While out walking with our 5 on Saturday we heard voices ahead of us in the woods.  After a few seconds someone called out to us that it was ok to come through.  We came into a clearing and there were a couple with perhaps 5 dogs also.  Ours were impecably (Sp?) behaved, all off the lead apart from Lola and just walked past this couple and their dogs as if they wern't there.  Suddenly this little Jack Russel pup, perhaps 6 months old came hurtling out from between the other dogs and started snapping at Lola.  Lola ignored it (I'm so proud of her!) but this dog carried on snapping.  The owner came up to the puppy, swung his leg back and kicked it   This poor dog must have flown a good 10 feet through the air, yelping, before landing.  When we protested the owner said the puppy had to learn how to behave.  We did point out that perhaps putting the dog on a lead if it was snappy with other dogs may be a better solution that kicking seven bells out of the poor thing.  The puppy wasn't snapping so much that he couldn't have gone over and just picked it up, and Lola wasn't retaliating.  We asked for his name and address (he gave us false ones - we checked) with the intention of reporting him to the RSPCA.  Can they do something in a situation like this?  We are keeping a keen eye out for this couple now, and are trying to find out where they do actually live.

Of course there are names for people like this but I can't say them on here.

Sorry don't know the answer to your question.

All that you can do, is report the incident anyway, and if/when you do find out where they live then update the RSPCA with their address too.

I guess praise and reward are not something they have heard of.

I guess not, and its not as if we have perfect pooches (as my many posts will testify :D), but there is still absolutely no need for that sort of behavour.  OH was all for going back and dog napping the little thing!

Dreadful.  You could try reporting this to your local Dog Warden.  Not sure how much good it will do but at least if you tell him/her where it happened and give a description of the couple and their dogs, he/she might be prepared to keep an eye out for them and also be more alert if other people report anything similar.  Well done you for asking for name and address - I'm surprised someone as aggressive as that gave you any address, even a false one.

The owner wasn't actually agressive towards us, just stating that it was none of our business how he treated his dogs and to F@@@ Off!  I think it was the OH, a normally very quiet unassuming man constantly requesting his details that made him give us false information.  Anything to be rid of us, I think.  I think he was a bit worried about our dogs, all big, and Lola on a lead with a muzzle.  We must have looked quite scarey to him.  Shame.

Yes, I expect your doggies moderated his behaviour somewhat :D.  Maybe you should have followed him home, that would have worried him :)  Poor little dog :(

Well done for saying something and I hope you do find out where he lives so you can let the authorities know.

Out neighbour has a JR pup that he's very rough with, and treating a terrier like that is a sure way of getting a nasty sharp terrier.

Fran

well, I daresay i have been a bit soft with my dog and someone that shouted more and threw their weight around might have got quicker results but this is a relationship i want to last for years and I want his trust not his fearful respect.

What a horrible thing to have to see.  Unfortunately, in my experience, the RSPCA can't do anything unless they believe the dog's life is at risk - i.e. it's not getting fed/watered properly. 

This sort of thing makes my blood boil over! Quite what sort of behaviour does this violent imbecile think he is trying to achieve with this kind of treatment? Being someone who has a Jack Russell, I can confirm that they are "very terrier" and not necessarily docile - something a lot of people don't seem to realise! but they are extremely clever, loving and loyal little dogs who will respond wonderfully to consistent training based on kind and positive methods.

We have a guy who comes to the same training class as us who has a very aggressive weim that he has absolutely no control over, but the thing is, he hits and kicks this dog. The trainers have tried to work with him to change his ways, and he has had the chance to be around other owners who use gentle methods and get results, and you can just tell he goes along with it in class, following the trainers instructions, but still hits the dog at home, as the dog's reaction to him says it all really. It is sad to see a dog who has become like this just because someone believes the way to assert control is through violence. It makes me sick. This dog has lunged and tried to bite towo trainers, has lunged at his owner on numerous occasions, and the trainers have been very stern with him. He has 'chenged' but as I said, you can tell it is just for the benefit of the class and that he still carries on the way he did at home. It disgusts me to the bone it really does.

Legal action can be taken against this person if you knew who they where they could be prosecuted for unnecassary cruelty, it has been passed as a bill of parliament

Thats just awful, this is an act of cruelty to animals :(

It's such a shame. There's that saying "violence begins where knowledge ends" and it is certainly true in dog training.
I couldn't actually be in a class with someone like that

Also kicking can really damage the dog internally.

Some people, this is classed as animal cruelty surely!!

I would love to be the person who kicks him in the a** and sends him flying a good 10ft in the air

Only one word to describe this person and I can't say it on here, but, it begins with b****** !!!