If this was YOU on Wednesday, then I’m really sorry.

[flowergirl24]

Two days ago I was walking in a seaside town in Devon, with two dogs and two children. After a stressful time at work, we wanted to have a few days off. Our break turned pretty hellish with children not sleeping at all and lots going wrong. On this last day, my Labrador tried to attack another dog, knocked over my 2 year old child while doing it and I lost it. I smacked him and shouted at him. It was kind of the last straw. Two women passing by stopped and had a go at me, saying I should never treat an animal like that. My husband told them to back off. He later said that he saw the one crying on the other’s shoulder (they looked like grown up mother and daughter) so they were clearly very upset by the incident. If this was YOU, or you know who this was, then I want to say sorry. I’m ashamed at my behaviour. Hoping to get some help for me to deal with my anger and I’ve already booked some specialist dog training to help with that situation.

What a pointless post, OP just put it behind you and move on.

Don’t think you did anything wrong OP. I’d have given my dog a smack on the arse and a telling off too.

So sorry OP. I suggest that you get this thread shu down though because you have brought out those who can only feel good about themselves by bringing others down.

It sounds like you had a really hard time and a straw broke. camel's back. No lasting damage was likely done to the dog and, in my view, the woman would have done better to have offered help than to chastise you.

Take care .

If my dog attacked another and knocked over a small child, they'd be getting the flat edge of my hand across their backsides too.

Dont beat yourself up.

As for the interfering ladies, ignore them, your DH was right to tell them to butt out and mind their own business.. they need to grow the fuck up.

Would they rather you just ignored the attack and did nothing?

By all means get some training and dont let your dog off a leash if it can't behave itself, but dont stress about your own behaviour.

No-one was there. No-one knows the exact circumstances. Why all these accusatory posts?

The only thing I would say, OP, is that if your dog regularly tries to attack others dogs then it needs some behaviour training. If it gets overexcited with adrenaline going then it could actually snap at you, or your 2 year old if they're in the way, if you try and stop it. So you need to know how to deal with that and prevent that happening.

That said I would not have a dog and a toddler. My feelings are that dogs are for families with older children, and I'll never understand why couples buy large or powerful dogs if they intend to start a family. It's not a great mix, whatever dog owners with babies and toddlers will try and tell you.

I've whacked my dog for misbehaving in public. Wouldn't occur to me anyone would interfere and if they did I think I'd laugh at them!

Assuming I wasn't beating the creature to a pulp, obviously.

Although on first reading I thought you were saying you lost it and whacked your child!

Urgh to the people who just can't resist kicking someone while they're already down.

Op don't beat yourself up. We all snap sometimes. Your dog was attacking another dog so it's not like you did it for no reason. You've acknowledged you did wrong, apologised and are looking for ways to prevent this happening again. What more can you do really?

I hope the perfect people who have never made a mistake in their lives have managed to get their much needed superiority fix from this thread.

Smacking a dog is unforgivable, no matter the circumstances.

I’ll never get over how much English people are obsessed with dogs. You’d probably get a better reaction if you’d admitted hitting your child. I hope the dog training helps.

Only I thought labs were peaceful soppy dogs not generally known for attacking other dogs.

That's sadly what many people think, hence why they often end up some of the most badly trained dogs. A pet insurance company actually found the most likely breed to bite you is a labrador. Just simply because I think, the owners don't bother training them. They have the reputation for being nice and cuddly, they still need trained though.

I'm always struck by what passes for 'brave' these days.

That aside, we all do stuff we're ashamed of, OP. But a lot of posters will just relish the opportunity to feel morally superior. It's the people who do something wrong and either don't know or don't care, that deserve criticism. Not someone who feels guilty and ashamed. You made a mistake and you are attempting to rectify it. Honestly, don't come back to this thread unless you want to feel even worse - I mean that in the nicest possible way.

I think the fact that one of the women was crying means that either you’re lying about what actually happened, or they were having a completely out of proportion reaction. Because either you were a lot more aggressive to the dog than you’re claiming (or perhaps your husband was more aggressive to them and that’s what they were crying about) or they were hugely overreacting. Your dog tried to attack another dog, it’s not like you smacked it for pulling a bit on the lead or being a bit boisterous. None of us know what actually happened, so we can’t be very helpful.

You’re completely correct to book your dog in for some dog training. I hope you’re feeling a bit better now.

Froth indeed.

@GoshHashana
No, it really isn't unforgivable.

@YetAnotherSpartacus
I suggest that you get this thread shu down though because you have brought out those who can only feel good about themselves by bringing others down

This ^

MN is full of them, utter arseholes

This thread is hilarious. I think that soooooo many people have lost touch with reality that they think the OP is an animal abuser because she smacked her dog for attacking another dog 😂😂

The woman that was crying needs to get a fucking grip as well. Oh and those people mentioning the OPs husband.. He told them to back of what the fuck is wrong with that. The dramatics on this site are shocking 😂

OP it's ok! You smacked your dog because he knocked over your toddler and attacked another dog, you regret it, you obviously didn't enjoy it and plan to make changes ensure it doesn't happen again I don't know what people want from u 🤷‍♀️

Post this on local face book pages op but for me also physically assaulting an animal, or a child is some of the worst behaviour.

None of us was there but either these women had something else going on or what they witnessed was harrowing enough to make them cry.

Post this on local face book pages op but for me also physically assaulting an animal, or a child is some of the worst behaviour.

The only one assaulting a child was the dog.

I’m hiding this thread, it’s sickening how some folks justify animal cruelty.

@ArriettyJones

The woman sounds like she’s tortured herself for bloody days.

Oh please. Do you think she’s really posting here in the expectation some random dog-loving women In Crediton or wherever will read it? As @WorraLiberty says, SM media would be better for that.

No, she’s posting to be told that it’s just FINE to hit DC & animals, everybody does it, forget all about it...

Sometimes people post to do the opposite - they feel guilty enough that they invite the kind of attacks the OP is receiving. This might seem counter-intuitive, but I see it a lot in my work.

@Bluntness100

I’m hiding this thread, it’s sickening how some folks justify animal cruelty.

It's hardly animal cruelty is it . She smacked her dog because he was attacking another dog. It would be different if he wasn't doing anything wrong and the OP decided to beat him and injure him.

@flowergirl24

Two days ago I was walking in a seaside town in Devon, with two dogs and two children. After a stressful time at work, we wanted to have a few days off. Our break turned pretty hellish with children not sleeping at all and lots going wrong. On this last day, my Labrador tried to attack another dog, knocked over my 2 year old child while doing it and I lost it. I smacked him and shouted at him. It was kind of the last straw. Two women passing by stopped and had a go at me, saying I should never treat an animal like that. My husband told them to back off. He later said that he saw the one crying on the other’s shoulder (they looked like grown up mother and daughter) so they were clearly very upset by the incident. If this was YOU, or you know who this was, then I want to say sorry. I’m ashamed at my behaviour. Hoping to get some help for me to deal with my anger and I’ve already booked some specialist dog training to help with that situation.

If they were that upset by something that wasn't exactly a major incident, those women need to get a grip.

I wouldn't beat yourself up, OP.

I think dog training is a good idea.
I think a grown woman sobbing on someone’s shoulder is an overreaction.
I think anger management is an overreaction.
I think ‘animal abuse’ is an overreaction.
I think most of these posts are an overreaction.