a Pit Bull came this ---> <--- close to getting dropped...

[Pilot321]

Pilot321 - after this I am going to look into some type of non lethal deterrent to have as a first line defense (for dogs/animals)

I started carrying pepper spray, and a walking stick after a large Boxer charged my wife, and I when walking through our neighborhood. It must have had an electronic fence because it stopped right at the edge of its property, only a few feet from us. If I had shot the dog to protect us, I may have opened up a huge, legal can of worms.

Dogs don't like to be sprayed in the face, even with just water, so I think pepper spray is a good alternative, and the walking stick can help to keep them at a distance.

[brsims]

For myself, I think your actions were textbook perfect. You were fully prepared for the worst case scenario, yet stayed calm and worked toward a more peaceful ending.

Dog fights suck. Dog fights involving territorial disputes between say a Doberman and a Pitbull ( both very territory protective breeds) generally wind up in either extensive medical bills for both or death. Both breeds fight to the death unless the fight is broken up.

Kudos to you also for the apparently extensive training you have placed upon your Dobermans. Being able to back a Doberman down from an aggressive stance speaks both to your training methods and the level of trust your dog has in you as the Alpha.

Dobermans are not specifically breed aggressive, but they are extremely territorial. It's all part of the protective instinct they have developed through generations of behavior specific breeding. Pits, on the other hand, can be very breed aggressive unless they are specifically socialized. Once you started developing separation between the two dogs, you were actually in the most dangerous part of the situation. The Pit could have seen the Doberman's backing down as a sign of weakness and chosen that moment to attack. It's an instinctual reaction from a predator. I'm presuming you probably kept yourself between the two, which is an incredibly dangerous position to be in but in this case most likely saved the lives of both (or all three, depending on what the younger Doberman did) dogs. Again, kudos to you sir.

[Greywolf]

after a few hours that's when the shitty feeling started to set in that I nearly had to kill someone's dog. someone's pet. all because of stupidity on the owner's part. and he was one of the nicest pits I have come into contact with once it all had calmed down.

sorry for the novel, I just needed to get this off my chest. I keep running the whole scenario in my head over and over and try to imagine what would have happened, how I would have felt, had I actually had to shoot the dog. I like to think that I did the right thing by not overreacting right away, but I also wonder how bad my dog could've been hurt because I hesitated.

thoughts?

Thoughts? Why certainly.

1. "Shitty feeling"? Why should YOU harbor any shitty feelings? The strange dog was a threat to YOUR dogs, who were where they belonged. I see no reason for YOU to feel "shitty" about having been prepared to defend your dogs, in YOUR yard, against an aggressor.
2. Get what off your chest? Yes, it would have been unfortunate if you had had to shoot the strange dog. It would have been even more unfortunate if he had killed or seriously injured YOUR dog. Your responsibility is your dog. The other dog is its owner's responsibility.

[StonewallRabbitry]

Thoughts? Why certainly.

1. "Shitty feeling"? Why should YOU harbor any shitty feelings? The strange dog was a threat to YOUR dogs, who were where they belonged. I see no reason for YOU to feel "shitty" about having been prepared to defend your dogs, in YOUR yard, against an aggressor.
2. Get what off your chest? Yes, it would have been unfortunate if you had had to shoot the strange dog. It would have been even more unfortunate if he had killed or seriously injured YOUR dog. Your responsibility is your dog. The other dog is its owner's responsibility.

I understand the feelings that the OP had. A pitbull attacked my sisters mini Doberman, I ended up on top of it and punching it to make it let go. Even after that the pit bull showed no aggression to me as I held it by the collar. My sisters dog was killed and I still regret that my first reaction was to jump on it and not to shoot it. The pit bull was ruled a "dangerous dog" and was not supposed to be outside unless muzzled.

Almost two years later I hear someone screaming two houses down from me so I run down to find the same pit bull attacker her do that was on a leash, she was sitting on the ground with her small dog between her legs as the pit bull had it in his mouth. Once again I found myself on top of the pit, after I got him off he was again friendly to me and I got him some water to drink. The pit was taken to be put down right away. If the owners would have just been careful and kept their dog contained then he could have lived a happy life, he showed no aggression towards people an could have lived a long happy life if the owners would have contained him. I also had the feelings of "if I would have shot the first time then the second attack would have ever happened"

[bogey1]

You showed great restraint. Thank you for that. Awesome story BTW.

[03SVTCobra]

thanks again for the input everyone. the shitty feeling i felt was more so me thinking that what if the roles were reversed. what if MY dog had somehow escaped our yard, would someone else show the same restraint and try to at least salvage the situation or just off my dog without blinking even though he did not hurt another dog/person but was being defensively aggressive because he is lost and scared? i wanted to try the best i could to diffuse the situation first before i used dealy force, the pistol was the last resort.

i NEVER leave my dogs unattended in the yard, even at night. i would be devastated if something were to happen to them.

BTW, this wasn't this dog's first time escaping. when i finally had the pit calm and playful i noticed that when he ran around the yard a bit, he was heavily favouring his left hind leg. when we asked the owner about the injury, the guy said the dog got loose before and got hit by a car... SMH

[Jhaydeno]

BTW, this wasn't this dog's first time escaping. when i finally had the pit calm and playful i noticed that when he ran around the yard a bit, he was heavily favouring his left hind leg. when we asked the owner about the injury, the guy said the dog got loose before and got hit by a car... SMH

I caught the same dog twice within a year some ten years ago now. Although I knew who the owner was the second time around, I took it to the SPCA so the owner could make a 'donation' to a good cause to get it back! Hopefully he learned a lesson...if he didn't I hope the dog found a better home with a fence.

[Subverto]

Having witnessed two dogs trying to kill eachother before, I can tell you that had your dogs and the pit went at it, you wouldn't have a clean shot at the pit. That being said, if I was convinced the pit was going to attack my dog, I probably would have shot. Once the pit attacks, it's too late.

[kimbershooter]

Like REPO said, Thank you for not shooting the dog and taking the time too see that most pittys don't live up to the media stereotype.

[jthrelf]

Regardless of what coulda/shoulda/woulda happened, it turned out very well.

Great job for controlling your dogs and getting them inside. Great job for being prepared if that was no longer an option. Glad that pit was a softy rolled over for you!