Unleashed dogs were common in my childhood home - Roswell, New Mexico of all places. A guy across the street owned a Doberman. We had a cat, one day the Doberman chased the cat up into my arms, and was all over me, trying to get at the cat, which scratched the hell out of my head in the process.

Nothing was said or done about it as far as I know.

Three or four years later we owned a half Dalmatian, half Doberman. He looked like a miniature Doberman. That dog could run like a whippet, it was amazing to see, and I saw it plenty, he was unleashed as were most dogs in that day (about 1961). He was a serious defender of me. One day I was in the front yard and the mailman showed up. I had my arms around him, restraining him, he sounded like he would’ve ripped the mailman’s throat out.

Not too long after, he was gone, my mother told me that they gave him to a farmer so he would have more room to run around in. I believed her. I suspect he was put to sleep.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K