On Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:02:49 -0500, Pete Keillor wrote:
On Sat, 4 Sep 2010 13:35:43 -0500, "RogerN" wrote:
"Don Foreman" wrote in message
On Sat, 4 Sep 2010 09:37:37 -0500, "RogerN" wrote:

I'm wondering if the dogs will be attacking someone in the area that isn't
carrying a pistol? I would hate to not shoot the dogs and hear on the
news
a day or two later about a child attacked by dogs fitting the description.
If aggressive acting animals come around the house they get shot. I hate
to
be that way, I like live and let live, but if animals act aggressive
around
me they will likely attack my wife or child.

The only children I've ever seen on this trail have been on bicycles,
or in buggies towed by parents' bicycles.

I'm not gonna kill a dog just for growling at me. The mutts did not
actually attack me. Since I doubt that a dog recognizes a handgun,
I would presumably have been OK unarmed.

Presumably. But I felt much better not being defenseless.

What you did sounds like the right thing in the situation, I'm not second
guessing you. I might shoot at them if they came on my private property,
and followed me growling, but not otherwise. I'm just thinking that these
dogs will probably follow and growl at someone that's not armed, and they
will probably run from the dogs, and the dogs will probably attack them. I
would think a little tear gas or pepper spray, or a nice club, would be
handy for those on the trails.

Beware the ones that don't bark or growl. And the pepper spray works.
I've had two instances of dogs trying to bite me while bicycling. In
neither case was I armed, at least with a firearm. The first time was
a bull terrier on MacGregor in Houston. I caught him in the ear with
the 1/2" shank master padlock on the end of the 3/8 chain I used to
lock the bike at UH. I didn't stop, but he wasn't moving last I saw.
The second time was near West Columbia. In a repeat of the first
attack, no barking, just a run alongside as he opened up to chomp my
ankle. He got a faceful of pepper spray. It was much less violent
than the padlock, but just as effective. He just veered off across
the yard with his face on the ground, first on one side, then the
other.

I've had lots of dogs bark and chase. So far, I've just ignored them.
Usually, once I'm past their yard, they turn back.

Feral dogs near my family are another issue altogether.

I've been chased by dogs while I'm on my bike, but they're usually
someone's ill-behaved pet. Once, being chased by a small dog (some
kind of terrier, I think), I stopped the bike, looked the dog in the
eye, and said, "OK, you caught me, now what are you going to do with
me?" The dog just looked confused and wandered away.

Cheers!
Rich