I agree, I think dogs that really are top dog have no need to throw their weight around and are very capable of conveying their status to other dogs in a more subtle manner. It's the dogs who are not so sure of themselves for whatever reason that cause the problems.

Thanks again guys!

If she had said that her dog was aggressive/didn't like head to head contact etc, I wouldn't have even had Max near him, as he is all about licking jowls etc.

Max is submissive to the point of pathetic-ness sometimes. Whichever dogs he's with, he is at the bottom of the ladder!

I just wondered if it was a breed-specific thing, or a training/behaviour thing.

I hope she isn't like that with every dog they meet, otherwise her lovely boy won't get to meet anyone!

P.S. Training is going well, we've just been moved up into the "Intemediate" class

This woman is on another planet ... Honestly I would LOVE to know where some of these strange theories come from

How come then that I had three male dobes and try as I might I cannot remember any of them starting a fight, although one did wade in to see off a lab that was attacking a little Norfolk bitch and one really did look down his nose at three very noisy Staffies who were being rude to him at a show.

Having said that though I always felt soooo safe wherever I went cos they would have defended me with their lives.

Dobes did have a bad reputation though but caring breeders have done their best to produce stable well-tempered dogs. Kath

I think she's got a bit confused...

Meeting a dog face on can be considered rude in canine behaviour - a bit like a stranger coming upto you and snogging you

However - generally, dogs will first have a sniff without going face to face, and then go face to face when they're comfortable with it.
If both dogs feel comfortable enough already with eachother, they may well go nose to nose.

I can try and offer another point of veiw though - my eldest is a lot better with other dogs now but the few times he does snap are when he's sniffed around the dog, and the dog goes nose to nose with him too soon for his liking, even dogs that are being submissive, he doesn't like them getting in his face.

Perhaps she has experienced her dog (like mine) snap when he comes face to face with another dog and so doesn't want to risk it when she has such a big dog?