Its exactly these instances that may well turn a grumbly dog into a full on aggressive dog then people say they should be muzzled, but the truth is if everybody respected others space when out and about it would not end up this way in most of the cases.

I have agreed that full on aggressive dogs should be muzzled but what makes them like it ? Is it the fact that some do not respect others and keep their distance or immediately remove their dog from a nervous dogs face ?

Why is it a lot of these people then blame the dog that is snarling and snapping at their dog and their snarling snapping dog was minding its own business and is under control that they then feel they have to blame the dog on lead. My honest opinion on this is if you see a dog on lead call your dog back put it on a lead or if it is trained well enough to walk to heel by your side and give some distance it would be much appreciated by us who have dogs with nervous tendencies to stay safe and calm and allow us to continue with our ongoing training of trying to rehabilitate our dogs and hopefully not have them turn into full on aggressive dogs that may in the end need muzzling through no fault of their own.

Sorry for the rant but this really makes my blood boil. Great if you have a dog that gets on with all other dogs I did once through no fault of his own he now has issues with some dogs. Please respect our space its not much too ask. If I can keep an 11 stone dog under control when needed I am sure all of those with well behaved dogs who love everybody every dog and everything can.

I totally agree with you. I always avoid on lead dogs in places where dogs are usually off lead. I'm very lucky in that I have 2 friendly dogs that are happy enough to say hello to other dogs if their paths cross, but not so "dog-obsessed" that they will make a beeline to go after any other dogs they see. Plus they both have a very good recall & being labs, they'll doing almost anything for a piece of sausage.

But one of my friend's has a ridgeback/lurcher x that is not dog friendly. The dog is great with dogs that it is introduced to properly so she is lovely with my dogs & the dogs in our group of friends. But with strange dogs out on walks, it can be a very different story. She is ok with large, confident, preferably entire male, dogs that don't get too excitable, but of course we can't tell what strange dogs are like until it's too late. The consequence is that we try to walk in out of the way places, where we can see for a distance & take avoiding action where necessary. This dog has a good recall, so she's called back & put on lead when other dogs are around.

But inevitably other owners aren't so obliging with their over-friendly dogs. In this position I tend to take my dogs to go towards the oncoming strange dogs. Quite often just saying hello to my dogs is enough to stop the strange dogs from approaching my friend's dog. But at least it gives me the chance to tell the owner that my friend's dog is scared of other dogs & may bark/lunge so could they please keep their dogs away. I would say this tactic works 90% of the time & other owners are usually happy to keep their dogs away. There's obviously the other 10% that says, oh don't worry, my dog needs a good telling off, it'll teach him/her a lesson!! They fail to realise that my friend doesn't want her dog put in the position where it feels the need to bark/lunge, nor would they be too happy if their dog had a lump taken out of it!!

I don't know if this would work for others with dogs that don't like other dogs but are able to get on with, say, one or two friendly dogs that they know? Walk together & use the friendly dog to intercept other dogs?

I am lucky where I live I rarely come across people with the attitude of ignoring my please will you keep your dog away he can be reactive. But I have come across the odd one or two they now know me and tend to keep away from my shouting at them and have learnt what Ollie is like and keep a distance and most are friendly and say good morning.

We do sometimes walk with dogs he knows and gets on with and that does in some instances help. Ollie is better with calm female dogs he doesn't like any bouncy over the top dogs except the little ones he has grown up with and the new spaniel who is mad he tolerates her well.

But he is with other dogs like he is with humans you just never can tell who he will like or not like, so it is easier to err on the side of caution for his sake and others, if he seems to look like he will get along I let him go play and can soon tell if he is stressed then get in between and make him move on.

I do occasionally get the same as you say my dog needs a telling off I don't think so not from a huge 11 stone full on male your dog doesn't and I certainly do not want my dog to be put in the position of making another dog feel the way he does about some dogs. I also get the its ok they are friendly they only want too play my answer is yours may mine might not.

I was thinking about this after the other post and I thought if I was walking down a street or anywhere for that matter and some stranger came up too me and started shouting full on in my face or leaping about trying too make me leap about I know exactly what my reaction would be I would make myself larger and get on the defensive possibly even be ready too hit out if the person did not respect my dislike and worry at what they were doing. So why should dogs have to put up with it ? We can speak to one another in the same language I know that dogs do but we can rationalize easier and if being a dog you are removed for yours and others safety you do not understand why. This does no mean you should leave a dog to get on with it either, I can read Ollie like a book and know exactly when too pull him out of a situation.

Brilliant post Lynn exactly how i feel too

Jann
xx