Posted on 01/17/2013 8:52:54 PM PST by Altariel
Protecting Your Dog Do you include your dog in your home-defense plan? by Sheriff Jim Wilson
January 08, 2013
From time to time we see reports of police shooting a dog in the course of responding to a call for assistance or while executing a warrant for search or arrest. Without a doubt, some of these incidents may be the result of poor training or the lack of proper planning on the part of law enforcement. However, that is of little comfort to the citizen when his family pet has been destroyed. With some thought, planning, and training, this kind of tragedy can often be avoided.
Having a family dog should be viewed as a commitment on the part of the dog owner. Besides proper feeding and regular vet care, the dog also needs basic obedience training. The animal should be taught to come on command, as well as to sit and to stay. Your dog should understand that “No” means that he is to stop what he is doing and pay attention to you. In short, you should be able to control your dog whether it is loose, or on a leash. This sort of training is surprisingly effective and inexpensive. The local pet store or your vet can direct you to trainers who can educate both you and your dog.
Allowing a dog to run loose in the neighborhood is not only a way to make enemies of all of your neighbors, it is also virtually a guarantee that the dog will come to the attention of the authorities. If the animal is not in a fenced enclosure, it should be on a leash and under your control. Training and controlling your pet will go a long way towards keeping it safe, not to mention how much your neighbors will appreciate you.
Sadly, the police can’t look at a dog and determine that it is harmless anymore than they can tell the good guys from the bad guys simply by looking at them. However, dealing with family pets ought to be part of every policeman’s training. And every tactical unit should develop plans for neutralizing a dog without harming it, if at all possible. Pet owners in a community might even consider opening a dialog with local law enforcement to address these issues and help develop this training.
We talk about the importance of having a plan for protecting your family. The family dog is a valuable part of most families and deserves protection as well. The solution is planning and training. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Right. What do you have to do to get the police to come to your door over and over in order to train your dog properly?
Lazy Freeper was lazy. ;)
Yeah, I should have put a colon between title and subtitle.
I didn’t.
Must be the influence of all the pro-kitteh Freepers you pinged. :-P
Clearly they have their priorities in order. :)
For me, it was renting a former crack house when I was single (I didn't know it was, until later).
All kinds of folks showed up. I was pure as the driven snow (that time, anyway), and looking for a large house with a large yard for cheap rent. That house was it.
Cops and I got along. The guys that banged on the door at 3am? Not so much.
/johnny
Fine looking friends you got there. Which one is the leader? I’m guessing it’s the yellow lab.
That’s a cheerful looking group!!
Yup.
Thanks Jim.
Click on my name to see more of'em.
I do not have a dog (not really a dog person, yet have had one for all of my life until six years ago when my dog died at 18 yrs)
If I were to get another, I would get a Rhodesian Ridgeback.
My youngest was home alone last week when a guy started pounding on the door, her RB went to her side and sat down looking at her. The guy at the door pounded harder and giggling the door handle.
She pointed to the door and just said “get’m.
The dog hit the door with such force she said it surprised her. The guy went around to the back and the dog hit the back door.
She said she picked her bat, looked the guy in the eye (through the window) and said a nano second you are gone or I release the dog.......
he fled.
Next day she bought a gun...with that dog she may not need it.
I mean really they kill lions! why not a guy?
I live in the hood and my five labs in the backyard are my defensive plan
I did not know that about RR’s. I will definitely have to check that out.
It’s a good thing she had the dog with her; clearly the Criminal meant to harm her (else he would not continue to attempt entry knowing she was at home and aware of his presence.)
Rhodesian Ridgebacks are an incredible breed.
RD were specifically breed to protect children from lions and pirates.
They are a southern African breed.
It amazing how they fight lions.
When the dog fights, they jump and hit the prey in the chest with their chest, knocking them to the ground and then rip the lions throats out.
The are not the most friendly dog to casual friends, like some dogs but protection....OMG
I have gone camping with my daughter and the kids and he sticks to them like glue.......if they separate he goes nuts running back and forth between them trying to herd them closer together.
RD are a fantastic bred.
Yep, they are great.
I was helping my daughter move once and the movers nice guys.......said you have a dog and I answered he is in the bedroom.
Because the front door was open I did want to have to chase him if he got out.
Anyway, one of the kids let the dog out of the back room, he flew maybe ten feet in the air barking the whole way with his chest out to hit the guy. It happened so fast, I was shocked.
Fortunately the guy had enough sense to knee down in a crouching position or seriously I do not know what would have happened.
The dog started circling him and growling.
I put the dog back in the room.........
I was sooooo apologetic...the mover (nice young guy) looked at me and said, no problem I am going to get one of those dogs to protect my kids.
RD are fantastic dogs, they can get really big but as I said if they can kill lions well they are good protection.
(Psst really smart as well)
absolutely.
Mess with my babies, game over...
Wow. Seems uncontroversial, but cops nationwide have burned so much credibility on this issue that the comments in the mag and here are uniformly skeptical.
This is a huge issue that some politician should hop aboard. I hope it’s a conservative.
Well, this did make his lip curl ironically;
“With some thought, planning, and training, this kind of tragedy can often be avoided.”
What about the dogs who were on chains, porches and within closed fences, he asked me.
I had no answer.
We took the baby out to the pet stores yesterday so she could get a little fun and socialization in and the whole time we were driving around, I’m worrying about what would happen if a cop pulled us over for something.
[now we do ‘pre-flight’ checks on the tail lights and such, to avoid as much chance of ‘traffic stops’ as possible]
What a way to have to live.
Fixed that for ya.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.