Who's right?

At the park today I got in an argument with a man whose dog came up to mine and my dog barked at him and showed his teeth. Now I've had problems with this man before when Dan "had a pop" at his dog (no biting or anything) and he picked Dan up by his collar and held him in the air by it, choking him. This time Dan was off lead, minding his own business when this other dog comes walking up to him. Dan looked at him and he looked at Dan. Dan showed his teeth and the dog just stared at him, so Dan barked and chased him away (again, all noise and bluster). The man said Dan was vicious and should be on a lead. I said that Dan was minding his own business, not bothering anyone when his dog came up to him, not responding to his calls to come back. The man said if Dan did this again, he would seriously hurt him. I think that if anyone was "at fault" it was him as his dog approached mine.
I would appreciate honest opinions on this (I'm not expecting everyone to agree with me!).
Thanks, Jo

I can't understand why peopal get so het up by as you say "all noise and bluster", it's how dogs communicate with each other. Your Dan told the other dog to go away which it did. No harm done, that bloke over reacted. As you say it was his dog which approached Dan not the other way round. I would keep out of his way however if you see him again, he sounds a dangerous, plus if you do and up anywhere near him, i would put your dog on his lead as quciky as possbible incase he tires to carry out his threat. The violent idiot, he has no right to touch you dog, even the other time was hardly a full blown fight!

As Toby says, if it was just a warning to 'go away' I can't see any harm.

I also think if you know that Dan is going to react like that to this particular dog (as he has done it before) and especially in view of the man's reactions, if I was you I would pop Dan on the lead just until the other dog has gone past.

That way, if the dog still approaches and Dan tells him off, there is no way the man can say you were in the wrong.

let me guess. the other guy has picked a breed for macho image purposes? staffie by any chance?

i reckoning on his macho image being dented by another dog 'arder' than his!

If anyone even touched my dogs whatever their size like that it would be the last thing they ever did!

Two off lead dogs doing doggy stuff - no-one`s hurt, no reason for anyone to interfere.
However, guy threatening you - definitely in the wrong. He`s committing an offence and being a wazzock into the bargain. The correct response to this (provided you`ve got a good turn of speed if needed) is to tell him to stick his head where the sun don`t shine.

Got to agree with sullysmum anyone touched my dogs i wouldnt be able to restrain myself.

Agree with everyone again, no harm he sounds a bit of an idiot.

Also agree, my dogs are my family and if anyone laid a hand to them it would probabley be the last time they did it.

Mamma bear syndrome yea I would do the same, if anyone came close to doing something to my Ben I would not be responsible for my actions. That guy was totally out of order.
I agree with everyone here, in future pop him on the lead then if anything happens it's his fault, not yours. Some people eh?

He does sound an idiot - but just to be safe, if it was my dog, i would it on the lead as soon as i saw this nuttah. Then you can take the upper hand and tell him he is being irresponsible by letting his dog approach yours when yours in under control and on the lead.

Dogs are dogs and not humans, their version of P*** off sounds very different to ours.....but its still the same, like others have said, it doesn't mean your dog is dangerous.
People often don't like to see dogs being dogs and would rather they were small people in fury jackets.