It's not just 2-legged attackers we need to worry about

[rp_photo]

http://www.click2houston.com/news/29656 ... um=twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One more reason to have 10+ rounds on hand.

Does anyone have an idea as to how other dogs might respond to the first 1 or 2 getting shot?

[C-dub]

No way to know for sure, but most are likely to scatter. However, it also depends on whether or not they have been fired on before and have developed a fear of being shot. Others may just get in the "zone" or a frenzy and could care less about gunfire.

[rp_photo]

Would 15 rounds between 38 Special +P and 9MM +P be enough to deal with such a threat?

At most times I have a G26 with 10 rounds and S&W 442 with 5 rounds on me.

[apostate]

The school solution for a stampede is to shoot the leaders. I don't know if it works for pack animals too.

[rp_photo]

"That's why I went for the leader of the pack".

[TxSheepdog]

I worry about this as I'm loading my 3 little ones in the car. I typically don't carry during the week because of work. We often see various dogs loose in the neighborhood.

[C-dub]

9mm or .38 or greater should be enough for most dogs. Even if it doesn't drop them it should be enough to take the fight out of them. However, the difficulty comes in actually hitting them. They are a smaller target than a man and move much faster and not in the same way.

[Zylo_X]

...They are a smaller target than a man and move much faster and not in the same way.

Since they'll probably be attached to your arm or leg, they should be close and stationary enough to get muzzle contact (NO pun intended Really). Its a reflex reaction to try to pull back if bitten, but actually you should try to jam your limb deeper into their mouth, or grab around the bridge of their snoot and squeeze the 'upper lip' into their teeth to get them to release. Just some FYI, hopefully useful, but never needed.

[Dan20703]

Does anyone have an idea as to how other dogs might respond to the first 1 or 2 getting shot?

I can attest from personal experience that they run when you fire and one of them goes down in a heap. Years ago while hunting woodchucks with a 20 gauge shotgun , #2 lead shot, I came up on a log pile near a wooded area that was a den for a wild pack of dogs. Several dogs came running out and one keyed on me and charged. One shot from about 10 yards dropped her and the others looked at me for a split second and took off running.

[RoyGBiv]

A few years ago, at around 2:AM, a pack (6-7) of dogs attacked one of my cats on my front porch. The dogs were all pretty big. Rotty, shepherd, similar. Upon hearing the commotion I grabbed a baseball bat and stepped into the fray, started swinging for the fences (wife said I was yelling too, I didn't remember yelling. Auditory exclusion?). Stupid me had the dogs pinned in a corner on the porch. Their only escape was over the rail. After connecting a few times, the one dog holding my cat in it's jaws finally dropped the cat. The rottweiler actually managed to knock out two of the posts in the railing and the dogs began escaping through and over the rail. Kitty died on the way to the Vet ER.

Lessons:
1. Grab the shotgun, not the bat.
2. If you attack back with equal or greater intensity, even a pack of big dogs will prefer to flee.