I was interested to read this. Amber immediately she meets a new dog goes to my walker and takes out her ball and drops it at the other dogs feet. She has recently made friends with Siberian Husky who comes on a bit strong but Amber handles it well, lets the dog have the ball and will play a bit of rough housing provided it doesn't get too rough and the other dog who she loves to rough and tumble with is a two year old bull mastiff bitch. But first and foremost she loves to share her balls with any of them and will let them keep them if they so desire. She know I have a stock of them in a cupboard indoors. There are three snousers (sp) she loves to play with but a little yorkie is so scared of her size that he will not make friends which is such a shame.

Thanks for crediting me with that excellent suggestion Losos, but it wasn't actually me!! Don't mind taking the cred for it though!!

I hate people who treat their dogs as fur babies too. Met a couple of miniature dachsunds in the vets the other day - gorgeous, sweet little dogs, a dog and a bitch. They kept peeping through the glass door at Ben whilst he was being examined by the vet, so sweet. When we went out into the reception Ben was very interested in them and very gentle with them, sniffing them and lying down so not to intimidate them with his bulk! The male suddenly started barking at and yapping at Ben for no reason - Ben was most offended and put out, and responded with a bit of a growl. The owner freaked and said "oh dear, he's very hostile" and tried to pull her dogs away. The cheek of it - I told her that Ben was trying to be friendly, and her dog was not, and she admitted that oh dear, they are very spoilt!!

I ask you - 2 perfectly decent little dogs, a feisty, sporty breed spoiled to death by this stupid woman!

Yes Moyra, some dogs are like that, if there were no humans around they would be the ones following the pack leader, one might say they are subservient to the leader, our late Rianna was just like that, would share and not be wanting to keep everything. Our Baruska was the exact opposite, she had 'packleader' genes throughout her whole body

The thing about dogs is we can't give them a lecture on social 'niceties' they have to work it out for themselves and they usually do unless some two legged moron comes along and trains them to fight by cruelty or bribes.

A pack leader disciplining another 'potential' leader will sound like WWIII but usually results in one of them 'submitting' and everything is sweet thereafter.

Our Baruska and Rianna lived together for 8 years with no problems.

Well said Losos! I have learned to trust Ben now and to a certain extent if he kicks off with another dog who has come into his space when he is out being walked on the lead I don't interfere - other than just to tell him to be gentle, or to leave if he has the poor unfortunate dog in his mouth!! Time after time this happens, and time after time there is never a mark on the other dog. Sometimes there is a nip on Ben where he has been bitten on his ear - do I kick off, demand the dog is put down and create a complete scene? Do I heck as like!! This is just normal DOG STUFF ... dogs are animals, they are not extensions of their humans, they have likes and dislikes the same as we do. I am really fed up with people branding bEN as a dangerous dog - he is NOT a dangerous dog, he is a natural beta enforcer, the soldier of his pack, ready to defend his humans - and his doggie friends such as my daughter's chihuahuas - from all boarders!! He NEVER bites sufficient to draw blood, he pins, he snarls, he growls, he makes the most terrifying noises but he NEVER BITES!!

He used to be very DA for no reason, just because he was frightened - for himself and for us - but now he has learned that we are pack leaders and we can defend ourselves just fine, he only gets shitty with other dogs if they invade his space or they are behaving badly - a bit of a paradox that, but that is how he is. He will bark at spaniels hurtling around like maniacs because he considers this to be very bad form! But if they are calm and allow themselves to be sniffed etc. etc. he is absolutely fine. It is fascinating watching him interact now with other dogs.

Sorry for the rant - my fingers got carried away!!

Tell me about it, we get it a lot of it with Casey. Even had one women try to threaten the 'compensation' route (Isn't it amazing how the American trend of suing for every little upset in life has now crossed the Atlantic )

Her dog had been barking and snapping at Casey and turning around and running, Casey was following just trying to get close to have a good 'sniff' and her dog disappered into some brambles. When he came out there was a tiny scratch on his leg and owner screamed all kinds of profanities at us, she said she was going to the Police, she said she wanted compensation

I was watching carefully and he never touched her dog, and I told her that, my wife was with me so I had a witness, she didn't, so she walked off still swearing and cursing

No need to apologise, not to me anyway

Agree with everything you said. Particulary about the ears. You obviously know but many dog owners don't know that ears bleed like crazy but soon heal up.

I have go out in a moment but just a quick little story, when we were in Czech Republic we had a lot of snow in the winter. One day Rianna & Baruska and I were trudging through about 2ft. of virgin white snow and the two of them had a bit of play fight, nothing serious, but Baruska's fang just caught Rianna ear, within seconds the snow became RED everywhere, it looked like the Texas chain saw massacre ten times over.

By the time we got home it had healed and next morning you could barely see where it was on her ear.

Maybe dog parks are not such a bad idea just as long as there are no humans present!

That would be interesting - obviously no truly DD dogs - left in a large enclosed space, humans walk away but leave the cameras rolling. It would be a true test for my Ben that's for sure!! My money would be on the fact that he would be absolutely fine - for sure there would be handbags at dawn with some of the dogs, fur would even fly, but I have faith in my Ben now, at last, after all these years.

Exactly - people make so much fuss about a bit of blood - I pulled my cannula out by mistake when in hospital recently and there really was blood everywhere! It poured out - so I rang my bell and whilst i was waiting just pressed over the wrist very hard with the sheet and held it high in the air. The nurse came in and was slightly panicky - she said she didn't know where to start, so I told her no worries, I had stemmed the bleeding, if she could just get a dressing I would continue to hold my arm up high and all would be well.

And of course it was

Dogs don't always 'sort themselves out'. Like us, misunderstandings happen and like us, sometimes someone gets hurt.

It can be a foolhardy and expensive approach to think that if we leave dogs to sort themselves out, the most that will happen is a small nick here or there