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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:
DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 17:31

Who cares if kicking it was ‘unacceptable’? (🙄 FML).

It was the right thing to do in the circumstances.

I’m a dog owner and I’D be mortified if my dog behaved as the dog you kicked did. Absolutely and utterly mortified.

You did nothing wrong. I hope you’re OK.

Flowers
MrsTimRiggins · 16/02/2022 17:32

Oh I meant to say, I don’t remotely blame you for your reaction, and you didn’t do anything wrong… unless you’re the kicker for the England rugby team and were wearing steel toe caps.

Grida · 16/02/2022 17:40

I’ve done this before when a dog went for me. It really, really pissed off the owner but her annoyance was nothing compared to how upset I was. I don’t want to be attacked or bitten and I don’t want to have to kick or hurt a dog.

Booboobibles · 16/02/2022 17:41

If there’s any chance a dog could be aggressive it shouldn’t be off lead. I’ve not kicked a dog but I’ve screamed and shouted and so far that’s worked. It’s an automatic reaction so don’t feel guilty.

I’ve got a dog deterrent spray….you can get it from the police website. Get the lanyard for it too…you can attach it to your bag and it means you won’t drop it if you panic. It doubles as a human deterrent too!

Iamnotamermaid · 16/02/2022 17:41

YANBU - If the dog was off the lead the owner should have 100% recall. If it doesn't then it is out of control and you do what you have to do.

I have kicked the odd dog as well when out running and they are trying to nip my ankles. I have also thrown a stone at one which was chasing me - the tone in the owner's voice (as he tried and failed to call it back) told me it would probably bite me if it was near enough.

JuicySatsuma85 · 16/02/2022 17:43

@MorningStarling

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.)

Jesus that is horrific advice. Absolutely a way to get yourself killed.

I work in an animal rescue centre. I’ve had to defend myself against aggressive dogs more times than I can remember.

Good luck choking a dog into unconsciousness with your arm. Their neck muscles are incredibly strong. The last thing you want to do with an aggressive dog is put your farce anywhere near them. As for sticking your arm down their throat…good God.

OP if the dog snapped you did overreact but I don’t blame you. A snap is a warning, not a bite. I would say though kicking the dog could have resulted in them turning on you while you were carrying your young child.

BellatricksStrange · 16/02/2022 17:46

Boohoo, it's a bloody dog. Nothing happened. I'm not saying anyone should be cruel to animals, but likewise, if someone did ever kick an animal, I'd have to dig extremely deep to find the outrage within me. Especially if it wasn't done sadistically.

DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 17:47

@Pizzaplanet6

Was it genuinely “aggressive” or did it barking and running shock you so you reacted? So many people are quick to say a dog is aggressive when it isn’t.
🙄

A running (at you), barking - and in this case, snapping - dog is aggressive.

If someone perceives something as aggressive, it’s aggressive.

Even dogs react to perceived aggression. Why on earth wouldn’t they?

No animal - human included - is going to stand around mulling over where a perceived aggression is actual or not, on the off chance it might not be, just to ‘be polite’. To a dog. Grin

DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 17:47

And I’m a dog owner.

hedgehogger1 · 16/02/2022 17:50

Yanbu. If they can't recall their dog it needs to be on a lead

TheSongAboutMe · 16/02/2022 17:57

I don’t think it was going to attack if a kick and shouting made it go away. I’d have been angry with the owner for letting the dog off lead without having control of it.

Another reason to not have young kids and dogs or at least not walk dogs with young children. You would have been more in control without a child.

Hope the kicked dog is ok and the owners learn a lesson.

Googoogachoo · 16/02/2022 18:00

YANBU. I’ve had to do the same on more than one occasion - bigger, aggressive, off-lead dogs attacking my smaller, timid, on-lead dogs with no provocation. And the owners can get pretty shirty considering it’s their dog that is the aggressor!

You definitely didn’t do anything wrong OP.

CaMePlaitPas · 16/02/2022 18:03

I would have done the same. If a dog comes running up to me and starts jumping up or barking I always say/shout to the owners to get the dog under control or it'll get a smack on the nose. Owners are breaking the law if their dog is not under control, it's lazy ownership.

Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 18:07

Well if it was so aggressive she should have moved her dog and child away…not just stood there. And that’s the thing she did just stand there before booting it!

Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 18:07

Sorry above message was for @DryOldCaper

StaplesCorner · 16/02/2022 18:08

The law is clear - even if you "think" the dog may bite, its classed as out of control. You did what you could when you had to, I think the new neighbour should be shitting themselves now waiting for a knock on the door - they are the ones to be embarrassed. You must be so shaken.

Ddot · 16/02/2022 18:13

Always take a walking stick when you walk your dog. Some stupid people do not train their dogs properly, knowing well it has aggressive tendencies and still do not put them on a leash. Protect yourself your child and your pooch

CleansUpButWouldPreferNotTo · 16/02/2022 18:16

@bumcakes1234 I feel awkward because they're new neighbours and it's such a bad start. Although I'm very capable of standing up for myself it's not something I enjoy and the last thing I want is for things to be awkward with them because we live right next door (our houses are literally attached to one another)

It's the neighbours who ought to feel awkward. Four dogs, running at you, your baby and your on-lead dog, one of which snapped as well. Not acceptable, and if I was the neighbour, I'd be over to apologise. You say it's a quiet area with dogs frequently off lead, but in the case of people new to the neighbourhood, they ought to have their dogs on-lead until they've sussed out the area and the local dogs.

YADNBU.

DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 18:17

@Pizzaplanet6

Well if it was so aggressive she should have moved her dog and child away…not just stood there. And that’s the thing she did just stand there before booting it!
She ‘stood there’ because her dog didn’t want to turn its back on the aggressive dog, which is completely fair enough.

So - the OP had to physically stop it.

Nellle · 16/02/2022 18:17

@MorningStarling

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.)

Jesus Christ. Are you OK?

I don't think the OP or anyone on this thread asked for detailed instructions on how to murder a dog...

Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 18:22

@DryOldCaper I’m not saying this dog was or wasn’t aggressive- I wasn’t there so can’t judge. But on this site any dog that so much barks is aggressive, if it’s big it MUST be a pit bull. It’s ridiculous.
If she was unable to move her dog then surely it’s as untrained as the unrestrained one then? If you’re that worried you yank your dog out the way! If the dog had bitten I could understand her using her foot to get it away - kicking it because it was barking and snapping, I disagree with. SHE could have ended up hurt and escalated the situation majorly.

Cherrysoup · 16/02/2022 18:25

Don’t blame you. I believe you must be your dog’s advocate when people can’t teach a solid recall and their dog threatens yours. The way it was behaving was extremely aggressive. There would have been carnage had it come at one of mine who was extremely dog aggressive but would not have dreamt of leaving my side and would of course have been on lead if there were other dogs around. I too would have been a screaming banshee!

yourestandingonmyneck · 16/02/2022 18:30

I think you did more or less the only thing you could have done.

As for the neighbours, if anybody should feel awkward, it's them.

It doesn't merit a response from you, whether or not they are even aware of it happening,

DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 18:31

If you’re that worried you yank your dog out the way!

I don’t understand this point, though.

Yank the dog where, exactly? Half a metre away from the unrestrained dog, behind an invisible shield….? Confused

What would ‘yanking the dog away’ achieve, other than to move it slightly to the left….? The other dog was unrestrained.

Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 18:34

@DryOldCaper out of the way and to move in the other direction. Especially if she saw it coming towards them. We’re obviously going to disagree on this so I’m bowing out. Have a good evening.

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