I don't think it's as black and white as that, seeing as their are many different reasons that lead to aggression and muzzling may not be the right choice for them all...But yes if you know your dog is prone to attacking, definitley have the dog on lead and don't get near other dogs until the behaviour is right.

My boy shows on lead aggression, lunges and makes noise and people look at him and me as if we are loons and shouldn't be out, but off lead he is not like this, I think his aggression is more fear based, the more trapped he feels the more he will get upset, we don't use a head collar with him anymore for that reason as his behavior escalated with that on (obviously he felt more restricted and not able to protect himself should he need too) I know a muzzle would send him crazy and make the problem alot worse. He is a dog that has to feel he is doing something because it's his choice not because he is forced into it...That doesn't mean he gets away with anything he wants, more that I have to be really clever in his training to make him believe everything he does is because he wants to.

Hugs for TJ Poor little fella, glad he is ok

Aww poor TJ, hope he is ok?

It is terrifying when it happens, especially if you feel like it's never going to stop. Just try and put it behind you and enjoy your boy.

What an awful fright for you. I find it always helps to carry a bottle of cold water to break up a fight once it has started. I find the pet corrector which is a canister that gives off a hiss is a great device to use if you have an out of control dog running at you it frightens the other dog off before it even gets to your dog; definatley worth it's weight in gold!

No offence, but if your dog shows aggression on the lead, i certainly wouldn't want you to let him off and come running at my dogs, whether he's aggressive or not i'd be really annoyed if someone did that

My lab Riley, although he has never bitten anyone or anything, he has been aggressive towards other dogs on the lead (growling, barking etc) so we dont let him off the lead in public at all now. He isn't aggressive around other dogs now, he seems to have grown out of it, but i just wouldn't risk it..

People go on and on about 'fear aggression' and 'fear anxiety' and all that rubbish, im sorry, but if a dogs aggressive, its aggressive! I love Riley, he's the sweetest dog, but i'd never completely trust him around other dogs, if one went for him he'd probably bite it back, so i dont risk it..

I am new to these boards so forgive me if i'm wrong jessica. I have just read a post about you entering Riley in an obedience competition In which YOU let him off the lead you are contradicting yourself surely?

Anyway I do not agree to the reply you gave myschievous fear aggression and anxiety is NOT rubbish I have spent years studying it. I believe your reply should be rubbish in your opinion only?

I hope TJ is doing all right it seems to be a regular thing now dogs being attacked they should be fined for such foul play

I didn't say anything about letting him off to run at yours or anyone elses dogs just said for him, wearing a muzzle would not be the right thing in his situation...Big difference there I think.

Off lead my boy dog runs tail between his legs if another dog runs at him, before stopping to finally say hi...lol...so hardly a threat.

If I was to go sticking a muzzle on my dog with the type of so called 'aggression' he has it could really mess him up...He is the type that needs to feel he can trust me and I couldn't gain that trust by caging up his face, he would feel more restricted which would aggrevate the problem. He needs to gain confidence around other dogs not loose more. My boy dog wont / doesn't get near other dogs on lead because I walk him away before I get close if I can tell he has a problem with the situation, hense no problem for anyone else.

And I couldn't agree with Dee more in her reply. Each situation is different and if you treated them all the same I think you could end up in a right mess.

In my opinion jessica its certainly not rubbish ! I have a dog aggressive dog who certainly doesnt get off the lead - however I think he is fear aggressive and perhaps he would be ok off the lead - but I dont take the chance, so i dont think its fair to say its rubbish !!!

bruno has proved himself to be fantastic with two puppies that he met recently which goes to prove that my theory that he is not out and out aggressive to every dog - I do think he is fear aggressive and i dont think its rubbish !

Fine.. IN MY OPINION, it is rubbish..

I personally have no patience for that type of thing having been told by a so-called behaviourist that at 12 weeks old my dog had "fear aggression" (or something) because of the way he'd been brought up. The person didn't know that WE had bred him ourselves, he'd not had any of the problems that they were saying he had, and with some discipline and work he is not aggressive towards other dogs now..

And as for the obedience, its in a controlled environment, with something like 1 steward to every 4 dogs, and he was never more than a couple of foot from me. Also, by in public, i meant on walks through parks and stuff that he knows, which is when he used to show aggression.

Myschievous - Maybe i misunderstood your post. I was assuming from what you said, that when your dog lunges and barks you take him off the lead so he doesn't do it... Which WOULD worry me a lot if when i was walking past someone who's dog was showing aggression to mine, they just let it loose!! But maybe thats not what you were saying..

Thanks for all your concern, TJ is a fighter, nothing will break his fab temperment, he is such a sop!