A house full of pets with identity crisis, and a delima.

[Sticks]

The wife and I recently adopted an 8 week old burglar alarm, and we are currently in programming. Please don't ask me what breed, we have no idea, most likely has some Australian Sheppard due to the speckled white socks, beyond that, it's a dog.

We also have 3 cats and 2 angora ferrets (European breed, stock behavior is way different from your typical ferret). They all play well together and all share traits that they learned from each other, which makes for some odd behavior.

All of them stalk and pounce. Now watching a ferret stalk one of the cats and tackle it is hilarious. Watching the dog stalk and tackle the cats is just weird. This is not a dog hunting, the movements are identical to the cats when they do it. One of the cat's will play fetch, the dog fights like a cat (sits on rear legs and bats/slaps/punches), the cats steal things, and so on.

Well one evening while the wife was playing with the cats using a laser pointer, the puppy got into it. First time I have ever seen, let alone heard of that kind of behavior from a dog. This got me to thinking.

A laser sight for my home weapon? Good or bad? Give the intruder a choice, getting attacked by three cats and a dog, or get shot. The ferrets are a non issue, they would just come in after the fact and start going through the pockets looking for stuff to steal.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Scot Van]

I have to say that this is one of the wierdest posts I've read, and makes complete sense!!

Seems like your pet might be in the way of a bullet if you use a laser on your gun. Is there any way to arm the ferrets?

[Sticks]

I have to say that this is one of the wierdest posts I've read, and makes complete sense!!

Seems like your pet might be in the way of a bullet if you use a laser on your gun. Is there any way to arm the ferrets?

That crossed my mind of having innocents in the way. The pup can not jump very high as of yet, and all of them will scour the immediate area rather aggressively if the laser gets turned off, or moves too fast for them to track.

You have never had a ferret shoot out from underneath a couch, table, floor rug and latch onto your Achilles tendon. There is a reason they have the nickname "Carpet Shark".

[dang.45]

Our dog is very un-catlike, but will go after a laser pointer with gusto. I've never seen a large dog go after them, but the smaller dogs I've seen seem to. It actually makes them kind of neurotic, because they can never "get" that little point of light, so we don't use it for play.

I don't know that my experience is of much help, but I thought I'd chime in...

[Cupcake]

Pups are a ton of fun aren't they? I walk mine throught the woods and he sniffs a lot. Occasionally he finds a small hole in the ground where I figure a critter buried something or maybe a tiny creature is currently hiding. Then instead of digging at it like he does most other identical holes, he rolls-no- jumps onto his back, runs in place a bit, and kinds looks lie he's having a siezure. Gets up and repeats several times. Go figure.

Anyhow, Don't know that I'd distract myself with trying to get the critters to all see the laser and get in their "chase the laser" mood. May only take a moment, but any moment where your not focused on the the threat and and scanning for other threats is gonna leave you open for being scheduled for a dirt-nap. Then there is the possibility of joe home invader starting to shoot as the critters attack approach, you decide to fire, but hesisitate because your babies are in the way. That'd be un-good. MI law allows for the presumption that if someone illegaly forces their way into your home, that you reasonably believe that your life is in danger. No need to challenge here, IMO. I don't want to give him a chance to fight back. If I see him first, he's going down, and I'm scanning for others. Don't re-call who said it: If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck. Check your states' laws on this.

Let your pup bond. Watch the dog whisperer, the guys a genius. Your dog views the family as a pack. You be the leader, make sure he respects your position. Don't beat him and give him a plenty of positive attention and walks, and I think most dogs will love being part of the pack and will want to protect it, barking at intruders and such.

[josh]

My beagle used to go nuts chasing after laser pointers. We eventually stoped because after we finished she would go crazy for about 15 minutes trying to figure out where it went. It was funny at the time, though... we're run it all the way down long hallways and stop it right at the bottom of the door - like it went underneath and into the closed room. BOOM! She'd run into the door and attack it.


But yeah it would suck if the dog/animal were to chase after it if you had it on a bad guy.

[NCHornet]

Just point your cat at the perp's crotch and let the cat do the rest!!
I am not a fan of lasers for home defense. I do have a very expensive unit on my 92F but it is just for range use.

[sisco]

We have two dogs, three cats & a rabbit.
As soon as the rabbit discovered he was at the very bottom of the food chain, he took appropriate action

[Sticks]

We have two dogs, three cats & a rabbit.
As soon as the rabbit discovered he was at the very bottom of the food chain, he took appropriate action

OMG. I can read the headlines now.
Homeowner shot by pet, motive appears to be the food dish was empty.

Cute picture!

If there was an intruder in the house, the dog damn well better be first on scene. the cats would follow just out of curiosity. I would think that if the intruder was stupid enough to stick around with a barking dog, or at the least, the rumble of little feet and the low growl, my coming around the corner with a little red light is going to be of little concern at the moment, and even then, the tac light would be next and aim highish.

I don't have much experience with shooting under stress, but focusing on a target other than the double row of sharp teeth chomping on various parts of my anatomy would seem to be a bit difficult.

[ChrisM]

Cisco, that is the BEST!!!!

Animals are very intuitive. Your dog is gonna know the difference between play and danger especially if it is some kind of cow dog! We play with laser pointers with our dogs. We have one Lad/Akita and a Border Collie and I know that either one of them would be fighting through you to get to a BG!!!
The Lab/Akita is the reason my wife allows me to work nights!

Chris

[SIGguy229]

My 2 yr old Lab LOVES the laser pointer.

My suggestion: if a BG comes into your house, hit him with a laser pointer or your Crimson Trace--and then "release the hounds"!

[dunndw]

I see a new marketing idea...LASER GUIDED PIT BULLS :-)
Someone get DARPA on the phone...I need a grant

[Sky Pilot]

Dogs that act like cats.
Cats that act like ferrets.
Nurture vs. nature: a litter of kittens, raised in the county dog pound (don't ask, I didn't do it!) resulted in kittens that barked.
They had little kitten voices but their words were in canine.
Strange!

[friesepferd]

[1911NM]

My youngest son's border collie was ruined by friend of his who came over with a laser pointer. Now the neurotic little twit chases reflections, shadows, etc. incessantly. Never been a fan of the laser sights, but have tritium inserts on my carry gun. I don't care if the BG can't see 'em, I can.