How do you defend your dog? or yourself?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work for animal control. I love it when people call to say they were “ attacked by a pitbull” upon follow up it turns out “ attack” to them meant they were barked at. And the pitbull was actually a mastiff, boxer, even a pure lab once……. So if you’re going to take, stab, or shoot someone else’s dog you’d better legitimately feel like you aloe dog are in legit danger. Being barked at is not it.,

I don't think anyone here has suggested harming a dog simply because they are barking at them. That being said, if such a dog were to break free from their owner's control and come charging towards me from across the street I'm not going to wait until the dog has latched onto my body to mace it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live that so many pitbulls are around?

I'm not OP but where I live in Alexandria is almost exclusively pit bulls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work for animal control. I love it when people call to say they were “ attacked by a pitbull” upon follow up it turns out “ attack” to them meant they were barked at. And the pitbull was actually a mastiff, boxer, even a pure lab once……. So if you’re going to take, stab, or shoot someone else’s dog you’d better legitimately feel like you aloe dog are in legit danger. Being barked at is not it.,

Thank you! Some dogs are reactive and bark but doesn't mean they will attack.

[Anonymous]

I'm not understanding the issue. Unless you are the puppy owner that I love that doesn't actually invest in dog training and allows their puppy to jump on dogs and other people. In which case, you and your dog will get bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live that so many pitbulls are around?

I'm not OP but where I live in Alexandria is almost exclusively pit bulls.

Yep—because they’re the vast majority of what’s available at the shelter and now they don’t even make any attempt to identify breeds. I feel sorry for all the naive virtue-signaling dog owners that are ending up with these “pittiies”—who are oh so sweet—until they’re not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work for animal control. I love it when people call to say they were “ attacked by a pitbull” upon follow up it turns out “ attack” to them meant they were barked at. And the pitbull was actually a mastiff, boxer, even a pure lab once……. So if you’re going to take, stab, or shoot someone else’s dog you’d better legitimately feel like you aloe dog are in legit danger. Being barked at is not it.,

Thank you! Some dogs are reactive and bark but doesn't mean they will attack.

So how is someone supposed to tell the difference? Yes many are just reactive - BUT some actually will attack. My dog was attacked and nearly killed by an Akita several years ago that neighbors would always say was really all bark but no bite. Yet when he got free he ran about 40 feet to chase my dog and I down and viciously attacked her. Punctured her lung and caused horrible damage. And nothing I could do would make him release her - took three people.

What we are discussing in this thread is what do you do WHEN/IF attacked... not when a dog merely barks at you or has a hissy fit. So stop acting like people are wrong for wondering what they can do if they ARE actually attacked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding the issue. Unless you are the puppy owner that I love that doesn't actually invest in dog training and allows their puppy to jump on dogs and other people. In which case, you and your dog will get bit.

What on earth are you talking about? We're talking about dogs across the street having a raging fit and whose owners have to fight to hold back their pit when any other human and their dog pass on the OTHER side of the street. No one is talking about a puppy jumping on others. And even if a puppy did jump on you or your dog - you shouldn't get bitten. Any dog that does that can never be introduced to ANY other dog/puppy because some don['t have good manners.

[Anonymous]

OP, I know what you mean. On a hike recently and owner had to restrain his pit as I walked by with my kids. If you have to restrain your dog by the collar when a 5 year old walks by, it needs to be put down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I know what you mean. On a hike recently and owner had to restrain his pit as I walked by with my kids. If you have to restrain your dog by the collar when a 5 year old walks by, it needs to be put down.

bUt, He’S a ReScUe!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We got a puppy recently and have been walking him around our street each day. There are dozens of dog owners that pass our house and live in our neighborhood or the adjacent street multiple times a day.

There are 3 Pitbull owners in our neighborhood. The OWNERS of ALL three dogs do not let them near any other dogs or people because they " do not get along well with other dogs" or "are grumpy" as the owners put it. Which we can clearly see because the dogs fly into a fit of rage when they pass on the other side of the street. The owners are all very friendly and recognize its not safe to let their dogs near others - and therefore cross the street and keep roughly 25 feet or more away at all times.

All that being said. There is something unnerving about the thought that every day we are counting on these strong dogs being controlled. And after watching one of the owners struggling to hold her large pit back yesterday it made me wonder WHAT can I even do if the dog breaks free (collar/leash breaks, owner loses grip...)? How do I protect myself AND my puppy/dog?

I realize the odds of that happening are very small. But that doesn't give me much peace of mind.

Do you go around thinking "what bad stuff will happen?" Because that's no way to live. Look, the owners are addressing the issue by staying away from other dogs and people. If you feel nervous turn around when you see them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I know what you mean. On a hike recently and owner had to restrain his pit as I walked by with my kids. If you have to restrain your dog by the collar when a 5 year old walks by, it needs to be put down.

No, the dog does not need to be put down. Maybe if the dog mauled you but, not if the dog lunges and barks...good grief. You take a risk by going into areas where there are dogs/wildlife that might harm you. Since the dog did not do anything to you than you are insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live that so many pitbulls are around?

I'm not OP but where I live in Alexandria is almost exclusively pit bulls.

Yep—because they’re the vast majority of what’s available at the shelter and now they don’t even make any attempt to identify breeds. I feel sorry for all the naive virtue-signaling dog owners that are ending up with these “pittiies”—who are oh so sweet—until they’re not.

It costs money to identify the dogs. And all dogs can attack harm people so you are the naïve one. This is an interesting article ( doubt you will read the whole thing since you are a hater) by Victoria Stilwell on pit bull breeds.

https://positively.com/victorias-blog/the-truth-about-pit-bulls/#:~:text=All%20too%20often%20people%20get,for%20themselves%20or%20their%20families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live that so many pitbulls are around?

I'm not OP but where I live in Alexandria is almost exclusively pit bulls.

Yep—because they’re the vast majority of what’s available at the shelter and now they don’t even make any attempt to identify breeds. I feel sorry for all the naive virtue-signaling dog owners that are ending up with these “pittiies”—who are oh so sweet—until they’re not.

It costs money to identify the dogs. And all dogs can attack harm people so you are the naïve one. This is an interesting article ( doubt you will read the whole thing since you are a hater) by Victoria Stilwell on pit bull breeds.

https://positively.com/victorias-blog/the-truth-about-pit-bulls/#:~:text=All%20too%20often%20people%20get,for%20themselves%20or%20their%20families.

NP. The author makes some good points - and I agree that not all pit bulls or pit mixes are bad. But there's also something to be said for looking at facts vs. opinion. And the bite and death statistics you can see in the attached article show that pit bulls and pit mixes are a dangerous breed. https://topdogtips.com/statistics-on-dog-bites/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Walk wiht a large long walking stick. If you or your dog gets a pitbull jaw around a limb, prising it open wiht the stick is the only way to get it off, pepper spray and knives will just make the dog bite harder

I promise that when the pit bull is sufficiently exsanguinated it will let go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Walk wiht a large long walking stick. If you or your dog gets a pitbull jaw around a limb, prising it open wiht the stick is the only way to get it off, pepper spray and knives will just make the dog bite harder

If a pit bull latches onto my dog, the knife may make it madder, but when the jaw will release once I gut it

Have you ever “gutted” anything, let alone a living animal in motion?

It may not have occurred to you that it is possible to injure yourself with your knife in the fracas.