Sheepdog 101: Keep the teeth ready at hand...

A recent discussion with friends developed around the continuing string of burglaries in our county that have been going on for the last three or four years.  I previously mentioned some of our experiences with two-legged varmints.  The gal said, "They better not come around our place, 'cause we have a shotgun."  My gal asked what kind it was and where do they keep it... to which the reply was... they weren't sure what kind because it was his father's and it is kept locked in a case under their bed so the kids can't get to it.

Any sheepdog knows that the teeth are only good for biting if you've got them with you.  A firearm is the great equalizer in a threatening or violent encounter and its value only prevails if you have it ready at hand.  Rule One of gun-fighting is HAVE A GUN.  Do you carry your gun on you or have it ready at hand when you're home? when you're out and about? Or is it locked in a case under your bed upstairs?

Now I'm older, overweight, out of shape, and a bit stressed at work... but I've been working on improving those situations, except the aging thing.  If you're in great physical condition... terrific, but there will always be somebody or several people that are stronger, faster, and more lethal... and I don't care how good you are... eventually, you can't beat the aging process.  The lethal force of a bullet discharged from any given firearm is the same regardless of whether it is fired by an ex-navy seal or an eighty-year-old, retired great-grandma.

As a long-time NRA and 4H Shooting Sports instructor, I've seen folks from age five to eighty-two master the basics of firearm handling.  If you ever wonder about the frailty of someone who is disabled... the firearm can truly even out the odds... or beat the odds as demonstrated by veteran and former Blackhawk chopper pilot Trevor Baucom.

So if you've worked a firearm into your self-defense plans, make sure it is one that is reliable and that you can reliably use it.  Keep it ready at hand, even if that means carrying at home and don't forget... when ol' Murphy's Law kicks in, two-is-one and one-is-none.  If the boogie man kicks in the door of our home in the middle of the night when we're all there... he'll be dealing with at least three of these and three of these.  Hence, keeping a second set of teeth around never hurts.

 

So the lesson from today's class of Sheepdog 101: Keep the teeth ready at hand...

(Special thanks to Ruger and Sasha for participating in the visuals for this lesson.  No cats or two-legged varmints were harmed in this production of Sheepdog 101)