I blame the press

Tbh I haven't had this problem, maybe because we walk mainly on the beach or in the woods where there is plenty of room.

ps Mo says she doesn't like Collies because they are only ever interested in their ball/stick/each other and won't play with her

Good post Mish, I agree totally about smaller dogs owners being over protective and lifting their dogs.

I can understand why some do this in the park I use, (those folks that have never met my dogs before) with the reputation Rotties have it's understandable, I re-assure them however and tell them to put their dogs back on the ground as it only causes their dogs stress.

I've had comments like .. "oh I thought they were gonna be vicious etc, what lovely dogs they are".

I would trust my dogs with others without a doubt, however you do get the occasional trouble maker, but that's down to the owner IMO.

I have always walked my previous dogs off-lead. However, I made the decision not to walk the Chis off-lead, after they had been attacked several times. On one occasion Pebbles was so freaked out after a Chow tried to get her, she ran off the field and home. Luckily OH was home and heard her at the front door because the Chow followed her, hot on her heels. The Chow owner made no attempt to recall his dog, who just went walkabouts after and a neighbour found him in the road and held on to him until the Owner came to retrieve him

With regard not picking your dog up (Sarah commented on this I think) I am afraid that when you have a 4lb Chi standing shaking with fear at the sight of a JRT running at her, teeth on full show and saliva dripping from the mouth (whilst the owner of the JRT is screaming at the top of their voice in sheer panic) picking mine up was the only thing that saved them from be mauled and goodness knows what. The particular JRT was relentless and was jumping up (amazingly high) trying to snap my dogs legs (which he managed to snap Tiani and I am 5 foot 10 inches).

If I had a 50lb dog, I'd probably not be so bothered, as they may be able to hold their own but with Chihuahuas, you have to be careful because so many owners out there don't give a flying fart what their dogs get up to off-lead. As a small breed owner, my dogs have to suffer because at least on-lead I can pick them up and protect them, if needed. I probably am a bit of a worrier when it comes to other dogs but I think I have good reason.

Pebbles is now terrified of other dogs since the Chow incident and I regularly see the idiot owner still walking the dog off-lead

got to agree owners create dog problems not dogs, in my opinion we can't teach doggy manners the only thing that can teach a dog doggie manners is another dog, FWIW i have no problem with any dogs mixing with mine (spaniels) the only problem they have is that a lot of other dogs can't keep u[ with them.

For those who have problems with their own, i found the best thing i did for my own dog who was off with other dogs was to start fostering, i can control the experience she has then, and to be honest i can honestly say she hasn't had a go at another dog in months

And thats the biggest misconception of all.... bad dog bad owner.. sometimes it is not as simple as that.

All dogs are different, as are all owners...some like the small yappy dogs, whose owners pick up and screech at owners of larger dogs....some who blatantly have no thought to other people and their dogs .

There is nothing better than seeing dogs meet and interact with others , but sadly for whatever reasons some dogs dont interact well..and I think as long as all concerned respect each other and their dogs, then allow they to play.

I have no problem with anyone, whether their dogs are on or off the lead, as long as they are under control..if all dogs are friendly or are able to play (sometimes it is down to health) there is nothing better for all dogs social education.

To answer the question also..yes today's world dictates we isolate our dogs more, and possibley enhance the problem.. but as dog intolerence becomes more of a problem with the none dog lovers... I cant see it changing

mmmmnnnnnn i see this from both sides.
Bruno is dog aggressive, I constantly get harassed by offlead dogs, even though i do have him onlead, and pulled into the side usually especially if am with my little boy in buggy or walking beside. I think its quite clear that he is not good with other dogs, yet i still get people letting their dogs run straight up to him and he wont react until they are right up at him, he hates dogs in his face.

People arent particularly bothered by the fact that he is a staffie they just let their dogs loose regardless.

There are some people locally who do lead their dogs and its mainly ones who have seen me before and know he isnt good.

Thing is they probably think the same as you that i have created this problem when they see me pulling him in and on a short lead ... however him being a rescue and always being this way and being a staffie etc etc its very difficult to try and retrain him from being this way.

We have had great experiences with other dogs - the main one being Missy the staffie on here who we met up with and she is so calm and wonderful and bruno was fab with her and we let them offlead together and he was great and it really was a wonderful walk. But thats one in 100 dogs that he has been fine with, whether its because its not a confrontational meeting, ie its a gradual introduction rather than being charged in the park....

I do think that you have two sets of dog walkers, those that let their loose dogs run up regardless, and those that lift their dogs in fear !!

But I hate to say this but if I saw 3 offlead collies coming my way with the owner not putting them on I would still be nervous as I WOULDNT Know that they arent going to come up to my dog, so would be pulling my dog in etc and thus he would be picking up on that more than if they were on lead !???..... so whilst you know that your dogs wont approach the other person doesnt ?

The way i look at it if another dog is on lead its for a reason so its polite to also lead your dog for the 2 minutes it takes to walk past and then release them again, i kinda dont see the problem with that, but then I would do that because i am used to having a dog onlead who hates approaching offlead dogs.

Hi there are only a few places that i let my dog offlead because she has a tendency to run off sometimes although she has been much better lately. If i see someone with a dog onlead then i put her onlead until they've gone a reasonable distance away, there is a GSD who was an ex police dog who is not good with other dogs but his owner always has him onlead because he has attacked a couple of dogs, so obviously if i see him i put my dog onlead. If dogs are offlead then i assume they are ok (if they are not they should be on a lead anyway) and my dog does interact she likes a game and a sniff, after that she comes away.

I had that the other evening at the vets with my foster staffy. She was really calm and just looking around. This bloke who works with my OH was there with his puppy and says 'Is that a Pitbull?'

I said no it's a staffy.

He says 'They're usually running around ripping everythings heads off though aren't they?'

My other foster staffy was dog aggressive when we got her (apart from with Bryan strangely). I always treated it as an opportunity to get her out of the habit whenever an off lead dog came up to us. And now she's much, much better. She used to snap and bark at other dogs approaching her, but now she's really good with other dogs. I guess it all comes down to what you are able to make of a situation.

P.S. I'm a small dog owner and never pick mine up - even when there are scary rotties around

have excactly the same problem my three ddb's are all able to walk off lead.
they do not bother any other dog when i take them walks its other peoples dogs, or should i say other dogs people, that are the problem i know my dogs are big and menacing when they go walkies, but the over reaction of other people out walking their unruly pets is staggering.
we often go walks along the canal towpath and my girls will sit and wait when i tell them, so that the people and their dogs can pass, their dogs are usuall snapping and barking or wrigling in their owners arms, as often they get picked up to pass my three quiet girls who couldnt care less, even skye whos only 10 weeks old sits and waits patiently,,
ive often been scolded as they pass shouting above their dogs loud wailing,' my dogs should be on leads' as their dogs lunges and pulls them along barking and squealing, i often just have to smile sweetly and carry on with our quiet amble along the canal....until the next confrontation

I can see this from both sides.

Our last dog who we had rehomed by the breeder was incredibley difficult to control (despite gallons of training). The problem was that if he saw another dog and he wasn't able to play with it (or had been playing and it was time to go) he would turn round and basically take his frustration out on us using his teeth. It was really scary and upsetting and I would get very uptight everytime we saw a dog because I knew what his reaction would be. I would try to avoid other dogs or change direction if we saw them which maybe looked odd to other dog walkers (or very unsociable at the very least). This made me very wary and even scared of other dogs and terribly anxious.

With Mags our new dog, I've had to really learn to be calm and just let her off lead and learn that she is going to be fine with other dogs and so will I! If there are other off lead dogs I just have to take a deep breath and I always think they won't be off lead if they are aggressive (hopefully). If we see an on lead dog and Mags is off lead I try to get her attention so she doesn't make a beeline for it to say hello. She's so friendly I have no issues with her when off lead but I am still aware that she mustn't run up to other dogs before I've had the chance to say hi to the owner and check, although the dogs will always sort themselves out anyway and I always prefer her to be off lead if other dogs are off lead to.

Those are my experiences.