Dang pitbulls...

[Gridwalker306]

So today was my last chance to do some detecting, as of tomorrow we will be below freezing until the spring. I have detected the tiny village where I live to death, so I crossed the border to detect the American side of our town. I was having zero luck, digging only memorial cents at the three spots I hit. Then I noticed a mowed open area with an old trail and possibly the impression of where an old building once stood. I detected for a few minutes, still finding nothing great, and when I was down digging, I noticed a loose young pitbull watering the grass maybe 20 yards from me. I stood up, he noticed me and was interested. I stood up and slowly turned and walked through the area, across the road, and onto the porch of the nearest house. I knocked, nobody was home, the dog stared at me from the street for a few minutes. I heard another dog bark in the distance, and the pitbull trotted down the street. I was a little freaked, as I had a much worse experience last weekend.

Last Saturday I got permission to detect an old family farm from a sweet 90 year young lady. She had to leave while I detected, so I was happy to have some uninterrupted detecting time. I heard what I thought was someone calling me, I removed the headphones and hollered "hello"? No response, so I continued. Then, through the bushes, right beside my truck, I see a huge pitbull, and he looked annoyed. There was nobody around, and I was a good distance from my truck, and the dog. I figured he was going to check me out, and I'd rather face him close to the house where someone may come along, rather than in the garden behind the house and bushes. I removed my headphones, gripped my Lesche, and walked to my truck...and the growling pitbull. The truck was locked, no time to fumble with keys, I kept walking until I ran the last eight or nine yards and leaped into the box of my truck. I know it's better to stay calm and not show fear, but I believe the dog was inevitably going to engage me. So there I am, standing in my box, the dog growling on the ground, and nobody around, and only distant farmhouses on the flat prairie horizon. Great. Then I see a tractor out in a field, the driver waving his arms, and I could hear a faint whistle. The dog looked at me before turning to run across the field to the tractor, and whom I assume was the dogs owner. Sigh of relief lol!

Now I'm not a chicken, I'm nearly 6'4, and 235 lbs. I also LOVE dogs! However, these particular dogs are unpredictable, and I don't trust them. A seven year old boy that I know was bitten on the face a couple of weeks ago by a pitbull, in the dogs house, right in front of the dogs owner. I know they can be a good dog, but the erratic behaviour makes me wish they were better controlled and restrained by the owners.

Anybody else have close calls with dogs while detecting? I'm going to carry my knife with me from now on.

 

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[Helix]

Never had any problems with dogs out detecting, did have a large buck get unusually close once though. I agree about what others said about the Pits. I had a half Pit half American bulldog from 8 weeks old till her death at about 10 years till she got bone cancer. She came from a long line of fighting dogs sad to say. Never had any problems what so ever with her. If anything she was too timid. One of the best dogs we have ever owned. Very strong and protective dog she was. On the other side of the coin my sister and brother in law decided to take one in from the pound. BAD IDEA! They had it for about a week and d*mm thing bit my 5 year old nephew in the neck or throat. It was bad,, stiches hospital stay the whole nine yards. Kid is fine now thank god. Needless to say dog had to be put down by law. One thing I will say is if you want to own a pit get one as a pup and treat it right and odds are it will be just as good as other type of dog. If your thinking about getting already full grown be very certain you know its history.

 

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[beez0404]

So today was my last chance to do some detecting, as of tomorrow we will be below freezing until the spring. I have detected the tiny village where I live to death, so I crossed the border to detect the American side of our town. I was having zero luck, digging only memorial cents at the three spots I hit. Then I noticed a mowed open area with an old trail and possibly the impression of where an old building once stood. I detected for a few minutes, still finding nothing great, and when I was down digging, I noticed a loose young pitbull watering the grass maybe 20 yards from me. I stood up, he noticed me and was interested. I stood up and slowly turned and walked through the area, across the road, and onto the porch of the nearest house. I knocked, nobody was home, the dog stared at me from the street for a few minutes. I heard another dog bark in the distance, and the pitbull trotted down the street. I was a little freaked, as I had a much worse experience last weekend.

Last Saturday I got permission to detect an old family farm from a sweet 90 year young lady. She had to leave while I detected, so I was happy to have some uninterrupted detecting time. I heard what I thought was someone calling me, I removed the headphones and hollered "hello"? No response, so I continued. Then, through the bushes, right beside my truck, I see a huge pitbull, and he looked annoyed. There was nobody around, and I was a good distance from my truck, and the dog. I figured he was going to check me out, and I'd rather face him close to the house where someone may come along, rather than in the garden behind the house and bushes. I removed my headphones, gripped my Lesche, and walked to my truck...and the growling pitbull. The truck was locked, no time to fumble with keys, I kept walking until I ran the last eight or nine yards and leaped into the box of my truck. I know it's better to stay calm and not show fear, but I believe the dog was inevitably going to engage me. So there I am, standing in my box, the dog growling on the ground, and nobody around, and only distant farmhouses on the flat prairie horizon. Great. Then I see a tractor out in a field, the driver waving his arms, and I could hear a faint whistle. The dog looked at me before turning to run across the field to the tractor, and whom I assume was the dogs owner. Sigh of relief lol!

Now I'm not a chicken, I'm nearly 6'4, and 235 lbs. I also LOVE dogs! However, these particular dogs are unpredictable, and I don't trust them. A seven year old boy that I know was bitten on the face a couple of weeks ago by a pitbull, in the dogs house, right in front of the dogs owner. I know they can be a good dog, but the erratic behaviour makes me wish they were better controlled and restrained by the owners.

Anybody else have close calls with dogs while detecting? I'm going to carry my knife with me from now on.

While in NY on a metal detecting trip were were hunting an older school. From across the parking lot I hear a DEEP loud bark and looked up to see a full grown chocolate lab coming towards me at full tilt. Close behind was a black lab. He barked and barked and got closer and closer. When he was about 10 feet away I knelt down and put my arms in front of my face and waited. Then nothing. When I peeked I saw two tennis balls laying on the ground at my feet. Sitting about three feet away was the black lab. The chocolate lab was trotting towards the guy I was with. So I picked up the two slimy balls and tossed them across the parking lot. The black lab took off after them and crammed them both in his mouth. I went back to swinging and of course he kept bringing the balls back. What's worse, if I didn't throw them he would nudge me with his snout. So although at first I was wary, later I was just annoyed.

Leave the knife at home and get yourself a bottle of pepper spray and wear it on your belt. The good ones shoot about 15 feet and will work well unless you are dealing with a trained guard dog.

 

[gtfm2345]

Walk softly and carry a do go Argentina

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

I was riding my bicycle when two of them came charging across a small field toward me, being a firm believer in the best defence is a strong offence, I jumped off the bike while still in motion, just in time to smash one of them in the head with my fist, they both ran back from where they came. Now the funny part, or not so funny is there was a guy, whom I assumed to be the owner, standing on the doorstep who watched the whole thing and never said a word. I mean wouldn't a normal person call the dogs back.

About breeds, yes they all can be capable of biting, I never expected this from a black lab type. He didn't growl or even look aggressive in any way just kind of grabbed me on the way by.



Still not scared of dogs, but I'll be watching for this fellow next time.

 

[lockster99]

I agree with most everything that has been said but.....the difference is, you have a good chance against the average dog. Almost none getting a determined pit off you or your child. And at that point I dont care who the owner was/is or how the dog was treated.

 

[TNGUNS]

I absolutely love dogs. Probably more than people. This is not to offend anyone who loves their Pits (Staffordshire Terriers) but the breed does have a more natural tendency toward aggression. Try to get a beagle to point a bird... nope. Dogs have talents, and less desirable behaviors bred into them. No doubt a Pit is a loyal breed, but they are more aggressive than most. The aggressive behavior that is part of the breed is the exact reason that thugs and the idiots who fight dogs choose the breed. Not to mention the fact they will literally fight to the death. Loving and loyal as they may be, it would behoove any person owning one to pay more attention to them around strangers than they would a their Lab if they owned both. I have worked many years out in the public and frequently visiting from house to house and have had many good and bad encounters with strange dogs. Having worked in Law Enforcement I have had many vicious dog calls. No doubt the public is quicker to dial 911 on a free running Pit, but also no doubt they pose more of a danger than a similar sized dog when a chance encounter occurs. I agree with the statement to carry "it" with you when possible. The biggest problem lies not with the breed but irresponsible owners not keeping their dogs controlled regardless of the breed. Be careful out there and HH.

 

[gilgar]

I agree, I have had bad experiences with other types of dogs. Sometimes it is the owner's fault because most of the people who own pit bulls do not try to raise them to be friendly companion dogs, sometimes the owners have other reasons for breeding/owning them. Pit bulls were first bred to be fierce fighting dogs, not companion dogs, and that is somtimes the reason people get them. But if you get one from a good breeder, from a good family, or as a puppy, and put it in a nice family, it will be as good as any other dog.

Don't forget the shelters, you can find great pits and other pets there too. My kid got a half boxer/half american bulldog from the shelter and he is the sweetest, greatest dog you'll ever find. He's very pitty looking and has even scared a few people out on walks but he's a big ol' sweetheart. You can find purebreds of all types at the shelters too.

 

[Higgy]

View attachment 1076730

How could anyone not fall in love with that face?

 

[Higgy]

I'm from Canada, and don't want to deal with all the BS with customs and "it" when I go detecting in America.

Good decision, J. Shooting a dog - even in self-defense almost always makes the news. That kind of exposure would only tarnish treasure hunting's already sullied reputation. It could also put you in a lawsuit situation. It could also complicate things for future border crossings, especially if detecting. I think the better choice would be to carry some bear mace if you don't get hassled for it while crossing. Put it right on your belt. Works on everything with eyes, and if you are a hardcore hot pepper eater, its good on chips (I heard).

 

[doc-d]

One other option for those who prefer or can't carry, and in my opinion is better than pepper spray, is wasp spray, the kind that will reach out 20' or so…..an extremely effective deterrent and I would imagine that no dog once sprayed would be in much of an attack mode…..heck they would not be seeing to well for a week or more…...

 

[Gridwalker306]

I was attacked in my own yard by a pit that went for my throat but hit my chest and ripped that open along with shattering my wrist while a second came in also but he did not attack. They were both owned by the same owner but the one that attacked had been fight trained, the cops put her down after she left me and went after 3 elderly people in their front yard. The thing is we raised a pit and my cousin raised and sold them and we never had a problem it is not the dog it's the IDIOTS who raise them to be that way that are the problem.Oh and I also told the cops not to harm the other as he did nothing. In the town I live it's a migrant worker town and Dog fighting and Cock fighting is an underground thing here.Now I am real jumpy when a dog catches me unexpected when detecting luckily they all just want to dig in the hole also.

.

That's pretty crazy Back-Of-The-Boat! I'm sorry to hear that happened to you, would have been quite scary. I get a little jumpy when strange dogs approach while I'm detecting too, but some breeds are worse than others.

 

[Gridwalker306]

Rick and Beez, the dog situations you mentioned are what I'd like to avoid lol!

 

[Gridwalker306]

Higgy and doc-d-- I'm thinking I will look into the wasp/pepper spray, I think it's a great option, as long as I don fumble and spray myself in the face while being charged by an angry dog--that would be bad haha.

 

[TSCOM]

I've encountered chihuahuas make would make pits look like babies it they were equal in size. The most aggressive dogs I've met have been chows.

 

[g-olden years]

Interesting thread. Anyone who owns a large dog should have it either under their immediate control or fenced at all times. Period. In our town a few years ago, a grandma brought her pit bull along on a walk with her daughter and two young grandchildren. The dog had been around these kids before, no problem. This day, the older kid teased the younger kid with a big bug, the younger child squealed and the pit bull killed her. A human life ended at age five. The unexpected can happen. It can't be changed afterwards.

My only personal scary encounter with an angry dog happened when carrying my detector home after a beach hunt. A fellow's leashed dog started growling & pulling as soon as I neared them on the sidewalk. I think my detector probably seemed like a weapon to that dog and he felt he had to protect his owner. Owner an old guy who wasn't strong enough to hold his angry dog much longer -- so I slowly backed away & took a different route home. Some large dogs can be so protective of their owners that they attack anyone they feel is threatening their master. Guess I should get some of the wasp spray as I'm too puny to protect myself even from a chihuahua, lol. Andi

 

[TSCOM]

Interesting thread. Anyone who owns a large dog should have it either under their immediate control or fenced at all times. Period. In our town a few years ago, a grandma brought her pit bull along on a walk with her daughter and two young grandchildren. The dog had been around these kids before, no problem. This day, the older kid teased the younger kid with a big bug, the younger child squealed and the pit bull killed her. A human life ended at age five. The unexpected can happen. It can't be changed afterwards.

My only personal scary encounter with an angry dog happened when carrying my detector home after a beach hunt. A fellow's leashed dog started growling & pulling as soon as I neared them on the sidewalk. I think my detector probably seemed like a weapon to that dog and he felt he had to protect his owner. Owner an old guy who wasn't strong enough to hold his angry dog much longer -- so I slowly backed away & took a different route home. Some large dogs can be so protective of their owners that they attack anyone they feel is threatening their master. Guess I should get some of the wasp spray as I'm too puny to protect myself even from a chihuahua, lol. Andi

It's actually territorial reasons dogs get aggressive and not the protection of their owner. People like to think it's protection but that's not how dogs think.

 

[MichiganMan]

My uncle Lee was attacked by a pack of wild dogs while he was on a tractor pulling an implement [not sure which] but he was able to unhitch the implement (disc, plow?) and go back to the farm, get a gun, and shoot a couple before the rest ran away. The DNR came in and shot all but one (it got away). Reminds me... I'll have to ask him about this incident again next time I see him. These were obviously dogs that people had let go.

 

[BigWaveDave]

About 10 years ago I was making a delivery to a shady/freaky place out in the sticks, a white trash mobile home park that I didn't know existed, in a town I didn't know. Walking down the long driveway, with 5 gallons on my shoulder, and unsure of the address I spot a bada$$ pit, eyeing me down, waiting for me to get closer...Seeing his chain, I trudged on, then to my horror, realized that he was lying next to his chain, and he charged me...full on with every intention of eating me....

So what happened next I swear is the awful truth.... I threw the bottle at him, he kept on coming, bites me on the leg and hand, so I pulled out my knife, and stuck it right in the neck, over and over until it backed off, then it dropped, died right there. Just then the owner comes out of the house, sees his dog and me and says to me that "I saw you kill my dog, but don't worry about it, I got others"

Now for the kicker.....turns out I was in the wrong driveway.......FAIL

 

[JerV3]

Just had the same thing happen to me. I was in a run down side of town. I was hitting a grove all the sudden a angry pit was right on me. I grabbed my shovel and was like cmon you mother f*****. I almost took his head off. He backed me all the way out of the park and to my car.

I felt like finding the owner and giving them a peice of my mind. These are the reasons my wife won't let me carry. I'd a shot this dog in a heart beat. I like dogs I have one but I'll be damned if I'm gonna get bit

Be careful out there.

 

[BamaDave]

This is little crazy, as I just googled some key words trying to find news article about my cousin and her horse being attacked by pit bull. It was about 3-4 years ago at her home in Texas. What is more crazy then the event is that I found many pit bull attacks horse news reports and none of them were the one featuring my cousin so this seems to happen quite often. Try it yourself. Texas pit bull attacks horse as key words. In brief, my cousin decided to go for a horse ride behind her home (what's more scary is that she lives within city limits and usually just goes for walk and only rides horse 1 day per week ~ this story could have been her). Well, she was just leaving the back of her home when an unknown pit bull walked up looked up at them and then jumped up and grabbed her horse's neck. This pit brought her and the horse (16 hands) to the ground and would not let go. Her husband rushed out when he heard her scream. They tried to pry pit jaws off without results, then grabbed baseball and hit the pit and still would not let go. Her husband had to rush and grab a gun and shoot the pit to get it off the horse. The horse barely survived with many stitches to its neck, and again luckily it was not my cousin on her usual walk. Freaked them out as was on their property, never seen dog before, and dog was committed to killing the horse and would not let go no matter how hard they tried to pry its jaws open and even hit it. She also stated that dog did not growl or even bark. Just quietly attacked. Lastly, what if had been their child out just playing in the backyard? I've seen articles about pits being good family dogs in the old days in England, but I still feel that they are preferred and chosen for dog fights for a reason and find them (and chows) unstable (although I have friends who have) and would never have around any kids. In fact, if I find a pit on my property and have a wife or kids and have access to a gun, then I will "likely" kill it just like a poisonous snake, which may not attack anyone but which also none of us would leave on our property if we have a child. We simply react to pits this way for a reason (enough news/stories), same as poisonous snakes which have likely hurt people even less than pits.