First carry with the family, we had a scare.

[HyDef]

We got our first gun about two months ago. My wife was afraid of getting one but eventually came around to being OK with having one in the house for protection. Whenever we would go out as a family (1 daughter) I would ask if she would mind if I carried. She always would say "please don't, it would make me too nervous." Last night she finally relented and let me carry concealed.

First we went to Borders book store for an hour or so, then we headed over to a restaurant for some dessert. This was about 10 at night and the place was pretty dead. We were seated in the first booth as you walk in with my wife and I seated facing the front door.

After being there about 5 minutes another patron was leaving, a woman probably about 60-65. As she walked out the second set of doors to the outside we both see a large dog run at her from the left and jump onto her and push her to the right, out of our field of vision.

I was already sliding out of the booth heading to the front door as my wife was telling me to "go help her." It took all of four seconds to get outside to the lady and I had already pulled my cover shirt back, and gotten a grip on my pistol.

When I turned to where the lady and the dog were, the lady was sitting on the ground laughing, and the dog was licking her all over. I pulled my cover shirt back and helped the lady up before she or anyone else had noticed my gun.

The dog looked like a pitbull that was mixed with some tall breed and was huge for a pitbull, tall, muscular and at least 80-100 pounds, but it was perhaps the friendliest dog I've ever met.

The manager called the police and they came and took the dog to a local 24 hour vet hospital and they'll wait and see if anyone reports a missing dog.

On the way home I explained to my wife how easily that situation could have turned out bad. If that dog wasn't friendly that woman would have been in serious trouble and my weapon might have been the only thing that could have saved her life. I think she gets it now.

[Curmudgeon]

HyDef... your post is full of WIN!


Good on you for being willing to help the woman in case she needed it. I hope she realized the value in your readiness.

Doubly so with your wife. I hope all your 'events' go well.

Thanks for posting this, rep sent.


Incidentally, I like the way you wrote this. You had my blood pressure starting to elevate there for a second!

[reverserboy]

It's good that more people are taking responsibility for their own security & that of their families. It's good to see someone willing to help a stranger. Hat's off to the OP.

But here's a counterpoint:
If the OP had to shoot that dog,in such a location....he would likely have some legal problems. Would the person who he was helping offer to pay part of those legal bills?? Likely not.

If the dog was harming the woman...I still would be extremely reluctant to pull my gun.

[WVneighbor]

You might also point out that it could have been your wife or daughter just as easily as that older lady.

[jcabin]

I would have shoved the dog off the woman before drawing my gun. Negligent Discharge is a great possibility when performing other actions such as pushing, pulling, or dragging something, especially something that is resisting violently, while your gun is in your hand. It's too great a risk to try and pick the dog off even at close range, it might be argued it's harder to do as your angle becomes more verticle the chance of directly hitting or the bullet passing through the dog and hitting the old woman increase greatly.


Just some advice.

I do commend you on your swift action though, good job, + rep.

[Swarner793]

Welcome to the world of being a sheepdog Rep sent!

Be safe (and protect the flock, even if they are sheep ).

Scott

[30Glock]

This is funny shit, what else are you allowed or not allowed to do.

[HyDef]

I would have shoved the dog off the woman before drawing my gun. Negligent Discharge is a great possibility when performing other actions such as pushing, pulling, or dragging something, especially something that is resisting violently, while your gun is in your hand. It's too great a risk to try and pick the dog off even at close range, it might be argued it's harder to do as your angle becomes more verticle the chance of directly hitting or the bullet passing through the dog and hitting the old woman increase greatly.


Just some advice.

I do commend you on your swift action though, good job, + rep.

My reaction really depended on what I found when I rounded that corner. I was pleased that things were running in slow motion in my mind. Several scenario's were running through my mind as I was moving.

If the dog was just clamped down on the lady I wouldn't have drawn, I would have tried to get him off her, gouging at the eyes or nose. I wouldn't have tried to pull the dog off her in case it's teeth were in deep.

If I came around that corner and he was tearing her up pretty good and there was a lot of blood, I would have drawn, put my gun right up to it's chest or shoulder and fired then dealt with the consequences later.

[toxophilite]

It's good that more people are taking responsibility for their own security & that of their families. It's good to see someone willing to help a stranger. Hat's off to the OP.

But here's a counterpoint:
If the OP had to shoot that dog,in such a location....he would likely have some legal problems. Would the person who he was helping offer to pay part of those legal bills?? Likely not.

If the dog was harming the woman...I still would be extremely reluctant to pull my gun.

I couldn't be more in agreement with this man. Excellent thought process reverserboy. Maybe it has to do with the town we live in. LOL

[wa3ra]

Nice job!

I have found that pit and pit mixes that are socialized are the friendliest dogs...just big, slobbering puppies...as long as you don't threaten their 'people'.

The ones that aren't socialized and are kept penned up alone are the nasty ones.