Sounds like another care in the community failure. A lonely nutter who just wanted a confrontation as his meaningful conversation for the day and it's quite possible Ben hadn't even had a poop if he wasn't willing to show you where it was and just wanted to threaten to shoot your dogs instead. He might have not even realised Ben was with anybody until he ran to you and just felt like having a little power trip. Typical that he was so "brave" when he came back for another go and you weren't on your own that time.

What annoys me about sad little people like this is their bad attitude and anger is like a virus and infects everybody he shouts randomly at in the street.

Yes it does sound to me that this bloke didn't even realise the dog was 'with someone' when he kicked it. If you couldn't see your dog and didn't see him do it - I doubt he'd seen you. He's probably just got a big down on dogs running loose (and it must have been close enough to him for him to kick it).

Not nice thing to happen (dog getting kicked I mean - my attitude towards the shouting and name calling would be - a sticks and stones one) but in your place I would see this as a good reminder not to let my dog out of my sight, or off the lead if I couldn't see what they were up to and get them back to me before any trouble occurred.

He could have said the dog bit him and you would have been none the wiser as you weren't able to see. Glad it sounds as if your dog wasn't badly hurt.

I don't trust my dog to run up to any strangers here - majority of them start the 'kicking' action before the dog gets anywhere near close enough. They obviously either teach their kids to as well or the kids just copy the parents because even with your dog on a lead if you are approaching kids they almost all start the old kicking out stuff.

I am sure I would be imprisoned or deported if I kicked a local kid! But hell if I saw any adult kick my dog I WOULD kick them or worse. If they were much bigger than me I might have to look for a bit of 2 x 4 first!

Therefore I need to make very sure I am never in that situation!

Some people are just evil through and through.

(((hugs)))

I am afraid I think dog owners who allow their dogs to urinate on other people's property are horrible.

I have often thought about taking my dogs to THEIR property and getting them to use it as a public toilet!

You see if that was me I would have just got my mobile phone out and filmed him or alternatively recorded his voice.

However the likelihood of anyone behaving that way around me is remote (even without the dog(s)).

Have you reported him to the police?

I would report it too. It is harassment.

Whilst I dont condone the man kicking Ben in any way or his abusive behaviour (sounds like he was just after an argument) I think we would do well to remember that not everybody loves dogs. Some people positively hate them and would happily have them all shot, so if they see a dog pooing or if they pee up their property it's a very good excuse for them to lash out. We have trouble with owners allowing their dogs to go to the toilet on our open plan side lawn and I wont hesitate to tell them to keep their dog off because it's just not acceptable for a dog to be peeing up/on peoples property.

I did think about reporting it (didnt have my phone on me at the time) but to be honest I have had such trouble with the dog hating police woman around here I really cant be bothered with the hassle

I agree possibly he didnt realise Ben was with me at the time, I know it dosent sound like it but Ben wasnt out of my sight - its a big flat peice of land - he was behind me - about 100m away and I was just picking up Mias poo - so he wasnt actually out of sight I was just looking elsewhere at the time

I know I was in the wrong at that point - actually I had never thought that he might not have been even doing the toilet, good point. Ben wont go up to stranger, he just potters away doing his own thing - so people can go up to him without him bothering

Well I made it up to both of them, and calmed myself down with a nice walk on the beach

Think I will just keep away from that walk for a bit - tbh its just lazy me going there, the area isnt that nice - there is lots of dog poo, and people dump things and Mia cant get offlead
Not letting this guy chace me away - but it has made me see its really not a great walk

horrible, I would have been really shocked and shakey as well

Poor Ben & poor you! Some people are just horrible

Don't beat yourself up too much about not having an eye on Ben, you couldn't have known what would happen & it's not like you were wilfully letting him run around causing a menace - you took your eyes off him for a second, something that we probably all do at one time or another.