at that key moment they are letting their dog in or out of the house. I wasn't paranoid thinking it would happen to me. I was aware.
They say we're never supposed to have a schedule. They say we're supposed to take different routes. They say we should come and go from different doors. But dog owners are probably the most scheduled, predictable of the population.
So be aware of your surroundings and change up your routine.
Hopes, thank you for bringing this up. As someone that has been around security, I cannot tell you how many people do not take their own security seriously.
Most people believe nothing will ever happen to them although crime happens everyday...to someone, "else." One day it could happen you, me or a loved one, as many have found out.
What is so very important is being aware of your surroundings. Know what does not look or "seem" right and go with your "gut." You get those feelings for a reason. (I know I do.)
I have two Am Bulldogs, someone would be truly foolish to approach me with them BUT if they had a gun, the dogs would be just as dead. I believe in the Second Amendment but that is not what this post is about. It is about protecting you and yours, which again I completely agree with.
I am not saying go out and arm yourself but if that is what you think you need to do, then so be it. FIND OUT YOUR LOCAL LAWS and follow them. I know the criminal element does not do it but as a law abiding citizen, I do not want to find myself on the wrong side of the law if some were to happen.
Hopes, I agree you are not being paranoid. Being paranoid is based on something not real, what you and the people around you were facing was a VERY real threat.
Know your surroundings.
Keep your cell phone handy
If you see something out of place, report it.
When I first moved into my current home it had been vacant for over a year and the local kids must have been using it to party in because my second night here I wake up to a bang and then screaming.
Some kid had try to come in the window over the kitchen sink and knocked the dish drain onto the floor. My female border collie (only 2 at the time) had jumped onto the counter and grabbed the kids arm and wouldn't let go. She didn't let go until my bf had gone outside and grabbed the kid.
I call the police and I am petrified they are going to take the dog and instead the cop calls her a "good girl" and gives her a cookie before taking the kid to the ER. Poor kid got bitten, left by his buddies, I almost felt bad for him. It's been almost ten years and the neighbors are still afraid of a 12 yo 38lb dog. Go figure.
My husband went out of town over night...for the first time since our move to a new state....I was awoken at 1245 am....by my dogs freaking out...I could tell by their level of intensity someone was in the house or outside the door...I flipped on the lights and heard a voice at my door...they were jiggling the nob and when they saw the light come on said something like I have your mother here......I yelled "wrong place" and looked out peephole and no one there.....but not for my dogs who knows what would have happened....illl take my chances with having dogs....some lady came running up behinde me the other day.....I didn't hear her but but my dogs did and tried to attack her.....I prevented them from harming her....but why would anyone run up on someone with dogs?? I feel pretty safe with my kids...they r the best
If you think so, then come on over.... (and true he is still a pet).
Large-boned German Shepherd, knows 26 voice commands in Czechoslovakian, former K9 police dog....
If you walked towards me with your hands in your pockets, and I let him go, he would be on you before you knew what hit you. The second he saw your gun, he would be in attack mode.
Situational awareness is very important. When out walking dogs it is easily to get distracted and not pay as much attention to our surroundings because we are focused on our dogs. Predators know this and key in on those who are occupied and distracted as more likely victims/targets.
Weapons can be improvised, a firearms is only prudent for those who have the mindset and training to use it responsibly. Walking sticks, OC spray, your dog's leash, waste bags, can all be effective tools to fight off an attacker. Do you have a knee with which to hit soft targets, fingers with which to gouge out eyes, an easy to deploy assisted opening pocket knife, can you scream loud enough to make neighbors open their doors? Use whatever is available, as long as it takes, to stop the threat and get away.
My little 15 lb Boston Terrier wouldn't hurt a fly...that's a good & bad thing. He has a friendly curiosity w/ strangers. He's a completely indoor dog & very rarely barks. He'll only bark at certain toys of his sometimes & for a while when the vacuum cleaner is running.
I'd want a trained Rottie, Siberian Husky, or German Shepard if I was really concerned about my safety.
Thanks for sharing this. You raised a good point about dog owners being predictable and not necessarily alert while going back into their houses.
We joke that we lock our door to protect potential burglars. Our foster dog is very protective, and attackers wouldn't have a chance to get near me with him at my side. But most dogs are not like him (thankfully, as he can be a handful).
If you think so, then come on over.... (and true he is still a pet).
Large-boned German Shepherd, knows 26 voice commands in Czechoslovakian, former K9 police dog....
If you walked towards me with your hands in your pockets, and I let him go, he would be on you before you knew what hit you. The second he saw your gun, he would be in attack mode.
OMG......you totally made this one up!
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but goood alarms...
