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

[Michele]

Major kudos for keeping a cool head!

Even though my dog is exceptionally trained he wouldn't allow me to corral him in that kind of situation. He wouldn't allow me to be alone with another dog, especially a dog that showed aggression. He is THAT protective, especially on his turf. Its just a Shepherd's nature.

If a stray/strange animal enters my yard and doesn't back down after Rocky insists it does, I'd shoot it.

Again, major kudos!

[glocke12]

You handled it pretty well...

I had a similar situation about a month or ago...Came home from a hike with my dog and two male pitbull mixes were on my property..My dog (a weim) was not happy to see them and they were not happy to see my dog.

Situation turned out ok and these two dogs turned out to be giant goofballs, but for a couple of minutes I was not sure what was going to happen.

Never found out whose dogs they were either. I went inside to get a water bowel for them and when I came back out they were gone.

[caribstv]

This is me and my 2 cents. My first thought on a dog fight would be to get a hose.. But thats just me

[crlovel]

OP, you got lucky. I've seen what happens to people who try to break up dog fights. I would not want to get into the middle of that. Frankly, that the pit showed restraint and didn't wade in showed nothing but positivity for that particular dog - even if his owners are absolute shitbags for allowing an intact male of ANY breed to wander or get lose. That you held back and didn't shoot the dog was good...but I'm not sure that I would have, sadly enough. I love pits, I own two of them, and I still suspect that I might have shot him to protect my dogs.

The very best thing that could have happened - you should have taken the dog to the SPCA.

[mickey01023]

how do dogs who are in attack mode ya know ears back, teeth showing and the back standing respond to loud noises like gun shots? will that get there attention or is tunnel vision?

Who wins that fight the 2 Dobermans or the pitbull?

After seeing the video of that dog being shot by the police I wouldn't be so quick to react with a firearm but that being said if he's in my space esp. being a large dog acting like the fore mentioned, he's going. Im not having nerve, tendon or worse damage done.

[03SVTCobra]

The very best thing that could have happened - you should have taken the dog to the SPCA.

i REALLY wanted to, especially after seeing his injury to his hind leg which angered me even more (at the pit's owner) but by the time I had him calmed down my neighbor had come over and knew whose dog it was...

how do dogs who are in attack mode ya know ears back, teeth showing and the back standing respond to loud noises like gun shots? will that get there attention or is tunnel vision?
not sure but as said elsewhere in the thread, a hose does a good job.

Who wins that fight the 2 Dobermans or the pitbull?
not sure of the purpose of this question??? IMO no one "wins" when dogs get into a fight. usually all animals involved get severely injured, or killed. it's a loose-loose in my eyes. in this case however, had they gone at it I would have shot the Pit to protect my dogs.

After seeing the video of that dog being shot by the police I wouldn't be so quick to react with a firearm but that being said if he's in my space esp. being a large dog acting like the fore mentioned, he's going. Im not having nerve, tendon or worse damage done.

[Exbiker]

So if a dog isn't a domestic animal then what are they?

Livestock are cows, sheep,pigs, horses etc. Domestic animals are dogs, cats, pygmy goats, potbellies, household kept rabbits, hamsters, etc.

[19dscoutsout]

I just got a 10 week old boxer/ lab mix. When ever I go out to walk her I make sure I have one of my pistols with me. There's a few foxes around my area that have attacked some of the smaller dogs and I am not taking my chances with her.

OP Nice job with that. I suggest the hose idea too. I have seen it work with some of my friends dogs fighting.

[arjohnson]

Livestock are cows, sheep,pigs, horses etc. Domestic animals are dogs, cats, pygmy goats, potbellies, household kept rabbits, hamsters, etc.

Yep, that was my point.

[Greywolf]

???

Did you read what you just wrote? You wrote this:

Nor may one kill a dog for merely "pursuing" other dogs, cats or household pets - they tend to do that all the time.

... immediately after quoting the law, which says the exact opposite of what you wrote:

3 P.S. § 459-501. Killing dogs; dogs as nuisances

(a) Legal to kill certain dogs.--Any person may kill any dog which he sees in the act of pursuing or wounding or killing any domestic animal, wounding or killing other dogs, cats or household pets, or pursuing, wounding or attacking human beings, whether or not such a dog bears the license tag required by the provisions of this act. There shall be no liability on such persons in damages or otherwise for such killing.

In Pennsylvania, to "willfully and maliciously" kill a dog, including one's own dog, is considered animal cruelty and a first degree misdemeanor. One can get up to five years in jail, and will kiss their gun rights good-by forever regardless of the actual sentence imposed.

Killing a strange dog that has entered your property and is actively threatening your animals is not legally equivalent to "willfully and maliciously" killing the dog. It may be willfully, but that's just saying you're "willfully" defending your pets. It certainly isn't "malicious."