Living in the country...with dogs...

[puller]

I just want to share a tidbit and see what y'all would do in this situation...

I live on 40 acres...with an acre cut out for my house and yard...no one lives behind me for 1 mile...no one lives to my south for 3/4 of a mile...across the road to my west there isn't anything but Verdigris River bottoms...and until about a year ago the closest house to my north was about 400 yards...until someone bought the land in between us...

I have 4 dogs...a male bull mastiff...and then a female cow dog lab mix, a Chihuahua, and some sort of terrier looking dog (best squirrel dog ever)...

My dogs do not leave my property and since my new neighbor built his house they don't even cross my north fence...but his dogs on the other hand...

So within the first week of him bringing his dogs out there...I was rushed by his male cow dog...it stalked my 7 year old daughter and my mother-in-law while they were in the garden...I was rushed by it again and knocked it upside the head with a piece of pipe...I had 2 chickens disappear without a trace...So I told dude about it...he said shoot it...I said no way I'm not shooting your dog...and a few months pass with only the dog stalking us in the grass from the other side of the fence, and a few times where Boomer (the bull mastiff) would whoop him back across the fence...

Fast forward to July...I found a kitten abandoned on the side of the road...barn cat...hell yeah...I brought it home to huge acclaim from my little girl...and the kitten instantly started playing with my dogs...the cat would chase the Chihuahua around and it was eating in between Boomer's legs...all my animals get along with everything...yet everyday my neighbors cow dog...stalking us...so I got the call from my girl...daddy I cant find Luckie (the kitten) but we heard the dogs fighting this morning...so I knew what had happened...neighbors dogs came down raided my yard killed the cat and they got their arses whooped back up the hill...the cat was friends with my dogs...I should have expected it...So I talked to my neighbor he apologized and we have an understanding...we live in the country...our dogs run loose...stuff happens...and again he told me to shoot his dogs...

Couple of days later, I hear my daughter screaming outside...I rush out to see her leaned up against the propane tank with her Daisy BB gun in hand layin' fire up the hill and I see my neighbors dogs haulin' tail...I patted her on the head and told her good job...the dogs had come across the fence and were after Tootsie (the Chihuahua)...during my neighbor and I's conversation about the cat...I told him the worst thing that could happen was Tootsie getting killed by them and that would be grounds for shooting them...

So by know you probably know what happened this morning....the Chihuahua dog is at the vet and I have 3 devastated women at the house...and here is what this whole spill leads up too

Would you shoot another man's dog....I mean I'll shoot my own and have, if need arises...But I cannot bring myself to take a shot at another man's dog and risk it bleeding to death on his porch...EVEN THOUGH he has told me several times to shoot them...What say you?

And before you say "well your an idiot Puller, it's gonna get your daughter...your daughter shouldn't be outside with it running loose" Don't worry about her...Ethel (my cow dog) doesn't stray 4 foot from her...I do not worry about it too awful much...when she shoots at them (she takes shots at them a lot) Ethel sits by her feet and watches...probably laughing...and if you bring up the dog rushing me...I shouldn't have been trying to call it too me and I'm the water guy around here...all dogs try to bite me...

[Copprhed]

I hate to ask, but how about calling the law? I understand dog runnin free, but  when you suffer the loss of a kitten and an injured chihuahua, SOMETHING has too give. I don't know if i could shot the dog or not, I'm not in the situation and I don't carry, but....if another dog attacked mine, he wouldn't survive, his throat would definitely be opened up.

[Tec]

It killed one of your pets, maimed another, and has been threatening towards your children on YOUR property.  SSS.

[Shifty]

Couple of days later, I hear my daughter screaming outside...I rush out to see her leaned up against the propane tank with her Daisy BB gun in hand layin' fire up the hill and I see my neighbors dogs haulin' tail...

 


 

[Bodhi]

First day that animal came out me aggressively on my property and I would have shot it.

[Meatwad]

It would of been shot dead after the first attempt

[Randy1]

Electric fence.  Not the low power dog kind.

[Rogue9Volt]

Better solution: Shoot the neighbor.  Sounds like a giant "Richard".  Make that jerk pay for tootsie's vet bills.  Tell him he can shoot his own dogs, or you'll blow his toes off one by one.

[BuckShot]

That's tough, I'm sorry to hear that. I would kill another dog of it hurt my dog or killed my cat on my property. Either that or give him a backside full of birdshot. He won't come back.

[mbailey]

Yes I would  in a second, without a second thought.   I would then bury it and when the neighbor came looking for it tell him I haven't seen it.  Keeps him from getting revenge on you or your animals.

I mean it wouldn't even be a hesitation....very sad that neighbor thinks so little of you, your family, your pets and his dog. 

[Bodhi]

Better solution: Shoot the neighbor.  Sounds like a giant "Richard".  Make that jerk pay for tootsie's vet bills.  Tell him he can shoot his own dogs, or you'll blow his toes off one by one.

So you are suggesting he violate the law by threatening to shoot the neighbor in the feet?

[Slate]

    Tough situation. You like to have your own dogs able to run free and wouldn't mind if your neighbors do the same. They are no problem to others but it sounds like the neighbor knows his dog is aggressive and is goading you to shoot it? He may shoot yours in retaliation. You don't want problems with people you have to live close to.
    
   I had an instance where I would ride my bike to work and a dog would run out of this particular yard and attack me every time I rode by. So the next time I went by I had a handful of gravel and whipped it in the dogs face. From then on he would bark at me but not come close.

   I don't want to kill an animal that is not taught properly by it's owner. I would shoot the dog but with salt shot that would scare the heck out of him and maybe he will avoid your area. That's what the farmers would do when we tried to steal his melons.  

[mbailey]

   Tough situation. You like to have your own dogs able to run free and wouldn't mind if your neighbors do the same. They are no problem to others but it sounds like the neighbor knows his dog is aggressive and is goading you to shoot it? He may shoot yours in retaliation. You don't want problems with people you have to live close to.
    
   I had an instance where I would ride my bike to work and a dog would run out of this particular yard and attack me every time I rode by. So the next time I went by I had a handful of gravel and whipped it in the dogs face. From then on he would bark at me but not come close.

   I don't want to kill an animal that is not taught properly by it's owner. I would shoot the dog but with salt shot that would scare the heck out of him and maybe he will avoid your area. That's what the farmers would do when we tried to steal his melons.  

Relatedly I had a farmer shoot rock salt at me when I helped sneak his daughter back in the house ( true story, I know it sounds like a bad joke...but gods honest truth ) 

[Cremator]

Just my opinion.

I live in the similar situation, out in the boonies. I've killed dogs, I've rescued dogs. I recently had a neighbor dog running my cattle. I rounded the dog up, took to his owner and as I was petting the dog told its owner that I'd shoot it on sight the next time I saw it chasing my cattle. No more problems.

If you involve the law your pretty much going to get the same answer. "Sir you have a right to protect your family and property but we can't make him put his dog up." (Standard Answer as I've given it many times.)

If it were me I'd shoot it late at night, on my property of course, and either just leave it lay or drag it out to the road to make it appear it got run over. Dont tell anyone and the owners may assume it just ran off. Shoot to kill it. Dont let it run to its owner or make it suffer.

This all may sound cruel and I'm sure your daughters dog would gladly die protecting her, my land shark would do the same, but sounds like your playing with fire. Kill it or next time it could be a child at the er.

[Cremator]

Or have a friend, that you trust of course, come shoot it while your on vacation or something.