What would you have done?

Question

I was just taking the garbage out to the dumpster. It is quiet and as I turn around a medium to small dog barks, snarls, and growls at me and approaches me like its going to bite. I think it had an owner cause it had tags but no leash and no supervision.

If I had kicked it, punched it, or squashed its head with a boulder would that have been justified? Should I have run away or let it bite me the sued the pants off the owner? I instead tried to scare it by waving my arms and legs like a kind of lunatic and this worked against the biting but it really startled me?

What would you have done?

Answer 1

Small to medium? And you wanted to hurt it? Shame on you! First of all, if it's snarling by a dumpster, it's probably lost, hungry and afraid. And a guy wants to hurt it? You have a bag of garbage between you and the dog, yes? Block yourself with that if you need to. My first reaction would have been to drop down to the dog's level and appear less intimidating. It was probably scared to death of you. I mean, I could understand you feeling a need to get violent if you were confronted with a snarling Rottweiller, but a small to medium dog? Shame on you. What are you, a wimp? Or are you just lacking in compassion? The dog is by a dumpster for a reason. And for all you know, somebody could have thrown its owner in there! If it really wanted to attack you, it certainly wouldn't have barked to give you warning; it would have just snarled and attacked you. Chances are, unless you totally terrified the little thing, it's still hanging out around the dumpster. Maybe you should have chucked it something out of the garbage bag. Somebody like you probably would have smashed its head in with a boulder if it was a Chihuaha. Mercy! What a tough guy you are!

Answer 2

In any animal attack situation never run and don't do anything that riles the animal up. Also never make eye contact because that is challenging the animal and they won't back down. Yes you would be justified in defending yourself. Just try to ignore the dog and walk away slowly. The dog may have snuck out of the house or yard may not be the owners fault. But some owners let their animals run outside and they need to be sighted with a 'dog at large' citation.

Answer 3

Since the dog is supposed to have a responsible owner, I would find out who it is and have words with them. They need to know their animal is out of the yard/house and could hurt anyone; a small child, elderly person etc. I blame the stupid owner, not the dog because dogs are territorial and just doing something that is instinctive.
Though initially, I would have banged some garbage can lids or some other way to scare it off.

Answer 4

If you ever meet up with the owner, let the owner of that dog know exactly what had happened without the need to threaten.

Many times dogs get away and if you were anywhere near food, you might have interrupted his meal.

You did the right thing and nobody got hurt. But, follow up by trying to get to know who the owner is...

Answer 5

I wish I had had the nerve to act as you did. But I know I would have stayed paralysed there, until someone came to rescue me. That's actually what happened to me once. And if it is any use, the way I was rescued was when a cyclist came over and hit the dog (not so hard to hurt it) with the bike. The dog got the message (namely, that there was someone stronger than it) and left me alone.

Answer 6

you have every right to defend your self against an attack. you did think pretty fast to try to scare it. and I believe you would have fought it off if it tried to bite you. don't LET it bite you you might not be able to catchit before it runs a way and you never know if it is up on its shots. I'm sure you don't want rabies shots to protect your self from possible disease.

Answer 7

Find a stick, or a mace, or the nearest potted plant and swing at the dog. A preemptive attack in the presence of a clear and imminent danger is still self-defense and justified.

Answer 8

I think you did the right thing, I either would have done the same or just stood there staring at it and let it bite me. (then again, if the trashcan is one of those big kinds i might have climbed up onto it, probably wouldn't have helped me, but yeah that's one thing that i would do.)

Answer 9

I would of kicked it under an oncoming car. Damn all doggers who let their vicious animals loose on the public. I might even cut off it's ugly head and UPS it back to the address on the tags.

Answer 10

I likely would have just scared it away too, but I understand why it bothers you. I really can't stand small dogs. (punters) Just the obscene uselessness of such an animal offends me.

I don't have anything against small animals, cats, for example catch vermin, but small dogs just have no point.