We have a topic about guns named for dogs, like the British (or Charter) Bulldog, etc.

One member scolded a man for wanting to talk there about guns to defend against attacks by aggressive dogs. So, I'm starting a topic about that.

How many of you have been menaced by dogs or other canids, like wolves, coyotes, dholes, dingoes, etc. ? (We have members in Australia, so don't laugh about dingoes being included.) We'll presume that no attacks have been recorded in recent times by thylacines, which look wolf-like, although not being real dog types. Most think they're extinct, although others say they've seen some in current times.

I've been menaced by several dogs, but the closest call was probably when I was working security for a client who'd had death threats. I parked in the brick driveway between her home and the servants' quarters and got out when the spirit moved and walked the grounds. I saw some interesting animals there, including gray foxes, Great Blue Herons, etc.

One night I glanced to my left and saw two big Rottweilers trot past my window, which was fortunately closed. They must have escaped from a nearby home and were running free. I'm lucky that I was in the car with the windows up. I was wearing a S&W M-66-3 with four-inch barrel and loaded with Federal's .357 Hydra-Shok load. I think that would be about right for a big Rottweiler or Doberman. But killing a dog there would probably elicit a protest from their wealthy owner and other pet owners in the neighborhood. Also, a bullet might exit a dog and endanger someone whose window might be pierced.

I'd certainly have shot if need be. I'm just glad that I avoided it.

I sat in my car for about 20 minutes and hoped the dogs were long gone, I went around back to a pavilion with a swimming pool where I had access to the restrooms and thankfully made it back to the car without seeing the dogs. They probably ran into some woods behind the house. May have been after opossums, raccoons, or rabbits. All lived there, as well as avian predators: Great Horned Owls and Eastern Screech Owls.

During the several years I worked there, I almost shot another domestic dog and one big, aggressive gray fox. I'm sure that coyotes were nearby. I've seen them in other parts of north Dallas, inc. one trotting down Lover's Lane at three AM, maybe hoping to bum a meal at a Jack in the Box a few blocks down the street.

My brother was attacked by a Doberman that lived next door to our mother's home. It had been chasing people in the neighborhood and the (bleeping) owners were very casual about controlling it. He shot it with a S &W M-60 snub .38 using lead SWC-HP Plus P ammo.He shot it just twice as it charged, the second bullet angling down into a shoulder from above as the mutt was about to bite. That dropped it briefly. The mutt rose and limped home, whining. There was some static from the owner, but the police refused to charge my brother.

Have you or a friend been charged by dogs? Details? Have you shot any? Details?

Every year, domestic dogs kill and injure many people. A couple of coyotes killed a girl in a Canadian park a few years ago. Pity: she was a quite talented singer.

I heard my wife one day yelling in the driveway. A large menacing dog had backed her back into her car. I had been working in the shop and wasn't armed,but ran inside in to grab a shotgun..that I keep fairly handy. When I came back out the dog was gone. I had every intention of sending that hound to the other side. I am a dog lover..but at that point..I did not see a dog..only an immediate threat to my family and I would accept full responsibility if I had to end it with OO buckshot.

I worked at the homes of @100 individuals each year. Seems everyone has a pet. I have been bit many times by dogs and horses of all things. Kind of a running joke with my employees. Send the boss in first to see if he gets bit. Most were just intimidated by a stranger or felt that their owner needed protection. No real fear on my part as I could tell no malice in their mannerism. There has only been 3 dogs that gave me pause and over the decades. One of my best friends has a shepherd that wants me for supper. It has bit me twice with them standing there. If he could, and they were not there it would be a battle to the death without doubt. A dingo in Washington state was another that had to be restrained at all times when I came near. Then there was a job at Hugh Hefner's brothers house in Aspen. While 3 of us went in, the 2 shepherds did not even look at the 2 others. They zeroed in on me and tried to take me twice when I was alone. The first time I got the door shut before they got me. The last time they chased me up on top of the truck. I had been there long enough that the owner came looking for his dogs and found me. I had a 36" Rigid pipe wrench in my hands and wasn't going to go down easy if it came to that. In 1974 I was deep in the Yukon when I saw a lone wolf on a frozen river. With just a 22 single shot rifle I went out for a closer look. When I got onto the ice I realized he was not alone. I had wolves on 3 sides. They graciously allowed this fool to slowly go back they way I had came.

Was that Keith Hefner in Aspen? I think he died a couple of years ago. I've seen his picture, but don't know much about him. I thought he lived in Los Angeles.

Are you some sort of handyman or plumber? I know postmen have a lot of dog problems.

I saw a YouTube video last night where a cop shot two dogs in a yard where they'd had a false burglar alarm. His body camera showed one dog going for him. The second, maybe. His gun wasn't identifiable.

A friend shot a 150+ pound charging Great Dane at about 10' with a 29-2 6.5" using Glaser Safety Slugs. The round hit the dog on the shoulder blade,fragmented and pealed back the skin about 8". The dog turned itself inside out to reverse directions.

Another friend, whose is a member of this forum, shot a charging German Shepherd attack dog at about the same distance with a Glock 19 9mm...not sure what the ammo was or how many rounds he fired but it never got to him. It had gotten out of a fenced in warehouse. The owner came out all apologetic and didn't even want the police notified...

I have no use for aggressive dogs and less use for their owners....

Bob

Answering a "Bad Dog" call, I was attacked by three (3) pit bull dogs when I was between my patrol car and the front door of the complaint's front door. I drew my issued Sig-Sauer P-229 .40 and started firing. All three pit bulls were struck in the frontal chest area with issued 180 grain JHP ammo. The dogs acted like nothing had happened ? The only thing that turned them were the loud gun shot sounds. After backup units arrived the dogs were tracked and finished off with 12 gauge shotguns.
From that time forward I never exited my patrol car on a "Bad Dog" call without my issued shotgun. (I seriously considered keeping an extra pair of underwear in my jump bag)

As a teen (maybe) walking my lab on a leash he was attacked by a group of at least 6 feral dogs. As expected the action is fast & furious. I took the chain leash off my dog so he could try to defend himself and used it as a whip, but only managed to hit my own dog mostly. That's when they turned on me as well. Luckily a neighbor with a bat broke it up. My dog was tore up, I was un bitten. (very lucky) If all the dogs were feral, over penetration would not have been as big an issue. Handgun caliber for a 60ish pound dog won't require much & MANY calibers could work. ANYTHING other than the dogs in the immediate area would be at risk of a miss or pass thru including yourself. In such a situation you couldn't have too many bullets, BUT just the noise from the first shot MIGHT scare them away. NOT a situation I would like to relive & find out what works best. I would advise stay calm enough not to spray & pray & waste your ammo & plan on being bitten. Each case being different I can't give a stock answer. Just you in the boonies a 45acp sounds good.

I was about 12 and wondering in the woods behind the cabin in the Laurel Highlands of Pa....... about a mile from any house/barn.

A pack of 6-8 "domestic"/feral dogs....... chasing a deer passed within 50yds.
All I had was a little 4" sheath knife......

Would they have attacked me?????? Who knows...... but I started to carry a gun (.22 rifle) from then on.

Today; it's either a 3 inch 60-10 (micro 686) or 3 or 4 inch 66 all .357s.

A rental house across the creek from me got rented to an unsavory bunch one spring. The had two Pitbull cross dogs that they refused to control. The animals had hurt several horses and a calf on that side of the creek.

They made the mistake one fine day of crossing the creek in search of trouble and digging under my pasture fence to play with my new crop of goat babies.

Oops, my Anatolians had a field day with them apparently. When I got home I found the remains of one ex pitbull, and a report from my nearest neighbor that the other one had been seen dragging one useless hind leg behind him as he headed for the creek.
I turned the dead one over to animal control and reported the owners.
I don't know whatever happened to those folks.
I've never been personally threatened by any sort of canid, but sure wouldn't hesitate to defend myself, a loved one or any of my animals.

A number of years back a Pitt was hanging around my front gate. Animal looked sick but would not let anyone near it as it would become aggressive or wander off. City animal control had been out several times but could not locate the dog. Eventually it made it back to my barn. For some reason my dog had no interaction with the Pitt.
I called animal control and when they arrived I questioned his lack of a firearm. He was not allowed to carry. So I got my 12ga. just to kind of watch over them. When they approached the dog he would just kinda walk away and circle. Head held low and growling. I came around the side of the barn to try to push the dog toward the dog catcher and his trustee partner.
When I did the dog started towards them, well not really. Head low, toward them, eyes looking toward me and started walking a little sideways in my direction. It just did not look or feel right. So one round of 3" Number four steel took care of it. Did not want to shoot the dog but wanted even less to get bit.

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Some men, you just can't reach

Yes it was Keith's house in Aspen. Them were 2 mean dogs. I had not heard that he had passed. I did not know him other than the time I worked at his residence. Most dogs that have bit me weren't actual bites as few drew blood. They would nip me in the calf leaving a dandy bruise. While on the local fire department we would respond to cars wrecks. Sometimes there were dogs in the wreck as well as people. Most of the dogs were hurt and would run away when approached and often were not caught till a day or 2 had passed. One wreck I responded to had 3 small children trapped in the back seat. The family dog was also present. Though not aggressive, he would put himself between me and the kids. They needed out as the car was smoldering but the dog would not allow it. Finally a rope was put around his neck and drug out of the car so we could cut the seat belts and get the kids. My job as a contractor took me to peoples homes to estimate and do work if I got the job so I often was at several houses per day.

Been bit three times on the job. Not real serious but they did draw blood. And I've been chased more times than I can remember. Cleared leather twice. Just as I put my finger on the trigger they stopped. I think they knew that things were not necessarily in their favor any more.

Each time I was bit was at a customers house. The dogs supposedly didn't bite as proclaimed by their owners. The dogs went from happy to mean in just seconds. Which baffles me because I love dogs and they love me. I've been to thousands of homes over 25 years so the bite ratio is very low. But I remember each dog vividly.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Only came close once...

Years ago while walking Pugsters at the park... a lady with her much larger dog was walking toward us. All of a sudden the dog went berserk coming at us, and was literally dragging the owner behind. Had the owner not gained control at the last moment I would have been forced to shoot that dog dead while the owner was still on the other end of the leash. How horrible would that have been, right? Ladies and gentlemen, keep control of your animals. No one wants to be put in a situation to have do it for you.

Have been attacked by 8 dogs near Pino Altos, NM.
Was not carrying a gun.
The dogs came at me from a camp in a National Forest.
I found a good sized piece of wood and backed up on a cactus patch.
You want back protection when attacked by multiple animals.
The 30-40 pound dogs ran at me snarling and barking.
The lead dogs closed to attack.
The rear dogs I don't think would ever attack.
The middle swing dogs would attack when the lead dogs attacked.
Just as the lead dog closed on me, got about 10 feet away, the scumbag dog owner jumped the fence and called them off.
So I never actually hit a dog.
My plan was to hit the lead dog hard on the head.
The scumbag of course explained that it was pretty much my fault.
The crawfished backwards as he talked as I kind of closed on him with the fence Post sized stick.
It took me a while to calm down!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Oh good a best caliber for Dog thread!

Around here the most common attack dogs are of the FOO FOO (dust mop) variety!

When walking my dog, I place kick them off my ankle.

I do carry a 9mm and bear spray along with a walking stick to defend against the other ones!

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Still Running Against the Wind

But you're not supposed to defend yourself right? At least that's what some dog owners think as they cry "why did you shoot my dog?!"

The first dog that bit me, I kicked in the ribs. The owner was incredulous as his dog yelped all the way back to the house. That was until he saw my bleeding hand.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

BIG Dogs "running loose" around here have an extremely short lifespan.

I heard my daughter's 4H rabbits raising hell in their pen on the back porch, and went out to see 2 pit bulls (one big, one little) trying to rip the cage open to have some bunny tartar. I had a .22 rifle by the back door and I gave the big one a round through the ribs. They took off and I called animal control. The guy came out, looked at my pasture, and said - next time shoot them in the head and bury them out there.

I've had to pepper spray a couple at work, but found snapping open an ASP baton actually worked better. I spent most of my time on Indian reservations in the West where loose dogs are just a fact of life. If I had shot every dog that tried to bite me I would have done nothing but shoot dogs and write reports about shooting dogs.

I did shoot a big chow once, but it had taken part in killing and eating a little boy so he had it coming.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

They're animals... and are not as predictable as we sometimes like to think they are.

Never was a more gentle dog than Pugsters. BUT... one day she began growling at a baby in a buggy. Huh? I have no clue why. She'd seen countless baby buggies at the park over the years. She was leashed and I had control so there was never any problem... but ya never know what's going to set off an animal. What would have happened if Pugsters was a larger more powerful dog that wasn't under control... ingredients for tragedy.

If there's a stranger working inside or outside the home, the dog needs to be isolated from contact, period. To do otherwise is just begging for 'my dog would never do that' to do just that.

At age 13, I was attacked by a hostile Golden Retriever (yes- they exist). One shot into the dog's head from my Crossman 10 pumper pistol using a heavy LRN pellet was sufficient to stop the event.

Like into his eye socket up close. The irresponsible owners deserve the beatdown IMO.