Notes about calling the police:

1. This particular area is right on the border between two counties. Last year I found a stolen vehicle ditched there and had to call SIX different LEO departments before finding one who would respond. The really amazing thing was the stolen vehicle belonged to a cop and his uniform and paperwork were strewn around.

2. I was just starting the class and didn't want to interrupt it to deal with police. I don't charge for the class, I just accept tips afterwards. Plus, some people had driven over an hour to be there. I didn't want any of them to feel the class wasn't worthwhile (ie. cut into my tips or make them not tell their friends about the class). I'll admit that's a bad motivation, especially if these dogs do hurt someone else in the future.

3. The owner of the dogs was gone well before we returned to the parking area so getting her license plate number wasn't an option without interupting the class.

4. There are signs stating dogs must be kept on leashes.

Thinking about it I should have told one of the students to film the encounter. Best case it would have proved the shootings were justified, worst case it would have made an awesome youtube video...

I don't think the dogs were just playing but they weren't in full-on attack mode, either. They scared the heck out of one of the students who stood there screaming in fear. Like someone else said, my stick wouldn't have done anything against two Rotts bent on eating me.

You always read about time slowing down in such an event and that is completely true. I remember running through all sorts of analysis and possible actions during the brief encounter. One of the main reasons I got a CCW was due to previous encounters with dogs and I've visualized armed responses to such an incident over and over in my mind. I think that helped prepare me for the real thing and kept me from freezing up.

-Blast, who is getting too old for this sort of excitement.