It’s time police officers had some training in dog handling. I’ve never been bitten by a dog. I make friends with them. I’ve angered dog owners by being friends with their “big mean guard dogs”, not professionally trained dogs but just big mean dogs.
The first time was when I was picking up a carburetor for a friend. I didn’t know the man but found the address. There was a fence and two Rottweilers, they didn’t look friendly. I went down to one knee and talked softly. I let them sniff my hand through the fence. I avoided looking them in the eye. They were soon comfortable, I slowly entered the yard and rubbed their ears, walked up to the screen door with a dog on either side, petting their heads. The man freaked out.
Census in 1990. I came to a large yard, maybe 10 acres out from town. It was fenced with a dog inside. The house was a couple of hundred feet back of the gate. The dog was standing up on the fence so I patted her head. She licked my hand. I unlatched the gate. The dog got stiff and snarled. I closed the latch and talked to her some more and went back to the gate. She let me come in then accompanied me to the house. I got the census form done. The old man then said, “Rosie will show you to the gate” which she did. When I relatched the gate, Rosie arfed once and I headed for the next address.
My brother had an in heat Bull Mastiff. A lose neighbors pig prompted my brother to go over to the neighbors place - where they had a “big mean guard dog” a pit bull. One smell of my brother and that dog couldn't have been friendlier - as in “hey guy! introduce me to your dog! She smells WONDERFUL!”. All wiggles and smiles - the neighbors were mad!
I was reminded of a old Blues song...
How come my dog don't bark whenever you are on the scene?
You know I just can't understand it, ‘cause I know that hound is mean
Now you been comin’ around to my house
When my wife was all alone
Talkin’ all kinds of trash
Throwin’ my dog a bone
How come my dog don't bark whenever you are on the scene?
You know I just can't understand it, ‘cause I know that hound is mean
He bit my next door neighbor
He bit my father too
Growled at my dear mother
Ate up my old shoe
Now how come that dog ain't barkin’ whenever you are on the scene?
You know I just can't understand it, ‘cause I know that hound is mean
Now he can see like an owl
He can hear you drop a pin
But what I'd like to know
Is how the hell did you get in?
Now how come that dog don't bark whenever you are on the scene?
You know I just can't understand it, ‘cause I know that hound is mean
Now you been comin’ around to my house
My wife was all alone
Talkin’ all kinds of trash
And throwin’ my dog a bone
Now how come my dog ain't barkin’ whenever you are on the scene?
You know I just can't understand it, ‘cause I know that hound is mean
AND.....
I got the baddest dog.
He'll bite anybody.
He bit my little brother,
Took a chunk out of my old sweet little mother
He bit the mailman
he sees him EVERY day.
He takes one look at you
he wanna jump up and play.
Now I ain't got a clue as to what you puttin’ down,
but How come my dog don't bark when YOU come round?
My dog is dangerous.
To try to set people straight
I even bought a “bad dog” sign
and hung it on the gate.
Now here you come trippin’
about a quarter to nine,
Full of that Night Train wine,
Trying to slide past the sign.
My dog's layin’, noddin’ off,
ain't payin’ you NO mind.
That's MY DOG & when I come home he don't sleep that sound.
How come my dog don't bark when YOU come round?
Well done. I once stopped an unleashed dog that was charging my leashed terrier while I was raking my yard. I used the rake — not as a weapon, but simply held it between the dog’s head and myself, placing myself between the dogs (my dogs are fully obedience-trained).
I never touched the other dog, but stopped his charge and held the rake between me and him. Slowly, I backed up the dog until he was off my property, at which point he turned and left.