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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:
Googoogachoo · 16/02/2022 18:50

[quote Pizzaplanet6]@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.[/quote]
Move ‘out of the way’ to where exactly? And ‘move in the other direction’ is going to rectify the situation how? The aggressive dog will still attack! Moving a couple of feet away isn’t going to make the slightest bit of difference.

Are you the owner of an aggressive dog who thinks no one should dare attempt to defend themselves or their pets from their attacks?

DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 19:01

[quote Pizzaplanet6]@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.[/quote]
She had a baby with her and a restrained dog.

Moving her dog a metre away from an unrestrained dog is going to make zero difference - I don’t see what there is to disagree on, on that.

wishuponastar1988 · 16/02/2022 19:01

I would've kicked it too. Been in a similar situation before and I hit the dog with my ball thrower to get it away. Not going to stand by and have my dog hurt! You did the right thing

Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 19:01

@Googoogachoo no…I’m not. Careful not to hurt your back with all that reaching you’re doing! Going on your logic, staying there will mean the dog won’t attack I guess?

Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 19:02

@DryOldCaper I disagree because you move the dog away and keep on going. She saw the dogs coming towards her, that would have been when to move. Like I say. I disagree and I’m moving on!

DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 19:06

You’re actually saying she can outrun a dog, when she has a baby and restrained dog with her…?! Grin

SoupDragon · 16/02/2022 19:08

[quote Pizzaplanet6]@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.[/quote]
Ridiculous. The aggressive, uncontrolled dog would follow. I've been in that situation and tried to remove my dog, even to the extent of picking him up and trying to move quickly away. It's pointless of the owner is not controlling the other dog and can very quickly turn into an £80 vet bill (that's what the last shitty dog owner cost me)

Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 19:08

@DryOldCaper no, I’m not saying out run the wild nasty beast Hmm I’m saying so what you can to move away but you’re deliberately being obtuse because someone is disagreeing with you.

All in all I’m just glad OP, her child and both dogs are ok!

Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 19:10

@SoupDragon I’m very sorry you’re dog got injured. My dog has been attacked by another dog too, so I do understand how it feels. I’m just stating that I disagreed that kicking a dog that “barked and snapped” was what I would do.
As stated in my last message, I’m glad they’re all ok. Everyone is allowed different opinions. I hope your dog is ok now.

DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 19:11

[quote Pizzaplanet6]@DryOldCaper no, I’m not saying out run the wild nasty beast Hmm I’m saying so what you can to move away but you’re deliberately being obtuse because someone is disagreeing with you.

All in all I’m just glad OP, her child and both dogs are ok![/quote]
You can’t move away.

You’re the one who’s (very much) being obtuse.

And stop saying you’re leaving the thread, when you’re clearly not leaving the thread.

whatdodos · 16/02/2022 19:12

YANBU my neighbours usually really lovely friendly labrador just went for my toddler once growling and snapping in his face. The owner kicked the dog back inside himself I think mainly out of shock and panic!

DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 19:13

And if we’re being pedantic - I’m not disagreeing with you @Pizzaplanet6.

You posted first - and I disagreed with you.

SoupDragon · 16/02/2022 19:16

I’m just stating that I disagreed that kicking a dog that “barked and snapped” was what I would do.

If I'd kicked the dog when it had just barked and snapped, chances are my dog wouldn't have been attacked. Barking and snapping turns into an attack very, very quickly. Almost instantly in some cases. I would not give another dog that chance again.

DryOldCaper · 16/02/2022 19:17
  • You’re not disagreeing with me, that is - I’m disagreeing with you.
Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 19:19

@DryOldCaper are we even now disagreeing on who is disagreeing with who? Wink (and I don’t mean that sarcastically, just in a friendly manner before you think I’m having a go!)

EmoIsntDead · 16/02/2022 19:23

I kicked my neighbours dog repeatedly when it attacked my dog. I'm not sorry and I would do it again. Your neighbours should be the ones who are mortified.

After being attacked twice (by the same arsehole's arsehole dog) I now carry this on walks. It's a high pressured citronella oil spray. Hopefully enough to distract a dog long enough for us to get away if need be.

I kicked my neighbours dog
Googoogachoo · 16/02/2022 19:30

[quote Pizzaplanet6]@Googoogachoo no…I’m not. Careful not to hurt your back with all that reaching you’re doing! Going on your logic, staying there will mean the dog won’t attack I guess?[/quote]
By reaching do you mean I was making an unfounded assumption about you? I actually asked you a question. Demonstrated by the fact that it was a question.

I don’t know what skewed logic indicates that staying there means the dog won’t attack. Kicking the dog means it won’t attack, which is the point of this thread. By following your ‘advice’ , the dog will still be attacked, albeit it a slightly different location.

Pizzaplanet6 · 16/02/2022 19:39

@Googoogachoo I apologise, I shouldn’t have made the comment re:reaching. I took it wrongly that you assumed I had an aggressive dog (which incidentally I don’t).
I also shouldn’t have been sarcastic in saying not moving would mean it wouldn’t attack - it was just in response to saying moving away would cause it to attack. In some situations moving away is appropriate, in others it isn’t.

I stick by I wouldn’t kick a dog. I would say if you do ever have to kick a dog due to attack etc, then just be careful that it doesn’t go for your own dog or redirect on to you.

There are plenty of people who are irresponsible dog owners and plenty who are responsible.

FrangipaniBlue · 16/02/2022 20:21

I'm getting fed up of having to shout at off lead dogs to get away from me and my on lead dog. My boy is mostly friendly but not so much if other dogs jump on him and get in his face. He's a bull breed, so we all know which dog will get the brunt of the blame if anything happens.

Only last week I was running through a local park when a dog came tearing over to me and chased me, barking and snapping at the back of my ankles. You can bet your last dollar I conversion kicked the little fucker.

IMO dogs should not be off lead in public. There really isn't any need.

CourtRand · 16/02/2022 20:35

My mother friend had her arm ripped apart by an off lead dog. It killed her pet and her sinews were hanging out from stopping it.

My sister had her leg gouged out by an off lead dog.

My father had no hesitation booting the aggressive dog that approached me because of these issues.

Don't severely harm the dog, but in some situations your safety comes first.

sqirrelfriends · 16/02/2022 20:35

I've kicked a dog before. It was on top of my cat and was shaking him so kicked it in the head which thankfully made it let go.

The owner got hold of her dog and dragged it off. Later on she knocked and let me know that they had a large vet bill having his stomach stitched up from my cats scratches.

StrongSunglasses · 16/02/2022 20:39

Yanbu

Original poster
bumcakes1234 · 16/02/2022 20:42

@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.
No, because I'm not an idiot
OP posts:
Original poster
bumcakes1234 · 16/02/2022 20:49

@MrsTimRiggins

Well it is what it is, we’re all protective over our babies but I wouldn’t have said your reaction was likely to calm the situation, were the dog inclined to attack. As an aside, and what’s really annoyed me about this thread, even if it’s ‘just’ fields, dogs shouldn’t be off lead (unless it’s the dog owners field in which case, stop yer trespassing 😂 ) especially dogs who have no bloody recall. The attitude that it’s fine because you don’t see people is annoying to me, I’m bothered about the livestock myself.
Actually I know both farmers that own the fields, it is arable land with a right of way around it and I know for a fact that they do not mind dogs off lead because they have both told me so. I find people who tell everyone all dogs should be on leads 100% of the time, annoying.
OP posts:
Original poster
bumcakes1234 · 16/02/2022 21:01

Thanks for your comments everyone. Yes we're ok. In fact after walking away I realised my baby had actually fallen asleep, I don't know how she managed that.

Just to be clear, I don't regret kicking the dog, I know it was the right thing to do in the moment. I was just worried my new neighbours would hate me, I love living here and I prefer just to get along with everyone. But after reading everyone's comments I think it's fair to guess that they probably don't think it's my fault

To the people trying to make out like it was MY fault that an off lead aggressive dog tried to attack mine, you really need to set yourselves straight. Particularly the person who actually criticised me for having my baby with me? Or the one where I should have pulled my dog away? Away where exactly? There was nowhere to go and 4 dogs around us. Not much I could do there love 🙄🙄🙄🙄

OP posts:
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