Kicked another dog that was attacking mine. Feel a bit bad now.

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

Was out for a walk with dh, the dds and Monty my nine month old lab. We were on a path through a nature conservation area so big signs saying keep dogs on lead. Met a couple coming the other way with a sight hound-type cross. It wasn't on a lead so they grabbed hold of its collar and stood there with it. As we got level it lunged, barking and snarling, so I said hello and perhaps you'd better pop him on a lead. Then carried on. Next thing I know this bloody animal is coming up behind us snarling and barking. It leapt at Monty and I remember screaming at it before I booted it up the behind. The owner then appeared - I never heard them make a sound, let alone call it back - and I just said through gritted teeth - please put your dog on a lead. It just stood there, obviously surprised that someone had told it off, and they grabbed it and left.

I was so shocked in the heat of the moment I just couldn't think straight. All I could see was its teeth heading for my lovely dog and I saw red. I just kicked out to get it away. I hurt my bloody leg too, think I've pulled a muscle, so that'll teach me not to try that again. Dh said if he'd had a stick he'd have gone for it too.

Am glad that I had the presence of mind to defend my dog though. It occurred to me afterwards that if my dds had tried to intervene they might have got bitten. I am utterly furious with the inept fucking owners that had it off lead in the first place, in an on-lead area and didn't attempt to get it under control.

Bloody leg hurts like a bitch too.

Just wanted to vent.

Still venting.

Still bloody cross that these twats thought that they were so special, the rules didn't apply to them. Wish I'd told them that now.

Was almost in tears last night thinking about what could have happened. My little Monty. He's such a lovely dog, I don't want him hurt by some out of control brute. I think I was quite shocked by the events. I keep playing it back in my mind.

You reacted out of instinct & the fault is not yours! Its not like it was a planned attack & their dog should be on a lead.

Think nothing more of it, Monty is OK :)

I would have done the same as you!

Mine were attacked by two big dogs yesterday and I was terrified and have no idea how I would have got them off if it had got worse. I shouted at the dogs and they backed off but I can't stop thinking about what could have happened.

I also now am scared to walk mine incase I bump into the dog again, so I know how you feel!

I can understand it, but please be very careful to not kick their organs when you next kick a dog.

Also, I would suggest that you socialise Monty with some nice dogs of the breed of dog which attacked. My lab was attacked by a male black lab at that age, I didn't s that, and he has never forgiven the whole of the population of male black labs because of it; he becomes aggressive towards them now. It's a real problem.

Aww thanks you guys. Just venting really, there's nothing I can do about it now. I'm just a bit of a worrier and regret not having handled it better.

Good point Through but I'm not sure what sort of dog it was, it might have been a cross breed, possibly greyhound-ish.

I didn't kick right at it, I sort of heaved it away from underneath. It might have fared worse if it had attacked Monty and he'd defended himself, he's a big boy with a big jaw. It probably got off lightly.

Just so fucked off with the owners. Never met such irresponsible ignorant owners.

I would and have done the same as you in the past. Poor monty!

Carry a big stick,
my neighbours does that, because of dogs attacking his.

awful experience for you. at least the owners didnt get into an argument with you

This happened to my eldest dd the dog is known to be unpredictable it went for my dog and dd she kicked it off them the worst of it was my aunt was walking it for her friend and had it off lead anyway you did nothing except defend you and your dog think no more about it.

I had the same last week. I had to use my leg to push away the loose dog which was lunging, snapping and snarling while the owner stood uselessly by a few feet away. It felt like it went on for ages but was probably about 15 seconds! Had I needed to I would have kicked it in order to protect either of us - and its very hard to know what to do when things are alarming and happening fast. It sounds like even in the heat of the moment we managed to only use the force needed. I understand the feeling bad, I would be the same as I also tend to worry, but you'd have felt much worse had you held back and Monty had been hurt or forced to defend himself.

My main regret is that I didn't step over the dog and hoof the owner in the gonads, they clearly weren't at all surprised (or particularly bovvered) to see their dog behave so and failed to apologise saying 'these things happen'.

I had a friendly word with my aunt she is obsessed with letting dogs have a run she used to have assistance puppys and they were all great dogs tbf the snarling beast she walked for her friend not so much I heard its done the same a few times to other people some dog owners have no brains and are in charge of dogs they cant or wont control does my head in.

Bless you all, you're all lovely. 💐😄

You're right, I'd feel much worse if Monty had been bitten.

The other owners never said a word. Not a word. No sorry, no calling of dog, nothing. I half wondered if they were foreigners, it was wierd that they never said anything. Would explain why they didn't adhere to the dogs on leads signs. They might have had a more relaxed attitude to dog ownership and are wondering why I went ballistic on them. Mind you they didn't stop me or remonstrate. Wierd.

Can I draw your attention to a case in Kent today where a man has been convicted of animal cruelty and has to pay costs to the the RSPCA of £10000 after kicking a greyhound that was attacking his miniature schnauzer , his dog was injured and his wife was treated for dog bites ( from the greyhounds) . The greyhound in question died as it suffered liver trauma from being kicked - I'm not convinced that the court has made the right decision and I doubt it would stop me from kicking a dog if my dogs life was in peril but it is food for thought .

Blimey, yes it is, isn't it? He must have kicked it really hard though.

According to him that's how hard he had to kick it to get it to release his dog from its jaws .

Jesus. Well I'm sorry the dog died but it was bound to happen sooner or later. Probably had idiot owners like the ones we encountered. I wonder how many other dogs it had got hold of before someone had to kick it off?

Can you link to it at all?

I'm incapable of getting links to work but it's in the Kent online .

Jesus Christ. Just read it. How awful. I do think the owner of the schnauzer went too far though. It says he kicked it three times, really hard. And a greyhound hasn't got much meat on it. I totally understand where he was coming from but I think he overreacted. I didn't do anything like that. I sort of got my foot underneath it and heaved it, more than kicked it. And only once! I bet that isn't the first time those greyhounds had done that though, it was unprovoked. The owner says he daren't let them off the lead because they would run away. They might well have chased or attacked other dogs, that's why.

What a sad story.

OP i think i would have reacted as you did out of gut reaction. I hope i never have to find out, it must have been scary. I have been pondering this though and would hate to have to hurt another dog, and that case linked to is just awful. I wondered if it would be an idea to carry a lightweight blanket with me to toss over a dog that was trying to attack mine. Toss over its head then sort of tackle the dog holding the blanket over it so it is taut and the dog cant bite? You know how they sometimes do on those animal rescue programmes to restrain dogs/cats/geese to get them to the vet? Probably a silly idea but its all i can come up with that avoids hurting the dog.

I don't think you did anything wrong OP , I would do whatever to keep my dog safe ,I do think it's scary though that you can end up getting prosecuted . To be honest the case I have highlighted seems to be a bit 6 of 1 half a dozen of the other - the schnauzer was off lead and went near the greys , the owner of the greys had no control , I think it's a case of the RSPCA taking things too far by taking him to court , it's not like he carried on kicking the dogs after his dog was free from their jaws .

I see the RSPCA did their usual thing of claiming for lots of money. Probably why the case went as far as it did.

I know this is a very old post but its the first one that came up when I searched " my dog keeps getting attacked".
I just wanted to add to it in case others have the same problem.
Not all aggressive dogs are that way because of "idiot owners" as was said earlier.
I have a sweet, fluffy, medium size dog that, because of something about his scent etc has been randomly attacked about 10 times, by normal dogs that have never been aggressive before. (I have another dog that has never been attacked so it has nothing to do with the way I have trained them).
With every attack on him, he gets more and more fearful and now starts to defend himself. Understandably.
If a dog even growls at him or comes towards him, his experience has shown him that means he is about to be bitten. Recently a dog was growling and barking at him, they had their head down as if to attack, so mine jumped on him out of defense (didn't bite just pushed him over and sat on him) in fear that he was going to get bitten again. He was on the lead but it happened really fast in passing.
(All the attacks on him means he is the one restricted and cant run free.)
The other owner called my dog "aggressive" and blamed me as the owner.
In reality it is because he has been attacked too many times and the signs from his dog were aggressive.
I think it is important to really understand doggy body language and psychology and even odours etc before assuming that a dog is aggressive because of it's owner.

I would have done the same and hope you and Monty are okay - hugs to you both from my lab and me.

ZOMBIE