"IT" Happened

LOL, not to worry, Blue Ridge. The farmer is my hubby and has been handling guns for most of his 60 yo life. I think he is very capable to teach me. No kiddos at home anymore here and we aren't stupid nor easily provoked.

So sorry you got frightened in that manner. You did the right thing; thought fast and reacted calmly. Do what YOU need to do to make yourself feel safe. For me, that's keeping four very noisy dogs in the yard or in the house with me. Keeps critters away from the house and warns me when someone even drives by the driveway that doesn't belong there. I'm one who doesn't yet feel comfortable with the thought of a gun-even though I keep livestock and know that one will probably be necessary to ward off predators at some point. I plan on it...just not quite ready yet for the power to end someone's life yet. Not necessarily a 'blue' thing or a 'red' thing, just a me thing. betty

You really wanna a good way to keep people away. Post a sign that reads "Warning! Venomous Snakes on Premises." Make two signs for both the front and back door. I do not keep venomous, but a buddy of mine who does can barely get the UPS guy to deliver to his house. If you believe someone is trying to gain access to your house instead of hollering out "May I help you," pretend it is your husband and holler out "Honey! Be careful the cobra is loose again!!" Would you go into a house if you just heard that?!

We have 3 Great Pyrenees and they definitely make a person think twice before coming down our drive. BIG barks on those boys! They do make me feel a lot safer on the rare occasion that my husband isn't home at night. And we've never lost a chicken or lamb to predators.

Any one with a big bark will do, puppy so you can train them.

Take the dog with you on your chicken chores. Accustom the dog that the chickens are off limits. MUST be vigilant while ht edog is young.

After the dog is accustomed to the big chickens being off limits. You will have to train it to leave little chicks alone. If introduced separately they won't differentiate between big one that was taught off limits earlier, with the little ones that hatch at a later date.

I have chickens and dog. My dog is indoor dog (medium sized) with big bark! When I am gone, I leave the curtains closed. Nobody would know he's just a little dog when they can't see him and only hear a big bark.

1) Take a course in personal protection training for concealed carry handgun, self-defense handgun and/or self-defense shotgun for close quarters bad guy offensive tactics.

2) Practice with your handgun and/or shotgun at ranges from 5 to 50 yards so you know where the projectiles hit at those distances. Practice, practice, practice.

3) Learn to overcome your fear of using deadly force against someone who is intent on killing you. Your attacker(s) won't have any qualms about killing you.

4) When using possible deadly force, use it to terminate the threat to your life. This doesn't mean shooting only to wound nor to intentionally kill. This means you shoot to terminate the threat to your life and immediate safety. If the attacker happens to die in the process of stopping the threat he or she presents, too bad, as that is the price of being a criminal.

5) Never let your guard down as even those who appear to be no threat to you may be relying on you being lulled into inattention before they attack. Consider anyone you don't know to be a potential threat until you are 100% certain that they are otherwise.

It doesn't matter what you use to protect yourself, as long as it suits your needs and what you feel comfortable with. More likely as not, it will simply be a visual deterrent rather than needing to be used. However, always be prepared to use it.

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Those who refuse to respect the natural rights of the individual and uphold their oath to protect and defend the Constitution deserve the punishment they receive.

Even with all of the mystique of shotguns what with the ominous sounds they make racking a round into the chamber and the mythical yard wide kill zone you can't miss with; I don't like them inside the house. Even in a riot configuration like my Mossberg 590 they are just too long. It is too easy for an assailant to grab the muzzle and have control of the weapon. It is very difficult to bring a shotgun to bear on an assailant that is close to you. It is just too long and unwieldy. I've noticed that some smaller framed women especially have trouble even hoisting one to their shoulder and firing it with any kind of accuracy. The shotgun can be quite useful inside a house but the government has imposed regulations that make it impossible to have one in that configuration without excessive regulations and fees. I've done walk through after walk though in my house wielding my 590 and it is simply too long and clumsy in the hallways and going through doors etc. It certainly has its place but maneuvering it through the interior of my house is not it.

I much prefer a handgun. It is short enough that it is much more difficult for an assailant to get a hold of it or get close enough to be "inside" it. You don't have the problems maneuvering it through the house like a shotgun. It is also easier for smaller people to use as there are myriad of choices to fit just about anybody.

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Respect The Cactus!

I'm sorry, my post was in regard to my own situation. I am well versed with the firearms and a good shot. My house also has an open floorplan with doorways that are 6 foot wide (easier for lighting and heating/cooling).

And I DEFINITELY would not recommend anyone purchasing a firearm without the intent to take firearm training before ever using one.

It's easy to get distracted, make mistakes and kill yourself or a loved one. A distant cousin of mine was an avid hunter, had been in the service and knew firearms. He was cleaning his shotgun one night at the kitchen table when it went off and killed his wife. He was in such bad shape after that, he needed professional help... for a long time. I don't think he's ever fully recovered.

Never point a gun at anyone unless you realize you may kill them.

I can relate. Monday was the first day since I have lived in the boons again, and even other times I have lived in the country when I found myself sensing fear. It was really windy. I thought I heard something, but told myself it was just the wind. I was working upstairs. When I finally came down, and quite a length of time had gone by...some mysterious-looking old age biker dude...I am sure he was perfectly harmless, but he scared the wits out of me,...was out walking around...I took it as a sign. If I knocked on someone's door, no answer, I certainly wouldn't go snooping in their outbuildings, which I caught him doing. I don't own a weapon and never intend to, but I realized it is way past time for a farm dog. I have been watching the newspaper. Just haven't come across anything yet, since I would rather adopt an older, mellow dog rather than go through the pup stage again.

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Ok
I'm from NY state.
I'm not liberal.
I own several guns. I wouldn't watch that Columbine slop ever.
Being naive is a good recipe for dead.
A dog doesn't need to be loaded. He can hear, see, and smell bad guys. He uses good judgement and doesn't have to explain it to a judge. Dogs are better deterents than guns. They buy you time to get out, or get a gun, and will save your life in so many ways.

Thank you, Woodspirit, for reminding me of what I already knew. People used to laugh at me, trying to keep people from hunting my land even with the no-trespass signs....Ya, you look real powerful with your hoe-in-hand going out to confront men with real guns. Funny. No, I have been e-mailing friends in the area to help me find a dog. I seriously didn't mean to intercept the thought of this thread, but it helped make me realize I am not the only in this situation. A friend in the area actually asked today why I didn't just call 911...I said in the 2 months I have lived here, and I am almost always outside...I have seen one law car drive this road in all that time,and they actually beamed their spotlight on me like I was some sort sort of predator on my own property. Maybe my pajamas were a give-away late at night??? No, by the time they got here...Thank you. Glad to know I am not alone. Deb

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In my humble opinion, multiple large German Shepherds are about at intimidating as you can get. Why do you think that almost every police service in the world uses them?

They can be trained to do almost anything, including leaving your chicken alone. Contain them on your property with the Invisible fence, and you will probably solve your intruder problem.


Pete

All this praise for the border collie. I guess the ones I've known have been of the milder sort. Most of the time I think you could have walked off with the entire ranch without them ever noticing. They are SOOOOOO preoccupied with things. I can't imagine them being fierce.

donsgal

I'm not so sure about German Shepherds...seems like their would be many
other breeds that wouldn't be near as difficult to train not to go after farm
animals. I grew up around them, and though they weren't trained properly
I'm sure, the males were all bad around other animals. I lost my favorite
duck, Flatty, to a German Shepherd ;-(
They are the best as far as guard dogs though. Very loyal. I think you could
more easily train a Rottweiler. I've raised both and I think the Rotts have more sense.

james

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"These capitalists generally act harmoniously and in concert, to fleece the people..."
Abraham Lincoln, from his first speech as an Illinois state legislator, 1837

My mom's 150lb Malamute attacked our new dairy goat (they are all at her house) and so he came down to stay with us (he doesn't like goats because his first experience with one was a neighbor's buck who came onto OUR 150 acres and decided to run Eban out of our garage...a dumber goat there never was). He made me feel safe because I'm here all day alone with the babies (3 & 5). Then night before last at something like 3am we awoke to the most visious barking and growel I've ever heard from him in my life!!! Someone had tried to get in through the door (thank goodness he didnt try the windows!!! Sometimes I forget to lock them when Ive had them open all day) and Eban was trying to get him!!! The guy was gone before Evan (dh is Evan and the dog is Eban...yeah it gets confusing at our house, but the dog came first so he gets to stay Eban) was in the front yard, but NOT before our neighbor's dogs (good tough trustworthy yard dogs) set up the alarm. There had been a rash of fourwheeler robberies (two of which had been from mom's house.....snuck up while she was asleep and stole them from the barn 100 yards from the house....if THAT isnt enough to make you wet yourself....they also stole one from our neighbor on the hill's carport while he was asleep on the couch and the door was unlocked) so I KNEW there was a good chance....but it's not until your 150 lb dog trys to launch himself through your livingroom picture window at a would be burgler (and who knows WHAT else) that you become FULLY grateful for a BIG LOUD "member of your pack" dog !!!!!

I sure am thankful that you closed up early!!!! We go out of our way to get LGDs for our livestock, consider one for your house!!!! (Malamute are not only great family dogs, and great kid guards, but they have such a long coat that they are wonderfully "spinnable"!!!!

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

The BEST farm dog I ever had was a pit bull named Missy. I got her on Easter Sunday when I was 5 and took her all over the fame with me. Her best friends were a cat named Jingles, and a Nubian named GoofBall (who thought he was a pit bull too). She NEVER let people she didnt know out of the car and attacked a rattlesnake because it came into the yard. Not all pitbulls are like Missy, but then "BEST" is pure luck in any breed, you can rarely tell what a dog's personality is gonna be when they are only a couple of weeks old. (Darn I would do almost anything to have that dog still with us.....theres just no replaceing her....Eban is AWESOME but he's no Missy)

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

When I was a baby, my mom was a trapper and had to hang signs on the fenceline that read "Warning, Steel traps in use" I always thought that'd be a great deterrant!!! WHO would want to take a chance on getting their foot caught in a steel trap??? (course....we ARE talking about burglurs....of the moronic kind)

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

I'm very glad the incident went the way it did for you. No one has to remind you now how differently it could have turned out. This kind of thing constitues a wake up call and you'll look at your surroundings differently for the rest of your life. That's not altogether a bad thing. You trade a little of your perception of security for an alertness that may one day save your life or the life of a family member.

Gun/Dog. Dog/Gun. Dog. Gun. Martial Arts or all of them together. All the advise you've received here is good, except the thing about the guy turning your door knob might have been an honest, lost traveler. That kind of thinking can only put you in a body bag. Any body that turns a door knob on a house that's not theirs is up to no good.

Owning guns is a touchy subject but I'll offer this advise to you for what it may be worth. Take a long look at what kind of person you are before you decide about how you want to handle your security/home/personal defense. Any weapon, guns or even rocks, have some deterrent value but you have to be prepared to use a weapon if its presence turns out not to be enough. A lot has been said about the sound of a shot gun shell being chambered and it is an unmistakable and chilling sound but it won't stop every one and the sound is the same a pointing a weapon. The act represents an implied ultimatum. Whether you speak or not, it says comply with my wishes or I will shoot you. If you are convinced that you will pull the trigger when necessary then get a gun. If you are not convinced you will pull the trigger then do not get a gun. The adversary may already have a gun of his own and he will probably be happy to use it or he may not have a gun and will want yours. If you are not prepared to go beyond making a shell chambering noise then he'll likely end up with your gun in his hands. What happens after that is never good.

Martial Arts, well, if you go that way then plan to learn from someone who really knows what they are doing and practice enough to be very good. As a woman you will likely weigh less than your adversary and you will probably not be as strong. In hand to hand combat, when skill level is equal, weight and strength can be the difference between living and dying. Your skill has to be better than his and you have to be prepared to kill, hurting an intruder may not turn out to be enough. Remember, in a life threatening situation there are no rules. Anything you can get your hands on can be a weapon that may save your life.

Dog is a good idea for a first line defense even if you will use a gun and you turn out to be a Bruce Lee type martial arts expert. Problem with a dog is you have to have a dog that won't just run out at night wag his tail and lick the intruder's hand. The trick is to have him protect you but not bite every neighbor that comes to visit you during the day. A good dog has to be ready to give his life for you and, more importantly, you have to be prepared to let him do it. Don't run out side to try to save the dog. If you do he'll have probably given his life for nothing.

If you make your decision based on what you're prepared to do then you'll be fine. I tell my wife to always stay alert to her environment, don't let any one she doesn't know get within close proximity. If she even thinks there is a threat to her safety call 911. The rest of it is based on what I know she is prepared to do and would be of no value to you.

I hope you will soon be able to put most of the incident behind you and you will retain only that which makes you a little more wary and much less of a potential victim of crime. Don't forget to make that 911 call as soon as you can. Then your only responsibility is to stay alive until the sheriff's deputies can get to your place and in remote areas that takes a little time.

I am terrified living where we are when I don't have a dog. We had a house fire in 2000 that claimed our dog, and I finally have another one we've had her for a full year now, and I'm much calmer, she's the biggest wussy in the world, but she barks. We also bought the dairy goats their own dog, she will be a year old in dec. They're main barn area opens out right by the driveway, and they're up at the barn at night, so the livestock gaurdian dog barks too at night visiters, and she's huge! Then in the day time the yard turkeys gobble at strangers. So we've got it covered day or night

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Train them to behave around the chickens is all. and get the shotgun, will come in handy with coons/coyotes/fox/weasels around your chickens.

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-Theodore Roosevelt