This past Wednesday, I was attacked.....and I successfully defended myself....but, I will get to that later. You need background first:
My main occupation is as a Bail Bondsman. I have to arrest people on occasion. My team and I work VERY hard to never let the defendant control the situation and we have been very successful. I am proud that NONE of my agents has ever had to dischat marge his weapon or even Taser a defendant we were arresting.
I am also trying to be a farmer. One of our properties that I go to regularly is defended by TWO Great Pyrenees dogs, weighing between 100 and 150 lbs. They are pretty awesome dogs. Their original purpose was as defensive herd dogs. They are literally killers, of coyotes, wolves, foxes, skunks, possums, raccoons, bobcats, or anything else that threatens their animals. And they do it well. Their MO is to work as pairs, when one attacks, the other follows, and they rip the throat out of any predator that dares enter the herd or flock.
On Wednesday past, I was working at my office when I was called to the farm to help. I was dressed all in black and the fog was rolling in and it was the twilight hour, with the main light from the already set sun at my back. The dogs were upset about something and had been barking all day long. The other men were working with the chickens and the chickens were upset too. They were fluttering, flapping, and squawking , but still none of us could tell what was upsetting everything. The dogs were barking around the perimeter, but nothing had been sighted.
Upon my arrival at the farm, the old bitch, who had just whelped, greeted me as is her norm. I scratched her ears and spoke to her, but the stud did not come to me, he was upset about something and barking and patrolling.
As we worked on caring for the chickens, the two other men went about business as usual. One in the back chicken shed with young chicks just put on the ground, the other with baby chicks inside the main building. And I was outside. Alone. The dogs went off, sounding VERY upset. So, I walked out to see what the fuss was about. The sun was at my back, the shed roof over my head and me next to the building, as I walked out I spoke to the male Great Pyrenees. He turned toward me and snarled. I had known him for a year, petting him many times, feeding him often, and yet he appeared not to recognize me or my voice. When he turned toward me and snarled, I spoke again, and placed my hand on my pocket revolver, which is when he charged. I tried backing away, but he advanced at a full run, snarling, snapping and angry. I drew the revolver and when it was clear he intended to kill me and was too close to stop his charge, I fired. The shot turned him, but did not kill him.
I carry a .38 special, loaded with light bullets. 90 GRAIN hollow points so that they do not penetrate walls and accidentally hurt someone. The dog appeared uninjured. I thought I had missed. Later investigation revealed I had hit him directly in his nose. The wound channel was at least three inches deep. That is how far they could reach into the wound with a q-tip. And the dog never even fell down, it simply turned and ran away. The bullet traveled directly toward the brain, but did not penetrate far enough. It appears the dog will live.
The owner of the dog informs me that had the male successfully attacked me, the female would have joined him in seconds. I would likely have died, but would certainly have been hospitalized. Neither of the other men were armed and if they could hae come to my aid would have been using hands, feet, and perhaps whatever lumber they could get their hands on.....but they were not close enough to save me had I gone down.
My physiological reaction was interesting too. The adrenaline rush virtually made me helpless for half an hour with the shakes.
My first thought was rabies, then I thought he had not realized it was me. He HATES me now, and growls as if I am a stranger, so I KNOW he knows who I was. I do not know what went on in his brain that made me the object of his attack. The owner is treating him trying to save his life, as he became infected quickly. It appears he will be saved. I simply cannot figure out why he attacked me KNOWING it was me. And I am re-thinking my bullet choices.
I know I did the right thing in shooting, but I am having trouble with understanding the dog, and what was upsetting it. There have been no really reasonable ideas so far. My beard, the darkness, the pups on the ground, etc....but they had been born a couple weeks earlier and had not created problems up to then. The beard grew slow enough he had time to associate me with it. Just cannot figure this one out. But, I do know I was either shooting him or going to the hospital or dying myself.
