Please lose the bottle of stones. It does no good - just takes the tension up a notch.
Two books I recommend you read:
Fight! by Jean Donaldson
Dog Aggression Workbook by James O`Heare.
Also - can you look for an APDT or APBC trainer who can work with you?

Very good advice

Excellent training idea, I will try that with him today - thank you.

In a calm and matter of fact way I am definitely going to keep him away from dogs as much as possible. It isn't fair on him and it most definitely isn't fair on other dogs and their owners.

Sandy.

I really hate using the stones in a bottle, it absolutely stops him in his tracks. A trainer recommended it to me! He hears them in the bag that I carry sometimes and cowers - it's horrible.

I'm worried though that I don't currently have anything else to stop him in his tracks if he comes upon another dog and reacts aggressively.

I shall start reading the books

Sandy.

Personally I think the mistake you made was not putting him on the lead sooner.

No I would not keep him away from other dogs, just be cautious,, and step in sooner if you feel any change in behaviour.

Lots of training and fun tricks, all food in interactive toys or fed by hand during training sessions.

If you have a reasonable size garden look into treibball to amuse him and put a few jumps up.

If you feel you have to let him off leave along line on him on a harness and keep the muzzle on.

Also agree that someone might be able to help you with him, he does sound like some staffies I have known. Can cope for a while and then not sure so they either switch off and leave or begin to get aggressive.

Good luck.

rune

Thanks for your observations - I find myself making excuses for him all the time and I really do need to stop. I really want to see the good in him (which is evident most of the time) and I know I say to myself "he'll be alright" but I realise now that's just irresponsible of me. I've learnt an awful lot about him and his reactions and like to think that most of the time I'm 2 steps ahead of him i.e cows, squirrels, cats, rabbits etc ... but I really need to step up the game and be 20 or 30 steps ahead of the rascal!

I agree with you, the moment he postured, even slightly was the time to call him back, give him a treat and a couple of pats and back on the lead - which is never objects to.

thanks
Sandy.

I do have a reasonable size garden so may well look into some jumps in - I suspect he'd love it. What is a treibball? He has a very large indstructible ball that he can't pick up and chases around like crazy making all kinds of staffie noises! Invariably though he gets it jammed in the hedge or wedged against the fence and then starts the screeching staffie noise.

Dogs huh - who'd 'ave 'em!

Sandy.

JB said it for me. You saw the change then was the time to recall, lead and treat.
some great advice from others too xx

Without seeing and only going by what you posted I would say it kinda sounds like he is a little unsure around other dogs but does want to make them play with him - but then overreacts when they say they dont want to play

I agree with the others that keeping him away from dogs for a little while to work on recal and playing with him and for him to calm down may well help
(personally if you are SURE you are in an empty safe place then you can do without the lead)

Ditch the rattle bottle and ditch the trainer who suggested it - that could well be making him more unconfident of other dogs

But then I wouldnt keep him away from other dogs forever, if you can meeting nice mannered calm dogs that he can say 'hello' to then you call him away for some nice rewards can hopefully help him to realise that not all dogs are evil, that he isnt under pressure to hang out with them too much and hopefully slowly he will learn some better communications and overreact less when another dog tells him to back off