What would you have done?

[flint stonez]

I was reminded recently of a bad situation I was in years ago. Background is that I lived in the suburbs of a city before moving to semi-rural Indiana.
Situation - my wife and I were headed out for date night. My wife got in the care. I decided to walk the garbage can out to the curb (about 30 yards). As I got to the curb I seen my neighbors (across the street) giant German shepherd jump the fence (yet again). He charged across the street at me. I immediately had him in my sights of my firearm and started yelling at the dog. The neighbor heard me and started screaming “don’t shoot my dog!” As the Shepard approached he slowed down (which is why o didn’t shoot at that time) and took an aggressive posture but still moving towards me. I backed down my driveway slowly while my neighbor came across the street to try to get his dog. I was almost to my garage when my neighbor finally got hold of the Shepards collar. At this point my finger was inside the trigger guard and the dog was seconds away from being shot. We exchanged some words and I informed him that if there was a next time that his dog came on my property for any reason I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot. He said the dog was his children’s. He knew I had children as well. I let him know his dangerous dog was a threat to my kids and other neighborhood children before calling the police. Police informed me of what I already knew…. I was well within my rights of self defense and would Not have been charged had I dispatched the dog.
My question is….. what would you have done differently? Was I wrong for hesitating so long?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Why is this in the INGO Advertisers forum?

 

[flint stonez]

Why is this in the INGO Advertisers forum?

Really good question! I didn’t post it as an advertisement. Not sure how to change it. Can you advise?

 

[cosermann]

Pepper spray is your friend.

If you don’t have a force option between a harsh word and a gun - that’s a big gap. Fill it.

 

[Expat]

I am not going to second guess you. YOu were there, I wasn't. I am not afraid of one dog. If he wants to fight, I will fight him. If there is a second one though, then all bets are off.

 

[Ashton1911]

If I am outside of the house, pepper spray in my coat pocket. It is harder to carry in summer, but there are very few situations where you would get in trouble for spraying anything that a reasonable person would say feels threatening.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Really good question! I didn’t post it as an advertisement. Not sure how to change it. Can you advise?

You can self-report and ask a mod to move it to maybe the Break Room or Self Defense or even General Firearms forum.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

I was reminded recently of a bad situation I was in years ago. Background is that I lived in the suburbs of a city before moving to semi-rural Indiana.
Situation - my wife and I were headed out for date night. My wife got in the care. I decided to walk the garbage can out to the curb (about 30 yards). As I got to the curb I seen my neighbors (across the street) giant German shepherd jump the fence (yet again). He charged across the street at me. I immediately had him in my sights of my firearm and started yelling at the dog. The neighbor heard me and started screaming “don’t shoot my dog!” As the Shepard approached he slowed down (which is why o didn’t shoot at that time) and took an aggressive posture but still moving towards me. I backed down my driveway slowly while my neighbor came across the street to try to get his dog. I was almost to my garage when my neighbor finally got hold of the Shepards collar. At this point my finger was inside the trigger guard and the dog was seconds away from being shot. We exchanged some words and I informed him that if there was a next time that his dog came on my property for any reason I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot. He said the dog was his children’s. He knew I had children as well. I let him know his dangerous dog was a threat to my kids and other neighborhood children before calling the police. Police informed me of what I already knew…. I was well within my rights of self defense and would Not have been charged had I dispatched the dog.
My question is….. what would you have done differently? Was I wrong for hesitating so long?

No. You did fine. You were ready, but you didn't jump the gun.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Fixed and moved.

You can self-report and ask a mod to move it to maybe the Break Room or Self Defense or even General Firearms forum.

 

[flint stonez]

You can self-report and ask a mod to move it to maybe the Break Room or Self Defense or even General Firearms forum.

I did as you suggested and self reported. Thank you

 

[flint stonez]

Fixed and moved.

Thank you very much. Really not sure how I did what I did. Newbie mess up. My apologies.

 

[Cameramonkey]

And just a reminder to all. "reporting a post" is not always bad resulting in punishment. Its not reserved for reporting bad things.

You (generally) arent going to get in trouble if you self report something you posted that you need moved or deleted. Post in a wrong forum, accidentally reply to a WTS ad, etc. and we typically just take the appropriate action and move on with our day. But on the latter if somebody else reports it, you're likely to get dinged for breaking the rules.

Its a great way to keep this place maintained.

 

[HoughMade]

...I informed him that if there was a next time that his dog came on my property for any reason I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot....

Sounds like your response was reasonable except for this.

 

[1nderbeard]

I see no issues with what you did (about the dog situation).
The dog's owner is grossly negligent and would have been responsible for the dog's death, had it occurred.

 

[flint stonez]

My post was long enough so I may have left out pertinent information.
This particular German Shepard was known through the neighborhood for being very aggressive and often jumping the fence. I wasn’t the first person (or other dog) that he had attacked. I personally had approached and spoken with the dogs owner. He did nothing to restrain the dog further.
As a dog owner the last thing I wanted to do was shoot. But as I indicated I had small children and a wife that were often in our yard. My main problem was with the owner but since he did absolutely nothing about the violent dog there were not many options.
I appreciate everyone’s input to this point.

 

[Expat]

I hear that warning shots can be bad...

 

[flint stonez]

Ammo is too expensive for warning shots. Just kidding. Pretty sure the local PD wouldn’t appreciate warning shots. They did however (unofficially) support “something” happening to the dog. They said they could only do so much until the dog until the dog actually hurt someone. It was obvious they were really upset by all the calls they kept getting. Firm discussions and Citing the owner wasn’t doing anything.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Ammo is too expensive for warning shots. Just kidding. Pretty sure the local PD wouldn’t appreciate warning shots. They did however (unofficially) support “something” happening to the dog. They said they could only do so much until the dog until the dog actually hurt someone. It was obvious they were really upset by all the calls they kept getting. Firm discussions and Citing the owner wasn’t doing anything.

We had a neighbor with a vicious pit mix that bit DoggyMama over the fence. We called Animal Control after talking with the owner and being assured that "he never does this!" Turns out he had had several reports against him (the dog) at previous residences. They took the dog and put it down.

 

[flint stonez]

Which is exactly what should happen to a dangerous animal. For the most part I blame the owners of vicious animals. I know some dogs have a bad disposition but if you’re Not controlling and containing a dangerous animal then there should be repercussions.

 

[printcraft]

I hear that warning shots can be bad...

Yeah, but we haven't heard from TLex in a long long time...