Dogs running loose

**Bahrahsimo** · 19-12-2009, 15:55

In the past week or so we had a lot to say about the lawyer who shot the kitten. Also the guys who killed the husky a while ago.

Today we had an incident, where two bulldogs got loose a couple of houses from us. They did try to get onto our property, but luckily for us and our dogs, they couldn't get in. Not that they didn't try.

Next minute we heard our neighbor's son shouting. As we ran out (me with a club) the two dogs tackled their old rottie, as he was protecting his owner. The kid got hold of a garden hose and spayed them, luckily they ran off.

With no dogs in sight we went over to make sure everything was OK. The rottie had no injuries, but he is very old and those two could have killed him.

We just closed our gates when I saw a guy coming around the street corner, minding his own business. I told him to rather walk around the other way. My words was hardly cold and the guy turned, when I saw one of the dogs coming around the other side of our road. This one wanted to go after the guy, but stopped when I started to hit the fence and after a minute or so barking at us, went the way he came.

We have young kids running around here and if one of those dogs got held of a kid, there would be nothing left.

I really saw red today. I'm all for anti-cruelty, as I am an animal lover. But I say today, if those dogs attacked a child, that man or my dogs, I would have hit them to kingdom come.

Which I knew whose dogs they were, so I could have a little chat with them. Maybe have the SPCA there as well.

OK... Now I need a

Tobias

**skittel66** · 19-12-2009, 23:04

Eish, that is truly scary indeed.

In this situation I think it is very different though... an animal harming a human (especially a child) calls for immediate and appropriate action. If there was a chance of one of these dogs injuring a child, you would be compelled to intervene, whether it means merely scaring the dog away or killing it in the act of protecting a 3rd party. Treat it the same you would a criminal jeopardising a loved one or a 3rd party I guess.

I'm glad to hear that nothing serious came of this situation and good work on the quick action to protect / assist neighbours and passerbys :) This is exactly the type of response any neighbour would hope for from their community. Nice one.

**FrankH** · 19-12-2009, 23:20

I would no qualms in shooting a dog if it was attacking someone innocent. A few years ago ,my wife and I had a close call with two Steffie's while out walking. It had got to the point where I had already drawn my gun. The dogs ,especially the male just wouldn't back down even though we were retreating back slowly. Luckily after a couple of minutes he did. If he had come a meter closer I wouldn't have had second thoughts.

**Corné** · 20-12-2009, 18:03

I just love Bulldogs (and I hate cats) but the same apply to dogs....they must remain within the owners property or when outside this perimeter.....under the control of the owner. A dog that runs loose and especially one that is aggresavie is a problem animal and must be dealt with accordingly.

I would think that (in the absence of someone actually been attacked) the appropriate action would be to try and get hold of the owners as to get them to address the situation. It is IMO easier to identify the owner of a dog than a cat and thus IMO there is a difference in how I would deal with these two. With a problem dog I would rather try to get hold of the owner (if possible) and let him deal with it but that would also depend on the specific situation. If a attack is taking place....then immidate action is required and whatever is appropriate must be the course of action .

**DILLI-GAF** · 20-12-2009, 18:29

We had a situation where a boerboel cross attacked our garden assistant while he was on his way down our street, groceries in hand. We fired the SG to scare the dog off but the dog instead attacked, rather than ran away. Had no option but to dispose of the dog.

The dog had a chain attached, which indicates to me that the dog was a known problem dog that had gotten loose. Funny, nobody claimed the dog!

**Bahrahsimo** · 20-12-2009, 18:59

We are still trying to identify the owners of the two dogs. Will have a little chat with them.

The situation could have turned out really badly.
The old rottie is not to badly injured and is his old self.
The guy, I warned got away..
No kids were injured

We have a lot of young ones riding their bikes and walking around here.
Also our one neighbor who always takes his little dogs for a walk. Most of these would not have been a match for these two.

It is sad to have to put down a troubled dog, as a lot of the time it is not the dog that is to blame...

**abhm** · 21-12-2009, 07:24

there is a spin off from this let me first say I agree whole heartedly with the sentiments expressed thus far now let me give you guys a different story

Yesterday I go to the dog park! well its a combined dog and children park AND CLEARLY SIGN POSTED AS SUCH!
I am in an area about oh 50 meters away from a group of three kids playing under the supervision of whom I assume is their grandfather! nothing wrong a picture of suburburban bliss! My son, wife and dog are with me, my dog is on leash and like I said 50 meters away now suddenly the kiddies see my dog, I will admit to me he is just a big puppy but to others apparently a largish german shepherd is akin to seeing blackwater psd with assault rifles wandering down the street! the performance put up by these kids would have won them oscars, screaming and howling and the dog standing on leash looking really confused!

Gramps comes storming over "how dare you scare the kiddies" Big Mistake on his part, he had far more than the dog to worry about! My pregnant wife! before I can say or do anything, tells him all about free area's and then tells him to "leave the immediate area post haste!" (point of information here, forget PMS there is nothing worse than the wrong side of a pregnant woman!) Anyway we then move even further away and play one of the dogs favourit games he takes his leash between from myself to my wife, again bear in mind he is quite advanced in his obedience training and is completely ignoring the other lot and we are at the closest point now about 75 meters away! Again Gramps throws a huff although does not make the mistake of trying to approach, again the kids are doing the oscar bits and its howls and screams when ever they see the dog! I choose to ignore this until the screams become so grating I take the dog even further away and we do some drills so that I can show them he is obedient! We are busy with our sit stays when the frikking chorus pipes up again! I look over my shoulder and the kiddies have advanced towards me! Enough is enough I think
The dog is in a close heel and on leash and I march right up to them, of course the dog ignores them completely! they catterwaul away and I go right on by, showing them the dog is trained and has no interest in them! Now I can see gramps is revved up he wants to start dog free south africa right there and is likely printing up the pamphlets in his mind!
He starts on about again about bringing big attack dogs (my dog is only nine months old, a fricking puppy!) to a childrens park, I bring Rinty to a sit right under the sign that says dogs welcome! turn to the old man and in my best Scottish ask him to grow up and act his age!

Now the point of the story aside from humour of course is this! Yes your animals be they budgies, goats (T have you remembered to feed the boerbok? by the way!) or dogs are your responsibility just like your family and your firearms! They should not be wandering the streets anymore than your children (or should I say your human children should!) They should be trained (just like your human children!) they should have manners and you need to be able to control them off leash! You never know when you will meet up with the hysterical uber liberal who would scream bloody murder at the site of your child playing with a cap gun never mind your "vicious attack dog". The advantages of the obedience training was never more apparent to me there! I was waiting for gramps to call the Metro Police or the SAPS to complain about the "horrendous assault" he was experiencing, I would have been able to give them an entertaining display of just how obedient my dog is both on and off leash, point to the lack of marks on anyone of the so called "victims". After gramps and his troupe of actors left two other dog owners who had observed the whole thing came up and were very complimentary of the display of obedience, of course Rinty decided at that exact point to break stay and chase the hell out of an arrogant Hadida Ibis!

**abhm** · 21-12-2009, 07:29

by the way all pepper spray works a treat on dogs! in fact if dogs are a significant part of your threat matrix get in touch with Sean Murphy or Big T! they can sort you out!

**Bahrahsimo** · 21-12-2009, 07:41

Originally Posted by abhm

After gramps and his troupe of actors left two other dog owners who had observed the whole thing came up and were very complimentary of the display of obedience, of course Rinty decided at that exact point to break stay and chase the hell out of an arrogant Hadida Ibis!

I can just imagine.
Picture the following:

Miniature Doberman Pincher (Pepper, more like a little chili pepper) stalking a full grown Hadida.
Medium Chaw (Beer) looks on.
Pepper gets closer and closer
Hadida spots Pepper
Hadida storms Pepper
Pepper runs with the speed of lightning, Beer giving chase

That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. But then again we have very funny animals.

**Sean Murphy** · 22-12-2009, 10:49

I have been attacked by dogs more than once and it is extremely unerving. On one occasion I was caught by surprise by a dog (large mixed breed) rushing out of an open gate as I walked past. The dog was extremely agressive and the sudden barking only a couple of meters to my side gave me a huge scare. I instictively drew my pistol and turned to face the dog ready to fire(Swattie would have been impressed). At this point the dog read my body language and decided to live. It turned and bolted back into the gate. Situation neutralised. I will, however, never forget the wide eyed looks of the bus full of people who were stopped at the bus stop only a few meters away.

I was attacked again a few weeks ago while out jogging at 05:30 in the morning. Similar MO from a dog (GSD) that was lying in front of it's gate. This time the threat of my ASP type baton being extended was enough to get it to back off and let me go on my way. Most dogs will respond to your threat and back off. If they don't then do what you have to do.

Sean.