Tactical Decision Game - Dog Pack

[JimFloyd]

Copyright 2009 by James M. Floyd, Jr. All rights reserved.

Tactical Decision Games (TDG) are utilized by the military and public safety agencies as a low tech, yet effective, means of experiencing and discussing the practical application of decision making skills to situations.

Below is a TDG I created to stimulate your thinking. To participate, please read the TDG, and then make your decision, based only on the (intentionally limited) information provided, within 10 seconds. Then post a reply stating your decision and your rationale.

The goal of a TDG is not to seek "the only" or "the correct" answer but instead is intended to create a social learning environment, so please do not hesitate to participate.

Here is the scenario:

Dog Pack

TIME: 8:10 a.m.

PLACE: Your neighbor's residence

WEATHER: Cloudy, 59 degrees Fahrenheit.

LIGHTING: Ambient lighting

SITUATION: You are a legally armed citizen who is walking out to your vehicle when suddenly you hear an elderly neighbor scream. You run next door and see that she is being attacked by four large dogs in her front yard. As you approach, one of the dogs has turned and is now snarling and moving towards you. The other dogs continue their vicious attack on your neighbor and she has already sustained multiple wounds.

What is your selected course of action? Make a decision within the next 10 seconds.

 

[infidel]

Shoot the dog coming towards me. If the others don't run off, kill another one or two. Chances are the last one or two will have run off by then. Would not shoot at a dog that is too close to the neighbor for a safe shot. Would kick dog away, and if it doesn't run, kill it too. Dead dogs don't bite.

 

[indyjoe]

Draw and shoot my threat first (much like putting on your oxygen mask first, then the kids). Then start shooting dogs that far enough away to assure I do no hit the neighbor. All while trying to move in between the dogs and neighbor. Engage dogs until they stop. Then immediately address medical needs of neighbor while calling 911.

 

[Hammer]

Draw and shoot my threat first (much like putting on your oxygen mask first, then the kids). Then start shooting dogs that far enough away to assure I do no hit the neighbor. All while trying to move in between the dogs and neighbor. Engage dogs until they stop. Then immediately address medical needs of neighbor while calling 911.

+1

 

[VUPDblue]

Well, since my daily carry is a J-frame without a reload, I've only got 5 rounds of .357 Cor-Bons at my disposal. I'd put a couple rounds into the dog attacking me, making sure it's down for the count and then begin dialing 911 while simultaneously returning inside my house to retrieve the shotgun. I'd then go next door and attempt to address the rest of the attacking dogs. It's hard to say how, exactly, because that situation is so dynamic. There's no way on Earth that I'd stand by and watch dogs attack my neighbor like that.

 

[dburkhead]

Draw and fire COM at the dog coming toward me until it drops.

Shout loudly, hoping to distract the dogs and draw other attention and continue to shout. Continue approaching the neighbor with gun held at low ready, looking for a clear shot at any of the dogs. Fire as clear shots present themselves.

If necessary as I come into close proximity, I can kick one or more dogs away to get a clear shot. Continue until the threat is eliminated.

At that point I can make a quick check of the condition of my neighbor. If there is severe bleeding (such as arterial spurting, I apply direct pressure to get that bleeding stopped. If neighbor is conscious and able to assist (or others arrive who can help, get someone else to apply the pressure while I run to my car for the my Get Home Bag/Hunting Pack (which I had completely forgotten about in the "Wounded Warrior" scenario--which means I probably would have forgotten about it in the crunch as well), which has a pretty good first aid kit in it. Using "Sergeant's Voice" I direct a specific individual among onlookers to call 911 for an ambulance. If there are no onlookers, I do the best I can to call myself without letting it get in the way of my dealing with any potentially immediately life-threatening injuries. (Can't have the person bleed out while I'm chit-chatting on the phone. Wouldn't be prudent.) Continue applying first aid, starting with what appear to be the most immediately life threatening injuries and work my way down.

Remain available to provide any information regarding what happened and what first aid was given that the EMT's might request.

 

[jforrest]

Shoot the dog coming at me, if the dogs attacking the woman weren't scared by the gunshot. Then if there is anything to hit and/or pry the dogs off with (sticks, brooms, etc) use those. If that is not available then start kicking the dogs or something to get them off her cause I obviously can't shoot the dogs if they are standing over her.

 

[hountzmj]

Draw and shoot the close threat.

Attempt to kick or otherwise remove the other dogs from the neighbor.

I would shoot them as a shot presented. However if they are actively fleeing or too close to the neighbor I would not shoot.

 

[Joe Williams]

Shoot them as carefully as possible, starting with the one that has taken notice of me, while trying really hard not to shoot her, because that would cause the "hero saves elderly woman, then shoots her" story to be spread across the internet quite quickly.

 

[techres]

Shoot dog facing me. Then other dogs one by one. Close if I need to to get a cleaner shot.

 

[Dr Falken]

I hate to say it, but I don't know if I'd use my gun, think I'd grab a shovel or a piece of steel by the house and lay into the lead dog. Then I'd aproach the neighbor, yell and use the weapon (shovel) on the other dogs...I don't know how the dogs would respond to gun shots, percieved threat, unless they were hit.

 

[roscott]

I'd just whip out my trusty katana and start slicing.

Just kidding. I'd do what everybody else said to do.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Attempt to establish alpha by moving agressively towards the elderly individual, and attempt to remove the dog from the individual. The use of the firearm would only be if physical force could not remove the attacking animals. The risk of shooting the human is too great with the dog that close to him/her.


As an aside, I've run through this in my head several times. We have a young daughter, and there is a neighborhood dog that is not too friendly. Most of the time it is on a run, but at times the owner does allow it to run free. It has been a little over agressive towards adults before, but fortunately my daughter has not been outside when its been free from the run.

 

[RogerB]

Shoot the dog coming towards me. If the others don't run off, kill another one or two. Chances are the last one or two will have run off by then. Would not shoot at a dog that is too close to the neighbor for a safe shot. Would kick dog away, and if it doesn't run, kill it too. Dead dogs don't bite.

its like you read my mind...

Ditto...

I wonder if vicious attacking large dogs make a whistling sound as the wind blows and they have .45 holes in them.

(chill dog owners, I own two myself, this is a special scenario.)

 

[unforgiven1203]

I would obviously shoot the one headed towards me first. it wouldn't take long for four large dogs to kill an elderly woman(once shes down) and I don't think that kicking a dog that is in attack mode would have the desired effect, so I would shoot the dogs from the best angle I could aquire. If I ran out of pistol ammo, I'd run to the garage and retrieve my mauser and I'm pretty sure the 8mm ball would do the trick.

 

[Redskinsfan]

run towards neighbor yelling at dogs, drawing pistol

I would run towards the neighbor yelling at the dogs and drawing my pistol. From that point I would assess the changes in the situation. If the dog coming towards me shows a clear intent to attack, I would then assess if I had a safe lane of fire with decent backstop and shoot the dog if so. From there I go quickly to the neighbor to get between the dogs and the neighbor to allow for safer shooting of the remaining dogs if necessary.

 

[Johnson]

This is an interesting one because I've been there (sort of). My real-life scenario went like this: I home with my 3 kids (then 9,10,13) on my 15 acres. We have a small barn with 2 miniature pygmy goats (about 20 lbs) that is roughly 100 yards from the house. Its 10 am and I sent the 9 yr old to feed the goats and clean the barn. About 10:20 my 10 yr old runs upstairs and says "Dad, something is attacking the goats!". Being upstairs, I yell loudly for my 9yr old daughter, with no response. Usually I have my Glock 23 on me, even at home, but this time no. Luckily my AK is under my bed, having shot it late the night before. I grab the AK and run out of the house, yelling at my 10 & 13 yr old boys to stay inside.

On the way to the barn I can hear the screams of the goats and can see at least 2 pit bulls. The noise, as I get closer, is incredible. I have to say that I was in near full panic mode. At this point I still have no idea where my daughter is, or whether the blood all over the barn is hers or the goats. A situation I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

Upon arriving at the barn I see 2 pit bulls literally pulling the smaller goat into 2 pieces. I remember being very panicked, but oddly purposely driven calm. I circled 180 degrees around the small barn to put my shots away from any neighbors with my backdrop now being a couple miles of farm fields. At about 20 ft away I took aim and shot the first dog. A direct hit through his body, but he didn’t even flinch. Again I shot this same dog. Again through the body, but this time he pauses his attack on the goat, looks at me and charges. Now I am starting to wonder if I hit him at all. He showed no signs of trauma in his actions. As he closed I dropped to one knee and fired 3 times. 2 misses (I’m no SF guy) and 1 hit that broke his spine. Lucky for me because he probably would have killed me.

I stand and retreat to behind the goat fence to avoid a repeat of having an angry dog charge me. I see the other pit bull latched onto the larger goat. He is still snarling and in full rage mode. I took careful aim and hit him square in the body. He fell off the goat, barked and growled, then went right back to attacking the goat. I took aim again, not able to get a head shot because of the violent movements as he thrashed with the goat. Three body shots later and he lets go of the goat, moving slow, but still moving. This time a clear head shot is possible and is taken.

Its then that I see my three kids (yes all 3, including my daughter) halfway between me and the house to see what the heck I was shooting at. The adrenaline gone, my emotions about my daughter still on high, and the relief of seeing her standing there, was all I could take. I knelt, said a long, heart-felt thank you to my Savior, and called the local sheriff’s office. My neighbor’s reaction (the owner of said pit bulls) is another story for another thread.

Observations:

A rage filled dog is not to be taken lightly. In my case they were pit bulls, but any large breed dog would be a threat in this same state. I have and still do own large dogs (Rotties, Sheppard’s, etc) and I have NEVER seen such rage and determination to kill. I never would have guessed that they would take multiple high caliber rounds and still keep their focus on their attack. If you think they will run at the sound of a warning shot, you may be sorely mistaken. Anyway, I hope this means something to somebody. Just thought I would add my life experience to this thread as it seemed relevent.

 

[GIJEW]

1)kill the dog coming at me 2)close with the pack and shoot the other dogs in the hip to disable them and stop the attack without putting the neighbor in the line of fire (canines seem to bite down and pull). 3)put my cell phone on speaker and call for help while using torn clothing or a belt etc. to stop arterial bleeding.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Shoot the dog snarling at you in hopes that it may scare the others off. If not, and you have a clear shot of another w/o endangering neighbor, shoot those as well. If you don't have a clear shot, step up and attempt to kick the dogs away all the while maintaining full control of the firearms so as to be ready if a shot is presented or needs to be taken.

 

[SWAT-DOC]

Neutralize my threat first. Close fast with the pack and and use mother earth as my back stop aim for the pelvis of the dogs in the attack. Pelvic shots have a high shock value and will disable the dogs ability to mount an attack. Point blank head shots to follow. Remember... "If you have time" drop to one knee when charged by a dog. When you are down at their level your target just keeps getting bigger.