What would you do in this situation?

[khel]

He should have called the police. Letting the owner get away with something like that could cost the next kid more then just a few teeth marks.

I'll second that. Especially after having a gun out it's a good idea to call cops ASAP. You never know what another party going to say if they call cops.

 

[khel]

As others have stated.. don’t yell. That only amplifies everything. Think of what that means to an already barking dog- you’re barking right back. Stay calm and be prepared to defend yourself if absolutely necessary.

Maybe it’s people that don’t spend time around dogs, but you can see it in their body language what their intent is. Hackles raised, head low, no excitability (the good kind) direct movement towards you.

I have a dog that is friendlier than shit, but will let out 3-10 barks when surprised on the trail, but does so while wagging his butt. Obviously I try and avoid him being surprised, but it happens. I’m surprised by the amount of people it scares. Their reaction either makes him nervous or shuts him up.

I get it’s stressful, but definitely just remaining calm and asking the owner to restrain their dog while having your hand at the ready would be my suggestion.

I have spent a big part of my life around dogs (including training guard dogs) but... rather often it's hard to tell if the dog is going to bite me or not. And I've been bitten quite a bit
Anyway, german shepherds are far from the top of MY "friendly breed list"

 

[1arrowshort]

Sharp shooter- we’re referring to my dog, not the situation at hand


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I thought fatcamp was referencing the original post and you threw your own scenario in. Who gives their dog a 100 yard radius in public? My dog dont have that kind of range even in the field. If I'm in a area were theres people possibly around, shes on a leash. In the outdoors, not hunting, shes at heel. My advice is to not let your dog get so far away that you cant control it. E-collars work real well too.

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[kiddogy]

sounds like the situation was handled just fine. I wouldn't have hesitated to shoot the dog but would have gotten a lot more satisfaction from beating the tar out of it's owner.


dog was just being a dog that was never trained to obey by it's crappy owner.

I can stomach most animals but I despise most pet owners. they are for the most part an inconsiderate bunch.
news flash , your pets are like your kids , no one else thinks they are special.

 

[robtattoo]

As I stated earlier, and kind of candidly, I work with dogs of all breeds, 24/7. To qualify that, I own a boarding kennel & grooming salon. Before that, The Wife used to manage a boarding/quarantine kennel in England & spent a TON of time working with prison & police take down dogs.

I've been in so many similar situations, in close & confined quarters it's not even funny. In a similar situation, in the middle of BFE, confronted by an unknown, large breed dog, acting aggressively...... I'd like to think I would've done exactly what the OP described. Drawn & been cautious, but restrained myself.

Very, very few 'aggressive' dogs actually get into contact, bite, or attack situations, although it does happen. I've learned, over the years, that 99% of 'attacks' actually stop incredibly close. I've never experienced a bluff charge by a bear (and I hope I never do) but I reckon I'd be killing a bear at 10 yds. A dog, I wouldn't consider to be attacking until I feel teeth.
Dogs are so conditioned to humans that their sense of personal space is far closer than (I'd assume) 99% of actual wild animals.

Incidentally, I've been bitten pretty much weekly for the last 11 years. Number 1 suspect is tied between Chihuahuas & Shihtzus. Number 2 is dachshunds. Labs & Poodles would be high on the list.
GSDs, Rottweilers & Pits would probably be the bottom 3 on my personal list.

 

[tmwtrfwler]

I think he did what he should've.

I was in a tree stand 20 years ago and had golden retriever barking at me at the base of my tree. no idea where he came from. ruined my hunt. had a great setup . wanted to shoot the sucker (never would've) but just had to laugh. not the same but this reminded me of that goofball golden encounter. he finally walked away to go home.

 

[kiddogy]

I think he did what he should've.

I was in a tree stand 20 years ago and had golden retriever barking at me at the base of my tree. no idea where he came from. ruined my hunt. had a great setup . wanted to shoot the sucker (never would've) but just had to laugh. not the same but this reminded me of that goofball golden encounter. he finally walked away to go home.

running loose in the woods with no owner around ,I without a doubt would have shot that dog

 

[tmwtrfwler]

his body language showed no aggression at all. tail wagging, ears forward, having fun. he was just some goofball out looking for tail and found my tree. he carried on.

 

[MDHLeatheworks]

I'll second that. Especially after having a gun out it's a good idea to call cops ASAP. You never know what another party going to say if they call cops.

I think that would have been a good idea but he was in the high sierras backcountry with no cell service


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[Boarmaster]

The only time I ever heard my golden retriever bark in his 13 years of life was when we walked over a berm and there was a hiker standing on the other side. He never got aggressive but he barked at that guy until I got my hand on him. He was unleashed as we where hunting up singles out of a covet of quail we busted up. He was about 4 years old at the time.

 

[jspradley]

I'll second that. Especially after having a gun out it's a good idea to call cops ASAP. You never know what another party going to say if they call cops.

Always be the first to call because that person tends to go in the "victim" column.

GSD's are super protective and it probably thought this rando who ran up on his owner was a threat, however the owner absolutely should have had him under control.

 

[14idaho]

Years ago I lived in St.Maries, ID. My closet neighbor lived about 200 ft from my home. He happened to be the son of a former senator and had ' the attitude'. We lived in a mobile home on the St. Joe River and he had a big fancy house. He had 2 big mutts and the bitch had a litter under our house. We told him and he told me to kill the puppies. Things were tough and we couldn't afford to feed them but we did. A few years later his male dog came on my property and killed one of the dogs my son kept. My dog was chained and didn't have a chance. I had words with him and told him to keep his dog on his property. Of course he didn't . One morning I heard my mother in law screaming and I grabbed my 22 revolver and ran outside. I saw my mother in law on the hood of her car and the neighbors dog trying to get her. He was going crazy. As soon as he saw me he came for me. I instinctively shot and the dog went down. My mother in law had been bitten and my wife took her into town. I buried the dog by the river. About a week later I go outside and couldn't believe it but the dog was back and he came right for me. I ran in the house and got my .270. He was about 50 yrds away when I shot him. This time I'm sure he's dead. I called the sheriff and he came out and told me that this dog had bitten several people prior to this and it's about time someone killed it. I really to this day feel bad about it, my 2 young boys witnessed some of it but sometimes a guy needs to do what he needs to do.

 

[Cameron.25]

I have a large black german shepherd that seems to scare some people, shes friendly and well trained so she wouldn't ever do what this dog did anyway, but i always use an e collar when i have her off leash in public. I cant stand it when people dont control their dogs, i probably would've fired a warning shot into the ground at the very least in his situation. Glad the OP's buddy didnt get bit and didn't have to shoot the dog

Sure thing buddy.

Haven’t found a way to stop 3 barks at 100yards, if you’ve got a solution, I’m all ears.

Its called an e collar and recall training lol. I can stop mine from doing literally anything but i also wouldn't let her get more than about 5 feet from me while hiking. Shepherds are too smart and powerful to not train and keep under control at all times, especially in public

 

[mproberts]

Its called an e collar and recall training lol. I can stop mine from doing literally anything but i also wouldn't let her get more than about 5 feet from me while hiking. Shepherds are too smart and powerful to not train and keep under control at all times, especially in public

100% it shocks me the amount of people that don't use e-collars. My WPG has lived by my side since he was 6 weeks old and doesn't have an aggressive bone in his body, but no chance he's ever out in public off leash without an e-collar. Being able to recall your dog no matter the circumstances is by far the best way to defuse a situation. The biggest advice I give to non-hunting dog owning buddies is get an e-collar and get your dog properly trained on it. It is the easiest way to avoid so many issues (people, other animals, terrain, etc)

My dog is a very close worker and we've only ever run into one situation on public land where he got scared and barked at someone, but with one beep of an e-collar he's back at my side. Honestly in that situation he wasn't even in the wrong in my mind. This guy came busting out of the bushes headphones on with a large hiking staff in his hand, it honestly sort of scared and caught me off guard as well. The guy didn't make the situation better when he started swinging the staff all crazy even though my dog was barking and jumping backwards away from the guy. No situational awareness on his part with the headphones on since he came in silent and we were out making noise working an area. Ultimately the situation was diffused in a second with one button, but people also need to think about their actions while out on public land.

 

[Fatcamp]

Ya, e-collar works well.

We keep him close and call him back anytime we suspect another person is around.