Reality check.

[Woodstock]

Glad you and your pooch are OK. I've seen the damage a big pit can do, and often it's fatal. And as others have said, I've known some sweethearts in the pit family.
All dog bites are supposed to be reported to the PD or dog officer. She got bitten, so legally the pit should get a 14-day timeout. I would have called the PD from the beach. As others have said, you want to get your story on the record first. It wouldn't surprise me if this happy couple isn't already known to the authorities.
What to carry? OC or low-cost substitute like wasp spray or Prestone de-icer. Heavy stick. Your CCW as last resort, but if the two dogs are rolling around in a furball, it's going to be hard to hit the right one. I'd recommend a big tactical folder, too, as you could deal with the bad dog without hitting yours. And you'll need some strong suspenders so your pants don't fall down carrying all this stuff..

 

[BigMike]

I'm not trying to provide an excuse to shoot the dog even if it is legal, but to me....if my dog is between my legs and I'm defending it...who's to say that dog is not attacking me?

If my dog is on the end of a 20-30ft retractable it would appear I am defending my dog. My dog in my "bubble"? The offending dog is attacking ME.


So very glad you and your dog are ok. Everyday these forums open my eyes a little wider, and I get a little wiser.

 

[MadRussian]

The pit tried to bite my dog's neck as I grabbed her collar and actually grabbed my shirt sleeve instead.

I think that could be considered as being attacked by the dog so now it becomes self defense.
A technicality, but still possible proof of bite marks.

 

[terraformer]

Read the post again.

I did and it seems his dog was attacked, not him per se. Maybe the proximity of him with the dog means it is one in the same, but I am being very literal for a reason. I still don't understand the bounds of the law in this regard (meaning with pets which are considered property).

 

[Admin]

The dog tried to bite him and only got his sleeve. He could have shot the dog in self defense by the definition of the law. The OP was lucky it turned out the way it did, very lucky.

 

[RadiCS]

I think you handled the situation VERY well. No need to shed blood or shoot unless to save your life or another's. There was no need to kill the dog to keep yourself safe in the situation you describe. Considering it bit the owner and not your or your dog...you did AWESOME! However, if the pit did manage to put a death grip on you or your beloved pet then yes, a bullet to the head would probably be justified.

Now, I heard you should aim for the lungs/critical organs because pitbulls have a very hard head.

My GSP was attacked by an off leash pitbull. He had bite marks on his ears and a huge gash on his chest. I wasn't there my wife was walking my dogs. She had to let the other one of leash to go after the pitbull (larger than the GSP). My GSP is the sweetest dog (baby) he sat between my wife's legs and cried. The owner did apologize and said that the dog has never done that before, but I wonder if people are just missing the signs. People are treating dogs like kids instead of animals. Lucklily my wasn't hurt, not sure if was due to my other dog going after the pitbull or it just wanted to go after my dog.

 

[SeanT]

Sounds like the woman needed a whack off the head with the stick too

 

[Plural of Mongoose]

To all who asked, I did report this incident.
Im still waiting for the Animal Control officer to return my call.

I will also add that at first, the pit was centering its actions towards my dog and not necessarily myself.
When it briefly took hold of my sleeve , I think it was actually going for my dog, not me. I got in the way.
However, once my dog was sitting between my feet I think the pit considered us as one.

Im still wondering if my gun would have been enough on that pit bull... after all it's only a .40

 

[Admin]

To all who asked, I did report this incident.
Im still waiting for the Animal Control officer to return my call.

Im still wondering if my gun would have been enough on that pitbull... after all it's only a .40

Probably not. If it was a Glock .40 you would have killed you, your dog, the pitbull, the fat lady, and there would have been an IED sized hole in the sand where you pulled the pin, I mean trigger.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Im still wondering if my gun would have been enough on that pit bull... after all it's only a .40

Only if you were able to miss your foot and hit the dog.

 

[Plural of Mongoose]

Only if you were able to miss your foot and hit the dog.

Im not going to shoot my foot. No matter what is in my hand.
Hitting the dog wouldnt have been very difficult.

 

[xtry51]

Glad you're OK. I still gotta get a keychain spray...

 

[Scrivener]

Only if you were able to miss your foot and hit the dog.

Or other vital/otherwise useful appendages.........

 

[Scrivener]

first two in the dirt

We're talking self-defense; not baseball. A shot in the dirt is a shot wasted.

 

[Kenny474]

Glad your OK.
I have had similar situation in the past, but it was a big lab mix attacking my Pitbull/Shepard mix. Let' just say the lab didn't fare very well against Ziggy, my dog. I had picked my dog up trying to avoid a dog fight, but put her down after screaming to the owner and her replying that her dog was fine. Then the lady pulled the same BS, telling me my dog was a menace. Apparently she missed her dog jumping and snapping at me and my dog for well over a minute. Seriously, how long am I supposed to hold my dog in the air while trying to avoid being bitten? I had dog mace, but trying to get it out while holding my dog at chest level wasn't going to happen.

 

[TimMcG74]

I am glad you and your dog are OK. Pit Bulls get a lot of bad press, but for every negative reference they get in the media there are 10 bleeding heart Pit Bull apologists out there who insist that the breed (they will call you ignorant if you call them a "breed") are invariably gentle and incapable of inflicting physical harm. These morons have their heads up their asses. While the handful of Pit Bulls I have met has been mild mannered, one cannot ignore that they have been selectively bred for more than 100 years for fighting and aggression. Maybe they make good pets when in the hands of responsible owners, but it can’t be denied that the dogs are literally designed to be aggressive killers. A friend who is a Pit owner jumped down my throat recently because I casually suggested that I would be more cautious with my kid around a Pit than around some other breeds. Who is to say that his dog won’t interpret the behavior of my stumbling toddler as those of an aggressive dog? Excuse me if I don’t want to gamble with the well being of my child.

 

[TimMcG74]

This isn't criticism, I am just curious, but why don't you carry when you take your dog to a public beach where there will inevitably be unleashed dogs? Isn't that a perfect example of a time when you should carry?

 

[not new guy]

I guess I'll have to change my training to incorporate making accurate one handed kill shots on a moving dog while using my other hand to restrain my own dog, - or maybe hold a child out of harms way.

I'd focus on Corgi-height targets. I hear they're vicious.

 

[Kenny474]

This isn't criticism, I am just curious, but why don't you carry when you take your dog to a public beach where there will inevitably be unleashed dogs? Isn't that a perfect example of a time when you should carry?

He forgot his CCW as he was rushing around to make it to the beach.

 

[Scrivener]

I guess I'll have to change my training to incorporate making accurate one handed kill shots on a moving dog while using my other hand to restrain my own dog, - or maybe hold a child out of harms way.

And where is ANY of that in your post?

 

[CRSIII]

Friggin tourists!

Maybe you should have kicked sand in eveyone's eyes, crushed fido and put crabs on Rotunda's nips!

I'm only kinda kidding.

I'm glad you both ened up playing fetch.

 

[George D]

Had a very similar incident with a large agressive dog. I was carrying but jumped up on a fence as the thing charged me. Of course, from the owner, "oh he's never done that before".
Never understood why anyone would want to own an aggressive animal that they couldn't control if it decided to snap.

 

[T(1)of(3)]

It probably would only take one shot to take a lot of the steam out of the dog so with a 10 shot mag with your blunderbuss, I mean .40, you should be ok.

 

[Chrisg67]

i think you handled the situation very well. i always carry OC when im walking my dog for situations like this.

bravo zulu

 

[Jose]

However, if the pit did manage to put a death grip on you or your beloved pet then yes, a bullet to the head would probably be justified..

Yeah, good idea to wait until then to do something.

I would have popped that pit (or whatever kind of dog it happens to be) right quick if it attacks me, or someone with me be they animal or human.

I have zero tolerance for aggressive dogs.

 

[Jose]

I thought of that too while reading your post. She could easily claim you agitated her dog to the point that by the time she tried to physically regain control it was incited to bite her. Ridiculous notion considering the fact that you had to defend yourself from HER dog puts you in the defendant seat by default but you can sue for anything. She's lucky YOU don't sue....but if she did come after you, you always have a very strong counter suit.

Wow, some of you ARE living scared of legal bogeymen......

 

[terraformer]

Wow, some of you ARE living scared of legal bogeymen......

Like we are all imagining it....
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...iling-weapons-and-ammunition?highlight=girard

 

[namedpipes]

I have zero tolerance for aggressive dogs.

Dude, you have zero tolerance for NAIL BITING. Never mind aggressive dogs

And on the legal fears - this state has a long and colorful history of making examples. See TF's link for one of the more recent. The problem is, the thing that you've been doing for 20 years could become somebody's vendetta tomorrow. And be perfectly ok for the next guy over.

 

[Realtor MA]

Dude, you have zero tolerance for NAIL BITING. Never mind aggressive dogs

And on the legal fears - this state has a long and colorful history of making examples. See TF's link for one of the more recent. The problem is, the thing that you've been doing for 20 years could become somebody's vendetta tomorrow. And be perfectly ok for the next guy over.

Jose has a good point. Sometimes I think there is too much info on this forum. If a guy with an LTC is worried about defending himself or his dog from a pit bull attack, to the point of possibly putting hiimself in danger, that should be a wake up call for all of us. This thread is titled 'Reality Check' and as the thread wears on I think it's an extremely appropriate title on 2 fronts. First, it points out the trouble that can arise when we forget our CCW or choose not to take it along. Second it shows that maybe we all worry a little too much. If you cant shoot a Pit Bull while it's in the act of attacking you and/or your dog then why carry at all? Is your dog considered 'live stock'? Who cares? It was under attack. Will the dog's owner fabricate a story? Who cares? The Pit Bull was off leash.

ETA How does the incident in Manchester have anything to do with a dog attack?

 

[ASHDUMP]

Glad you're OK. I will say that some people freak the F out when they see a Pitbull or even a large breed dog. That usually make the situation worse..... I've seen it first hand. People start yelling, body language changes and dogs of any breed pick up on that shit. Sounds like you did all you could do and glad to hear no one was hurt and your dog got to play fetch.

Not sure what would have happened if you killed the dog, but you didn't have to and thats pretty good.