I think that's fine, but if it's a dog that could cause injury, then there's no point thinking up excuses (as the woman in the OP did) but to try to rectify the behaviour.

Having said that I know the reason for some of my dog's behaviours. I don't see it as an excuse because it's the truth. It's a reason.

Bryan is actually scared of rotties (because he's had a run in with two of them).

The last one I heard was the other day when I came across a woman with several dalmatians. Without warning, one of them ran up at full force, biting Flynn and then biting Jed's ear and making it bleed. Her excuse was "he's excitable". I didnt buy it as Flynn is excitable but would never react in such a way. Her dog had other issues, not quite sure what they were though and I dont really care as long as it stays away from my dogs.

Another one I heard was "she's giving him a hug...she loves to hug other dogs". Another misguided owner humanising their dog.

People come out with such utter nonsense at times, thats why I stay away from public parks. I cant be bothered with badly behaved dogs and their idiotic owners.

... and that's exactly what I do FOR these particular peops Pat. I always say to them, "well you couldn't wish to meet two friendlier ones than these, so let them have a play together or just sit here with them and it might help your situation" I'm always willing to help out when they say this to me, it's just that my particular breed has probably got just as bad a repuation around here as those staffies, but then it doesn't bother me, even though I have had an aggressive one of my own in the past, it just goes over my head quite honestly, I don't get all defensive about them, I just get on with what I'm doing with mine!

I'm afraid I couldn't do what you do with those staffies though, Zena has now been caught 3 times with them, and it's enough for me to just give them a wide berth, a very wide one, unless I know the particular staffie, I wouldn't want to court trouble, I don't care that Zena doesn't probably like them now, I can always avoid them, and soon she'll be big enough and bolshy enough to take care of herself I hope!

Last week I met a couple with a very tiny dog so I called Eddie to me and put his lead on. He plays rough, he will be two in December, he is not as bad but still rough. I have excellent recall though so he always comes to me. I put Eddie on the lead and the couple let their dog keep running around him and jumping in his face, off lead. Then it started snapping in his face. So I said I have done the correct thing and put my dog on the lead so how about you doing the same thing so he doesn't keep jumping in my dog's face. Oh dear, you should have heard the abuse I got. Anyway, I had read on here to try and block what is upsetting your dog, so I put myself between Eddie and the weenie dog and just kept moving around with it so it couldn't get in his face. It worked, it gave up and went off with the couple. But I couldn't understand why they were so defensive and abusive, surely it is far simplier to just call the dog and get it on the lead.

Oh dear, sorry, I forgot to add (what the thread is all about) the excuse was he is only little your dog is big.

Oh that's a gem! The old 'your dog is big enough to handle it' thing! I've heard that one myself when Rio was only about nine or ten months and a Boston Terrier attacked her. I marched after the owner as I was quite angry and I got the 'well look at the size of your dog' line. I had a rant at her about Rio being a puppy but I don't think she believed me! At the end of the day though, if people think like that and let smaller dogs have a go at large dogs they run the risk of their dog being killed. Shame they can't see that.

I've been told dogs don't like Tilly:
because she is young
beacuse she is female
because she is submissive
because she is excited
because she has a ball

Luckily she's not a "Tilly no mates" lots of dogs do like her too!!

not all dogs will get along there is always gonna be one out there, and a normally placid dog could take offence to another but it does wind me up wen they blame the other dog straight away.
saying that i wouldnt blame another dog for biting michale as he will steal another dogs ball. does this mean i should keep him on a lead??
ATD x

No! Every other dog steals Zena's ball, but she doesn't care. The only time I find it annoying is when the other dog's owner is right across the other side of the field and their dog runs off with it! Grrrrrr! Sometimes other owners say to me "sorry, but he'll never give it back to you" so I just tell them I have a spare and could they please leave it in my car in the carpark!

Lol at you there Tilly no-mate!!!!