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I think we all know the answer to the question of what to do when we feel our life of the life of someone we want to protect is in danger. It certainly is discussed often enough on forums and in the news. But what about a situation that is less critical?
I don't want to try and come up with a fictional scenario involving human attackers, and have it poked full of holes and stuff, so I will post two real life scenarios that happened to me in the last two weeks.
About a week and a half ago, I was in my front yard in the middle of the day, with Roscoe, my small dog (dachshund mix), on a leash. We were minding our own business when a large yellow dog entered the yard. Its head was roughly level with my crotch area, it had no collar, and looked somewhat scruffy. The yellow dog came straight up to me and Roscoe and started introductions. So far, so good. He didn't seem as if he were attacking. Introductions did not go well, and some growling broke out and some hackles came up. So I interrupted, and the yellow dog moved away a bit, but then turned around and headed back. I yelled at him again to scare him away a few feet, and picked up Roscoe.
The yellow dog's behavior from that point forward can best be described by the word "marauding". For the first minute or so, he kept coming at me and Roscoe. I don't think he was attacking, but he definitely knew he was causing trouble, and seemed to be enjoying it. So I started kicking at him in addition to yelling. He dodged but did not attempt to leave. A couple of times I connected a foot with his head and his butt (glancing blows), and he did not like that one bit, but he would just prance away and come back. So I started advancing on him, yelling and growling, and kicking when he got close. I chased him out of the yard that way. He was halfway through the neighbor's yard when I stopped chasing him.
I went back and put Roscoe back down where we had started out, and the yellow dog came back, so I picked Roscoe up again. I decided to head over to the front door and grab the hose. As I did that, he must have thought I was retreating, because he pressed in, and his muzzle was high like he was going for Roscoe under my arm. I swung my right fist and connected solidly with his nose. That convinced him pretty well not to mess with me directly, and he went scampering off into the underbrush by the side of the house. I turned on the water and uncoiled the hose, so I was ready for him when he came back around again. He didn't like the water spraying at him, but didn't leave the yard. So then I charged him, growling loudly, and he ran out of the yard toward an old woman on the street above.
The old woman called out to me, asking if I would grab the dog for her. He made a beeline for her, and she grabbed his scruff. Obviously, she was his "owner" and was NOT doing a good job of keeping him under control. I told her, quite loudly, that he needs a leash and a collar or he's going to animal control. She said "OK" and started trying to walk away and keep a hand on his scruff at the same time, with her other hand holding what appeared to be a bag of dog biscuits. The dog probably weighs as much as she does.
All of this time, I was wearing my CM9, and if it had seemed as if the dog was seriously attacking me, or had gotten a hold on Roscoe and I had seen blood, I would have dealt with it. Maybe I would have fired a warning shot first, or maybe not. But this did not happen. If I were further from home, or there had been more than one marauding dog, it might have progressed to that point.
So there's my first scenario.
My second scenario happened just last night. I take Roscoe for a walk at night just before bedtime to avoid doggie accidents during the night. Roscoe really enjoys anything that projects a beam of light, so if I have the flashlight on he will play, and not do his business. So we walk in the dark. I was about 3/4 block from home last night, and suddenly became alert to another presence. I don't know what alerted me, but suddenly I knew we were not alone. I had the flashlight in my hand already, so I clicked it on, and apparently startled a medium sized hairy gray _something_ (probably a dog) which was about 5 feet from me. I had my crappy Chinese LED flashlight with me, so the light wasn't that great (it was sufficient to pick up Roscoe's poop in a litter bag, but not good enough to illuminate a threat at 5+ feet - from now on I spend the extra time to locate my Life Gear flashlight before we walk at night). It scuttled away from us with lots of toenail clicking as fast as it could as soon as the flashlight came on. By the way, we have some really big raccoons around here. I experienced the "fight or flight" response (adrenaline kick, instant film of sweat all over) but quickly judged that there was no longer any danger. But what if the critter had not been scared away by the flashlight?
In both of these scenarios, I would like to have had the option for a less than lethal response. Today, the pepper spray I ordered a few days ago arrived. I've tested it, and believe it would be effective up to ten feet, which would have been more than adequate for both of these scenarios. Pepper spray might have been appropriate in those cases. Obviously in Scenario #2 it would not have been necessary, nor would I have even had time to use it because the critter was running away. But it certainly would have gone a long way toward discouraging the marauding dog in #1, and maybe even convincing the owner that she might want to change her behavior.
If scenario 1 had been a little different, it would have been closer to the line of using a lot of force instead of a little (fist and feet). If it had been significantly different, it might have crossed the line of using lethal force.
If scenario 2 had been a little different, it might have required the use of some force, but perhaps not lethal force.
So what do you think? Pepper spray might help some situations without waking up the neighbors, and without causing the police to send reports to the prosecutor's office to determine whether charges are warranted.
"An Everett man shot and killed a neighbor's pit bull Wednesday morning after the dog reportedly charged him and his daughter outside their home, according to the Everett Police Department."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...itbull18m.html
I don't want to try and come up with a fictional scenario involving human attackers, and have it poked full of holes and stuff, so I will post two real life scenarios that happened to me in the last two weeks.
About a week and a half ago, I was in my front yard in the middle of the day, with Roscoe, my small dog (dachshund mix), on a leash. We were minding our own business when a large yellow dog entered the yard. Its head was roughly level with my crotch area, it had no collar, and looked somewhat scruffy. The yellow dog came straight up to me and Roscoe and started introductions. So far, so good. He didn't seem as if he were attacking. Introductions did not go well, and some growling broke out and some hackles came up. So I interrupted, and the yellow dog moved away a bit, but then turned around and headed back. I yelled at him again to scare him away a few feet, and picked up Roscoe.
The yellow dog's behavior from that point forward can best be described by the word "marauding". For the first minute or so, he kept coming at me and Roscoe. I don't think he was attacking, but he definitely knew he was causing trouble, and seemed to be enjoying it. So I started kicking at him in addition to yelling. He dodged but did not attempt to leave. A couple of times I connected a foot with his head and his butt (glancing blows), and he did not like that one bit, but he would just prance away and come back. So I started advancing on him, yelling and growling, and kicking when he got close. I chased him out of the yard that way. He was halfway through the neighbor's yard when I stopped chasing him.
I went back and put Roscoe back down where we had started out, and the yellow dog came back, so I picked Roscoe up again. I decided to head over to the front door and grab the hose. As I did that, he must have thought I was retreating, because he pressed in, and his muzzle was high like he was going for Roscoe under my arm. I swung my right fist and connected solidly with his nose. That convinced him pretty well not to mess with me directly, and he went scampering off into the underbrush by the side of the house. I turned on the water and uncoiled the hose, so I was ready for him when he came back around again. He didn't like the water spraying at him, but didn't leave the yard. So then I charged him, growling loudly, and he ran out of the yard toward an old woman on the street above.
The old woman called out to me, asking if I would grab the dog for her. He made a beeline for her, and she grabbed his scruff. Obviously, she was his "owner" and was NOT doing a good job of keeping him under control. I told her, quite loudly, that he needs a leash and a collar or he's going to animal control. She said "OK" and started trying to walk away and keep a hand on his scruff at the same time, with her other hand holding what appeared to be a bag of dog biscuits. The dog probably weighs as much as she does.
All of this time, I was wearing my CM9, and if it had seemed as if the dog was seriously attacking me, or had gotten a hold on Roscoe and I had seen blood, I would have dealt with it. Maybe I would have fired a warning shot first, or maybe not. But this did not happen. If I were further from home, or there had been more than one marauding dog, it might have progressed to that point.
So there's my first scenario.
My second scenario happened just last night. I take Roscoe for a walk at night just before bedtime to avoid doggie accidents during the night. Roscoe really enjoys anything that projects a beam of light, so if I have the flashlight on he will play, and not do his business. So we walk in the dark. I was about 3/4 block from home last night, and suddenly became alert to another presence. I don't know what alerted me, but suddenly I knew we were not alone. I had the flashlight in my hand already, so I clicked it on, and apparently startled a medium sized hairy gray _something_ (probably a dog) which was about 5 feet from me. I had my crappy Chinese LED flashlight with me, so the light wasn't that great (it was sufficient to pick up Roscoe's poop in a litter bag, but not good enough to illuminate a threat at 5+ feet - from now on I spend the extra time to locate my Life Gear flashlight before we walk at night). It scuttled away from us with lots of toenail clicking as fast as it could as soon as the flashlight came on. By the way, we have some really big raccoons around here. I experienced the "fight or flight" response (adrenaline kick, instant film of sweat all over) but quickly judged that there was no longer any danger. But what if the critter had not been scared away by the flashlight?
In both of these scenarios, I would like to have had the option for a less than lethal response. Today, the pepper spray I ordered a few days ago arrived. I've tested it, and believe it would be effective up to ten feet, which would have been more than adequate for both of these scenarios. Pepper spray might have been appropriate in those cases. Obviously in Scenario #2 it would not have been necessary, nor would I have even had time to use it because the critter was running away. But it certainly would have gone a long way toward discouraging the marauding dog in #1, and maybe even convincing the owner that she might want to change her behavior.
If scenario 1 had been a little different, it would have been closer to the line of using a lot of force instead of a little (fist and feet). If it had been significantly different, it might have crossed the line of using lethal force.
If scenario 2 had been a little different, it might have required the use of some force, but perhaps not lethal force.
So what do you think? Pepper spray might help some situations without waking up the neighbors, and without causing the police to send reports to the prosecutor's office to determine whether charges are warranted.
"An Everett man shot and killed a neighbor's pit bull Wednesday morning after the dog reportedly charged him and his daughter outside their home, according to the Everett Police Department."
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...itbull18m.html
he shouldn't have been loose... a LARGE Chow mix, it seemed.
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