My first thought when reading this was 'bossy bint' telling everyone off lol! Does sound like she is only reacting to dogs that other people are feeling a bit teed off with?

Used to have a Rottie here, living opposite, that appointed herself the 'babyminder' of little Bella when Bella was young. Sasha the Rottie would go and 'fetch her back' whenever she wander off the path into the field - not literally, picking her up, but rounding her up and nosing her along. Wasn't difficult as my min pin absolutely ADORED this huge dog (I put this down to her being the first dog she ever had contact with after I bought her). First time I ever let her off lead was when Sasha was with us. I knew if Sasha was recalled she would come instantly and Bella would follow!

I miss Sasha. Her 'dad' loved her so much he has rented out his penthouse apartment and taken a little house about 10km away with its own pool and built a ramp into it so Sasha can use the pool lol! Was a communal pool with the penthouse (like it is for me) and they DO frown on people letting their dogs into them lol!

My old GSD used to pick up on my 'mood' with people. If I tensed up or got irritated, as I approached them, she did too - I used to do the accounts for a local nightclub and took her to work with me in the afternoons and the cleaners ALWAYS had something to complain about and as they turned up I'd get all uptight in a sort of 'what NOW?' mood and she would too! But the only beings she ever really 'policed and shepherded' were me and my kids. She would run herself stupid going from one to the other if we all split up in the woods or took a different path home from the school in a pedestrianised area. If we did a quarter of a mile - she must have done at least 6 miles with her tireless running back and forwards round and round between us all until we were all back together!

Thanks everyone

I think from your responses it's both a personality trait of the specific dog, and also a bit related to breed.

The great pity of it, is that he's such a lovely boy, but because his way of 'policing' other dogs is a bit OTT, there are huge problems with other dog owners going mad, thinking he's 'attacking' their dogs. He really isn't, but it does look and sound scary....

He's being kept on a giant Flexi for now but is not very happy on it.....

I know a Mali just like it, very dominant bitch

Zara can be "the fun police" at times.

On one occation the westies chased after something and ignored my calls. Zara chased after them, barked twice and herded them back to me... That was the last time they did that. They normally have fantastic re-calls.

She will also tell other dogs off if they stalk or play to rough with the westies, where they will yelp. She will run over to the dog hurting the westies and bark at it a few times until it leaves them alone.
Their has been times where she has told the dog off before and all she has to do is run over to the dog and give it a look and it will stop being so rough.
After she has told the dog off and it behaves they all walk/run around together.


I only let Zara play with dogs she knows, she isn't really bothered by other dogs on walks. I know some owners can be worried by it so she only plays with friends dogs...

A friend of mine on FB posted the other day re. this. She is currently fostering a GSD, the son of her bitch. He is being rehomed presumably because of unruly behaviour. The dogs (5) got out the other day, 4 of the GSDs came back indoors after she called them but the foster refused. He sat at the side of the road barking furiously at passers by. Her bitch calmly walked up the road to him, gave him a nip and herded him back home.....I've seen lots of GSDs herding other dogs, it's what they do.......