A Man kicked my dog this morning

[ExitPursuedByABear]

I was horrified! Yes, BastardDog is dog on dog aggressive, but it is all bark and no bite - (sound and fury signifying nothing).

I was marching up the canal towpath trying to keep warm, when my dog crouched down into 'play' position and I saw two big bouncy Munsterlanders approaching. Their owner was a long way behind. I see these dogs regularly and chat to both the man and woman who own them, on several occasions. I always call my boy back and put him on the lead until they are passed and have discussed with them the reasons why. Today I was concerned that I had seen them too late, but bless his soul, my boy came back when shouted so I put him on the lead and crossed over to the other side of the canal. As we passed I joked with the man that they would all have ended up in the lock if they had met and he said something about tossing a coin.

I carried on walking but a train went past and my dog likes to chase them. As I turned round I realised that the man had crossed over behind, so my dog ran into his dogs as he was chasing the train. They had a sniff then a fight broke out at which point the man started shouting "I'm not having this". I shouted my boy and he came back but went ahead of me. I walk with a stick so was trying to catch up with him to put him on the lead but the man kept on walking in the same direction, quicker than me and caught up just as I was about to put my dog on the lead and another fight broke out. At which point the man kicked my dog in the belly making him yelp in pain.

I asked him what he thought he was doing and he said he didn't want a vet's bill. Then he said that dogs will be dogs and it shouldn't affect our friendship. What fecking friendship? I marched off with him shouting after me that it shouldn't affect us. He then shouted that I had ruined a lovely day .

Not sure why I am posting really. It just really upset me. I make every effort to avoid other dogs. I know he had every right to cross the canal and walk in the same direction, but I still don't think he needed to kick him.

Stupid bastard.

So now I don't care about my dog?

And what am I doing? Walking my dog?

I can't walk him on the lead.

The alternative is ?

Actually Twooter. That thought crossed my mind.

Then I accidentally saw myself on my lap top. And laughed. A lot.

Exit. You are lucky your dog didn't get seriously hurt today. And it would have been your fault. You know he's dog aggressive and you didn't have him under control.

I had a wee dog with shitty recall who would have tripped you up running to lick your legs. I kept him on a lead in public ALL the time. So I'm not saying I'm a perfect dog owner by any stretch of the imagination, I tried and tried to train the wee bugger but he would be great in the house, fab in the garden, great at dog training, great in the field - and utterly shit out on a walk.

All the flan about having spoken to the man and the man knows your dog and blah blah - is just that. Flannel and a load of tosh.

You have a dog that is aggressive to other dogs and you didn't have him under control. You can change that, or not. But if you don't, you can expect the same thing to happen again.

Why can't you walk him on the lead?

I think that if you can't walk him on the lead then that's fair enough.

I also think that unfortunately sometimes people will panic and react badly to him.

It's really sad but there doesn't seem to be any 'solution'.

I'm sorry your dog got kicked though!

"I can't walk him on the lead.

The alternative is ?"

You could use a longline and harness, or a flexi (much as people hate them, they're blooming useful if you have a dog that can't be trusted offlead).

You could even just rethink whether it's ok to let him off in that particular spot, or if you're letting him off again too soon after there has been another dog.

Basically work out how you could have prevented him getting to the dogs he met today and fix that.

He doesn't have shit recall. I didn't recall him as I didn't realise the other chap had crossed the canal behind me. Fight broke out, recalled dog. Other dogs came forward, not under any control, fight broke out again before I got my dog on lead.

Am I understanding your original post right and that after the initial incident was over, the man came past you to get to your dog and kick him?

Because that's a really weird and aggressive thing to do, isn't it? I can totally understand kicking a dog that's currently attacking you or your dog but to hurt them after the even? How fucking weird and punishing.

So you need to be more aware when you're walking him then? Maybe?

I had a dog On dog aggressive dog, he was constantly on a lead and muzzled, I wouldn't of been too happy if an off lead aggressive dog approached him. You're in the wrong by not keeping him on a lead, even a long lead at the most!

I'm surprised he followed you but think he kicked out of instinct without thinking it through.

We are having problems where we walk witn an aggressive dog, he's been aggressive to people as well but that is another story. Apparently the other day he broke his lead having pulled his owner to the floor and attacked another dog being walked by a fairly elderly guy. His reaction was to fling himself on top of the attacking dog (who is absolutely massive) and pin him to the floor. Apparently he said he just acted and didn't think and suspect the man in your situation did the same.

The thing is though the onus is on you and you can't afford any slip ups. With the DDA there only needs to be the perception that someone is at risk and it could have serious consequences for your dog if you slip up with the wrong person.

Agree that he kicked out of instinct but then felt guilty hence him wanting me to say it was ok.

For those who are confused, I crossed to the other side of the canal where there were no dogs. He also crossed without me realising. My dog ran back alone the towpath 'chasing' a train 100 yards on the other side of the canal. Ran into his dogs, to my horror. Fight broke out. Called dog back. Dog came back but went forwards of me. As I went to put his lead on man and off lead dogs caught up with me and another fight ensued. He kicked my dog. I put my dog on lead. He wanted to make friends and I didn't. I ruined his day.

Don't you feel responsible and/or guilty at all Exit?

How would you like me to display my guilt?

But why did he keep following you? Particularly after the first time?! What a knob!

I spend every day consumed by guilt, on so many fucking levels. I didn't realise I gad to do some spesh guilt thang for posters on here.

What would you like?

The simple answer ( I'm renowned for stating the obvious) is to ensure that he is always in front of you ,that way you can see who he is approaching and deal with it . There you go ,problem solved . Hope the dog feels ok .

By accepting some responsibility for what happened and trying to put a strategy in place to mitigate the risk of it happening again?

so actually in the end - it was his dogs that were out of control.........

I can not believe the finger pointing and holyer than thou people on this thread......

He is always in front. Except that bastard train was going the wrong way.

Where the Jeff have I not accepted responsibility?

It's my dog.

He was a knob then.

???? What????

"I didn't realise I gad to do some spesh guilt thang for posters on here.

What would you like?"

Calorie free chocolate would be nice if you can invent that, that would be great...

The thing is, you can't assume that the majority of people are sensible, I mean I'm sure on balance of population they are, but you kind of weed them out of your way by telling them your dog isn't ok with other dogs, or putting your dog on a lead to avoid them - because then they avoid you. So what you meet are the numpties.

So you pretty much have to assume anyone you meet might be a numpty and act accordingly.

My dad always told me to drive as though every other driver was an idiot.

I run my life on that principle.

me too.