Saved by my G & B Goat!

[Long John Tinfoil]

No pix, but I'll try to keep this under 1,000 words.

I was working at a customer's maintenance shop and yard today. It was cold enough that the cannonballs would have fallen out of the brass monkey, so I had a Carhartt insulated jacket over top of my G&B goat.

Now, night security at the yard is a pair of bull mastiffs, the big male weighing in at about 140 lb. and the younger female probably about 110. I've been there several times in the past and have established a tolerably cordial relationship with both dogs - I don't eat their dinner and they don't eat me.

I'd been there a couple of hours, working both in the shop and out in the yard, and the dogs were snoozing on some sacking inside. This is a big place - 40 feet clear to the ceiling, 5 bays 40 feet deep and 2 that are about 60 feet deep. Six staff mechanics for the fleet of trucks and heavy equipment, a fair bit of noise and activity going on between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM, six days a week.

Anyway, at about noon I headed into the shop to warm up a bit and as I passed by the dogs the man-door I had used banged shut in the wind. The dogs were up immediately, roaring like lions. The older dog went to the door, but the young one (she's not exactly a pup anymore, but hardly mature in any sense) LAUNCHED herself straight at me!

I got my right arm up and managed to absorb the hit without going down, but the bear-trap she uses for a mouth closed hard on my right forearm. Her teeth easily pierced the heavy canvas and quilted insulation of my outer jacket, but DID NOT PENETRATE the sleeve of my goat G&B Expedition.

I have a fair representation of her dentition in the bruise on my forearm, but the marks on the Expo were almost invisible!

When things calmed down a few minutes later she came over to apologize, and I gave her a good head-scratch and belly-rub, so we're still friends, but I really don't want to think what the outcome might have been if I hadn't been wearing that jacket! My sincere thanks to the good people at G & B. They make a jacket that's up to anything Indy could put it through.

LJ

[Indiana Charles]

Wow! Standing up to a dog bite. That is quite the story. Glade to hear you're okay. You should send this story over to the good people at G&B. I am sure they would love to hear such an amazing endorsement. Maybe Lucas could use a scenario like this in Indy 5.


- I.C.

[Dr. Nebraska S.]

Glad to hear you're all right! Boy, that just makes me appreciate my G&B goat even more! You should share some photos of your G&B sometime--feel free to post some over in this thread, too:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=48537

That's just an amazing story--truly a testament to a well-built jacket!

Best wishes,
Nebraska Schulte

[Michaelson]

My friend, yes, I preach to naturally distress your jacket, but isn't that going a WEE bit overboard?



I am SO happy to read you're ok. I'm sure the good folks at G&B will find your story of interest. I'll send Dave Marshall this link so he'll be sure to see it.

Regards! Michaelson

[Solo4114]

Now THAT's advertising!

[Mitch LaRue]

*Phew*

Glad you're okay, Long John!

That's some FINE workmanship, G&B!

[Gater]

whew! Glad that you're okay! that's why I carry pepper-spray

Wasn't there a story floating around a while ago about someone at a temple or something, and a monkey junmped on their back and bit their Indy jacket on the shoulder? I seem to recall that.

[Solo4114]

I remember that. Someone visiting Ankor Wat or something? That was YEARS ago, though.

[Weston]

Long John Tinfoil, the human chew toy! Glad your'e alright. Good thing you had the leather armor on!

Weston

[Long John Tinfoil]

Thanx for the good wishes, all. If I'm going to be a "human chew toy" I want to specify the chewers. In this case, female was going in the right direction, but the species wasn't quite what I had in mind.

Re: pepper spray? I knew the dogs were there and if not for the door startling them there was no need for it. Frankly, it was so quick that I would only have been able to get off a shot if I had it out in my hand and pointed the right way. The distance was so short that she would have been airborne before connecting with the spray. All things considered it might just have made her mad...

On balance, it's better to distress the jacket than it is to distress your own hide, and THAT, boys and girls, is why Indy wore leather in the jungle.

LJ

[afterthedog]

Great testimony for the jacket, but I would have been having a nice chat with those customers if I was in your shoes (or jacket as the case may be). I understand the desire/need for the watchdogs as security, but if they are that aggressive and unpredictable, they should be kept away from potential accidental encounters like this. I love dogs, grew up with them, have one of my own, and have managed to make friends with some that originally wanted to bite my face off, but dog owners need to be responsible with their animals. If that dog hadn't known you and backed off, she could have killed you, and the responsibility would rest squarely on the shoulders of her owners.

[Long John Tinfoil]

These two are used to a lot of people and noise and are quite well trained (although I don't know if they have any specific training to deal with real intruders. Maybe she would have "held" me in place if I didn't struggle. I'll have to ask next time I'm there.) but having a door slam right behind her was probably a bit much. I know I can be really cranky if I'm disturbed while having a nap

LJ

[unplugged]

Reminds me of my US Wings CE. My old man has a dog that is part wolf and he loves to wrestle (biting and clawing) with me every time he sees me. With the teeth that monster has I am surprised my jacket has held up. Actually there is little evidence to show for any of his "attacks". Just goes to show how durable leather, good leather anyway, really is. Glad your alright too.

[Long John Tinfoil]

I was back to the shop this week. Here are the dogs with one of the mechanics.

[unplugged]

Beautiful dogs.