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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I kicked my neighbours dog

175 replies

bumcakes1234 · 16/02/2022 15:52

We live in the countryside, I went out with 12mo DD in the carrier and my dog (who was on the lead) we walked round the corner from our house. In the distance we saw some people out walking with their four dogs, the dogs saw us and started all barking and racing towards us. I wasn't sure what to do because my dog was on the lead and theirs wasn't, I tried to pull my dog away and take a different route but she wasn't keen on turning her back on the dogs running at us (don't blame her tbh).

Decided to stay still and maybe they'd be fine after a sniff, one of the dogs was very aggressive snarling, it snapped at my dog and I just lost it

I kicked the dog and started screaming and shouting at it to get away.

It went off and I went on my way on the different walk. Didn't stop to have an awkward conversation with the dog owner. I should add the owner was trying to call their dog back and we do live in the kind of place where you can go for a walk in the fields and not see a soul so I'm not mad them for not having their dog on a lead.

I am however mortified that it was (I believe) a relation of the people who have just moved in next door 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

YABU - you overreacted and should apologies to your new neighbours

YANBU - that psycho dog went for your dog and you have to do what you have to do!!

OP posts:
Dillydollydingdong · 16/02/2022 15:55

YANBU I would have kicked it too. The owner needs to be careful. They could end up in court if the dog actually injures anyone.

Original poster
bumcakes1234 · 16/02/2022 15:55

Oh I have done a name change as well btw

OP posts:
RainbowBridge21 · 16/02/2022 15:55

YANBU. I say this as a dog owner as well. You needed to protect your own dog and you had a young child with you. The dog owners should have been more responsible and not let their dogs race towards other people.

CorneliusVetch · 16/02/2022 15:55

I’m not a dog owner but I would have thought if the dog was about to attack yours and that was the only way to stop it then YANBU - I always think dogs shouldn’t be off the lead if the owners can’t control them.

Plzhelpifyoucan · 16/02/2022 15:56

With aggressive dogs off lead you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. It worked, so don’t worry about it. I’ve had to intervene a few times because of useless owners. They aren’t quick enough to react so you have to be.

SoupDragon · 16/02/2022 15:57

I've kicked a dog in similar circumstances. It's certainly not something I'd do normally but when the dog is attacking mine I'll do whatever it takes to get it away.

Susu49 · 16/02/2022 15:57

God I would feel awful if I'd kicked a dog but I've been in a position where another, v aggressive off lead dog was attacking mine (incredibly docile and puzzled, on lead dog) and was absolutely prepared to punch it away (thankfully didn't have to).

Plus you were holding an infant. I'd say your protective instincts were very high and this was a defense situation. Perhaps you could have handled it better had you been less overwrought, and hopefully aggressive dog wasn't hurt but I don't think you were entirely unreasonable. (Maybe a little bit but understandably so).

How are you now?

madamegazelle1 · 16/02/2022 15:58

Hope you are ok. You did exactly the right thing- your dog was on a lead, you had a young child with you and their aggressive dog had no recall.

Rewritethestars1 · 16/02/2022 15:58

Yanbu if my dogs on lead or even just walking off lead alongside me as she does and another dog goes for her even a bit all bets are off im afraid. I'm prepared to to anything it takes to protect my dog and myself.
Dogs should be under control. Dog aggressive dogs should never ever be off lead even in places that are quiet. You did nothing wrong.

NCforThis2022 · 16/02/2022 15:59

Yanbu. I have two dogs and I'd have done the same.

Also, it's lambing season. Out of control, off leash dogs where I live are usually shot. Fortunately, it hasn't been something I've had a problem with, but one of my neighbours lost a third of the flock in one night from a dog attack. Many of the rest aborted from fear and shock.

Asides from that, its terrifying for you, your dd and your ddog. If they can't recall the dogs, they shouldn't be walking them off leash.

Doggydreaming · 16/02/2022 16:00

Yanbu. I've been in a similar situation recently, where another dog tried to attack mine. You tend to just act on instinct. The owner should have had control of their dog.

FairyCakeWings · 16/02/2022 16:00

Yanbu

custardbear · 16/02/2022 16:00

Dog owners weren't in control, which isn't acceptable
YADNBU

MorningStarling · 16/02/2022 16:01

YANBU. Kicking a dog that is uncontrolled and won't leave you alone is perfectly acceptable. It's not like kicking your pet cat across the kitchen for a laugh.

It's legal to do whatever is necessary to the dog to protect yourself or other humans, including killing them if necessary. (Though, you'll end up with a few injuries yourself if it gets to that stage. The tip I heard was to stick one arm round its neck to choke it, and the other arm as far down its throat as possible - the logic being whatever it's doing to your arm, it's not doing to your face.)

GeneLovesJezebel · 16/02/2022 16:01

I love dogs and have one of my own, and I would have done the same.

Ponoka7 · 16/02/2022 16:02

I agree with what you did, however it could have caused you to get bitten. You were there in the moment and judged that to be appropriate. As a dog owner, I wouldn't object. Packs of dogs are unpredictable, owners have been killed because pack mentality takes over. The owners should have done more to intervene.

Soontobe60 · 16/02/2022 16:03

The dog snapped at your dog probably because your dog was on its lead. It was, in effect, captive. Instead of walking off with your dog you decided to stand still, making your dog even more vulnerable. The fact that your dog would not walk away with you seems like you don’t have full control of it, just like the owners of the other dogs didn’t have control. The dog wasn’t attacking you. Did it actually have hold of your dog? I can see why you reacted as you did, but unless the dog was actually attacking your dog and would not let go, kicking it is unacceptable.

ABitBesottedWithMyDog · 16/02/2022 16:03

The other owner was in the wrong.

thenewduchessoflapland · 16/02/2022 16:04

I'm a dog owner;I don't walk mine off leash publicly,you wouldn't believe the amount of times I have to ask people to call their off leash dog away from mine as I don't know if theirs is friendly.

You need to report the incident to the dog warden as unfortunately the next person who encounters the unfriendly dog might end up having their dog attacked;I'm especially concerned by the dog not responding to its owners.

Gowithme · 16/02/2022 16:04

YABU screaming and kicking a dog is really, really not going to calm the situation. It is far more likely to make it go more crazy and attack you - and if it knocks you over your child could be harmed. You should have just let your dog off the lead so it could get away from the dogs, then backed calmly away.
I don't think you have anything to apologise about though, you were put in a stressful position and reacted in the moment.

namechangetheworld · 16/02/2022 16:04

YANBU. I once kicked a dog that was trying to jump up at my youngest's pram. I didn't feel a ounce of guilt. People need to keep them on leads.

girlmom21 · 16/02/2022 16:06

You panicked OP. You had a dog and a baby to protect.
Don't feel bad. It'll teach them to control their dog.

ABitBesottedWithMyDog · 16/02/2022 16:06

You should have just let your dog off the lead

Horseshit. He might have run off into traffic, run away, or gone on the attack.

SoupDragon · 16/02/2022 16:07

@Soontobe60

The dog snapped at your dog probably because your dog was on its lead. It was, in effect, captive. Instead of walking off with your dog you decided to stand still, making your dog even more vulnerable. The fact that your dog would not walk away with you seems like you don’t have full control of it, just like the owners of the other dogs didn’t have control. The dog wasn’t attacking you. Did it actually have hold of your dog? I can see why you reacted as you did, but unless the dog was actually attacking your dog and would not let go, kicking it is unacceptable.
Nonsense. The fault was entirely with the owner of the other dog(s) who did not have them under control.

If you have a dog you re clearly one of "those" dog owners.

BatshitBanshee · 16/02/2022 16:07

YANBU. Dog owner here and I would have done the same. You took reasonable action given you were limited in what you could do with a baby on you.

Maybe they'll think twice before allowing their dog offlead again. I got into it with another dog owner a few years ago because their very aggressive off lead dog raced away from them and starting to attack my dog - who was on a lead. I pointed out that if you have to shout and scream at your dog like a fishwife to come back, then you're not in control and the dog should not be offlead.