To have kicked an old man’s dog?

No but the OP specified her dogs are old. So probably much more sensitive to have ‘a foot over them’ and more ‘fragile’ (fir want of better words)

And whether the dog was aggressive or not, it shouldn’t have jumped Eother on the smaller dogs or on the OP.
What makes you think it’s ok, apart from ‘just let them sort it themselves’? Even though the OP’s dogs were older so likely to have arthritis etc….

Walking away when a dog has its paws on your shoulders (she did mention it was a greyhound, and that she is five feet tall) is difficult unless you kick back at it to dislodge it from its assault on you.

She wouldn't. She didn't. Nor had she been advised on this thread to carry either a spare lead or treats, at the time she was at risk from this nuisance-hound.

And she might not be a dog lover and she just saw a random person kicking a dog. Only those 3 people know what happened and as I said, the unbiased person gave her opinions on what happened. I am sure the OP is biased to what happened.

@Allisnotlost1 It was still jumping on the OP.
Is that ok, something we should accept?

I mentioned above an incident in which an elderly medium-sized dog was quite badly injured by a "playful" young male that was a lot bigger than him. If he'd been able to be picked up he could have avoided injury, but you think the problem is owners of small dogs picking them up and not the out of control dogs "playing"??

Exactly this. By the time OP kicked the dog it wasn’t actually hurting anyone.

Ive had to deal with over friendly dogs approaching and crowding my dog, who does not like it. Very often small dogs actually, despite some owners thinking small dogs are timid or made of glass 😜! It’s annoying and some owners are dicks. Some are just doing their best, and no harm is meant or has happened. But I’ve always managed the situation without kicking anyone. And if I did kick any dog, I expect the owner to be far less helpful after that!

But the dog was still jumping on her and her dogs, so they were still in danger and being hurt.

I really don’t understand a lot of these posts. If an animal I don’t know is jumping on me, I am being attacked, same if a person I don’t know was doing it, and if I am being attacked I am going to defend myself. I really hope I never encounter a lot of you when out for a walk or a run (although I may have in the past 🙄)

OP, you did nothing wrong and I hope you and your dogs are okay.

Of course she is, and others are entitled to post in disagreement.

The greyhound sounded like it wasn’t being aggressive either, otherwise OP would likely have been bitten on the foot. The greyhound must have legs of steel if it putting its foot on OP’s dog made it yelp. Sounds like the smaller dog had it handled, and was showing aggression to the Greyhound. If OP hadn’t have picket it up, the greyhound might well have scarpered.

It’s impossible for me to pick up my Labrador, so if a dog comes at her I have no choice but to let them sort it out. As I understand it, picking your dog up only exacerbates the situation and of course the greyhound jumped at her, he wanted to play with her dogs. Nothing the OP has said suggests her dogs are particularly nervous about other dogs coming to play with them just that they don’t “love it”.

If people can’t discern aggression and playfulness in dogs, they should avoid having them as pets. People also need to stop picking up small dogs just because they can.

You’re right, of course. But we all know that there are lots of stupid dog walkers about who don’t understand the concept of recall, who think that because their dog is friendly, all other dogs will be perfectly happy to be sniffed and jumped on.

Do you want to be the person arguing in small claims court over vets bills because your dogs don’t react well to others, but you felt that there was a principle at stake?

And if a dog doesn't have 100% recall then it shouldn't be off the lead. The OP did nothing wrong. In that situation I would have also stopped the loose lead dog jumping at mine.

But you’re saying YOU can’t control the behaviour of YOUR dogs who don’t like other dogs. It’s your dogs that are the aggressive ones.

But you had picked up your dogs, they couldn't have been stood on again?

You found a solution that didn't involve hurting a dog, but then kicked the dog. It's hard to understand.

Yes, OP asked for views and she has plenty of people telling her she did nothing wrong. The majority of people have vote OP is not being unreasonable, and she is entitled to post and get support, sympathy and reassurance.

You asked for views and have argued against everyone who disagreed with your actions. if you were capable of kicking a dog you were capable of walking away from it.

If you really were unable to walk away and had your hands full of your own dogs, how would you manage a lead or treats?

If a dog can't behave off lead it should be on a lead at all times. My Husband shot a dog the other day, he hated doing it but the dog was chasing our livestock. The woman that owned it had no control of it. She had parked on the verge and let her dog out into a field with livestock, what a bloody idiot. She didn't even have a lead for the dog. That dog was chasing livestock for 10 mins. The damage done was awful. She now has a dead dog and our vet bills to pay. this is the second time in a year this has happened.

I'm sorry that you had this awful experience. What happened was unacceptable, and the man should absolutely keep his dog on a lead as he obviously can't control it off lead. I dont blame you for kicking it, protecting your dogs is your right. I've had my onlead greyhounds attacked and injured, needing vet treatment (one needed 3 operations) so have absolutely no patience with useless, irresponsible owners like this one who shouldn't even own a dog.

I'm also annoyed as a greyhound owner that this idiot is giving the breed a bad name. Most of them are OK with other dogs, but some aren't, and aadly sometimes awful things do happen when they're not under control - as happens with other breeds too. One of mine was reactive and might have bitten a dog that ran up to him, so was always kept on lead and muzzled. This should obviously be the case with any breed, whatever the size. Any dog runs the risk of being injured or even killed by running up to a reactive/aggressive on lead dog, that dogs owner is potentially risking its life. Dogs are often kept on lead for this very reason. Dogs that run up to others that are on lead, and have totally ineffectual owners who can't or won't even try to get them back when asked, is my biggest bugbear as an owner.

I carry K9 First Strike spray that's legal and harmless, and I've read accounts where it's been effective at preventing an attack. It contains essential oils that overwhelm a dogs senses, and this takes its attention off the dog or person in its sights. This might be an option for you.

I am astounded by the amount of victim-blaming and second-guessing on this thread, along with inability to read and understand your posts. OP, you were fine to do what you did.

I hope your two dogs are OK after the trauma?

It should, but that wasn’t the OP’s question was it? She asked was she unreasonable to kick the dog. And my answer is yes.

TL:DR

All dogs should be muzzled when out in public - I'd prefer them to be on a lead, but 🤷🏻‍♀️

At least then it's just the weight of a big uncontrolled dog v a small frightened one, eh?!

I'm out.

To all the responsible doggers <cough> on the thread -
Thank you for keeping your dogs on a lead.
Thank you for not letting them jump up.
Thank you for the many hours of training and the love and effort you have made to make them the wonderful pets they are.

I'm still scared of dogs so will be sticking with my velcro cats.😽

I’d be pissed off at myself for allowing my dog to run up to someone and be a threat. If my dog is considered a threat to someone and they take action it’s my own fault for allowing it to happen. If another dog is running at mine with no recall I would absolutely protect mine by kicking the dog away if I had to.

It’s obviously not great but I don’t necessarily disagree either. I can’t stand dogs being off the lead when they clearly aren’t trained or controlled by an owner. We live near a field and the amount of dogs that end up running around our front garden because they aren’t trained and won’t get in the car is astounding. It makes me very nervous for my elderly cat in case she ever runs out and gets caught in it all.

Retired greyhounds are apparently really lazy and don't need much walking - I guess they left it all at the track🤷🏻‍♀️