I have never felt the need to pull a gun on a dog although I have been tempted to shoot a few owners.

A person hiking has no idea what a paragon of virtue another persons dog is when that dog comes running up to them. Sure, the pooch may be friendly but it really is not the non-owner's responsibility to figure that out.

I have encountered everything from Cairn Terriers to Great Danes on the trail. Mostly the dogs I encounter are friendly; on or off leash. But, I have also encountered many threatening dogs whose owners just stood there with the breeze blowing in one ear and out the other and said "no Fluffy" repeatedly while I was at pucker factor 9 and gaining.

Dogs are great; I have one now and I have had dogs for 30 years. They have all been generally well but not predictably behaved. For that reason, I don't take my dog with me on the trail. I don't think I should inflict my dog on others. Moreover, I resent the heck out of those who do not return the favor. Well behaved dogs are great; ill mannered dogs and their equally ill mannered owners are a plague on society.

Unfortunately, the ill mannered owners are constitutionally unable to see their character flaws. Sadly, the rest of us have no idea what is going to happen if an uncontrolled dog comes after us. Perhaps Jimshaw overreacted but more likely his response was perfectly reasonable.