I have 2 thoughts on this.

The first is that I strongly agree with Gordon. The primary thing I have been told, repeatedly by several people involved with dog bite cases, is that one thing that will often save your butt is that you can demonstrate that the dog is under control. The prime contention is that the dog is viscious and out of control when it makes the bite. Being able to demonstrate that the dog is controled and making an effort to do minimal damage to establish control is going to be good for you.

In addition to that the fairly well established method for training a dog is the bite and hold, not a repeated retargeting. If the dog demonstrates that it is going to make an attempt to establish control based on a single bite, even if the circumstances requires a retargeting you are going to in better shape. This leads to my preference to big dogs for home protection. I prefer that the dog be able to use it's size to be able to physically control the "bad guy". The breeds I haave prefered for a long time will tend to pull strongly back and can keep most people off balance, and generaly put them on the ground.

The other thing is that State Law is an important consideration. As an example there was a case here where 2 Pits being used as guard dogs killed a person that broke in to the buisness. There was nothing done to the dogs a result. Part of the reasoning was that the person that broke in was "teasing" the dogs. The result is that the dogs were not identified as viscious. Under Arizona law the dogs are not considered viscious if they are responding to the activity by the person bit. Since the person died, he couldn't very well deny it. Could he?

Wow...I'm glad I'm not from Iowa Todd...lol <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

In NY you may use deadly physical force in a like situation (Burglary 1st and 2nd I believe)...and also to prevent escape in some situations. If someone broke into my house the dog would be the least of his concerns.

Of course like Kevin said....the civil aspect is always going to be brought up sometimes weather your 100% right or not.

I'm only a year and a half late on this thread but after reading it I just wanted to make a comment.

If a violent man came bursting through one's front door late at night I have to believe that the overwhelming majority those victims would be probably be so terrified that they would find it difficult, if not impossible, to think clearly. And if they and their PPD dog found themselves in a violent, life or death struggle, all the criminal and civil concerns are not going to be a consideration.

I suspect those that would sit back and be critical of one's self-defense in such an incident have not themselves ever been the victim of a random act of violence.

With that said I must also believe that there have some bizarre rulings in court that have gone against solid, law obeying, tax paying, God loving citizens in favor of an unemployed, welfare recipient, drug-addict on parole that just busted down someone's door.

I am also late to this post, but just wondering if anybody knows where I can find out about the laws for dogs biting, etc. by state. I would like to find out about Minnesota (I live here now) and Missouri (I would rather live there - plan to move before the pup is anywhere close to being able to protect anyone) Curious. Someone mentioned that if the trouble occurs on the street things are a bit more difficult. Why? Does the person have more of a right to rape, rob or murder me because I am not in my house?? Thanks for any info. Jennie

Jeanie I don't know the Law In Missouri or Minnesota regrading dog bites. So I won't make any comment on that.

But I can say that most laws consider a "Breaking the thereshold or Entry to your domains factor" on the street you don't have this, in most cases you must protect the public from your dogs action. In simple terms it harder to prove that you are under attack just because a person approached you and the dog bite him on the street then in your house.

In your house the dog could bite the guy for entering your kitchen or for sticking his leg inside your door as some pushing salesmen do. The dog could run engage the guy from across the room.
The guy doesn't even have to be close to you. Just if he breaks your Threshold. In my state they have a "Make my Day Law", If a stranger breaks your Threshold and you feel he means you harm you can shoot him or your dog can bite sh#tz out of him.

Here in the S.W. the laws on private property and citizen protection are quite libreal, we have the MMDL, Conceal Carry Weapon permits and almost everybody owns a big dog or several dogs. Makes a criminal think about before he makes a move. A big dog maybe a move intimidating factor then the CCW. He can see the dog and most likely the dog will notice him, but he doesn't know if you are armed or not.