There's no place in my house and yard where I couldn't put a weapon in my hand in a few steps, and if I really needed to I could go to the safe and unleash Hell.   That said, I never carry around the house and yard and almost never carry anywhere else unless I'm obligated to go into some sketchy neighborhood.   It is a weighty responsibility to have a gun on your person.   In my former life I did several cases with highly trained law enforcement officers who either didn't get it right or at least made a questionable decision.   I'll shoot first and ask questions later if a bear charges me, but a neighborhood dog being threatening?   I'm not even a big guy, but I know that if a dog attacks I can resist it at least long enough to protect myself from serious injury if necessary.   If a dog really, seriously attacked me or mine and I was carrying, I'd probably shoot it, but not before I'd tried to defend myself with less deadly force.