On Animal Cruelty (kind of)

So I hurt an animal... Yeah, you can hate me now.

Animal Cruelty ?!?

Earlier today I punched a dog in the face. I didn’t want to, but it made me.

I was throwing the trash out at around eight in the morning, and a maid was walking a relatively large, heavy-set brown Labrador in my direction.

Me being the dog person that I am, I drop the trash bag on the ground and crouch with my left hand palm-up & outstretched and I just wait for the dog to get close enough to sniff it and acquaint itself with me.

First it was all waggy tails and happy panting, but as soon as it smelled my hand for a second time it growled and almost immediately snapped at my outstretched hand. 

I felt his breath on my fingers as his jaws snapped shut, it was that close. 

So reflex kicks in and as my left hand recoils to my side my right loops out and hits this dog with a solid backhand (closed fingers) right on the top of the snout.

In that same movement I got to my feet and in my fighting stance, thinking of nothing but right kick to its’ face if it comes after me.

But it didn’t. The maid appologised profusely as the dog cowered behind her, tail between its’ hind legs, constantly blinking its’ eyes.

I feel bad because I hate violence against animals and I didn’t mean to hit it as hard as I did, but at the same time the exact same reaction can be expected for anything that tries to bite me, species be damned!

Sorry doggie. =(

[UPDATE] 

It’s okay though. Just now [around one in the afternoon] I was walking Bonnie and the maid and the dog were there again, and since Bonnie is friendly with absolutely anyone and anything, I walked over to them until I was about four meters away. 

The maid was worried at that point and motioned for me that this wasn’t a good idea, but I ignored her, pulled Bonnie’s leash short and held her behind me with my left hand, and stuck out my right hand (balled up in a fist; f**k risking losing a few fingers this time) towards the other dog. At first she (as I found out a bit later) looked very wary, but then she flopped down on her back and tentatively licked my hand. After a few more licks I stroked the fur under it’s chin. (partially because my hand was pretty much already there, and partially because if it would suddenly try to bite me again I could grab it by the throat in a flash) A few seconds later I saw her visibly relax and her tail unfurl from her stomach and begin to wag, and from there I gave her my patented Expert Doggy Face Massage.

Her name is Lady, and we’re the best of buddies now. =]