# I fired a Warning Shot......



## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Then I immediately called the police. 
I was bike riding (early morning) when a very large dog came charging towards me.( and wasn't wagging his tail ),
The dog stopped immediately after I fired into the culvert embankment.

The police arrived immediately after I called them, took down my name, identification. 
I told the officer I was bicycling back in the same direction, and I was fearful that the dog was gonna charge again. 
The officer said ok, I'll follow you past the point where the dog charged.
He followed in his patrol car, when I reached the point,,,HERE COMES THE DOG CHARGING OUT TOWARDS ME!!
The officer immediately took action and fired a warning shot. 
The officer then proceeded with his vehicle to the home where the charging Dog lived. 
It was a country road rural type area outside the city. 

My biggest concern after firing the warning shot ? Who may have me in their line of sights with their firearm. 
The initial situation could have looked much different in the eyes of somebody waking up ( dog owner ) hearing the gunshot. 
Even a justified warning shot can play out very badly. I was lucky, justified, but I surely wasn't gonna be attacked by a dog.


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## Budlight_909 (Aug 31, 2020)

pic said:


> Then I immediately called the police.
> I was bike riding (early morning) when a very large dog came charging towards me.( and wasn't wagging his tail ),
> The dog stopped immediately after I fired into the culvert embankment.
> 
> ...


i do not know how true it is, but dogs have an innate ability to time things for a chase.

i was told, either speed up, or slow down, or even stop briefly, and that messes up the dogs bearings on you.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I have a friend who has been an ACO (animal control officer) for well over 20 yrs. He is also an avid bicycler.

He swears by bear spray. There's various brands and sizes. He has a holder on his bicycle frame that makes it easily accessible.

He's also said that the vast majority of dogs that chase, will not physically attack if you stop. On a bicycle, make sure that your bike is between the two of you, and use it as a shield.


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

paratrooper said:


> I have a friend who has been an ACO (animal control officer) for well over 20 yrs. He is also an avid bicycler.
> 
> He swears by bear spray. There's various brands and sizes. He has a holder on his bicycle frame that makes it easily accessible.
> 
> He's also said that the vast majority of dogs that chase, will not physically attack if you stop. On a bicycle, make sure that your bike is between the two of you, and use it as a shield.


Shoot the effin dog....end of problem. One comes after me it will be the last time it comes after anyone. I might try to stop it with a warning shot but if it doesn't stop its lights out for the dog. My old neighbor was sued and it cost their insurance $60k for a dog bite on a passing bicyclist. Dog bite lawsuits are the fastest growing personal injury lawsuits in the country in the past several years.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

My wife and I like to take a walk just before dusk or so. I always take a stout walking stick with me. It's about 5' tall. 

When on foot, I'm constantly checking my surroundings for dogs. Many dogs will approach w/o making a sound. Around here, the leash law is pretty much respected and a loose dog is pretty rare.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

RK3369 said:


> Shoot the effin dog....end of problem. One comes after me it will be the last time it comes after anyone. I might try to stop it with a warning shot but if it doesn't stop its lights out for the dog.


This is my best friend Cooper. He has been shot at once and I should have shot the son of a bitch that shot at him. I doubt I would hesitate should it ever occur again.

GW


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I respect responsible dog owners and well-behaved dogs. 

Too bad they're not all that way.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

paratrooper said:


> I have a friend who has been an ACO (animal control officer) for well over 20 yrs. He is also an avid bicycler.
> 
> He swears by bear spray. There's various brands and sizes. He has a holder on his bicycle frame that makes it easily accessible.
> 
> He's also said that the vast majority of dogs that chase, will not physically attack if you stop. On a bicycle, make sure that your bike is between the two of you, and use it as a shield.


I did just that , I stopped , put the bike between myself and the dog. 
The dog never made it to close to me, but that is the defensive posture.

I was once playing softball centerfield, suddenly out of nowhere a German Shepherd came charging after me. 
I kept my baseball glove between me and the dog. 
It seemed like a very long time before they came running out with baseball bats to help. ,lol. 
Never played baseball, golf,bicycling etc without a little something to rely upon.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Goldwing said:


> This is my best friend Cooper. He has been shot at once and I should have shot the son of a bitch that shot at him. I doubt I would hesitate should it ever occur again.
> 
> GW


Exactly,,, after I shot the warning shot,, I didn't know anyone's mindset or if anyone was watching.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

I guess the best thing for those that have a dog is to not let it run loose. If out for a walk keep it on a leash. This way they won't have to worry about it getting hit by a vehicle, get into a fight with another animal, crapping on the neighbors property or getting shot by someone who it's charging after. 

I've been out hiking when I've come across other's who feel that since they're on a trail it's okay to let their dogs run wild. Not taking into consideration what the dog could encounter. Whether it be other hikers, mountain bikers, other animals either dead or alive and rattlesnakes. 

No question about it, if someone's dog is not on a leash or kept in a yard they're gonna' get sued if the dog bites someone. Especially if it's a young child out playing with their friends.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Way more times than not, if a dog bites someone, it's pretty much assumed that the owner of the dog did not have it under control. 

There are of course, some exceptions. But.....you really have to have your ducks in a perfect row to have that happen and be deemed not responsible.


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Goldwing said:


> This is my best friend Cooper. He has been shot at once and I should have shot the son of a bitch that shot at him. I doubt I would hesitate should it ever occur again.
> 
> GW


If your dog is under control and not a threat to anyone, then no problem. I love dogs just as much as the next person but one that threatens me that I do not know and is not under the owners control is a problem. I've had people say " oh he doesn't bite" and guess what? Been bit. You can not trust an animal that you do not know. Sorry but people need to keep their animals under control. Now if I'm on your property without permission, where I don't belong to begin with, well, then yeah, I would expect the dog to defend its property. On a public road or public property, different story.


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## Cypher (May 17, 2017)

Goldwing said:


> This is my best friend Cooper. He has been shot at once and I should have shot the son of a bitch that shot at him. I doubt I would hesitate should it ever occur again.
> 
> GW


Was your dog running loose off your property?


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

RK3369 said:


> If your dog is under control and not a threat to anyone, then no problem. I love dogs just as much as the next person but one that threatens me that I do not know and is not under the owners control is a problem. I've had people say " oh he doesn't bite" and guess what? Been bit. You can not trust an animal that you do not know. Sorry but people need to keep their animals under control. Now if I'm on your property without permission, where I don't belong to begin with, well, then yeah, I would expect the dog to defend its property. On a public road or public property, different story.


Here's the story:
I went to a rural junkyard to get some new seats for my Jeep. I was told by the owner that his guys were busy and that I could go up to the yard and pull them myself. I told him I had my dog with me and asked if that was ok. He said it was fine and said he hoped my dog would kill a woodchuck that had been digging holes.
While I was beneath the Jeep taking the last bolts out a white van came speeding up the dirt road, skidded to a stop while a guy jumped out and fired two shots at my dog. I yelled "Do not shoot my dog!" 
The asshole turned and yelled back "I didn't know you were here." He then jumped back in the van and sped off again.
I checked Cooper for injuries and put him in the truck, loaded my seats and had a talk with the shooter. It was not pleasant.

GW


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

I don’t blame you for that. You were where you had permission to be. What excuse did the shooter offer? besides the guy was in a vehicle and obviously the dog was not a threat to him.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

I didn't stress how important it is to make that immediate 911 call.
Percentage wise, first callers are the responsible party that the police will most likely seek out in their initial response


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Goldwing said:


> Here's the story:
> I went to a rural junkyard to get some new seats for my Jeep. I was told by the owner that his guys were busy and that I could go up to the yard and pull them myself. I told him I had my dog with me and asked if that was ok. He said it was fine and said he hoped my dog would kill a woodchuck that had been digging holes.
> While I was beneath the Jeep taking the last bolts out a white van came speeding up the dirt road, skidded to a stop while a guy jumped out and fired two shots at my dog. I yelled "Do not shoot my dog!"
> The asshole turned and yelled back "I didn't know you were here." He then jumped back in the van and sped off again.
> ...


Your first response should have been a 911 call , sometimes you don't hang up, everything is recorded during the confrontation, easy set up in your favor.
You being the only party with an active 911 recording, they'll hang themselves while you remain calm , cool n collective


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Yeah.....under those circumstances, I too, would have had a face to face talk with the owner of the business / property.

I hope you got your Jeep seats for *FREE! *


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Sometimes if alone , a continuous 911 call can corroborate your story


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

I ride horse back through some neighborhoods at times and I carry a can of Raid wasp & hornet foam spray it has a range of 25' and works well in the dogs faces. The dog does have to be off it's property. North Carolina law states you can use up to and including deadly force to protect your livestock.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

tony pasley said:


> I ride horse back through some neighborhoods at times and I carry a can of *Raid wasp & hornet foam spray *it has a range of 25' and works well in the dogs faces. The dog does have to be off it's property. North Carolina law states you can use up to and including deadly force to protect your livestock.


I actually keep a can in my Jeep for a different type of "dog".
If asked, I may have a phobia of Africanized killer bees.

GW


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

It works well on all types of threating "animals"


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

tony pasley said:


> It works well on all types of threating "animals"


As long as you are very accurate with the narrow stream of spray they produce. I prefer a _fogging_ _spray_. I.E., the bear spray. They produce a very wide spray pattern.


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## TTT (May 3, 2020)

Goldwing said:


> This is my best friend Cooper. He has been shot at once and I should have shot the son of a bitch that shot at him. I doubt I would hesitate should it ever occur again.
> 
> GW


I agree. The whole reason we domesticated wolves to begin with was for mutual survival. We fed them and in exchange they helped protect us and evolved into dogs. When a dog sees a human and charges, that is his instinct (if not training in this lifetime). I understand that it could be lethal, but that's what dogs do. I think bear spray is the best solution. If it can work on a bear, I see no reason it won't work on a dog. Dogs aren't stupid, and a domesticated dog-unlike some bears who might continue fighting (as they have been known to do)-would likely back off given a good dose of bear spray.

Dogs consider their owners family, we are part of their pack. As such, humans should reciprocate in my opinion (unlike my great grandmother who grew up on a farm and probably kept the dog outside and treated it like another farm animal). God help the person who shoots one of my dogs Thomas [Jefferson] and Harlee for charging and barking (especially while he or she's on my property). I won't make matters worse for myself by firing on the person, but god help them when I seek retribution later (whether that is in the form of litigation or otherwise). My wife and dogs _are_ among my best friends & family, and anyone hurting them (or ending lives) is going to live to regret shooting them if I have my way about it.

That said, people need to control their dogs as well because if I'm out walking minding my own business and a dog comes running out and launches itself at me, it's going to get a whole lot of .357 SIG if I have my way about it.


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## Cypher (May 17, 2017)




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## SSGN_Doc (Mar 12, 2020)

The other problem with Wasp spray is that it is actually a neurotoxin. It can have lasting effects that pepper spray doesn’t cause.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

SSGN_Doc said:


> The other problem with Wasp spray is that it is actually a neurotoxin. It can have lasting effects that pepper spray doesn't cause.


I wanted to comment on the person receiving the wasp spray in the face, but didn't know what to say


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

TTT said:


> I agree. The whole reason we domesticated wolves to begin with was for mutual survival. We fed them and in exchange they helped protect us and evolved into dogs. When a dog sees a human and charges, that is his instinct (if not training in this lifetime). I understand that it could be lethal, but that's what dogs do. I think bear spray is the best solution. If it can work on a bear, I see no reason it won't work on a dog. Dogs aren't stupid, and a domesticated dog-unlike some bears who might continue fighting (as they have been known to do)-would likely back off given a good dose of bear spray.
> 
> Dogs consider their owners family, we are part of their pack. As such, humans should reciprocate in my opinion (unlike my great grandmother who grew up on a farm and probably kept the dog outside and treated it like another farm animal). God help the person who shoots one of my dogs Thomas [Jefferson] and Harlee for charging and barking (especially while he or she's on my property). I won't make matters worse for myself by firing on the person, but god help them when I seek retribution later (whether that is in the form of litigation or otherwise). My wife and dogs _are_ among my best friends & family, and anyone hurting them (or ending lives) is going to live to regret shooting them if I have my way about it.
> 
> ...


Not purely buying a 20,000 year old domestic evolvement from wolves. 
I can't buy the theory we evolved from apes either


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

pic said:


> Not purely buying a 20,000 year old domestic evolvement from wolves.
> I can't buy the theory we evolved from apes either


You're giving the human species way too much credit.


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## Slowalkintexan (Feb 6, 2007)

Are your dogs trained to voice commands?


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## TTT (May 3, 2020)

pic said:


> Not purely buying a 20,000 year old domestic evolvement from wolves.
> I can't buy the theory we evolved from apes either


It's good you don't buy official stories. Many if not most of them aren't true in my opinion. That said, just for the record, dogs evolving and being domesticated from wolves is the mainstream view (right or wrong).


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

pic said:


> I can't buy the theory we evolved from apes either


That's right. We all know that aliens modified monkey DNA with theirs, and made us. This guy told me so


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