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.

Yes it was wrong. We all have frustrating days but that is no reason to take it out on an animal, whether or not they are misbehaving. At least you acknowledge that and you are seeking help to prevent it from happening again. Because it can't happen again. If it ever gets to the point where you are repeatedly hitting the dog, the kindest thing to do would be to rehome it.

@KaptainKaveman

Why do you have a dog which tries to attack people?

Are we on the same thread?? The dog didn’t try to attack people!! It attacked another dog! Ffs man

Had something similar happen to me in Cornwall.

My golden retriever ran ahead - we were all walking together and it's an area he knew very well, so didn't worry. He usually was just really excited to be on the beach...

About half an hour we started to panic, looked all over the beach, the paths and couldn't find him.

Went to the tourist information place and they said that he was, 'found,' by someone who ran the local golden retriever rescue and had been taken there . We're talking less than half an hour.

eventually found the woman who had, 'found,' my dog and she proceeded to give me a lecture about the state of his coat, his teeth and that he was off a lead and she was about to call the RSPCA.

It was a fair point about the lead, so I accepted that, but asked her how she was, 'alerted,' so quickly to our wayward dog. The woman in the Tourist Information centre said he was drinking water from a bowl provided.

The whole episode was incredible - my dog's teeth were due to the fact he was 15 years old, his coat was tangled as I wouldn't bother brushing him when he would swim every day. He absolutely was not neglected.

People can be very judgmental.

To be fair @ilovemydogandMrObama I have a dog that looks positively feral after a swim in the sea

Glad you got him back safely.

@LochJessMonster

That depends on how badly she hit the dog. I once saw a man pin his dog up against a wall and then dig his foot really deeply into it's side, all in the name of discipline. And yes, I did feel very upset over that. And I did tell him that there was absolutely no fucking need.

This is a reverse of those stupid 'To the person who blah blah blah' threads you see on in local Facebook groups.

There's no point whatsoever in posting this. Especially here where you'll not only be flamed alive but there's next to no chance they'll see it. Just pointless.

@ArriettyJones

Get lost *@Boomclaps*

Treating violence against animals like it’s just a small faux pas isn’t acceptable.

Totally agree with you Arrietty, I wonder if it had been the child that OP hit would posters here be so full of sympathy for her, and yes people with anger issues always take it out on someone or something that can’t fight back.

@KaptainKaveman

Why do you have a dog which tries to attack people?

She doesn't.

I’ll never get over how much English people are obsessed with dogs.

Yeah those pesky English people not wanting to beat their dogs, or harm them, hell they don't even want to eat them.

Hey OP, it was a mistake, one which is clearly bothering you. You had a bad day, your dog behaved badly and you snapped. It's understandable and you obviously know it's not okay. I suspect it was probably more your anger (than the actual violence) that made it upsetting, I'm sure you didn't beat the dog. You've taken action to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Well done you for dealing with this and accepting responsibility, there's so many who wouldn't In this situation.

Good luck with everything OP.

@Bluntness100

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

Absolutely, this thread is disgusting, the people condoning animal cruelty, for someone cry over what they witnessed I bet it was way more than a smack, utterly shameful.

Well done for getting help for anger.

And for posters who are happy to kick you whilst down - they may want to read the part where your dog attacked first and nearly injured the toddler in the first place.

Some dog training classes would be great too.

@ZaraCarmichaelshighheels what's utterly shameful are people like you who just love sticking the boot in. The OP has recognised she behaved badly and is taking steps to rectify it and ensure it never happens again. What more can she do ffs?

What can your post achieve at this stage other than making someone feel even worse than they already do? Well done for being so perfect....slow clap

Smacking pets is WRONG. Discipline doesn't require physical violence. I can't believe people are OK with smacking dogs and cats.

I know!!!! PPs on this thread are probably the same ones who think nothing of 'dispatching' a wild animal because its dared to come on their land and they consider it vermin
There is NO NEED to hit a dog if you have trained them correctly.
As for hitting a cat? There are no words......

By god there are some really horrible angry self righteous people out there aren’t there? Leave the woman alone. Just remember op, those sanctimonious people have never ever done anything that they have had to apologise for. Have never lost their temper. Have never hurt someone else. Have never had to say sorry.

If you are apologising to those women for genuine reasons, and not because you're worried of being reported, then well done for that and for getting help with your anger and dog training at least OP.
What I do find distasteful is the amount of posters mocking the two women for getting upset and for berating them for butting in in the first place. I would love to hear their side of the story, because we don't know how hard OP smacked her dog or how threatening her DH was towards the women.

for someone cry over what they witnessed I bet it was way more than a smack, utterly shameful.

Of course it was. The fact the DH mouthed off to the ladies as well, tells me all I need to know. Poor dog.

[quote Patbutcherismyhero]@ZaraCarmichaelshighheels what's utterly shameful are people like you who just love sticking the boot in. The OP has recognised she behaved badly and is taking steps to rectify it and ensure it never happens again. What more can she do ffs?

What can your post achieve at this stage other than making someone feel even worse than they already do? Well done for being so perfect....slow clap [/quote]
I feel no shame whatsoever, stand by everything I said, I will never sympathise with someone who has hurt an animal so you can do one with you slow clap.

There's different types of hitting a a dog. I'm assuming your dog was fine Op.

Give the OP a break, she's sorry and it was a bad situation. Personally I wouldn't have had a go. I imagine the person that's did doesn't have young children and a dog. Why don't people ask if they can help in a way rather than get on their high horse.

If one of my dogs tried to attack another dog I'd probably smack him too in order to get it to stop. It's an extreme situation (which I hope never to be in) but I imagine it requires a harsher response

I wouldn't butI can understand someone doing this - it's a knee-jerk reaction born of the frustration of recent months coupled with an instinctive desire to protect your child - but actually smacking a dog in this situation makes it MORE, not less, aggressive, as it feels under threat.

It would be best if you had your dog's aggression issues addressed ASAP. Not only could he have hurt the other dog, or the owner, but if your toddler had got caught in the middle, he could have been badly hurt.

Has your dog behaved like this before?

@RedOasis

By god there are some really horrible angry self righteous people out there aren’t there? Leave the woman alone. Just remember op, those sanctimonious people have never ever done anything that they have had to apologise for. Have never lost their temper. Have never hurt someone else. Have never had to say sorry.

Funnily enough I’ve never hit a woman, man, child or animal in my life it’s really not difficult.

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

Male labs, especially if unneutered, can be very aggressive towards other dogs - of both sexes. My female spaniel has been attacked by a male lab on more than one occasion (different dogs) and she's an anxious little should to start off with. One of my terriers was actually picked up and shaken by a lab bitch some years ago - young bouncy dog grabbed my small, 15 year old westie. I don't think this particular dog was being aggressive - it was just inappropriately "playful", but the owner didn't check it at all.

Labs can be determined and stubborn. They are also very protective of their family.

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

I very much doubt your dog would have learnt anything by being smacked and shouted at.

If your dog is prone to attacking other dogs you’d be best off keeping it under control on a leash.

I'm a bit 🙄 at some grown woman crying on anothers shoulder about a dog getting a smack when it was behaving badly not condoning it at all but unless you hit your dog more than once or there's more to the story then I think the woman sounds ridiculous.

I have met a few unruly labradors recently.
They have a reputation for being soppy but ultimately they are big, powerful animals and if they arent trained and socialised properly then there is a lot of potential for problems.