But surely you are willing to admit that not all DA issues are so easily fixed?!

Some dogs are DA to the same sex not from fear or getting worried but because they just dislike the same sex (especialy dogs of the same size) so there is no training it out of them as such, just management (which was what this lady was doing to be fair).

Would you rather she just let the dobe off knowing he can be funny with other dogs and then it attacks your dogs?? Seems that people can't win to be honest!

Could not agree more Collie Convert.

I think most dog owners DO know their own dogs best do they not?

I know I do, and nobody I have just met who decides to give me unsolicited advice about my dogs, or our relationship is going to be met with unbridled joy.

After all they may know as much about dog training as I know about astrophysics!

And if I trawl through several threads I am sure I can locate MANY threads/posts which make this very point!

I met a lady this morning with a very nasty little black terrier, who usually barks and barks and barks at Zena when it's being walked by her husband, so today, when I saw it loose I made it clear to this lady that I didn't want it to interract, I put my own dog onlead and I walked onto another adjoining path. Thankfully, she got the message and called and called and called her dog, but to no avail, until I had to shout at it to "go away" as it came over to us. It obliged and went back to the owner with its ears back, and although she didn't put it onlead, she was asking it to walk to heel with her, prodding it about with her big stick, as she started walking over to talk to me, and although the dog was making an attempt to do as it was told (it looked frightened of her to be honest), I would have been much happier had she put it onlead to approach us again.

She started telling me that her dil has a gsd and they play together, but I then told her, that I meet her husband with it most mornings, it does nothing but bark at Zena, yanking on the lead to get to her, and although we did TRY once to introduce them, it flew at her in an aggressive manner after they had said "hello" and I had to yank Zena back, and from that day on, we avoid each other, he puts it onlead and I make sure I keep well away from it, but I had to admit, that this morning, was the quietest I had ever seen it. She said he doesn't know what he's doing, and although this terrier can be nasty to SOME dogs it doesn't like (which Zena is obviously one of!) the worst thing he can do is to put it onlead. She then asked me whether my dog would actually bite it, if it went for her in an aggressive manner, which she could see it wanted to I told her she would (even though she probably wouldn't!) because why should I be using my own dog to teach her dog some bladdy manners! Anyway, after 20 mins or so, I deduced that she thought she was some kind of wannabe dog trainer, telling me that she's going to tell that husband of hers not to put it onlead as it makes it worse Dogs are much better approaching each other offlead. I know my dog best, I've tried that approach, even a behaviourist once told me that it's the best thing to do, but seeing as I know my own dog best, I know she's less reactive to anything iffy if she's put ONlead thanks, so I don't do it anymore!

I would have been mortified if she had offered me advice. I never give it (except for medical reasons to people who ASK me) and I don't want any thanks, coz I really do know my own dog best and nobody's gonna tell me otherwise.

I used to get all sorts of unsolicited advice about Rupert and how I should be handling his behaviour. It does get annoying after a while. Especially coming from someone who doesn't know you, doesn't know what you've already tried, doesn't know what you're currently trying or anything at all about your dogs history.

I was never intentionally rude but when all you want is the other person to p*ss off with their dogs before your own kicks off and attempts to beat them to death with his muzzle you're not really thinking about whether you're being offensive

I don't understand why someone would say their dog is aggresive with males, yet come over to another owner who has males anyway?

I don't give out unsolicited advice to anyone about anything, even if I'm silently ROFLMAO at their stupidity on the inside

Some people shouldn't be in charge of a wasp.....

I do think some people need to chill more but I think everyone needs to be open minded. With Zephyr my GSD (who is fear agg) I started letting him off lead and he really improved and calmed down, on lead he would be very noisy and lunging. But with Zeus we have to be more careful, he is the quiet one but is far more likely to take action! Intro's with other dogs have to be short and sweet, cos if it isn't he will become more tense (with males) and possibly snap. If allowed off lead all the time he would be charging about putting other dogs in their place when he feels necessary and generally being dominant! Both my dogs are fine with dogs they know, but they aren't allowed off lead as much as they used to as they can't be trusted not to be bullies, and they are large, strong animals.

Yeah, I loved this one too, made me larf!!!! You're right though Sarah, sometimes you just want them to p*ss off and leave you alone lol!

I'm going to throw a spanner in the works a bit and play Devil's Advocate..........Do we REALLY know our dogs better than anyone else?
I'm just offering some food for thought because this thread really got me thinking.

Last month I went on a breed specific group walk, there was approx 25 dogs (nearly all of them rescues with various issues). One of them was highly reactive and DA. It joined the walk muzzled and doing somersaults on the end of its lead to get to the other dogs. Her body language and reactions were watched carefully by a couple of very experienced handlers. Although she remained muzzled, she was off leash within 20 minutes only offering growls and air snaps to any dogs that got too close. 20 minutes after that she was running with the pack and having a wonderful time. Her owner was in tears as she never thought she would live to see the day that her dog was interacting positively with other dogs. All the time she has had her, she had avoided other dogs like the plague. It took someone with no emotional attachment to the dog to bite the bullet and allow her the freedom to overcome her fears.

I felt quite sad in a way, because my last dog had nervous aggression and hated other dogs with a passion. It just got me thinking, if we had had the opportunity to mix with non-judgmental owners and relaxed dogs, and I had been given the confidence to allow him some controlled freedom, could he have led a happier more social life by overcoming some of his fears.

I had this boy for 13 years, I loved him with a passion..............but did I REALLY know and understand him and his needs better than anyone else?

Before anyone jumps on me, I was purely a bystander, watching the events at the group walk. But those events seriously ignited some regrets that I perhaps was overprotective of my old boy and that by doing so, he had missed out.

Sorry for rambling, I'm just spilling the thoughts running around in my head