Completely outrageous dog owner behaviour

[Onepeople]

Went for a walk this evening. We live by the sea and my walking route was along the sea front, popular with dog walkers. I am often bothered by dogs off their leads coming up and sniffing me, running round my ankles etc. I find it bloody annoying and inconsiderate really but, whatever.

Tonight though. Dog comes running up to me, leaps up and covers my trousers with his muddy paws. This annoys me and I tell the owner to control her animal. She gives the typical 'He's only saying hello!' response, which always makes me wonder whether I should go up to dog owners and slobber all over them as it's 'only saying hello' apparently. Anyway, the dog carries on jumping up at my so I kick out at it to make it go away.

Obviously in an ideal world I wouldnt have needed to do this. And I kicked out at it, rather than actually kicking it. I knew I wouldn't actually make contact.

Owner comes running up to me, suddenly showing a burst of speed she wasn't capable of when the dog was misbehaving. She screams 'Dont you dare kick my fucking dog!' then shoves me with two hands right in my chest. I almost lost my balance, but just about stayed upright before her friend dragged her away. I honestly thought she was going to punch me.

Not sure why I am writing this other than the fact that I am still a bit shocked and shaky.

I know that not all dog owners are like this, and that this woman seems to be particularly twatty. But God sometimes I hate them all. Bloody dogs and their bloody inconsiderate owners. Control your animals!

Prize for the silliest quote of the day.....

Yeah, don’t kick a dog please. Have words with the owner. Apart from any other considerations, kicking a dog is asking for a bite

Me! It’s me! All my friends with dogs cannot understand why their dogs make a bee-line for me. But they do! They jump up at me, dribble, leave hair on my clothes. I’ve even had my tights laddered by a very good friends dog. I don’t mind my friends having dogs. I just don’t want their dogs near me. It’s almost a standing joke that dogs love me. I have no idea why they do. I show them zero interest 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thanks for your sympathy. It was a genuine post. I honestly don't understand how people are so attractive to dogs. I'm never approached by off lead dogs and am never out and about with anyone who is.

No. The fact that I understand what you're trying to say doesn't mean it isn't nonsensical.

It's not unreasonable to kick a dog if the dog is posing a threat.

You can say whatever you want about what would be the best thing to say in that situation, but it's irrelevant. When people are put in crisis situations they say and do whatever first comes to mind. It's entirely reasonable to shout and kick when confronted by a dog that jumps on you.

However there is no excuse for the op to kick at the dog

Really? Do you really believe there is never an excuse for a person to kick a dog?

Read what I said. I said there was no excuse for the OP to kick at the dog

Try arguing your view without attempting to insult the opposition.

The owner should have the dog under control. The owner was wrong.

Stop forcing people to interact with your mingin pets.

I haven't insulted you.

Legally, the excuse is self defence. Your belief that there is no excuse to kick a dog is incorrect. The legal defence of self defence can apply when a person acts to prevent a crime or defend their property. The legal excuse of self defence applies to attacks by dogs as well as humans.

Long story short: it's perfectly reasonable to kick a dog that jumps on you.

Well I am pleased you agree with me that you didnt suceed in your attempt of insulting me

Words are powerful it is important we understand how we communicate.

Where's the insult?

The OP was fine to kick the dog in self defence. She'd said no and the dog wouldn't go away, so she forced the issue. The owner should have been close enough or have good enough recall to get the dog away after the first no.

Look up if calling someones opinion nonsense can be seen as a insult. Also note I used the word attempt as you were not successful.

Your view is that the OP was justified. I disagree from the information the OP has given us.

I did not state that there is never a time to kick a dog however I do not agree this was a time where it should have been done.

I do not believe that the OP was "acting in selfdefense" as neither of us where there to see the interaction and we only have ops view of the situation hence, neither of us can know for certain. We can each have our view but unless someone who didnt know the dog owner or the op comes forward to explain what they saw -and what type of dog it was - neither of us can know for sure. We can each have our view and opinion and ours differ.

We can have different views on a situation thats not the issue. However you are putting words in my writing I did not say. Appearing to read my words in an attempt to make your view seem stronger. (Note the word appearing here as I acknowledge that may not be your intention it is how I read you misreading my words)

As I stated before. I believe the OP escalated the situation by her choice of words.

I believe she was wrong in kicking out at the dog
I do not agree she was acting in self defence

You do not have to agree with me. I dont care if you do. However if going forward if you can argue your point of view without attempting to insult the opponent and without claiming they said things they did not. Your opinion will come across much stronger.

This will be my last response to your comments on my view here as you will not change mine and in truth I dont care enough to attempt to change yours. Im ok with us having different views.

I'm sticking with my original view that everybody sucks here. Op and dog owner.

You literally used the words "insult the opposition".

I think this might be really effective but as a small woman I would never do this.

So sorry you had to endure this OP - sending you hugs #firstworldproblems

Someone coming over to assault you randomly and suddenly is no joke.

Never had a dog myself am indifferent really but think I would find it extremely stressful stopping something I was responsible for pissing off other people. It seems a really big responsibility to me.

One jumped up at me on a walk and covered me in mud. I didn’t hit it but was cross. The owner just said “he never does that” 🙄. Err well he just did in front of both of us! Think if it had been me I would have apologised and offered to pay for cleaning but many owners seem to be weirdly defensive and quite aggressive when called out on what their dogs do.

This is my experience every time I have to speak to a dog owner to get their dog away from me or to say in a café I don’t want to sit next to your dog cause I’m have a fear of them they get very aggressive and very nasty, and they don’t like it at all, and I’m always very polite and explain very carefully. Most owners have very high opinion of themselves being much kinder than people who don’t have dogs. I actually find this the opposite. I’ve never met such rude unfriendly aggressive people. I also think it’s very mean to take your dogs to lots of places that people take them now they can’t possibly like the shopping and they really busy packed cafés with all those food smells around them. I would actually go as far to say they’re being very cruel and probably shouldn’t own a dog.

What a spiteful post.

OP, this is absolutely outrageous behaviour from the dog owner and I can't believe anyone would argue otherwise.

People lately have been crazy about their dogs. They are everywhere and constantly off leads with no training.

The people across the road from me idolise their noisy dog. They're obsessed with it. They have a dog-shaped house number plate on their front door, another metal dog-shaped plate on the gates at the end of their drive announcing that they have a dog, their car is covered with stickers about the fact that they love their dog and are "proud owners of a cocker spaniel" they even have (I am not making this up) matching dog walking hoodies that say "this is my dog walking hoodie" with a spaniel motif. I had a nosy at their Instagram, and it's dog dog dog dog dog.

You'd think, being this dog-obsessed, that they'd take the time to give it some fucking training. They haven't. After two years, it still drags them along the street on it's lead, and it barks it's head off constantly, both indoors and out. I am often woken up at 5am by their dog's barking as they walk it along the street for it's first of 10 walks that day.

The poor woman next to them had the audacity to mutter, "omg shut up" under her breath as she was tending to her plants in her garden and they went past with it barking as usual. The bloke screamed at her "Don't you DARE tell my dog to shut up!!".

That's just one couple we live with daily by they are truly everywhere. People expecting you to pet and pay attention to their dogs. Assuming you must want to say hello, and if you don't you're obviously just a nasty miserable person, because don't you know, dogs are better than people.

The absolute entitlement of these people and their animals. They don't want them treated like "one of the family" the want them treated like the absolute elites of society by every one else around them.

It's absolutely crazy, and I don't know what's got into people.

And - I say this as a dog owner and dog lover!

Anyway, after all that, I am sorry this happened to you. What a horrible experience for you and you should seriously consider reporting the person for assault.

There's no reasoning with a doggy nutter. THEY have bought a dog therefore EVERYBODY ELSE just has to put up with it and adjust their behaviour accordingly. I'd have kicked out at it too - bollocks to pandering to badly behaved dogs/owners - don't want your dog kicked then keep it under control.

@MrCollinsandhisboiledpotatoes

Oh my goodness, Mr Collins - that's a nauseating story. Yes, I've seen similar where I live.

These people treat dogs as soft toys and I don't think they're genuine dog lovers - because they don't seem to understand the nature of dogs. Dogs can be trained precisely because they are basically pack animals and respect hierarchies and leaders. An owner needs to establish early that THEY are the boss. The dog will not only not mind this, they'll actually enjoy it because tht's how they're 'programmed'.

When I've seen incidents locally between dogs and other people, where others have been inconvenienced or even injured by non-trained, out of control dogs, it's always soppy owners like this who worship their dogs instead of training their dogs to respect and obey them.

Another heckle for this awful post.

This is exactly it - they see them as soft toys. Accessories. Something to build their personalities around. Not a family member. A family member slots into your family, not become the centre of it.

Another story - I used to work with a woman who would talk about "her girls". Her girls were 6 and 8. What did you do at the weekend? Oh I took the girls out to such and such and then we had lunch in a pub, it was lovely.
If anyone chatted bout her kids she would join in as if she had them too. "Oh, I know, my eldest had me up at 5am, I'm so tired"
One day she called in and said she had an emergency, she couldn't come into work today because she had been let down and noone to look after "the girls".
She had worked there four months before anyone realised that "the girls" were two dalmations.

Dogs are happiest when treated like dogs, and know where they are in the hierarchy. This absolutely does not mean you can't show them love and affection. But they are dogs.

She said she didn't kick it

No1 should have to put you with a animal jumping up on them with mucky paws, I myself am allergic to dogs so wouldn't want one jumping up on me