To have kicked an old man’s dog?

One of her dogs had already been hurt she picked them up to protect them. What do you do if a big dog jumps on your elderly small dog causing it to cry in pain? I would have kicked it then if the owner couldn't call it off, do you have to wait till it really injures your dog?

Unfortunately, there are too many dog owning absolute morons around who have zero control of their dogs so YANBU in the slightest. The man shouldn’t have allowed it to stray so far away from him.

I walk my large dog off lead in the woods and he’s generally calm and well behaved but if he got too close to someone and was jumping up at them and they kicked out at him, I wouldn’t get annoyed with them. It would be my fault for not having him under control.

For the record, I doubt he’d ever do that as he’s 9 and pretty chilled, but you can never say never!

Of course kicking a dog to the point that a random person clicked to it very clearly and saw it seemed off is bad.
And yes he should have better control of his dog.
But it does sound like you overreacting made it all worse.
Did your dog actually get hurt? Or did it shout as a natural response to having another dog playfully push its face down? As that happens all the time with my dog and my sisters much bigger dog. It doesnt actually hurt her.
Also in future just turn your back to the dog jumping up. Even with your dogs in your hands. Dont kick it. It wasn't attacking you.

He had an out of control dog so tough shit really. Don't want your dog kicked keep it under control!

Not being happy with a much larger, strange dog jumping on them absolutely does not mean 'not socialised'.

Once the OP had picked up both dogs - necessary for safety given the incoming dog was larger and was splatting them and not heeding their clear 'go away' communications, she had no hands free, what was she supposed to do, stand there like a lemon whilst this large dog jumps and snaps at her/her dogs?

The other dogs owner should have had their dog on a long line and harness and muzzled if he's likely to grab/snap, or should train a solid recall.

Letting an off lead dog hurtle up into other dogs spaces is NOT acceptable and is a very quick route to creating fearful, reactive, aggressive dogs, particularly if those dogs are on lead and unable to run away/get more space for themselves.

I'm godsmacked every day you were wrong! I'm normally defending any animal hurt but in that case it sounds like it was justified. Unless you kicked it hard and I hired it.

What is their side of the sort that fit everyone on FB on their side?

Indeed, some people can’t help themselves and cry “abuse” at everything that’s in any way not passive… it debases the word.

From the position of having both of your dogs in your arms, your only defense then became your feet/legs.
I would recommend seeking out some online advice from a reputable trainer about how to handle that scenario if it happens again, to make it safe for you and your dogs.
The safety of the off leash dog is the responsibility of the owner/walker.
If you choose to walk your dog off lead and without solid recall (unusual in sighthounds) then you risk situations like this or worse, where your dog ends up in a fight.
Not your dogs fault. Yours.

I have a dog and you are totally in the right. His dog was not under his control and should not have been pestering you and your dogs.

If it was a greyhound it should always be on a lead as they can just bolt after anything.
I have 2 hip replacements and get quite concerned if a dog starts running around me and my dog in case I get pulled over.

This dog wasn’t socialised it was a fucking nuisance

What a load of absolute shite. People like you are the problem.

But she acknowledges the dog was not being aggressive. If you think it’s absolutely fine to kick a ‘frail old mans’ dog then you do you. But I don’t think it was ok, and neither does the woman who wasn’t involved but witnessed it.

I would kick a dog to protect my dog! My dog has been attacked my dogs which should NEVER be off a lead and then the owners accept zero responsibility as their dogs are "usually so friendly" eyeroll.

My boy is a big Labrador and I've had to physically pick him up after a dog went for him and the owner said to me "Oh, it's just a lot of noise".

Kick the dog if it means your dogs are protected. The owner will soon learn!

You were wrong. Don’t kick dogs and don’t pick up yours to separate them. If there’s one thing guaranteed to make another dog go garretty - it’s this.

Really it depends on the kick.

A toe poke that barely made contact to ward him off, and that barely caused any discomfort let alone pain = no problem.

A full-bodied boot in the stomach if he was simply having a little sniff = big problem!

You turn your back on the dog when it's jumping up at you.
Harder to do when you are trying to hold two smaller dogs admittedly.
Of course you should not have kicked the dog. The only excuse for kicking the dog would have been if it was biting you or your dogs.
Dog owners put me off having a dog. The greyhound type should not be off lead if he can't resist running up to on-lead dogs. The on-lead dogs could be extremely reactive and it could be the greyhound who gets badly hurt next time.
Equally, kicking a dog for being a dog is obviously pretty bad form. It's not clear whether your kick was a proper booting or more of a shove off with a leg... The former is horrible and could cause real damage, the latter, not really so bad in the circumstances.
I used to have dogs and I've been had a go at for my off lead dog having fun with another off lead dog, and also for snapping a lead on mine as we approach a dog being walked on lead ❓

Yes but there could have been a number of reasons why her dogs were on lead, off lead dogs shouldn't have been able to approach.

You sure can tell who the shit dog owners are

The greyhound should not have been in a position to be able to rush up to your dogs OP.
However picking up your small dog is asking the other dog to jump up you. It's always best to leave your dogs on the ground if at all possible.
If you carry a stick on your walks that is always useful as a deterrent or a barrier. It drives me mad when people allow their dogs to approach ours, when they are under close control.
Some of these replies have me shaking my head in despair.

She literally says the dog was jumping up at her to get to her dogs.

That's pretty outrageous behaviour in canine and human terms !

Incredibly stupid to kick it, I hope you only did this because you knew it was friendly. Had it been nasty it could have taken your leg and dragged you down and then attacked your dogs. You never use your leg to kick a dog-carry a stick if you are scared.

If I kept my dog on a lead I’m not sure I’d venture somewhere that boisterous dogs might be off lead. Picking both dogs up escalates a situation too as your own dogs are now protecting you. I’ve never understood why people do this. (I get why you want to protect your dogs and it’s annoying etc as old dog energy will never match young pup energy.)
I used to stand in front of my elderly Lab and say a firm, loud NO/AWAY. Or just grabbed the collar and escorted it to the owner, explaining why.

I don’t think anyone heads out thinking I hope my dog jumps up at people and scares them, I think they reframe it as they’re only friendly etc. The person shouldn’t have posted on socials either, they should’ve accepted their dog was being a yob, grabbed it, apologised and moved on. No harm was done.

I've got an older cocker spaniel with a heart condition, and he's totally deaf so has to be kept on a lead. We used to bump regularly into a lady walking a greyhound, who thought other peoples dogs were there purely to play with hers and tire it out one day it knocked my boy flying and I really did kick off at her for not having any control over it. That ended up being posted all over FB as she was so offended..... I took the higher ground and ignored it. I just don't walk that way anymore so not to bump into her.

I'd have probably turned my back on the dog rather than kick, but I wasn't there and hindsight is 20:20

I'd have probably turned my back on the dog rather than kick, but I wasn't there and hindsight is 20:20