very true its their loss - I should think about it like that more! thanks

That is really irresponsible of him! That's what I thought abut the guy I met. You're right, he's not setting a very good example at all!

I know I think I do - too much! I'l have to try, thanks Just nice to know that I'm not the only one - I was starting to think it was me

Yeah I think were all a bit cautiouswhen their puppies.
Thank you Pidge - it's a shame they all don't share your views!
That's very good with the two Rotties, if I see soemone coming I do rein them in and have taught them all to walk behind me until we are past and they can greet the other dogs if they wish as we go past. I do it this way as I know if three dogs come bounding towards you it can be intimidating not just for the owners but for the other dogs too.

Aww that was such a misunderstanding on his part! And I would never be so rude. I understand what you are saying I think I just take it to heart too much

That's why I put my staffy on her lead, she does look quite intimidating because she's big.

As for the staffy owner who shouted at lilyput: that was just plain rude! The man I mean, not lilyput

When I take the greyhounds people tend to grab their kids and their dogs and cross the road or walk as far away from us as they can. The strange thing is at the moment the greys wear their coats when they are out and the kids all come and fuss them and ask why they are wearing coats and people see them and go ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

As one mum said when her kids asked why they had coats on

-Well you're wearing a coat aren't you?-

Most of the dogs we meet are staffies. JRT or yorkies that are all more likely to bite than my greyhounds. If I walk the setter or the whippets the same people come to fuss them

As Hali says, when Im out walking with her its not so bad, people see them with the collies and somehow that helps, I do often get very neg feed back with them when im alone with them. Its kinda par for the course with the breed im affraid, its even worse when your walking two three or four of them...

If I have just Bear (rottie) or Bear and Maddy (weim) then yes people will cross over the road, complete 'U' turn in the street, scoop up their children and wee dogs, If I have Charlie (collie x springer) or Dusty (miniature dachshund) out at the same time (I only do 2 at a time if I have the Bear!) then people in general do seem slightly more relaxed, especially other dog owners, but you still get odd people. What is funniest is Bear is the friendliest of the lot of them with strangers, he is very free with his love, he's not fussy who receives it.

He was 'helping' me in the front garden last week and we have a wee picket type fence, about 3 ft round the front and he likes to put his paws up on it and look at the passers by and sometimes people will come over and give him a fuss, well this one time a woman actually said aloud 'OH MY GOD' and crossed over in a huff when she noticed him - in his own garden, doing no harm just bloody looking at the world go by. I couldn't help but say, 'look lady if he wanted to be over the bloody fence he would be'. Most just give him and me a dirty look.

Gawd i'm on a rant and half today, sorry guys!

Aww I bet they look as cute as with their coats on!
This is it isn't it, I think there are alot of people that are quite neive and ignorant Like what's been said before and I think we've not to take it to heart

Yeah that's true, I suppose it is part of owning a Rottweiler I think i'm taking too much to heart I can image - with the reaction I get from one......

This is the same with me Narla is the softest one out of them all!!! Same as bear so long as it's affection she's not bothered who it's from She loves kids too and I always have my daughter with me when I walk them!

Caught them cuddling but couldn't get my camera quick enough!



Sorry couldn't resist

With regards to your garden incident - we've accoured simular! There are a couple up the road who are not fond of dogs (which is fair enough) one day were walking past the front of my house and the dogs were in the front garden. I'd been in the garden with them and gone into the kitchen when i could hear Honey (Lab x) barking I looked out of the window and there was the man of the couple stamping his foot and woofin at her!!! So I ran out and he said your dogs are evil - especially your Rottweiler! I was like eh!!?? Narla wasn't even barking!!!

i couldn't speak because I was so gobsmaked!!!

Thank you all for your replies it's nice to know i'm not the only one!
I think i'm just going to have to learn not to take it to heart - i'm too much of a softie!

Unfortunately there are a lot of eejits who own powerful dogs and let them be aggressive or intimidating, and with the bad press all the time, some people (most people!) will lump all Rotties etc. into one category.

I really like Rotties, Staffies and other powerful breeds, but I am initially wary when I see them out on walks. I look at the body language of the owner though, and if they are relaxed then the dogs are generally cool too.

Part and parcel of owning a big strong dog is negative reactions. I get it with Loki all the time because people assume he's an Akita, even though he's only half the size of one! At the mo everyone is cooing over Rio when I take her out, but give it six months and they will look at her like she's the devil.

I will no longer leave my lot in the car if I need to pop into tesco or similar, people CANT pass a car with a rottie or two in it without hitting the window to see if they can make them snarl and snap at the window,

Now none of my lot get defensive in the car, its not been the first time I have been returning to the car, looking at people tapping the glass.... not content at that when the get no reaction, they start slapping at the car all aggressive, putting there face right up to it. I never shout, I walk up really calm as if im passing, {I never have the car locked as they set the alarm off } when I get up to the car I open the door... and say if your going to tease them do it to there face.... that really gets them

it must be really hard for the rottie staffie breeds . the thing is you know your dogs . you love them and know they are daft lovely dogs ,nice natured ,then to be treated like that ,when on a walk ,it cant be easy , you must feel really hurt .we have two collie ,when we are with our two ,then stephs three .we do have people walk the other way , more so if they have kids with them . we once had a bloke ,with two kids in a jeep (kids jeep ) and as we passed ,they put there hands over the kids ,eyes so they couldnt see the dogs . i felt really hurt .all five dogs are lovely and ,just out with there ball . not the least bit interested in the people around them . most of the time ,its not the kids ,but the parents ,scareing the kids . we would never leave them loose ,if they werent lovely natured dogs .we take owning dogs seriously

I had a 'What a walk' moment this morning.

I (stupidly) let my staffy off her lead just before I got over the hump backed railway bridge which we walk over every morning. I don't know why I let her off early, must have been half asleep.

As I cam over the bridge I saw Bryan lying on the track and A sitting behind him. At first I thought there was a fox, but then I saw a lady I know who has 2 black labs. She was standing on a track that joins the one we were on with her dogs both on leads.

Her dogs (a bitch and a dog) are both entire and the dog is a bit aggressive. He's gone for Bryan before and my other friend's black lab. But I didn't complain, I just said 'Don't worry, it's ok' - my new laid back attitude

I said hello to the lady, she said hello back. I said to my dogs 'Come on you two', they both looked at me, and there was a golden moment where they were going to follow me.

But then one of the labs barked.

So A, being the gobby cow that she is, ran up to the lab and barked back. At which point the lady shouted at me as I was shooing A away. I think I may have a new enemy!

The thing that annoyed me was, it's ok for her lab to go for my dog and my friend's dog (on a different occaision), but if my staffy barks at her dogs (after being barked at first ) then I get shouted at!

Hey ho No damage done though