Keep it handy!

[rentalguy1]

It's not a stereotype, fellas. It's fact. As I said before, my wife is a animal control officer, and has been one for about 15 years. Out of all the aggressive dogs that she has had to pick up, about eighty five percent were either pit bulls, or pit bull mixes. There were occasionally other breeds, even small dogs, but mostly pit bulls. The other breed that fits this category is a chow. The reason these dogs are always ok in the eyes of the owner, is because the owner rarely ever sees what the dog is capable of and will do when not around the owner, and either protecting it's property (which is understandable), or loose, and running at large. There are cases, such as one today, where the full blooded pit was actually a sweet dog, but you really never know. I will say that the only time she has been bitten was by a rottie. But it was blind, and she didn't know it. Her presence startled the dog and he reacted. It ended up being a sweet dog, too. It was just scared at that particular moment.

[ftncityfatboy]

went to office party in downtown Kville, had to walk couple of blocks due to lack of parking & it was dark. IWB under sweater and trench coat. Never thought about accessibility until leaving party. Then this tread rang in my ear, "Keep it handy" so I checked to see who and if anyone was behind me, unholstered firearm and put into trench coat pocket until reaching car, then back in holster. So we must keep reminding ourselves "KEEP IT HANDY". thanks for starting this tread, it is a great reminder!!!!

[Guest Eagle One]

Thanks for posting, valuable lessons to be learned. If the tool is not accessible it is worthless.

Would your wife really have killed a family member's dog? I would have a problem doing that myself unless the dog was known to be unstable and or vicious.

I have a 5 year old and a 6 year old and if anyone's dog bites either one of them or my wife or me the dog is opossum fodder and if it is my sisters dog I may take some of it out on her also (I do love my sis....) and I love animals, animals that chew on children are useless.....

[Guest Eagle Eye]

As Cesar Millan says. No bad dogs. Poorly trained by people dogs. He has several rehabbed pit bulls. BUT he does say that some breeds, like pits, accelerate more quickly and react more strongly to the same inciting incident. I'm no dog expert but I watch one on TV.

[Il Duce]

i agree. my boxer is one of the friendliest dogs and is awesome with kids and people during the day. once nightfall comes and youre in the yard or approaching it he will rip your face off. my gf took him out one night and this guy came up towards the yard. she went airborn as he took off breaking her pinky and nearly her leg hitting a planter as he tried to get the guy. he is EXTREMELY protective of her.

[partypilot1]

Not to sound like a monday morning quarterback but it sounds like beating the trusted family dog was the most logical choice which yielded the proper result instead of discharging a projectile at nearly the speed of sound around a fast moving target attached to your child...

I would tell your wife she exercised good judgement in a high stress situation...

[Guest LieutenantDan67]

Not to sound like a monday morning quarterback but it sounds like beating the trusted family dog was the most logical choice which yielded the proper result instead of discharging a projectile at nearly the speed of sound around a fast moving target attached to your child...

I would tell your wife she exercised good judgement in a high stress situation...

Ditto on that....shooting a smaller animal that is already on someone and attacking is VERY risky to the person under attack. Now if we're talking about a bear attack, that's different because you AREN'T going to get anywhere with a heavy purse.

I pocket carry a 642. When I'm walking around in parking lots or filling up at the gas station, my hand in my pocket on the grip, but it just looks casual to the outside observer.

[dkd83]

I deal with the easily deployable question daily. I have Multiple Sclerosis and now have to use a cane. I use the cane in my right hand which is also my pistol hand. Drop and draw is my plan but I have not found a good solution for this.

[Armed Aviator]

I want you to listen to me. I am going to say this again. Muttling did not have sexual relations with that pit bull. I never told that dog to lie, not a single time. Never. These allegations are false.

[DavidM]

I had a similar incident with a black lab once, without going as far as the attack. He was a great dog. Then, for what I can only determine as "no good reason whatsoever", the he decided to curl his lips back and show all his pearly whites at a relative one day. Not just that intimidating growl. Nooooo, the low, tail-not-wagging growl. He did that with everybody from that point on, except me. Needless to say, he met his maker earlier than he had hoped.

[SamZzz]

Yeah, I think trying to shoot the dog would have been a bad choice in this situation. Don't know that I would ever try to shoot at a dog attacking me, but I have given one a shot of pepper spray in the muzzle.. they don't care too much for that, by the way.

[safeandsecure]

Guitarsnguns, very sorry to hear that your son (and your wife) went through this. I, too, have been dogbit (more than once, all job related), and our own family pet ... okay, it was the wife's pet ... once attacked our son. Never showed any aggressive tendencies until one day it tried to go for the throat of our small boy. About 60 stitches later (all in the arms, as he was in a defensive position), he was okay. (Never happened again; I broke the dog's $%@# neck.) Still have dogs. Never had another, before or after, that was aggressive to a family member or friend.

You're right. Never enough warning, so a weapon HAS to be readily deployable. I'll add my good wishes and prayers for your son, and pay some praise to your wife. Sounds like she did good.

[SamZzz]

I had a similar incident with a black lab once, without going as far as the attack. He was a great dog. Then, for what I can only determine as "no good reason whatsoever", the he decided to curl his lips back and show all his pearly whites at a relative one day. Not just that intimidating growl. Nooooo, the low, tail-not-wagging growl. He did that with everybody from that point on, except me. Needless to say, he met his maker earlier than he had hoped.

That's when YOU.. the person he obviously feels is dominant over him and not a threat needs to put him on the ground. Instantly and without hesitation. And I don't mean with a bullet. My Shepherd has done that ONE time. She growled at my sister-in-law when I invited her into the house. Sasha (my Shepherd) felt she was intruding and growled her warning. I rolled Sasha right then and there. Sis-in-law can walk in the house now with nothing more than a few barks until the door is opened and she sees who is there. The "no good reason whatsoever" was a perfect reason for him. He was protecting what was his.. you. By letting him get away with it, you told him that was the right thing to do.

[wjh2657]

I'm not so sure how instant a pocket holster is going to be.

I guarantee it will be as fast as a 1911 in an IWB under three layers of clothing!

[Guest Ggun]

^^^LOL

I've used some tuckable holsters with tucked in dress shirts. I sometimes feel as though I might as well not even chamber.