I was back at the dog park with Wolfgang (as is my wont but his bigger wont) and that dog was there again. With another dog. Pit bulls.
Now I have to say that I've known some sweet pit pulls, and they were nice dogs. But this was the first time I was in a dog fight scrum with two of them. Wolfgang was not pleased, nor was I.
And so I waded into the fight and kicked the pit bulls off of him. It seems that this makes me a jerk.
Mrs. Pit Bull Owner told me (after pulling her dog off) that I shouldn't bring my dog into the park on the leash "because they don't go after dogs off leash". My response: Oh, so it's my fault? She didn't seem to like this. It seems that I don't have manners, or something. Oooh kaaay.
We'll see what happens next time they're there. I'm torn between bringing a baseball bat in the Jeep and bringing it for self-defense, or just reaching in and pulling them off him with my hands. They'd bite me, of course, but at that point I'd just call 911 and report a pit bull attack in progress at the dog park. Here in well-heeled Roswell, I expect 4 cop cars to show up in 2 minutes. Maybe I'm wrong, but it would take care of the problem one way or the other.
Either way, Wolfgang won't have vicious dogs coming after him. Like I said, this probably makes me a jerk.
21 comments:
Make note of license plate numbers. Its amazing how quickly dog and owners will disappear when they think they're going to get charged.
On the same note, that sorta thing is why I don't do dog parks....WAY to many un-mannered dogs and people...
Sometimes, life requires a jerk.
Baseball bat = intent. Cold Steel Blackthorn Walking Stick = walking cane, and as such approved for use by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Law enforcement can't even question you on possession of it because of this law.
Had a friend once who bent a nine iron around a shepard's head when it jumped his dog. Course this was in his yard. A park is a bit different. The walking stick does sounds like a good idea.
BTW hands? No. Feet. Hell yes.
Well crap. This doesn't seem to be getting better.
While it's not the dog, it's the owner, there are still two of them and they are pitts. That's not something to take lightly. Glad everybody made it out unscathed this time!
Hopefully there isn't an next time. Either through avoidance or by being a jerk to their owner and running her (and them) off. Screw'er.
I hate hearing about owners perpetuating the stupid stereotypes some breeds have to deal with. Crap.
Who ever said that being a jerk was bad?
IMHO, this is a situation where it's entirely appropriate to be a "jerk".
Get some pepper spray. MUCH better than a stick or bat, both of which may provoke the pits into going after YOU.
Oh, and this: "On the same note, that sorta thing is why I don't do dog parks....WAY to many un-mannered dogs and people..."
Yep. I've given up on dog parks, too, for that and a variety of other reasons. I don't want my dogs to socialize with ANYONE or ANYTHING but me and my family. If they need exercise, I put 'em on leash, get on my bicycle, and ride, letting them trot/run beside me.
I can't speak about your state, but in my state you plug the dog with a lead cork right fast. It's an animal, and no matter what its feelings are, if it's attacking, it's worthy of being put down right then and there. If a dog so much as HARASSES children, it's time to be put down.
An attacking dog is worth no more than that.
Any chance you are in an "Open Carry" state? I have found few even notice the .45 on my hip when walking a (very) large dog but it makes it easier to reach and the useless owners might decide to leave or curb their muts.
.45ACP+P, in Georgia it is legal to OC if you have a Georgia Weapons Carry Permit. So I could do this. I think that might be the wrong sort of escalation.
Shooting the dog is de-escalation. At that point, it's already escalated to the point that your dog's going to die if you don't step in. The only thing above THAT is if you yourself are bitten.
What are the GA laws about using deadly force to prevent loss of property.
In TX there are some laws, im sure a difficult defenese in court, that you can use deadly force to prevent loss of property if the property would be unrecoverable. I call a dead dog unrecoverable and the dog is your property. Plus you are not shooting a human but a dog.
What jury is sympathetic to the poor innocent pitbull? They are evil monsters that must be destroyed based on popular opinion group think only.
If you call the Cops won't ~they~ shoot the dog? I know it takes them a couple magazines of misses.
Too be fair, she does have a point.
Dog on leash acts differently, gives different signals to other dogs.
http://companionanimalsolutions.com/blogs/what-is-a-reactive-rover/
http://www.dariennewsonline.com/news/article/Dogs-on-leashes-react-differently-because-of-1397370.php
http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/05/18/dog-leash-aggression/
http://www.canineuniversity.com/articles/behavior/behave_10.html
Before you reach into a scrum, do some research on how much permanent damage canine teeth can do to the tendons in a human hand. I know you want to avoid "being a jerk" but the price for that may be never again being able to open a pickle jar.
Two-part suggestion: If you need to get some unrestrained, aggressive and biting mutt off Wolfgang, a muzzle-contact shot to the thorax area with anything 38 Special or larger would be my solution. Semi-autos are less effective here because muzzle contact often pushes the slide out of battery.
Better, would be to leave the dog park to the assholes and find a different way to exercise and socialize Wolfgang. Even if there's no "scrum" he's still learning aggressive behavior.
Most dog parks have rules that bar aggressive dogs. You might wish to remind her and then notify whatever entity runs the dog park, with her license number, of course. wolfgang's depending on you to have his back. That's your job and it doesn't make you a jerk at all. Now if you let your dog attack other dogs and then blamed that dog owner, then you'd be a jerk, or jerkette.
I think BP is thinking a bit clearer than some of us, here- I agree that the .45 may be the wrong kind of escalation. The problem is not that Wolfgang came in on a leash- different signals or no, these dogs find it appropriate to set on other people's animals, and the owners see fit to allow it. Unless Wolfgang is getting hurt, I don't recommend putting hands anywhere near an aggressive dog's mouth. I'd stick with wading in kicking, if you can't verbally interrupt the situation. Another tack- it may be worth the effort to find out when those dogs will be around and do some close work with the owners. You, and Wolfgang, may make some friends rather than enemies, and the pits may learn to be better socialized. It's worth a shot.
I've seen an interesting tactic for getting a fighting dog off of another dog. Pick it up by its rear legs and start tugging. Never let go. The dog goes into full "WTF?" mode, but can't get to you.
Personally I think you exhibited a great deal of politically correct restraint. You didn't shoot them.
I highly recommend that you do not wade into the middle of dog fight again. My grandmother taught me this. My brother was not present for that imparted bit of wisdom.
My brother attempted to break up a fight between two dobermans he had years back and they turned on him and knocked him to the ground.
He has many, many puncture scars on his forearms and was X-rayed for bone fractures at the ER.
Fortunately, the dogs obeyed his girlfriend when she called them off.
Do you suppose Ms. pitbull owner could successfully or would bother to call her dogs off you?
Foolish boy.
There ain't no rules in a dog fight. reaction is slower than action. You get close enough to rap a dog on the snout while he's all lathered up in a fight, I'm betting on the dog's action / reaction ability.
It might boil down to what kind of mood I was in and how low the dog's political capital was that particular day as to whether I shot the attacking dog or let my dog just fight it out.
Being called a jerk doesn't even show up on my concern radar in this circumstance.
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