Would you shoot?

[knkali]

Thoughts after reading a nother post here:

Here is the scenario. You are out and about and a full grown Rottweiler is running toward you, barking and growling and looking ferocious. The owner is yelling for it to come back and stop ect but the dog will have none of that. You are healed. No one else is around. What would you do? Would you shoot?

[DavidR]

If I thought the dog's intention was to attack me, yes.

[kerby9mm]

I was walking my little shitzhu & came around a corner & there was an unleashed pitbul walking toward us with the female owner on her phone. I turned sideways & pulled my gun & held it down by my side to where the lady couldn't see it. She said she won't hurt you. I said I don't know that & that her dog should be leashed. I was so glad that nothing happened.

[skiflydive]

"But your honor, li'll FiFi never even touched a fly..." I've heard you need to let the dog bite you before you shoot it.

[DavidS]

I for sure would have a bead on the dog. If it slowed down when it got close, it would live. Probably.

[Southerngunner]

Regretably if the owner can't control the animal I would wait as long as possible before taking the shot , however if the owner is trying to catch his dog and is in the line of fire you couldn't take the shot. I once had a large bloodhound come through a screen door and bite me in the abdomen, I remember punching the dog as hard as I could right between the eyes it let go and I checked for damage and the owner took me to the E.R. to be checked out . Due to heavy jeans stitches were not required but new underwear were

[codegeek]

Yea, I think I'd actually wait for him to try to bite me or launch himself at me before shooting.

[TheTman]

I would wait as long as possible, if the dog was about to attack, I would shoot if I could do so safely, if not I'd pistol whip his snout when he got close enough.

[getsome]

If you do a lot of walking yourself or you walk your dog in neighborhoods and parks where there are likely to be other dogs around it's good to carry some pepper spray for times like this....I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a large dog that was attacking me but I would prefer to get him off me with the spray and keep the handgun handy if it doesn't work or for other 2 legged predators I'm more worried about....

[muggsy]

Believe it or not I was once attacked by a pit Chiwawa. The little bastich bit me on the knee cap. I nailed him with my map case and knocked him half way across the yard. Last bite that he ever took.

[wyntrout]

When I used to walk my 30-lb+ MinPin... on a leash, I carried a stun gun as well as my pistol... Usually P12 loaded with 13 230-gr Speer Gold Dots. I did have to use the stun gun a few times... but never had to make contact or actually shock any dog. The sound alone was a deterrent and kept the large dog at bay. Had it gotten close enough I would have zapped it, but it wanted none of the zapping and arcing stun gun. I was glad to have a choice besides deadly force, but I was ready to do whatever it took to protect my dog and myself.

I did kick a large Cocker Spaniel multiple times when it charged us and bowled over my dog. The owner had just opened the door to let it out and it crossed 60-70 feet to the street in no time! As it turned back toward us, I kicked it as hard as I could and picked up my dog, then I continued to kick it, aiming for under the chin, until its owner finally got the dog to return. Neither of us was hurt, but I did get in a few really good kicks. Had it grabbed my dog with its mouth, I would have had to make a decision which weapon to employ... stun gun, probably, unless that was ineffective. I'm glad that I haven't had to shoot any pets, but it's always an option.

I don't have a dog anymore and don't go walking at night, so I just carry my pistol and a knife for defense. The knife is a last ditch weapon.

Wynn

[CPTKILLER]

This is a case of I'd have to be there and it would be situation based.

[Earle]

I live adjacent to a state park, which is my usual exercise territory. I always carry pepper spray. Well, a couple of years ago, I forgot. Two guys were walking their labs off leash - prohibited under park regulations and city ordinance. Both dogs were vicious - and persistent. The older one backed off, after a couple of whacks of my hiking stick. The younger one kept making passes, although swerving off out of stick range. My permit hasn't come through yet, but I don't think I'd shoot until the hiking stick and the pepper spray didn't do the job. (It always has in the past.)

[Planedude]

I live adjacent to a state park, which is my usual exercise territory. I always carry pepper spray. Well, a couple of years ago, I forgot. Two guys were walking their labs off leash - prohibited under park regulations and city ordinance. Both dogs were vicious - and persistent. The older one backed off, after a couple of whacks of my hiking stick. The younger one kept making passes, although swerving off out of stick range. My permit hasn't come through yet, but I don't think I'd shoot until the hiking stick and the pepper spray didn't do the job. (It always has in the past.)

I carry a stick, but I need it these days to stay upright...
My issue would be my own dog. The lil basstard would see another dog coming up as described, power out to the end of the leash and give it all ha had. Unlikely that the situation would naturally deescalate then. I carry my J size Rossi on those walks, two rounds of CCI rat shot and three rounds of hollow points. The rat shot works great on snakes (my most likely issue) and if I had to deploy the gun I would probably advance the cylinder one spot and try the rat shot first. If that did not "redirect" the attacker, the 125grn. hollow points would end the issue and stop an attack.
It would however, be very sad to shoot someone's pet and I would hold off until I was sure I couldn't anymore. I am now too old and gimped to run anywhere in the face of that kind of threat so my personal options are different from younger or more spry folks.
My two cents spent, Welcome to the forum Earle!

[Ken L]

I've had this happen recently. I was walking my German Shepherd when a Rottie broke the retractable leash that its' owner had it on and ran about a half block towards us. Owner calling after it the whole way, running to catch up. I shortened up on my dog's leash to keep her under control and put my hand in my back pocket where I carry my TCP 380. I kept myself between the dogs, the owner caught up, all ended well.

The Rott didn't display aggressiveness as it was running to us. I would have been hard pressed to shoot anyway, as I know how I'd feel if my Shepherd ever escaped and ran towards another dog without malicious intent.