`I Know My Dog Best`.....

Today I came across a lady with an on-lead Doberman who saw us approaching (2 ladies, 5 dogs) and yelled `Are they Males?`.
I said the boys were neutered but she shouted at us that her dog was aggressive with males.
I asked if he had his nuts... she said yes and launched into a tirade about how the vet had said he shouldn`t be neutered because he had been attacked 3 years ago and blah blah blah.
In the meantime I noticed (and she steadfastly ignored) my 2 neutered males standing happily beside her dog while he sniffed at them with no sign of aggro.
So I offered my opinion (as you do) that maybe vets weren`t behaviourists and I knew a good dog trainer who would help her...
And she got really shirty and started saying that she knew her dog best and stomped off dragging her dog with her.
So that dog is going to spend all its life on a lead being yanked away from other dogs in case they are males and he reacts.
Silly cow.
I feel better now....

Such a shame. I know people who have been literally terrified to let their dogs near others for fear that they would try to attack (with all that terror travelling at high speed down the lead to the dog of course) who have had their lives, and their dogs' lives turned around by a good trainer who, with the right training and techniques, has helped them to relax, feel in control and trust their dogs.

I bet thats NOT what the vet recommended !

.....and if it was true, then I am sure that he also recommended a behaviourist too.

Thalice's Mum

Life would be so much better for so many dogs if people just learnt to chill.

Just to play devils advocate....I do know of quite a lot of dogs (especially those with same sex aggression so not fear based etc) who aren't lungy/barky dogs and who will meet and sniff and be ok with a dog of the same sex for maybe a couple of minutes but who then attack. So maybe she has experienced this before and now just doesn't risk it?

Nought stranger than folk Claire.

I always remember a lady that struggled frantically to pick up her adult Lurcher, when she spotted us (and he wasn't small either) and staggering with the dog in her arms in the opposite direction, shouting......................''sorry call your dogs please, he was attacked by a Border Collie years back and he remembers it, it traumatized him''

1) our dogs were no where near her or her dog

2) Her dog was wagging his tail frantically and trying to get down.

Pat and I just walked on with our lot

Exactly.
Flynn generally doesnt like male dogs, especially ones of a similar or larger size, I guess he feels threatened. There have been many times where he has greeted a dog seemingly without a problem and then suddenly decided he doesnt like it and so will snap.

I came across a lady a few weeks ago who allowed her mini schnauzer to get amongst mine. I knew Flynn would be ok with it as long as the other dog greeted him calmly and quickly and then left him alone. The schnauzers owner obviously saw Flynn greet her dog without an issue. However, her dog started to follow Flynn around as he tried to move off, something I knew wouldnt go down well so I called Flynn to me and told the woman i'd let her past because Flynn wasnt too good with other dogs. The doubt was evident in her face and I knew she didnt believe me - until her dog came over to Flynn again and he started to growl a warning and went rigid.

So yes, IMO, I know my dog best and I know what he is likely to be ok with and likely to become annoyed with and I will take steps to avoid a confrontation between him and another dog. Besides, isnt a known issue with Dobermanns, that males arent good with other males?

Shamus used to react to other males. I worked on his recall and when I saw him stiffen I recalled him and rewarded.
He relearned his behaviour. He now avoids confrontation by beetling back to me if a dog worries him.
A darn sight easier than hauling him round on a lead and shouting at other dog owners.......

I dont shout at other dog owners, I avoid them as much as possible, and Flynn doesnt approach other dogs anyway, he will recall from them straight away because he's not interested.

I think the lady in your post overreacted, but I also think she had a point. Me personally, because I dont offer opinions to other dog walkers, I dont appreciate them back so I think if you had offered your opinion to me, I would be annoyed too, but thats just the person I am. Somebody offering an opinion at training class for example wouldnt annoy me, but another 'dog walker' giving me their words of wisdom would get my back up.

Him being entire doesn't mean that contributes to his aggression, his aggression may come from lack of confidence so neutering and therefore removing testosterone could make it worse.

Like others have said, I know a few males that are fine with introductions but are very unpredictable if any length of time is spent with other dogs.

I'm afraid I am one of those that "knows my dogs best" and am not really willing to take advice from someone I don't know and who hasn't met my dogs for more than 5 minutes!