It has been suggested to me, on numerous occasions, that we rural folk have it easy with dog control, because all we have to do is apply the three S's, Shoot, Shovel and Shut up, and we can solve our troubles, and if we dare complain about our dog issues, we haven't done our rural duty to Shoot, Shovel and Shut up.
If it only were that easy.
Firstly, not all states allow shooting of dogs attacking livestock, and if you get caught, you might have to pay a fine, or worse. Please research your state laws before you take a rifle into your hands and start shooting at the neighbor's dog, especially when they might witness you doing it.
Second, well, it ain't as easy as it sounds, and it ain't as effective as you might think.
I'm not going to ask you to judge my own situation, but to listen to a few stories I've collected in the past year or so, after I finally had it and started telling everyone I know that I was going to shoot the next goddamned stray dog I saw on my property.
So here goes, Part 1:
The Dogs Kept Coming OR I'm Living in a Dog Cemetary
This story came to my by way of a man I'll call Mark, who is my age and grew up on the piece of property I now own. I have to go back aways before the story starts and let you know that up until the mid '90's this part of the country was range land. If you're unfamiliar with what "range" designation is, that means your can let your stock wander and graze wherever and if a wayward driver hits your horse or cow, they are liable for the replacement cost of your horse or cow (or goat, or sheep, or..)
Point is, it was REALLY rural back when this young man was growing up. Most of the property around was owned by Weyerhauser, the timber giant and most houses were and are the first setttlements on the properties they occupy.
Way back then, we worried about cougar, bear or coyotes taking stock, and since they are normally afraid of people, that didn't happen much.
THEN, the neighbors to this piece of property obtained a variance to the rural zoning and put in a 20 unit mobile home court.
Sounds horrid, doesn't it? Well, remember that timber giant stuff? The trees are so thick here, you can't see a one of them, or hear anyone most of the time, BUT they all moved in with their doggies and let 'em run.
Seriously.
It was when Mark was about 15 when he discovered his Palomino being shredded in her own stall. I got this story when I first looked at this place and asked, 'what the hell happened to that shed?'
The poor mare tried to bust her way out, but couldn't do it. The shed's far enough from the house that it took awhile to wake folks and by the time they got out there the poor horse was really hurt.
Mark was mad enough that he started shooting every dog he saw on the property and burying it.
Between 15 and the time he left for college he told me he shot and buried 21 dogs, before he stopped counting.
Twenty-one, and still they kept coming, until his family finally got the mobile home court OWNERS to enforce dog regulations on their own property, but that was a long and expensive legal battle over not only the dogs.
So, my point is, SSS doesn't do a damned thing for you except to get rid of the immediate threat, and having a sharp shooter kid at home is a help. Problem is, the idiot dog owners will just go out and get another dog and it will be on your property in no time.
There actually IS a better solution IF you can get a clean shot at the dogs AND the law is on your side.
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