Hello; decades ago when I was still running I discovered something similar. A small but aggressive dog, around beagle sized, charged out from it's yard at me. This was on the route of my maintenace run so i knew it would continue to be a problem. Next day I carried a stick about as big around as my index finger. Gave the dog a good smack. After that I discovered the dog would come after me if i were empty handed, but would not if I carried a small stick. I wound up for a long time putting a small stick in the guardrail at the base of the hill. I would grab the stick on the way up and put it back in the guard rail when I completed the circle. had to grab that stick every day.
The problem was the inconsistency of my current issues. Never knew when the neighbors dog was to be let out. So it was hard to have something handy. One day i had a hoe at hand I had been using. Another a hammer. Another a knife from my boat. The dog has been clever enough to stay just out of reach no matter what I was holding. I do figure a lesson such as you suggest would work. Thanks for the suggestion.
In the overall scheme of things i do not want to kill the dog. I also do not want to be bitten or see someone else get bitten. The best solution would be to smack the old man a few times. ( Actually i am probably ten to fifteen years older than him.)
Hello; A follow up on the neighbor's dog situation. Last time the dog came at me was maybe two weeks or so ago. I had stepped onto my back porch. The dog saw me from a distance, two yards away, and came running into my yard. I squared off with a yard tool and the usual standoff happened. Eventually the old man showed up and tried to get the dog, but it would not come to him nor mind him.
The man said some things that made me understand there would be no use dealing with him. That it would be alright if the dog bit the right person, he says. That I was doing the worst thing by being aggressive toward the dog (reference to the pickax I was holding). Took him a while to get the dog and leave.
I called the sheriff's office and discovered we have an animal control officer. That officer showed up to the owners house in about 20 minutes. I do not know what was said as the officer did not come over to speak to me. Anyway, have not seen the dog since. Maybe it was taken to a farm in the country. Not a euphemism for being killed as the couple do have a large farm about twenty miles away.
Glad I did not actually hurt or kill the dog as i would be vilified no matter the justification. I have been seeing on TV about a Govenor who put down an aggressive dog and was candid enough to put the tale in a book. Gutfeld made a series of jokes about it last night. Had a local NBC news on this morning and they talked about it. A key point, to me, is that the governor knew the dog was too aggressive and a danger to others. I am from a background that a biting dog needs to be put down. Preferably buy the owner. Guess her career advancement is over. I however understand the resolve it takes to do something you do not really want to do. Nobody wants to put down their own dog, even when it is badly injured, and the act is a mercy.