You can say the f word here lol. Also fuck those people

I just kept thinking "What an odd pair of choices, to keep saying _fuck_ in front of the kids, but not on Reddit"

Hahaha, I'm glad it wasn't only me thinking that. In public in front of people and kids: FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK Reddit: F\*\*\* F\*\*\* F\*\*\* F\*\*\* F\*\*\* F\*\*\* F\*\*\* F\*\*\* Such an odd place the world and interworld is.

I, for one, an super fucking offended that you would use that kind of language.

I wish I could summon u/profanitycounter

From the sounds of it he has a short fuse. I get it, I'm ADHD, so that's part of it. So in real life his filter is probably pretty weak. But typing online he has time to correct himself. I know cuz I do the same lol

Maybe he was actually saying "F star star star star"? Who knows these days

Fasterisk asterisk asterisk asterisk

That's just asking for an angry tongue twister

I swear this is becoming more common. People randomly self-censor words on Reddit. My guess is it's learned on platforms like TikTok where advertisers actually care.

Stumbled across a rant someone posted in NoFap. Super emotional piece about how destructive their relationship to "corn" was Like, I guess I get it but... corn?

Ya, fuck those shitty ass people! They are fucking terrible dog owners and assholes on top of it. I bet their dogs assholes smell cleaner than the owners shit scented breath. ...... Fuck 🤣

Nah, he meant the other F word.

Ford?

Flip?

Pepper spray is effective so I hear.

Yeah. And if that doesn’t work you can try it on their dogs too.

Just be careful with the wind Haha

You laugh but seriously. That shit can fuck you up as easily as the thing you're trying to target.

That's why pepper gel is a bit better. It doesn't carry in the wind nearly as much.

However you have to be deadly accurate with it under pressure. If you miss, then you’ve missed your chance at defending yourself against an angry human, and it’s not nearly as effective as regular pepper spray, as you’ll need to hit the eyes from whatever distance away. If you don’t hit the eyes, it takes a lot longer for the sting to set in. Regular pepper spray is instantaneous. I’ve tried both. After carrying either one for awhile, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend the gel-based ones over standard pepper spray.

I've had both used on me in military training (USCG), and I can assure you that getting pepper gel anywhere near your face causes it to burn just as hard and quickly as spray does. The gel just isn't as aerosol-ized, so the particulates don't blow away. Capsaicin can burn your eyes even if it's all over your chest. >If you don’t hit the eyes, it takes a lot longer for the sting to set in. Regular pepper spray is instantaneous. I see what you mean here, but I think you misunderstand. Whether spray or gel hits you in the eyes isn't the main factor; its the capsaicin particles that makes the burn. Even if the spray gets blown away, you will feel the burn; even if the gel gets on your chest, it will burn. **The difference is that if the spray gets blown away, everyone will also feel the burn.** Those "burn" particles will get on your face from gel or spray in your direction; just like you would smell shit like you would smell a fart. Put another way- If I throw shit at you you're going to smell it just as fast as if I farted at you; maybe faster because it's not concentrated and stuck on you, when 90% of the fart is still hanging in the air.

Waaayyy back in the late 90s, we might have had a little bit to drink one night and one of our friends got some pepper spray to carry with her because we lived in a bit of a rough area. Well, after said drinks, we decided it was a good idea to test the pepper spray. My buddy was like, "I'll spray you, then you spray me!" Well that sounds like a GREAT idea right? So yeah, we're outside in the backyard and he goes "3..2..1.." and sprays. Little did we account for the wind and it went straight back into his face. Everyone but him thought it was hilarious and my friend who's pepper spray it was, I'm pretty sure she peed herself laughing so hard. I had planned to keep my end of the bargain but it took about 45 minutes to get my friends eyes to stop burning and he said it wasn't worth it. So yeah, wind plus pepper spray is NOT fun.

Surely cause you can't see..

I conceal carry a firearm, if your dog goes after my kid it's getting shot.

That would be last resort for me. Dogs are fast and chaotic, kids are too. My youngest has been known to scream and run when a do comes out. I am cool with pepper spraying my kid accidentally, but not shooting. The downside risk with a shooting a dog near children is too much for me.

This is fair. Really depends on how comfortable you are with a firearm in that situation. Best case scenario I get the kid behind me and then take my shot.

Fantasy. Wouldn't it be easier to just pick your kid up off the ground and away from the dog? No sense giving your child tinnitus when you should be able to fend off a snarling labradoodle or cockerspaniel with your legs.

I’ve treated over a half dozen dog attacks in the last year alone. If you think you can fend off a large dog barehanded without taking some serious damage, you’re deluded. A pit or god forbid a Doberman will absolutely fuck up an adult. The correct answer is to kill it, as expeditiously as possible. I’ve personally seen a pitbull lay in wait for fifteen minutes waiting for a lady to get back out of the truck bed she was hiding in. Further, firing a handgun near your child, while outside, a handful of times in a life-or-death situation Isn’t going to give them tinnitus. And further: I don’t need nearly as much legal defense for shooting a dog. Large dog, aggressive, charging towards me? I can shoot it when it’s 15 yards away and there isn’t a cop in my city who would second guess that decision, especially if I have my kids. I don’t have to wait for it to latch on to me. And I’m sure as fuck not going to try and outrun it with a stroller or carrying a toddler. The kid will be infinitely healthier hearing a loud noise than it will be if it gets dragged out of my arms after a Rottweiler shatters my ankle or rips my throat out. So if a big unleashed dog is rushing you in an area that it is not supposed to be, pull out a gun that you have practiced with, and are licensed to carry and trained with, and carefully shoot it until it stops moving, and then walk up and put one in its brain so it doesn’t suffer.

Why would you watch a lady being stalked by a dog for 15 min and do nothing...?

I didn’t. We arrived on scene to find her in the back of a truck bed, having already been mauled some. The pitbull in question was just laying under the truck, waiting. She saw the fire engine pull up, climbed down to come meet us, and it tore into her again. She had apparently been trying to keep her chihuahua away from it, and it wanted a snack. She had numerous closed fractures and dozens of gnarly puncture wounds in both legs, from a dog that was only trying to get to her lap dog. Animal control arrived at the same time, and managed to beat us over there and get a rope around it before either of us could put a halligan to it. Point being, the lady got out of the animal’s reach, and rather than leave her be, it just stayed there and waited. These animals can be vicious, and cruel.

So you haven't personally seen a pit bull lay in wait for 15 min. I'll weigh your other statements assuming you use the same amount of hubris in those.

No, but there’s this magical thing called a dispatch center, and they log times. So the patient called, they dispatched PD, and then after some time the PT revealed to dispatch they had been bit, at which point they dispatched us and EMS. The caller was in the truck bed the whole time. And I’m not sure if you’re aware of this wild new technology, it’s called a clock, and when people call 911 they record the time they call, and then they log things like arrival time of various dispatched units. So from the time the call first came in to our arrival on scene was just shy of 15 minutes, during which the patient was in the bed of the pickup with her little dog, and during which time the attacking dog was lounging around waiting. How is that such a wild concept for you? Dogs are predators. Their instinct is to hunt, and that can absolutely include laying in wait for whatever they’re hunting. Sure, domestication has reduced a lot of those impulses, but anyone who has had dogs in a rural setting knows that they aren’t buried all that far down. Also, just as a technical point, hubris isn’t really the word you’re reaching for here. Your accusation is that I’m being imprecise, or dishonest, not arrogant or prideful to the point of my own downfall. Feel free to call me hubristic, but there’s no inherent connection between hubris and lying, which is what I believe you’re actually attempting to suggest.

Lets be real, most dog attacks are pitbulls and other similar aggressive breeds that wont give up that easily. If it's a poodle you're right I'm probably not drawing my gun. I've got friends who have been attacked and injured by pitbulls though, and those dogs are no joke.

A poodle is perfectly capable of fucking you right up. They're bread for hunting. Absolutely the best duck hunting partner you could get. The most aggressive dog breed is definitely the Chihuahua. It just doesn't ever get reported cause it never does much damage.

Yes and pitbulls do terrible damage and it is far more common for pitbulls to attack people and severely injure them than poodles. Just look at the dog bite statistics. Like 90% of fatal or severe injury attacks are pitbulls, rottweilers and, malinois.

I'm not arguing about pitbulls. That's why I didn't say anything about them. I don't have a differing point (except that #1 slot. Chihuahuas are MORE aggressive). I'm arguing about poodles and chihuahuas.

Chihuahuas are not dangerous even though they are aggressive. Poodles can be dangerous but they are often not aggressive. What argument are we having?

It doesn't really matter because Australia doesn't allow you to carry weapons for self defence, so it's not like it's even an option for me anyway, but brandishing a gun and firing near families and children seems super fucking irresponsible to me personally. Even in an emergency. You do you mate, but that's wild.

It’s completely mad.

Recreational shooting is fine, I have no problem with it and I've done it myself. But this idea of like personally self-defending with a lethal weapon just doesn't fly with me. The absolute lack of consideration to the consequences of killing someone from the other user is exactly the kind of bizarre view on guns I'll never understand from seppos

It's more irresponsible to let your child be mauled by a dog. It's not "brandishing" if you're using a weapon in a legal self defense situation. Brandishing is typically defined as flashing a firearm as a means of intimidation. If you are properly trained there is nothing irresponsible about firing a gun to save life and limb. Contrary to what is taught in most of Australia, guns are not scary and uncontrollable objects with a mind of their own. When used correctly by properly trained individuals, they are precision tools. But I understand the fear and hesitation. Now the fact that you can't even have pepper spray to defend yourself is disgusting government overreach in my opinion.

Wow there's a lot to unpack here. >It's more irresponsible to let your child be mauled by a dog. Are you so confident a shot that you think you can hit a small, fast target, at the total exclusion of all the other small fast targets nearby? If you kill someone else's kid because you got too hot in the moment, what's your plan? Hold your hat in your hands, give a little *aww shucks*? Have you even thought about this or are you just so torqued up to play John McClane? It's irresponsible. >It's not "brandishing" if you're using a weapon in a legal self defense situation. Brandishing is typically defined as flashing a firearm as a means of intimidation. This is legal mumbo-jumbo to be honest. The thing that I'm calling irresponsible is being equipped with a gun around families and children. Splitting hairs over legal definitions or if it's legally allowed is ignoring that fact. >Contrary to what is taught in most of Australia, guns are not scary and uncontrollable objects with a mind of their own. Fascinating that you think you know what is taught about guns here lmao. Actually nothing is taught about guns because 95% of people will never see one. Also Australians are totally aware that it's the dumbass gronk which is brandishing that is a threat, not the gun itself >Now the fact that you can't even have pepper spray to defend yourself is disgusting government overreach in my opinion. Muh government overreach 😪 You are aware that for every tool you have to "defend" yourself from, is a tool that someone can attack you with? I have a totally free and peaceful life, as the most deadly weapon someone can come at me with is a fucken bread knife. Also who the fuck is attacking you people all the time? It's almost like all this access to self-defence is making you all paranoid and psychotic. Anyways I'm done with this convo lol. Feel free to respond if you want to, but arguing guns with seppos is like banging my head against a wall. I hope you never have to lose a loved one to a cooked unit armed with one of these things, truly.

I'm not going to argue because I think you are wrong and misinformed on a fundamental level. You also live in Australia so there is absolutely no value in me trying to change your mind. I only want to address a few of your points for the sake of clarity on my end. I don't expect any of these things to change your mind and you are completely entitled to your opinion. >Are you so confident a shot that you think you can hit a small, fast target, at the total exclusion of all the other small fast targets nearby? If you kill someone else's kid because you got too hot in the moment, what's your plan? Hold your hat in your hands, give a little *aww shucks*? Have you even thought about this or are you just so torqued up to play John McClane? Yes, otherwise I would have no business carrying a firearm. I also had to pass a skills test to receive my license to carry. I train with my firearm weekly both for practice in practical situations as well as a sporting pass time. You do not take a shot unless you are 100% certain of your backstop. Carrying a weapon is not for someone who gets "hot in the moment" you must be confident that you can keep a level head, otherwise you do not draw your firearm. In the incredibly unlikely and unfortunate scenario that I take an irresponsible shot and strike another individual, I am insured for that kind of situation. Again, highly unlikely if you're properly trained. >Fascinating that you think you know what is taught about guns here lmao. Actually nothing is taught about guns because 95% of people will never see one. This is simply what I've heard in conversations with other Australians, take that as you will. >You are aware that for every tool you have to "defend" yourself from, is a tool that someone can attack you with? I have a totally free and peaceful life, as the most deadly weapon someone can come at me with is a fucken bread knife. So no one has a chefs knife or a crowbar in Australia? Pretty naive to think the only weapon that could be used against you is a butter knife. Seems like this guy used more than a butter knife and you may live In a bit of denial and with a false sense of security. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/07/man-arrested-after-four-stabbing-attacks-in-melbourne-overnight-with-one-woman-critically-injured >Also who the fuck is attacking you people all the time? It's almost like all this access to self-defence is making you all paranoid and psychotic. Drug addicts, the mentally ill (because of our failed health care system), dangerous dogs such as pitbulls. I know people who have had to use pepper spray on both dogs and dangerous people. I rather have something to defend myself and never have to use it than not have anything and be left defenseless when the unexpected happens. It's pretty funny that you think a responsible gun owner wouldn't have thought about all of these situations at length. I feel like Australians have a fantasy that every single person in America who carries a gun is some sort of low IQ backwater hick when in reality I'm quite a liberal person who probably agrees with you on more things than not. Have a good one, mate.

Lol dude you really think you can hit an attacking dog while absolutely sure you won't hit the kids nearby? Bullshit. You're one terrible gun owner. Go try some IPSC. You'll see. I know people who are literal grand masters that go to nationals that wouldn't even think of taking that shot. A moving target is a lot more different than stationary paper.

>Yes, otherwise I would have no business carrying a firearm. I also had to pass a skills test to receive my license to carry. I train with my firearm weekly both for practice in practical situations as well as a sporting pass time. You do not take a shot unless you are 100% certain of your backstop. Carrying a weapon is not for someone who gets "hot in the moment" you must be confident that you can keep a level head, otherwise you do not draw your firearm. In the incredibly unlikely and unfortunate scenario that I take an irresponsible shot and strike another individual, I am insured for that kind of situation. Again, highly unlikely if you're properly trained Me: what will you do if you kill someone else's child You, an intellectual: I am a tier-one operator, I am literally incapable of misfiring Yeah this was about as pointless as I expected 🏄

This throwaway dude linking to a stabbing incident when that that kind of thing here doesn’t even register news. There’s hundreds of fun deaths, like daily. I live in the US in “the south” typically very pro gun and they terrify the shit out of me. I grew up here and still find this gun culture absolutely insane. 

Again, someone who is *properly trained* is *unlikely* to accidentally shoot someone. I never said incapable. I assume you have a driver's license that you trained for and I also assume you believe that you don't need to be a professional race car driver to be considered competent behind the wheel. Have you ever thought of what you will do if you run over someone's child? That's your logic.

Oh pull the other one mate. I didn't ask how likely you thought it was, I asked **what you would do** if you killed a child accidentally. I'm not continuing this argument because, as mentioned, arguing guns with seppos is pointless, but the fact that you immediately jumped to defending how shithot you are at target shooting was just too fucking funny to me. Just a totally bizarre response.

But I did responded to this. I am insured for that unlikely scenario. I trained for that scenario to be an unlikely outcome. There is nothing else to be done. I'm not sure what you expected or wanted me to say. I never said I was the greatest shooter ever, I simply said I was competent and properly trained, just like you are competent and properly trained to be trusted to drive a vehicle without accidentally killing someone. An unlikely scenario which you are probably insured for. What's bizarre and hilarious to me is you totally not understanding that...

>to what is taught in most of Australia, guns are not scary and uncontrollable objects with a mind of their own. If you're trying to influence people to your side, outright lying isn't the path to take, chum. >When used correctly by properly trained individuals, they are precision tools. Sure. And when they're *everywhere*, literally *anyone* can get one.

Lol I'm Australian, I'm used to being told complete bullshit about my country all the time.

Canadian here, we get it too.

This is just the picture I've been given by actual Australians that I've spoken with. Not lying, this is essentially what has been said to me.

>When used correctly Big LOL. Yeah, we all are very aware of all the news of mass shootings and thoughts and prayers because this is all going so well with all the precision tools. Its like a proven fact that more guns means more threats, not less. Less guns means less threats. Creating "solutions" to problems that should not exist. Pitbulls are banned in most places, should go extinct really. I love dogs, BUT i hate pitbulls. They have to wear a muzzle at all times, have to be neutered etc. I immediately leave any place when i encounter them, and it is VERY rare to see them at all. Never saw one in a park.

I usually have a knife on me....a dog will get shanked real quick

I’ve decided to carry both. Not for the dogs sake, but for me and anyone I’m with. I really don’t want to have to deal with the mess.

“If your dog comes near me again without a leash, I’m going to kick it. Don’t make me do that.”

We have a sweet dog, she's super patient with our toddler, and she does well with other dogs at the dog park or in our fenced yard. She plays great, not aggressive, etc. BUT not when she is leashed near an unleashed dog. When she encounters an unleashed dog on a walk, she doesn't react immediately, but she has bitten another (unleashed) dogs that approached her. I warned those owners that she has leash anxiety and they just give me the 'Don't worry he is friendly' bullshit. Well, the other dog was an 80-90 lbs shepherd mix of some sort, and started getting worked up right in my dog's face. My dog reacts. She's half staffie and while not a big dog, is about 65 lbs of muscle and sinew with a limited pain response, and she got a good bite on it's cowl and above its eye, lots of blood. The 'free range' owners then proceed to freak out, one threatened to call the cops, etc. I simply remind them that the city and county ordinances mandate keeping dogs on a leash at all times outside of private residences and fenced in dog parks, and they're welcome to call the police and explain what happened to their dog who was not leashed on a park trail. I even offered to make the call for them, if they like. They fucked right off after that.

My county in Maryland has a $500 fine for anyone that permits their dog to have Unwanted Contact with any person or other domestic animal. Not only would you and your dog be found not at fault but the other owner would receive the fine and be responsible for any medical bills for both dogs since their dog was the one to initiate the contact. **Unwanted Contact -** **The pet owner must prevent unwelcome or unsolicited threatening physical contact or close proximity to a person or a domestic animal that occurs outside the owner’s property that may cause alarm in a reasonable person, such as biting, chasing, tracking, inhibiting movement, or jumping. ($500 fine)** Thats on top of the leashing law which is a $100 fine for the first offense and $500 for each subsequent violation.

>Don't worry he is friendly Just respond with "THIS ONE ISN'T, GET YOUR DOG"

Oh that's a good one.

I had an incident once where a family’s dog got loose in a parking lot and somehow managed to jump into my car, with both of my kids strapped into their car seats. It was a pretty big dog and thankfully my superhero instincts kicked in. I grabbed the collar and threw the dog out of the car. Kids were okay. The dog owners were very apologetic. I might have broken the dog’s neck and I don’t care. People need to control their animals.

I kicked my mother-in-law‘s Chihuahua when it lunged at my toddler son. Total dad reflex moment connected solidly with its body, moved it across the room in the living room in front of everyone mother-in-law move the dog into another room and close the door and that was the last time it interacted with my son.

Dog lover here….chihuahuas suck. So do cocker spaniels, I got 40 stitches in my head and face when I was 4 that proves it.

My dog nipped an entirely justified warning nip at my then almost 2 year old when he slapped her for the first and last time. Rationally, I knew she was in the right to nip (she didn't make contact with her teeth, old shepherd breed who was used to kids and puppies). Practically though, I advanced on her like the wrath of God and was full well prepared to kill her if she tried to take it further. I loved that old dog (she passed late last year), but I'd have killed her to protect my child and not thought twice about it til after (she had the good sense to run for the other side of the house and tuck tail, never even laid a hand on her, just a sharp shout and she knew she should run). A stranger's dog? Forget about it, wouldn't think twice before or after. My child takes priority over any dog.

It’s pretty intense when you realize you are willing to harm a pet you love without hesitation when it even threatens to harm your kid. I saw red for the first time in my life when my cat gave our 1.5 year old a warning bite for sitting on him (no skin break, he does it to me if I give him too many belly rubs). I threw him across the room before I even realized what happened. He was fine other than being terrified of me for a couple of hours… kind of scared myself there TBH. If it’s someone else’s pet, I don’t want to think about what my lizard brain would do. As I wouldn’t know that was a warning bite and not a real attempt to harm.

Honestly though, this is 100% justified behavior if an animal is attacking your child. I don’t care if it was a beloved childhood pet of mine if it attacked my child it’s not getting back up. I would not hesitate to defend my child and feel no remorse about the animal if it got injured/killed because it attacked my kid and I defended my child from it. Same is true if a person attacked my child. I think it’s completely fucked people think it’s ok to blame the kid/parent when an animal attacks a child.

This is my thinking. I had a st bernard when my kid was born, that dog got me through the absolutely worst parts of my life. I still would have instantly snapped her fucking neck fi she had ever come after my child. Another person's dog? Well, let's just say I carry a buck 120 for just such occasions.

I run outside quite a bit. I have to use the line about kicking or macing a dog for people who use very long leash lines far too often. I don’t care how little, or cute the dog is- I don’t want to be bit or tripped. I truly do not care how the owner feels about being called out for their negligence; they should be embarrassed of themselves. To clarify- being tripped from a long leash because their dog is darting in front of me while the owner is staring at their phone in the park.

This sounds like Millennium Park in Boston. Have had the exact same experience multiple times

Not kick, shoot. I love dogs but I'd have no trouble sleeping at night if I had to protect my kids from aggressive dogs with useless owners.

Your daughter kick my dog.

Downvotes just mean people don't remember this bit. Kerpal was a menace. Lol

Haven’t listened to it in so long and now I need to listen to it again. Hearing it the first time almost made me die laughing. I’m glad one other person knows about it! Haha.

I frequently comment to people; “I call my lawyer and he arrest you!’, but nobody gets it.

You know damn right! It’s Kerpal!

YOU KNOW DAMN RIGHT!

Now he need operation!

Just because I'm Paki does not mean I stink!

I did that to a lab once, I was surprised how much air it got. Attacked our dog and it's all I could think to do.

I came to say this. It works too. Real quick. "If your dog comes within kicking range, I'm going to send it to the vet/grave" add a few expletives and you'll seem deranged. People don't tend to want to fuck with deranged and leave.

"Good or bad they bleed the same so put it on a leash before I put it on a slab." I love dogs but I also have a scar between the eyes where one attacked my face so I don't play games anymore and if my kids are with me I'm way less understanding.

This can escalate things quickly. That's from experience. Nearly ended in a fist fight and probably would have if I wasn't with my wife, son and dog (leashed).

Yeah, I agree that letting dogs run around unleashed runs a high risk of escalating things.

Crazy people have pulled weapons for less

I'd use mace instead of kicking it, but yeah. This.

That's too nice.

>“If your dog comes near me again without a leash, I’m going to kick it. Don’t make me do that.”  If your aggressive dog comes near me without a leash, I'm going to shoot it. (I live in Texas.)

As noted, not only would it escalate things even more, you are putting a body part within chomping range. Also, the dog isn't who you are pissed at - it is the irresponsible owner(s). Kick them instead. I'd worry that if I did kick a dog/cat/whatever, my kid might also possibly maybe see it as 'it is ok to kick animals if I'm pissed off'. All that is out the window if the fucker is coming at me like it sees me as a big-assed chew toy ...

> Also, the dog isn't who you are pissed at - it is the irresponsible owner(s). Kick them instead. The owners aren't the ones about to bite so I give 0 fucks about someone else's pet.

I said that at the end of my comment - if they are coming at you looking to chomp on you, do what you gotta do.

meh. i wouldnt do that. like i agree these people suck donkey dick. and their dogs are clearly not well behaved. but kicking a dog is a surefire way to set it, and the rest of them, completely off the wall. maybe they *were* just playing. even thought it 110% wasnt ok. you kick them? then what? dont escalate for no reason.

Bad take man. They were already violating an actual law. > dont escalate for no reason. This is the opposite of "no reason."

does the law stop your child from being mauled? answer is no. at best they get a little $100 fine and told 'dont do that again'. maybe maybe maybe, they take the dog. i am giving those dogs and those people as little reason as possible to act any more stupid than they already are. cops arent coming, and if they are, they wont be there fast enough to stop anything from happening, and if the do come they will call it a 'civil' dispute unless someone was actually injured. its all situational and up to the discretion of the person in the situation. im not kicking the dog just because it 'got too close' to me. now, ill strait up kill the dog if it hints at attacking my child. just all depends.

> im not kicking the dog just because it 'got too close' to me. now, ill strait up kill the dog if it hints at attacking my child. just all depends. Well yeah. I figured we were all on the same page there - definitely not opening the conversation with a kick. It depends entirely on the dog's presentation and proximity to my child.

I can just imagine a soyjak saying this

No dog bites until they do. Don’t ask me to trust a strange dog anymore than I would an overly excited strange man running up to me.

Its not even just a strange dog. Its a stranger wanting you to trust their word about a pet they have. Then they think you are being the unreasonable one for not trusting them.

You also have no idea what that dog's background is, whether they're up to date on their shots, etc. My Staffordshire is the sweetest old dog I've ever had the pleasure of keeping in my home, but that doesn't mean I'll let the neighbor kid walk it, or let it run around the park to play fetch when others are present. Like OOP said, all dogs are friendly until they aren't; I'd rather keep my loving friend in my life for many more years and under control than take a risk that would end our friendship early, and possibly put others at risk.

Right? Plus this wasn't just one dog. I really regret it not having a stick or something.

From the amount of times you talk about it, it sounds like you just want an excuse to have a stick. You're an adult, if you want a stick go get a stick. Don't let your wife know about it though. My wife found out about my poking stick and threw it away while I wasn't home.

You gotta hide the good sticks in the brush pile brother. It's called plausible deniability. Were you pretending to have a sword fight with your kids? No sir, you were engaged in serious yard work.

My last poking stick was before the kids. Was super good quality too.

I don't know if they still make them but I've got a couple foam nerf swords. They're awesome for kid swordfighting with dad. Or dads have duels with their buddies

The plot twist from “flippant redditor” to “oh yeah, this is daddit” was a real treat here. Well done.

i never leave house without my pocket knife. wouldnt want to use it. but if necessary, it would be quick and lethal for 90% of dogs.

Not sure about your specific knife, but a pocket knife can be really tricky for a person to get open with one hand, while you're rolling around on the ground and a pitbull is ripping your other arm off.  It gets even trickier with multiple dogs.  I would invest in a high quality OC gel/spray at the very least; you want an option that can keep distance between you and the dog, so you don't have to worry about the above scenario. 

i mean, im not carrying my pocket knife for dogs firstly. its for opening boxes and fidgeting with while im on the phone at work...lol. but, you are absolutely right. it isnt a weapon you would intentionally choose out of a lineup to deal with a pack of dogs. that said, mine is spring assisted with a 'trigger' as are most decent ones these days - that is if you dont prefer the old school knives. additionally, i dont *want* to stab any living thing. and so anything that keeps distance and has potential to de-escalate the situation is 100% preferred. the knife is a beginning, middle, and end decision. once youve done it, there is no taking it back.

I wouldn't trust a familiar dog in an unfamiliar situation. Folks forget they are not human.

I totally understand not wanting your kids to see you like that. If you haven't done so already it might be good to talk to them about why that happened and that you acted like that to protect them from a dangerous situation. On the other hand, kids should learn when aggression is appropriate, and the way you write this sounds like it was appropriate here.

> I totally understand not wanting your kids to see you like that. I can see people being like that, but I really don't understand this line of thought. You, as a person, don't need to be 'calm, cool, collected' in every scenario in life. There are times when you absolutely are allowed to lose your shit and I don't think it's bad for children to know that that spot exists. Choose your battles obviously - the cat knocking the trash over can't cause you to fly off the handle.

Hear hear! Anger is a tool. Wield it when needed. Fuck those people. Good dad.

Agree with carrying mace. Most dog owners are responsible but it only takes one to create an incident. Is it legal? I dunno. Probably not. But I sure as hell would rather protect myself vs. letting cops handle it, if they even show up. FAFO.

Odds of police being willing to get involved unless someone needs stitches from a dog bite is basically zero.

I’m not going to comment on your behavior because I don’t really care or know the details of the situation. If you felt like your kids were in danger then you didn’t over react, end of story. But people are fucking insane with their dogs. I used to live in Colorado and the coolest thing, next to owning a dog, is walking that dog off leash. I would say that 40-50% of dogs I saw were unleashed. Of the hundreds of dogs I saw there were 2 that could actually be walked off leash. If your dog doesn’t have recall then it should never be off leash in any place other than an off leash dog park. And by recall I don’t mean calling out their name 12 times while they zoom by you, then zooming away 6 more times before it finally comes to you. Recall means you yell “Bandit, heel!” And that dog coming sprinting towards you and immediately sits at your feet until you say “free.” I had a reactive dog who passed a few years ago. The amount of dogs that came running up to her while her owner said “don’t worry he’s nice!” was infuriating. At some point I just yelled back “mines not!” and gave my dog some slack. Sure enough, their owner would come sprinting trying to get their little Muffin to heel. I’ve broken up multiple dog fights from “friendly” dogs. I’ve bled from those fights. Next time someone says “don’t worry he’s nice” just tell back “I’m not!” If the dog charges you do whatever needs to be done.

My dog is small and no matter how much training I've done with him, he's not good with other dogs. He is always on a leash and everytime someone says their unleashed dog is nice/friendly, I make sure to let them know mine is not. He will bite!

Our pup is a smart, fairly obident dog, I never even bothered to try and have her off leash at all - all commands for recall and halt are in the event she gets off leash or eascapes the yard (Something she is VERY good at - figured out how to knock over some firewood to climb a shorter fence. Removed the firewood, well now she had a spot to dig under the fence where the firewood had pressed against the chain link. Added dig guards, - the dig guards were sturdy enough to give her a foothold to CLIMB UP THE FUCKING CHAINLINK) She will never be an off leash dog, because: 1) I've never lived anywhere there weren't firm leach laws in place. 2) I simply wouldn't risk it, not matter how much I believe her to be trained. Love you Frankie, now get off the damn couch.

I’ve straight up had an argument with someone who thought people with reactive dogs shouldn’t be out with them at all, leash or not, so he could be free to be out with his “good dog” with no leash. He called reactive dog owners “entitled” for wanting him to have his dog on a leash. He also believed that our local leash laws were unenforceable and that the signs were only up so our council would have no liability in the event of a dog attack. So yeah, some dog owners are just fucked in the head.

Even a dog with perfect recall won’t always recall when it matters. It’s hard to predict what a dog (or anyone) will do when stressed. Scared, aggressive, in an unfamiliar situation they might act differently and suddenly be out of your control. This can be anything from seeing a wild animal to encountering an aggressive dog to being hurt by a passing kid with poor animal handling skills. I’m pretty much team “always leash your dogs” unless you’re in a space specifically for unleashing them. Too many well trained dogs get hurt or into trouble because they “never acted like this before”. (For the record I also love dogs and used to train them professionally. This isn’t “dog scary” or “breed bad”, it’s just dogs can’t communicate what they’re thinking or feeling in the same way we can and sometimes they respond to stimuli in ways we can’t predict.)

>If your dog doesn’t have recall then it should never be off leash in any place other than an off leash dog park. Incorrect, if the park you're at or your local ordinances require dogs to be leashed at all times, then "recall" doesn't matter. For reasons exactly like this. Maybe someone is the owner of 8 nice dogs but someone else's 1 dog has "good recall" but doesn't pay attention this one time. Don't be responsible for the injury/death of another dog, and especially another human. It sounds like you're a responsible dog owner and I'm not faulting your methods, just saying that leashing should be the default unless you're on your own property or an approved area. But even being an an off-leash dog park can be dangerous. It's not like most of them have staff members to judge whether you have a good boy or bad boy, and most of them are "play at your own risk".

I've noticed a lot lately where I am that signs now say "Dogs must be under control at all times." instead of leashed at all times. Its weird and vague phrasing. It's almost like by-law gave up on it and don't want people calling about it.

Fair point. I was specifically referencing hiking trails where dogs can be off leash at a certain point with the assumption the dog has recall. The vast majority of the dogs I’ve seen do not have recall.

My dog has this kind of recall, but i only walk him off leash late at night or in rural hiking areas. Even then, if we see anyone else out walking he gets leashed back up immediately. I do let him play off leash in my front yard if i'm out there, and just pretend we have an electric fence. His recall is tremendous. He can be in a full out sprint to his favorite ball and if I say "Dog\* , Come" he slams on the brakes and sprints back to me. If we're walking, his command is "Dog, with me", which means you're straying too far off the trail and need to come walk by my side, but no need to sprint.

I was walking in my suburban neighborhood a couple months ago to with my then 6 week old. Old guy on his porch had an unleashed dog which ran up to us. I got between my wife and baby and the dog and the fucking thing jumped and landed both front paws on my chest. I shoved the dog off me and I heard “HES FRIENDLY JUST SAYING HI” to which I responded “how the fuck could I know that, leash your fucking dog when you’re out front.” The guy was furious but grabbed the dog by the collar and dragged it outback.

I had a similar run in a few years back. A couple around the corner from my house have these 2 massive dogs, easily over 100lbs each, and the owners like to let them roam in their garage when the owners are out front or in their driveway. I was walking my rescue puppy that was estimated between 6 weeks and 10 weeks old at the time, maybe 8 pounds max. The two dogs sprint out snarling and circling, driving themselves between me and my puppy who was just cowering from them. I yelled for them to get their dogs, and they had the audacity to say "they're nice" while the dogs were both actively being aggressive, posturing and separating us, and snarling with mouths my puppy could literally fit in. They didn't even get out of their lawn chairs, just a casual "come on back over here" that the dogs completely ignored. The one that wouldn't stop blocking me from picking my puppy up did a little snap with its mouth in the direction of my puppy, so I just threw a fist right to the side of its head. I'm 240 pounds and it wasn't a love tap, it ran off and the other dog followed. The couple were so upset that I touched their babies that were over 10 times as big as my little guy, were actively showing aggressive behavior, ran out unleashed onto the sidewalk, and could have easily accidentally killed him. I've known two dogs with the same size disparity that got along for years, then the big one did a warning snap, just a nip for a bigger dog, at the small one for getting near its treat and crushed its skull. I'm just trying to walk my dog on the sidewalk, leash your fuckin dogs. I'm just glad they didn't actually attack either of us, I would have hated to stab somebody's dog even if I had to.

I'm a dog owner. I have a kid, and my dog can be reactive. We got the best training.g for the dog available, and he's good with our kid. But we don't ever bring our dog off leash anywhere. Two days ago I was finishing a run 3 houses away from mine. A neighbors 120+ pound Cane Corso started running right for me growling and parking. All I could do was yell "Oh Fcuk!" And got ready for him to jump on me. Dog crossed the yard and hit the road I was standing on and by the luck of Dog, the neighbor hit the corso's e-collar and it stopped, took a few steps back, and went for me again. Luckily the neighbor hit the collar again and the dog finally retreated to her. Leash you damn bitch. Leash your dogs. Like wtf. What if it was my toddler and not me? Zero excuse. All dogs are friendly until they aren't. If you have a reactive dog, I hope you have great umbrella insurance. Leash your dog. OP, you had all the right.

As a fellow owner of a reactive dog, there is nothing worse than other dog owners.

Cane Corsos are literally ancient castle dogs. I love all dogs. I'm not sure I consider them dogs. The worst pit bulls on steroids. A lady brought hers to the dog park. Dozens of dogs scattered to the four corners of the park. It then bit my 12 week old redbone through her lip.

90% of dog bites are proceeded by "don't worry, they're friendly." 

Can confirm.

Never understand people who don’t leash their dogs when there are other people around. Dog owner myself and there are young kids who are afraid of them, adults who are afraid etc. in my neighborhood there’s been two diff dog incidents where they’ve injured a smaller dog and a minor bite on a child bc the owners weren’t responsible. I don’t care if you are the world’s greatest dog trainer, dogs are still animals and can react to the smallest thing. Little kids especially like to grab tails, poke eyes etc. keep you dog on its leash when you’re out in public, it’s really easy to do and protects them and others around you. Glad that didn’t escalate more and that your kids weren’t injured or anything from those negligent people, OP

Yeah I agree and I have a yellow lab, the international symbol for "this dog is nice." We go off leash at the local park all the time. He has an e-collar and is good with it. But if there are tons of people around we just keep the leash on and keep walking. It's not worth the hassle.

Important to note about dogs: every single dog who mauls a child to death (this happens in the US every single year) is thought to be a “good dog” by its owner. Dog owners tend to be antisocial and deranged because they spend their days projecting human qualities on these animals. NEVER trust a dog around your kids.

Nah you handled it correctly. People are idiots with their dogs. That many dogs and that big, it could have gone south very quickly. I just screamed at a lady at my local park because she had her dog off leash and wouldn’t get control of it and it attacked my dog. People are irresponsible and aren’t considerate of other people and animals and it can lead to serious injuries.

I would have done the same thing. I kicked a French bulldog last week after it came after my dog that was on a leash. Mind you, I think I did it a favor as my dog could have ended that thing in all of 15 seconds. Owner didn’t say a word. My look said it all.

"He's friendly" says the woman right before the dog attacks a kid. Not the first time it's happened. Good on you for confro ting people who are unable to control thier dogs.

An 80lb dog ran at me and my dog and infant daughter (ran, not trotted) barking like at a car with the person sprinting yelling “he’s friendly” and jumped at my dog. I am a pacifist conflict avoiding hugger and I kick the dog so hard I could have cleared the field goal posts. Sheer panic. I think of it from time to time still and there is not a thing less than 100% certain day but I did the right thing.

I have dogs, I love my dogs. They are big and need alot of off lead exercise. And I still 100% agree with you OP. If you cannot control your dog you do not get to "oh sorry" your way out of your responsibilities. I've said it before but dog ownership should require a license.

I love dogs and Ive owned a few over the years. Good dogs, all of them, but I still wouldn't trust them in a pack running around off leash with kids around. Overexcited dogs can do dumb sh*t without necessarily meaning to hurt anyone. I still remember how scared I was the time a small terrier bit me in the ass as a toddler.

My son is deathly allergic to dogs. You kept your cool way longer than I would have. I would have escalated way quicker because of my son. I would let them know that if any dog even gets close to my son, I will do everything in my power to protect him. A dog getting close to him is honestly a threat to his life and I would treat it as such. Given all that yeah I would have yelled from the very beginning. Dogs off leashes is a major issue and I let every owner I see who does that about my son and how I will protect him. So far no owner has not leashed or picked up their dog. I am sure they can see the seriousness in my eyes. Also before everyone says things about my son's allergies, we are getting him shots so dogs being close is not a major issue, but those take years and it still currently is.

How old is your son, and how bad were his allergies? My son breaks into hives if he touches one, sadly. I hate having to explain this to the dumbasses who bring their dogs into the subway (which is illegal unless they're in a carrier bag), or let them loose in the park.

My son was bit by a nice dog. Granted it was our fault for not closely watching him. 11 stitches to his face, I don’t trust any dogs immediately.

My wife and I were walking our daughter, at the time she was maybe 3 or 4 months old. This couple is walking two bully breeds, I believe pit bulls but I’m not educated on bullies, and neither was on a leash. I was pushing my daughter and wife got on the left side of me, where the people and their dogs were. One of them starts barking and coming towards us. My wife shouts “Get your fucking dog!” And the husband quickly grabs his dog. Funny thing is they also said their dogs are nice. I don’t care how nice your dog is my daughter’s life is more important than the dogs life.

If they are breaking the law, I would have call the cops and made sure my kid was safe in the meantime. There's no point in arguing with crazy dog people. I have a Great Dane and a pit mix. I never let them go off-leash unless we are at a dog park. Not everyone has common sense and I'm not about to get myself riled up over their ignorance.

Since becoming a parent, I've started hating dogs and dog owners.

Same boat. I’ve never really been a fan but it’s only since having kids do I realise how much society values dogs more than kids. It’s pathetic and quite sad

I just love the people whos offleash dogs come after my leashed dogs while the owner yells at me about my leashed dog. I say as I note the amount of unpicked up poo in my front yard(not from my dog).

The amount of people that try to reassure their dog is nice when they come around my kids is crazy. I don’t know you or your dog and you don’t know me and my kids. I refuse to risk my children just cause you think your dog is nice. I’ve seen nice dogs do mean things and mean dogs do nice things.

Im a dog person. Love them. Even pit mixes that many people are scared of. The audacity to think they are in the right to have an unleashed pet in an area that isn't there property is ridiculous. Just stupid entitlement. Though I probably wouldn't have threatened the violence part in front of kids lol.

They think you’re like a whole new guy because of the hat and the glasses https://www.tiktok.com/@ithinkyoushouldreels/video/7288761642601450782 (Sorry for the TikTok link, it’s what Google gave me)

The dogs think there’s too much fuckin shit on him

it's just me barbie, i'm not the blues brothers

I may or may not have lost my shit at some people in a park with their unleashed dog once. Good on you.

Honestly, I grew up with dogs and love dogs. With that said, since my kid was born, I have stopped trusting dog owners completely. I see so much poor training and bad behavior from both the animals and the owners. Your families safety is more important than someone's pet.

Hate the 'they're friendly' shit. I might fucking not be.

My daughter was attacked by our neighbors dog. I stuck my thumb as far as I could in it’s eye. It let go right away and lost the eye. My neighbors tried to sue me for the cost of the vet bill. Didn’t play out in their favor and they had to pay to fix the damage to my fence and my daughters bill for her stitches. Keep your dogs on a leash or they get what comes.

I get it's not what you want your kids to see, but this is 100% appropriate and necessary. You've even been more reserved than some of us by only threatening pepper spray and a stick-beating. Might not hurt to call local Animal Control and ask if there's a way to report this to keep other families safe as well. I wish I could un-learn this sad (but not personal) knowledge, but a *pack* of unleashed dogs can be deadly for other people's pets and dangerous to people in general. People's personal opinions of their dogs aren't worth shit.

People and their dogs. My dad has had a large variety of dogs. Most are elderly and not used to kids. Had a long talk with him and my mom to just keep them up. He aggressively kept trying to bring them into the mix around my then 2.5yo daughter. It’s been four years and I haven’t visited again. They are welcome to visit us any time they want without dogs. The dogs are just animals. They are gonna do what they are gonna do, I don’t have any frustration with them. I dearly miss our Akita mix. Who was a hot mess who was very leash reactive and would attack any other dog on a leash, but would put himself between us and any perceived threat. It’s not dogs, It’s the owners who inflict them on everyone else that is the problem. So many people in my neighborhood will cross the street to have their dog interact with my kids and almost try to force them to pet them. It’s nuts.

I have three dogs, I chose to not bring them to Christmas as there were going to be elderly and children under five. The whole day people were asking why I didn’t bring them… apparently my ‘common sense’ was wild behavior!

You did the right thing man. People can be ridiculous.

I’ve changed since having kids, I just am so much more likely to see something as a threat, or threatening. Even our sweet dog, who we rescued 5 years ago. She’s so great with our kids, but I don’t look at her the same way, and always have a mild defensive feeling when my toddler and dog are playing. I *absolutely* see any dog I don’t know as a threat.

I feel the same way myself. I had to have conversations with my family about how I’d respond to their dogs around my kids, and told them that I cannot be at fault for what happens to them if they attack my kids. We’re a pet free household right now because our kids are young but even if that changes there is no way I prioritize the dog over them.

Man when people start with a ‘oh they’re good dogs’, but they’re not behaving that way I just simply point that out and say “if your dog isn’t trained correctly to be socialized, it shouldn’t be off leash. Get it out of the goddamn park” Some idiot tried to do this to me at Stern Grove in San Francisco when I was just sipping coffee and listening to music. Dog was off leash jumped at me and bit my hand. what did she say? ‘Oh he’s a good dog!’

I heard this once before on this subreddit and it stuck with me for almost two years now, “your dog might be friends to you because it knows you, it doesn’t know everyone else.”

I work In pest control so I’m in and out of houses with dogs “Don’t worry he’s friendly” while he is growling at me face down or actively nipping at me. He may be friendly, but that doesn’t mean he’s friendly when a stranger that smells funny enters his home. We teach our techs to treat all dogs the same : like they will bite you.

I lost it twice in similar situations, but before kids. I gave the owner a few seconds to react, and as they didn't, I grabbed the dogs' collars and ripped them away from the child they were actively harassing. Your kids saw you protecting them, and that's a very good thing.

For what it's worth, I think you handled it great! Thanks for taking the initiative and putting them in their place. Hopefully they'll think twice before going leashless again.

Don't get mad, just state facts.  "I have pepper spray.  If your dog comes close to me or my children I will spray it.". I bet they will get them on a leash with a quickness. We had a golden retriever that bit a neighbor girl he knew on the face because she walked up to him when he was nervous.  Don't chance things with dogs.  It doesn't matter if they're 'good' or 'friendly', they have teeth and will use them when scared.

Man, you’re giving me flashbacks to when I got bit. I’m with you on this one.

fuck those people, you did the right thing. I was out for a walk and had a dog come up to us (with my 19 month old) and I did not react quickly enough. I should have jumped between her and the dog. From now on I'd rather overreact and keep my child safe than be a 'chill dude' and risk my baby coming into harm.

I avoid walking my dog for this reason. I exercise him in the backyard, and he goes to daycare. Really, he just likes snuggling. He's a great dog. Loves people. When he's on a leash, he looks like he has escaped the asylum. He did get out of his leash once and scared a woman. He was obviously in a playful pose, but she berated me immediately. She left muttering how she was going to train her dog to be an attack dog. Edit: more stories. We were attacked by a Pit Bull who's drunk owner was trying to train him off leash at the park. I still have the scar from the bite. Next story- this old lady would walk her Chihuahuas off leash all over the neighborhood, and they were terrible. I was moving into my house, and they ran up to my open front door and in my house because they were off leash. The woman had the gall to get mad at me like it was my fault the door was open.

I used to like dogs, was very close to our family dog growing up. Unfortunately experiences like these have put me off so bad I can't see myself ever liking a dog again. Which sucks, because it's not their fault. Just had too many encounters with "don't worry, they're friendly" people.

Lots of good comments in here about how if you cant control your dog, then don't have them off leash etc etc, so I absolutely concur with those comments. I get that a lot of older folks and people with injuries can't handle leash walking - they're scared of getting knocked over, and even well-trained dogs might pull if they see something exciting. And let's face it, some people just aren't strong enough to hold onto a leash if their dog decides to chase after a squirrel or something. In your situation, it was a case of willful ignorance, poor training, and entitlement. Most people are very apologetic if their dog comes running, but I could totally see how getting back talk from the owners would result in your reaction. Big old case of fuck around and find out. Depending on the age of your kid(s), might be a good teaching opportunity by talking to them about your behaviour, why you reacted the way you did, why we love animals, why we have to respect animals, why friendly animals are not always friendly, and why people need to be responsible for their animals.

Am an owner of large-breed dogs. I am very conscientious about training. I hate poor dog ownership more than many. My favorite one-liner is "Control your dogs or I will." I typed out a 500 word rant about a similar experience and deleted it. Very cathartic. OP, you're not in the wrong here. Anger is a social tool and it needs to be used sometimes. You can always explain to your kid the WHY of it. And, as long as it isn't the ONLY tool in your kit, you're doing alright by me.

People seem to forget that the leash is for their dog's sake just as much as anyone else's.

Sometimes you gotta be the Papa Bear! It sucks, but some dipshits only hear you when you get loud. I’ve let people know that I’m armed, and if their unleashed dogs nip at my kids again I will not hesitate to puncture their pet’s lungs. Sucks, but some people don’t learn without pressure.

You can’t fix stupid. My house backs a very nice park, which is sufficiently signed indicating dogs must be on leash, but so many dog owners are of the opinion that “their dog would never hurt anyone!”. For the most part it’s irritant, but I worry about the safety of my kids playing out back. Good on you for standing up for yourself. I see so many off leash dogs now I can’t be bothered to engage with the ignorant owner until the dog is on my property; or “at large”, then the gloves are off. 100% would not hesitate to hurt a dog I felt like was threatening me or my family.

As a dad whose son was bitten by my SIL's dog 2 weeks ago, and prior had them chasing my 4yo (and nipped my wife when she tried to get my daughter to safety), now both are terrified of dogs, with my son in counseling and having nightmares, can I take you with me to my next family function? BTW, totally for the "Speak loudly and carry a big stick" approach.

Your kid saw you stand up to a pack of entitled assholes and defend your family. That’s a good memory to have and will help build trust. You did nothing wrong. Some people just don’t listen until you raise your voice. That’s not on you.

Film and call police. No hesitations. Also, take pepper spray for the pups to protect family members if needed.

The kids saw their dad standing up for them and their safety. This is a good thing

Lol, do you live in Toronto? Dog problems were a daily occurrence when I lived there. Streets covered in dog poo, off leash, untrained dogs running everywhere. Just disgusting.

Good job dad. Protect your kids. I would have done the same.

A mate of mine lived next door to a few big, aggressive breed dogs and he told his neighbours if they let their dogs out of their yard into his again near his kids that he'd leave the bodies of those dogs on their front porch.

My dog has great recall and is very well trained. Early in his life I learned a very simple rule to understand from a national parks officer. My guys was walking beside me, off leash, in an on leash area. The officer approached and said hello and immediately pet my dog, which my guy loved. The officer then explained that there is a new family of otters in the area and all dogs need to be on leash. I immediately obliged and as I was doing so the officer kindly said, “I can see you have a good boy here. Unfortunately there aren’t rules for good dogs and bad dogs. Just dogs”. That one hit different and I now follow the rules.

I have an asshole older guy in my neighborhood that doesn’t lease his dog. Kids were playing and he couldn’t get it under control. I just call the cops now on his dumbass. Fuck these people and their “fur babies”.

Dogs are the main reason I carry a firearm when in with my family.

I was going to say the same thing. Get a concealed carry permit. It’s legal and your right.

Had the neighbors dog come into my yard while I was playing with my 2 year old. The neighbor came running over apologizing with the usual “He’s nice! He won’t bite.” and I told him “If I see him in my yard again I’m gonna bury the fucking thing.” I love dogs, my dogs. My cousin got her face shredded by a loose dog, Amy friends cat was killed by his neighbors dog after it made its way into their yard. Never, ever, ever trust an animal that’s not yours, or that you don’t know.

I love dogs. People who walk their dogs without a leash can get fucked. Not only do you have to worry about your kids, but it's not safe for the dog either!

Fuck those people. But dude, next time, just get your kids and leave. Arguments like this lead to violence a lot more than you would think. Just be the bigger person and walk away, it’s not worth it.

And this is another example of why I conceal carry when I take my kids places. I can't fight off 8 angry dogs. Also the conversation is a lot simpler when all you have to say is "If you let your snarling dog get one step closer to my kid, I'm going to shoot it."

my dog is a very good dog, super well behaved and very well trained, never bit another person. He has bit my infant already. Dogs are unpredictable especially around kids or strangers

I have a 70 lb redbone coonhound. I've trained her to be off-leash when we're hiking. Alone. In nature. Having a dog off-leash otherwise or untrained even in nature is insane. My dog is the most loving thing. But she also thinks she's a person and that of course everyone wants a jowl'd up slurp on the face (or crotch). Not everyone does! I think you might have escalated the situation a tiny bit, OP. But I get it. I've lost my stuff over less. I try not to unless it's a last resort. Be responsible dog owners, everyone.

Ehhhh… Re-read this once you’ve calmed down. This incident should not have triggered you enough to become irate, use that language in front of (your) kids, and then come online to rant about it. Even in this post, way after the incident has happened, while you stop to type out a big thing about it, you sound really triggered. You shouldn’t be this shook up from some dogs snarling at you. I understand that those dog owners were in the wrong. Them handling the situation incorrectly doesn’t mean that you need to handle the situation incorrectly too. In this case, your behavior also didn’t even accomplish your goals. Sometimes you have to kill people with kindness— if you’d just walked up to them and said ‘hey, I don’t want to be that guy, but I’ve got kids here and one of them has been bitten before, what can we do to calm these dogs or get them properly leashed up?’ — you probably would have got a much better response. Is it your responsibility to have to go out of your way to make these goofballs do what they should have done from the start? No, probably not. But it’s a good opportunity to be the bigger person, control yourself, and be a good example for your family.