Attacked by a dog

[KevinB]

yeah...sometimes the dog owners are worse than the dogs.

Quoted for the truth.

these cops almost got their hand and arm chewed for playing too nice with a dog (ironically a Rottweiler...fast forward to 3 min mark):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h3N...has_verified=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnTJJfJLfo0

my recommendation is to deploy the spray early to keep the situation from going to deadly force.

Agreed -- both times I think the LEO's acted poorly, or at least could have acted in a manner that would have protected them better.

1) Don't arrest a dude, or even detain them, when they have a big dog and its not secured. IMHO a better course of action was "Sir - we need a moment of your time, please secure the dog (and then ask him to raise the windows so there is only a 2" crack - so the dog cannot get out).

2) Hmm, hear dogs barking - and realize it is "a big dog or two" - and then stand by door? Pepper Spray and Taser right there...

I'm a softy for dog's admittedly, I will use DF on a dog only as a last resort.

[MDS]

Here's a guy who's pretty calm about a coyote attack and/or friendly play. Of course, dude's a canuck so maybe this is his freaked-out voice.

Anyway, it seems a little mace could have gone a long way to keeping that dog away from people in the future.

[Malamute]

He didnt look aggressive, more curious and wanting to play.

I used to kill all the coyotes I saw. At some point I realized I didnt have anything against them, and didnt have much desire to kill stuff I didnt need to kill. I guess my standards or reasoning changed. If it needs shot, it gets shot, if not, I dont.

[fixer]

lol...not even close to an "attack". that dog was bored and wanted to play.

[MDS]

I think you all are right. More play than "eat" in that dog. But I would have maced it to maybe help keep it away from people in future. Playful doesn't equal safe...

[BaiHu]

Still doesn't answer who is crazier: Canuck or Coyote.

[NH Shooter]

lol...not even close to an "attack". that dog was bored and wanted to play.

+100

Kudos to Malamute for seeing it the way he does now.

[SamAdams]

I imagine the OP was in a very positive state, having spotted their friend & was looking forward to visiting with them.
Perfectly understandable that they let their guard down, if even for a moment or two. Anyone who says they are completely
'Switched On' 100% of the time is delusional IMO. (And during the very brief time that this happened, it likely passed the OP's mind that this was their friend's dog, not some random mutt off the street.)

This is a good lesson for all of us.

I like the ASP brand key chain OC dispenser similar in size/shape to a Kubotan. Well designed with quick & easily deployed trigger.
I wasn't there, so don't know all the details, but this likely would have been the tool I would have used - together with a strong Command Voice.

[bkpker]

Ive been in several situations as a cop when ive been faced with an aggressive dog. Usually it was because the dog sensed a threat to his pack (the owners) due to my presence. Dogs are very sensitive to people's, especially their owner's, moods and can tell when the owner doesn't want you there. One time very early in my career a very large Lab attacked me and I was able to keep it at bay with my legs and knees without getting bitten. I did draw my firearm but the owner was able to restrain the dog without me having to fire. I hesitated to shoot partially because the owners and their kids were right there and it would have been a way worse situation if I had killed the dog than it needed to be, however, I would have been justified in shooting the dog. Ive also been faced with other aggressive dogs, but usually the sound of my baton extending sends the dog the message not to mess with me. I had a dog owner one time on a traffic stop with a large husky in the car. The owner thought they would discourage me from approaching her car by rolling the back window down so the dog's head was sticking out. The dog looked like it wanted a piece of me, but a call on the PA to the driver telling her I was going to mace her dog if she didn't roll the window up fixed that situation.

I used to think that I would shoot a dog if it was being aggressive, but honestly there are many other ways to deal with an aggressive dog before you would need to shoot that it really isn't necessary in most instances. Being a dog owner also colors my opinion of dogs as well. I love my dogs, while I don't view them as people, I don't understand why you would lower the use of force bar just because its a dog. If you were being run at by a person threatening to bite you, you probably wouldn't be justified in shooting them right off the bat (they aren't probably an imminent deadly threat), why do we think that a single dog threatening to bite us (generally in an extremity) is a deadly threat to be met with deadly force? The rules obviously can change as a situation escalates, or if there are multiple dogs, the dog appears diseased or a child being attacked etc etc, but you get my point.

[45dotACP]

I had the misfortune to witness a dog attack one of my neighbors kids. It wasn't a territorial growl and a little snap, it was a fully aggressive attack with intent to kill and trust me, the difference in the mannerisms will stand out. Kid tried to break up a fight between the family spaniel and a larger, stray dog of indeterminate breed. Instead of grabbing the hind legs and pulling like you're supposed to, he grabbed the stray by the scruff and it turned on him, knocked him over and went after his throat. He had the presence of mind to get in the fetal position, but he still ended up needing some stitches, rabies shots and a ton of antibiotics. Most dogs will just growl, bristle and snap at people. Mace would be appropriate then, but for a dog in a frenzy, I'd have my doubts about Mace