Actually we`ve met an awful lot of dog-aggressive Westies lately. (apologies to Westie owners - just something I`ve observed) I think a lot of their owners expect little dogs to be `lapdogs` and Westies are feisty Terriers so don`t get the proper training. Asalways - it`s not the dog, it`s the owners.
(Speaking as an owner of One of Them Alsations!)

I totally agree. I think I'll get a t-shirt with 'It's not the dog, it's the owner' printed on it

I was brought up with 2 Alsations (my grandad's), they were brilliant with me. They were so obedient as well - he never used a lead with them (naughty I know!).

Sadly my russell terrier would have growled at a staffy, because it was a staffy.
I always apologise after I have corrected her, and explain it was because she was originally attacked by a black staffy.
Took us ages to get her fine with most, and every now and then she will still grizzle at them.
We were very lucky to meet a lovely staffy owner at our vets, who has two staffs, one black boy and one brindle girl - and he helped us overcome Missy's fear. Now that's one black staffy she will go up to and sniff!

Can never understand why if people own a dog they cannot own the behaviour. We all have problems now and then, but manners usually smooth things over.

Aw bless Missy! Bryan has problems with rottis because he's had a few altercations with two that live near me (not the dog's fault - idiotic owners, young men who think they're hard cos they have a big dog). Now he goe berserk when he sees one. There's a lovely one up the street from us and I'd like to go say hello to it, but I can't because Bryan doesn't like them.

Unfortunately it was nothing to do with A being a staff as the cocker growled at Bryan as well - but the owner just assumed that my dog started it

Actually, when she first came to me, I saw the same fella and he said 'Oh so how long are you stuck with that for?'
Shows you his mentality eh?

As a staffy owner i often feel that i'm asked to explain my choice of dog, its a sad fact that while many owners think its just cute or excuseable for a small dog to yap and growl at a staffy it would be a cardinal sin if the staffy was to bark back.

Boomer is doing great so far and is loving playing with other dogs, but it will be a long time (if ever) before he goes off lead, and some of that is because of peoplesreactions to seeing a staffy off lead in the first place.

The worst thing about that statement he made was that he knows the background my girl came from and that I am fostering her for the Freedom Project.

I've never owned a staff before, but have liked them for a long time. After looking after A for nearly 3 months, I love them even more - especially the big sloppy kisses

I know what you mean about people's reactions to seeing a staffy offlead. A isn't interested in other dogs, she's more people oriented so I can distract her easily from other dogs.

I think I am guilty of staffy prejudice, we've had a few bad experiences with them (idiot owners round here thinking that staffys make them hard). I do tend approach on a lead and talk to the owner when I see a staffy on the field where we walk before i decide whether to let Kismet puppy bounce up. You can't be sure. Unfortunately, a lot of bad people keep staffys and spoil it for the rest!

If there's a fight with mine, it will usually be Pharaoh that started it.. all that Male posturing, also he has an odd attraction to black and chocolate labradors. Don't know why but he loves them... in a wrong way! So embarrassing