Would you kick a dog attacking your dog?

We took Kenai and Georgia to the local dog park today. It's a small community dog park about 20 minutes from where I live. We rarely go to it and this was Kenai's first time at a dog park. The neighbor's dog bit Kenai in the face when he was 8 weeks old, and ever since then he has been skittish and insecure with dogs except Georgia. This was going to be his socialization experience. It goes okay at first. Until the huge intact English Mastiff came in, one that's at least 200 pounds. He looked at Kenai, and ran at him. He jumped on top of Kenai, and started snarling and biting him. Kenai was yelping and snapping. Despite my screaming, the Mastiff continued. I grabbed Kenai's collar, kicked the Mastiff in the chest (which was enough to take him aback and get him off Kenai) and picked Kenai up. Kenai was shaking and quivering and whining, and the Mastiff is just standing in front of me staring at Kenai. Some lady with a lot of nerve and a know it all attitude, NOT even the Mastiff's owner mind you, comes up and says, "Never kick a dog that's not your own". My reply was, "First of all, mind your own ****ing business. If a dog is attacking my dog, I sure as hell WILL kick him". She huffs and puffs and walks away. If the owner would have kept his dog under control, I wouldn't have had to kick him. The Mastiff later attacked a Chihuahua, and the owners screamed at the Mastiff's owner and left the park - and they had only arrived minutes earlier! The Mastiff continued to bully and snap at the other dogs in the park.

Now - If Georgia was attacking another dog, I would be pretty gosh darn pissed if somebody kicked her harder than they needed to get her off their dog or continued kicking her after she was off the dog; but I would understand if the dog's owner did kick her away just enough to get her off the dog. I do not regret kicking that dog, NOR do I think I was wrong. It's not the first time I've done it, either, and it probably won't be the last judging by how people bring their aggressive dogs to dog parks these days; despite the scary events that their dog causes every single time they visit the **** park! A Golden Retriever brutally attacked my pit bull, Buddy three years ago. Buddy laid on the ground and didn't even fight back, and the Retriever continued going at it. It wouldn't even stop when I kicked it. It got out of it's owner's backyard while they were out of town, got into our backyard, and went after Buddy. I grabbed a metal pole, and whacked the dog with it, and then brought it home and put it back on it's chain. Buddy recovered, but one of his ears was ripped off, and his leg had to get stitches. The retriever escaped a month or two later, and attacked and killed my friend's Jack Russel Terrier puppy. If any animal, including another dog, was attacking mine, and refused to get off despite yells, screams, water, and kicks, I'd shoot it. Flat out. I was concerned of Kenai's safety, and he's my dog, as his owner, I do have to do whatever is neccesary to keep him safe.

Now, I believe you should turn to other alternatives other than kicking when they are avaliable (screaming, clapping, water, hoses, etc.) - but when it's all you have and it's neccesary, I don't think you should hesitate. That's my opinion.

I can't say whether it's the right or the wrong thing to do, but I absolutely would have kicked that dog too.

I would have done the same thing. Quite honestly if a dog were attacking one of my dogs, I'd be too afraid of going in to pull them apart; kicking it away would feel like the "safer" option for me. I certainly wouldn't give a dog a good whacking with my foot, it would be more of a shove than an actual kick.

More important, I'd like to kick the owners who bring dogs like that to dog parks.

Judging by how dogs move around when they fight and how quick they are - I don't think it's safe to pull them apart either. I've been bitten trying to do that before.

If a dog were attacking my dog and my dog wasn't a fair match in size, or even if it were....you're darn right I'd kick the other dog. I'd do anything I had to, to save my dog, regardless of the consequences to the other dog.

If its what needs to be done so be it. I have done it before, NO WAY am I sticking my nad near another dog I dont knows mouth. I will always kick before I have to reach out. espeacially at this time of yearm, big canadian winter boots are thick so good for a dog bite, and very heavy and hard good for a kick lol

I though I would have to do it today, its only a matter of time the 2 idiot golden rets down the street from me break away from their flexi lead, they have attackeed blaze 2 times now. I need to follow the owner home one day. I have kicked at them to scare them off. Next time I want to just boot them as hard as I can in the face. I have never hated 2 dogs so much.

I'd do whatever I needed to in order to protect my dog. A 200 pound dog?? You bet I'd be kicking. A 20 pound dog? I'd be a lot less likely to kick, but if all else failed, I still would...probably with less force...

Poor Kenai. I hope he's OK, physically and psychologically. Give him a cookie from me.

My neighbors had two Goldens just like that! I talked about one of them in my first post. I've never hated two dogs more, either. They were mean. But they never really had a chance to break off a flexi-lead - they were always chained or kept in crates. The neighbors ended up getting them euthanized after they killed two dogs after getting out one day. They'd done a lot more than that in their life time, though. Many more fights, attacks, and biting people and kids! We lived right down the street (maybe 20 steps!) from an elementary school. They were unpredictable.

Now I'm not saying all Golden Retrievers are mean or vicious or even aggressive, and I believe it is because of over breeding and backyard breeding - but every single Golden I've met has had some sort of aggression issue, and I've met quite a few of them.

Kenai is doing alright. He was shaken up from the time that happened to the time we got home, but he's doing okay now. He's such a little baby. I hate how irresponsible some owners are - especially the ones with such huge, powerful dogs! He's sleeping on his bean bag right now. I have a big, black bean bag I bought from a garage sale for myself last summer. The first day we brought him home, he dragged it out of my room into his crate, and he's slept on it every day since! It's his favorite. I'll definetly give him a cookie for you this evening. Thanks.

I think you're fine. I would probably not however, visit that dog park again if it seems like that much of an issue. I definitely think you should know/understand the vibe of a dog park before visiting.. a couple visits without a dog before hand and scoping the area out before you let your dog off leash should be pretty helpful.

Yeah. I'm not a big fan of the dogs, or the people - with good reason! I've always been a fan of Merry Moor Park down here. It's huge, and we've never had problems with it, other than the fact that it's almost an hour away.

D@mn right I would if I had to.

My friend and I kicked her dogs. Her 2 intact male dobies got loose together and went after eachother. We tried everything aside from pepper spray (in the house). It took 3 grown men to part them.

If my dogs life is in danger Im sorry to the other owner but Im kicking

IN THIS CASE, i would likely have kept kicking & beating the dog until it ran away or decided to fight. i'd also likely be very unpleasant to the owner if they complained about it. i am very sympathetic to people who are surprised by & apologetic about their dog's first incident of aggression. i am not sympathetic when people just don't care.

I have done it as my goldens didn't like to fight and needed someone to stand up for them / It's not the breed , it's the breeder . just like pitties !

I have got beside them and dropped my weight down on them pinning them to the ground. I have used my foot yes indeed but more as an under and lift then a direct hit. I have learned about putting my hands into fights. That is why i was double layered inside and out stitched up between my index and third finger as well as two punctures through the hand. YOu learn. If anything is close, a shovel, a stick, my leash being whirled around like a helicopter blade, anything i will use that first.

BEfore any of that I puff myself up as big as I can putting my arms out and from the diaphram let loose a NO with all the force I can...that has worked better than anything else for when we are walking in the neighborhood and it is a loose dog. I have instructed Hyia no matter what to drop the leash if it looks like there is about to be an attack. THey woudl have to catch Victor first to do him damage. He is far more active, and light on his paws than your average dog. I about tackled Logan when I saw him going into the fight between Mary and ONyx that time .He had both arms extended with his hands ready to grab. Scared me to pieces. I blocked him and told him to let Mary handle it and she did. I will never forget how as long as I live.

Yes. If the dog is attacking my dog or a dog I'm responsible for, I will do whatever in my power to keep that dog safe. Actually I've been walking lately with my shepherds crook for that very reason. We've had a number of loose dogs recently and I don't feel comfortable walking without something.

I would do whatever it took to defend the life and safety of my dog.....with that in mind I would assess each situation and deal with it in what I thought was most appropriate method.

I was walking with a friend of my who had an elderly Catahoula Leopard Dog (12yr old). We were walking with Athena, Sal and a few other people and their dogs. Sal was playing with a Dobe he just met when her dog (the CLD) decided to get jealous and attack Sal. My first instinct was to drill that dog into the ground but I grabbed Sal by the collar and used my knee and shin to push Patches (the CLD) away. He caused Sal to bleed but I guess I didn't feel it was a life threatening situation.

If I thought my dog was at risk of death or serious injury, kicking would be the least of the other dogs worries.

I would do whatever it takes to protect my dog and yes, I have kicked a dog in the face before to keep him away as a last resort.

I would not suggest to take him to a dog park but to maybe schedule a get together with dogs you know and trust.

I would and have kicked dogs who where holding onto Izzy and will continue to do so if the situation ever presents itself again. With a super submissive dog like Izzy, she'd literally get eaten alive if a dog decided to fight her.

Yep or better yet I would jump on it and choke it off. Although I honestly don't know how well that would work on a 200 lb dog, I would try. Dog would think it saw Jesus by the time I tell it have air.