sorry just need to get this out of my system.
I have met this woman for the second time now she has a gsd golden retriever and a lab and walks with a man with a westie on these two ocassions all dogs are on lead and passing by with me in between her dogs and TILLY my dog
TILLY was walking calmly at heel and all their dogs were barking and lunging at her (she still calm not really interested lol)and she said I needed to put a muzzle on her. I calmly explained that it was her dogs that were being Unruly and her reason was (what do you expect they have been attacked by a staff) I understand everything what she is saying but TILLY was on lead on the street under control and not being aggresive at all I also know I will get more people like this all the time but i'm so upset and angry.
Sorry to bore you but just needed to air it so it didn't boil over.

Nessa

> she said I needed to put a muzzle on her.

OMG cheeky madam!!!! Well done you for staying calm though :)

Grrr, people are a pain in the bum. I've never had anybody say I should have my dog muzzled, but I do get grown men dragging thier dogs away as fast as they can when they see me & Buster coming :( or parents telling thier children to stay away from the big doggy, it will eat them :( I wish people would judge a dog in it's behaviour, not on anything else.

Gosh, I'm so mad for you. I do a pretty good job of ignoring all the idots that seem to think Buster is a nasty monster (despite his good behviour), but every now and then I get mad with something somebody has said or done, so I know how you feel - you vent away all you need to.

When we first had our Alaskan Malamute, we were walking along the Camel Trail in Cornwall.A family were walking towards us - husband/pregnant wife - I presume - and young son.He pulled out a knife held it behind his back and said you cant trust those dogs.I was dumb struck - unusual for me.Dems was on a lead,walking calmly and minding his own bussiness with myself OH and my 2 teenagers!!!!!!

I feel for you, as a responsible SBT owner you must have to have pretty thick skin.
I had a dog who was attacked by 2 huskys in his own garden, they left him for dead but he made it and obviously didn't like any dog that looked remotely like one but I knew that this was OUR problem not the owner of the other dogs.
Ignorant people are everywhere, be proud that you said you piece calmly and that your dog behaved well. :-)
Paula xxx  

thanks guys
The worst part is she is only 12mths old and to try and introduce her to at least 5 dogs a day is getting harder and harder as everyone bar a few will just put them on leads and walk off grumbling under their breath. So I now have to travel on bus to go to other places so that she can mingle with other dog savvy people that understand her.
The thing is she's the one that has puncture wounds on her face from a jrt and a collie and that was in her good citizen dog scheme (silver) I know how people can feel, I myself know as was attacked by a staff type when I was 5mths pregnant with my son who is 4yrs old now but i've never blamed the dog as he was doing what he thought was right (what the owner trained him to do)
Yes I am very thick skinned but my mouth does run away from me sometimes.
I was walking with my two kids with TILLY on lead and a lady ran and picked her dog up and I did shout (you really think i'd bring my kids on a walk with a dog aggresive dog) you see my son has autism and still has to be on a rein as he runs away So there is no way I could of sorted it if a fight broke out but as a responible dog owner I knew that she was fine and tried to reassure the owner but they never listen. I have now calmed down and TILLY is cuddled up with my 3 yr old daughter snoring on the sofa

Thanks for letting me rant

Nessa

Sadly the breeds reputation has been ruined by the poorly bred and badly owned ones.

I have also found as a multi dog walker that I can no longer enjoy the relaxed meet and greet that I used to say 10 years ago where people and dogs happily mixed with each other.

I am finding it more hassle than it's worth taking my girls to the country park or nay heavily populated dog walking areas (so as a result most walks are on lead pavement pounding) as so many owners seem to panic when they see another dog, let alone a group of them. 

Will it bite mine, and you guessed it, most have had issues with badly owned bad tempered Staffords.

This situation means that more and more dogs have poor social skills due to not being able to mix freely with other dogs and have owners that get uptight when they meet other dog which transmits to the dogs.

Some people just blame others and make excuses for there own dogs behaviour. My brother's older dachshund got bitten by a staffy type as a pup and is apperantly still wary of them however was talking to his wife yesterday who said that the dog is now barking realy badly when in the frount garden however acording to her its because the nabour has a staffy type puppy so her dog knows it lives next door and thats why its barking so much!

Like Brainless says, the irresponsible (which now appear to be the great majority in your breed) have ruined it for the responsible. I will admit I would cross the road every time if I saw a Staffy to avoid it -I will not go near one as the risk is so huge that it is a nasty one. We used to get responsible owners with nice dogs at the training club I go to but they all seem to have vanished. It must be very hard to BE responsible and have to take the flack for those that are not. Chances are the woman you came across didn't know the difference between Staffies and Pit Bulls as so many don't, and actually believed it was against the law to walk your dog without being muzzled.Still not acceptable behaviour -especially with the dogs she had with her being out of control! -but it could explain it.

I think people's past experiences very much colour how they see a breed. I have noticed that foreign vets -Spanish, Polish etc- that come across my Malinois all are terrified of them and always ask if the dog is safe. (The dog standing there quietly wagging its tail.) Then they ask for me to hold the head so the dog can't turn around when examined. UK vets don't know what the breed is and so don't expect anything bad.(Or if they do know, the dogs they've met were all nice.) I can only assume there are bad Malinois in other countries.

however acording to her its because the nabour has a staffy type puppy so her dog knows it lives next door and thats why its barking so much!

And that's quite possibly exactly what is going on.

What cheek, attacked by your calm well behaved dog that was ignoring her unruly bunch!! I admit to being slightly more wary of Staffs / GSDs / Akitas etc, my Henry was once bitten by a Staff. But I would not cross the road to avoid one, I would give it the benefit of the doubt before assuming they were nasty! Give Tilly a cuddle from me!

Some people do act quite queer, out walking with Vic at my dads village I walked past a lady with a Jack russell, she took one look at Vic shrieked and pulled her dog into the air by its lead with such force I thought the poor things head was going to come off. I stopped to ask if she was alright because in the moment I didn't connect her bizarre behaviour with my presence and she said "I was until you came up with that monster don't you know how dangerous lurchers are?" all the while my lovely Viccy was standing patiently while the poor little russel was desperate to be put back on the floor to have a sniff and hello.
I always avoid her if she's about now mainly to save her dog getting pulled into the air at speed by its neck :(

What's that saying again, nowt queerer than folk!!

I have crossed the road to avoid locally known agressive dogs (variety of breeds incl beardie, staff & rott) The wee guy walking the rottie had straddled it with both hands in its collar trying to pull it off the pavement, I said, it's ok I'll cross over!

I wouldn't think oh good lord here's a staff, rott, a.n.other coming, lets run in the opposite direction!  If you were closer to me I'd happily socialise my dogs with yours.

Sorry for your experience, I totally understand how you must be feeling.  I have on occasions had very negative comments made to me with regards to my 3 dogs.  I can honestly say they're behaviour is pretty faultless when I am out.  I often do my training in a local park/field and have had some lovely comments from people saying how well trained they are which is so nice to hear.  Unfortunately, I have had comments like 'you have killing machines' etc just as we pass other people.  One man said how 'bloody unsocialable' (in a angry tone) my dogs were as they ignored his dog who wanted to play and mine just kept on walking by!! You can't win sometimes. Since having my dogs I do try to 'switch off' to these ignoramuses but sometimes I do get into a discussion to stand up for them, I know its best to just ignore them and carry on, not so easy when you feel so strongly about it!
Be sure in the knowledge that your dog is lovely and some peoples opinions can't be changed. Well done for having a trained happy dog who sounds like a credit to you and SBT's.

Thanks guys
I think its just been one of them days with me and dogs as took tilly out for an evening stroll around the block and bumped into three dogs one i already know he is a staff but not the nicest even tho owner thinks he is fine but body language says different no collar front door wide open and he was on us like a shot (front yard has no boundaries)i thought its cool (don't panic)then came a puppy staff (long legged)was well friendly so far then a pit type tail wagging but that didn't last long as first dog's head straight over tilly's head (v dominant)tilly had gone straight done showing her belly but it didn't change anything(was ready to boot it if i had to but the owner came out screaming at all the dogs only puppy answered the screaming banshee lol)

I completely lost it with her as have informed her to control her dog (didn't know she had added to the collection)on numerous occasions and i finally cracked and phoned the police about the dogs as still couldn't move away from owner (i so wanted to punch her (i didn't tho)

Police finally arrived and ordered her into her house and sent me home after taking my name and address and sent me home.Tilly is no worse for the incident was wagging tail as we walked home and even met a very nice rotti and staff so all cool with her bless her.

Police came round and informed me that they have seized the pit type one as she admitted that it was a red-nosed pit and that the older staff is to wear a muzzle and have training (which unfortnately will not happen.

I really must be a freak magnet today lol

the police man wanted to take tilly home with him as she didn't leave his side and he didn't stop stroking her while he was
here lol
i defiantly got more thick skinned in this one day and i'm so PROUD of tilly she was brilliant so i know i've done good inbeing a responsible owner

thanks again for all your kind words i really appreciated it with the day i've had

nessa 

I feel for you nesstaff having a gsd  and a large black one at that I often get the wrong end of peoples tongues, just  because they have looked at him never mind if he should make any kind of noise. One set of people who apparently were "gsd experienced many years ago" were heard in front of us spreading the rumour that he was vicious because gsd are like that, all round the area we walked. There is absoultely no foundation for this.
So in my case I havent been able to deal with it any longer, so unless he is out with my oh or son both of whom can handle peoples incorrect reactions he now walks with my dog walkers group of dogs on private land in that way I dont have to deal with people any more. He gets long lovely walks meeting other dogs so he is fine.
I love him to bits but the current climate of dog ownership has meant I cannot freely enjoy my dog out and about.He has a great time so is not losing out in any way but it has made me sad.
Now walking with my pomx is completely different people just laugh if she barks at them or wants to make friends.

so did those dogs attack yours  nesstaffy? i dont really understand why you called the police?

We have a local lad round here who does car valeting, washing etc. He has a lovely staffy that he takes with him everywhere, its not on a lead whilst hes doing the cars, well trained, just a word from him and it does exactly what its told, it either sits in his open van or like last week while it was sunny and warm stretches out on the pavement. A really nice, friendly dog. If you dont speak to it it will ignore you, say hello and its all over you. Lovely:)

Do you know what I am getting so fed up of having to defend my breed of choice.............I would love to go backwards to when Staffs were almost unknown. The public perception is such that every Staff is a danger.......if a Stafford is present and something did kick off regardless of fault the Staff/bullbreed would be to blame.

I do my best to present my girl in a positive way for the breed, but when people cross over on seeing us.......it can get ......Oh I don't knowr.

I was walking the other day with my dog Sal and my junior school age niece Molly; she actually said to my SIL when we got back "Mom no one talks to us with Sal everyone does with Alfie" and that just about sums it up.....my brother and family have a westie...Alfie.

Yet my Stafford is 8+ and a PAT dog she is well behaved and socialised.......but her crime is of course she is a bull breed. And I am a bull breed owner, in the public eye now that in itself is a crime.

I totaly understand the wariness of people when Staffs/bullbreeds approach, I get dubious myself due to the fact its *cool* to walk a Staff with no lead it shows apparently you have control *Aggghh* but that is in itself irritating because all it actually does is scare the public a little more ...Maybe that is the point. *bangs head against wall* Yet when you speak to these young men and it is the mostly men....the majority adore their dogs and see no harm in it at all. But I try to explain a group of 3-300 young lads aged mostly between 17-26 with a Staff or StaffX or two sporting the brass harness big collars off lead is a little intimidating.....words on deaf ears maybe but the point is I have seen two groups who now walk the dogs on a lead not off lead.....Urreaka!!! Some I would think twice of approaching......But given the right circumstances I approach all groups.....I try to explain also that these days due to the fact any slight "issue" when meeting will imediately be the "Staffs fault" .

But when you are constantly on the receiving end of such negative behaviour it does make you......irritated, and less likely to "meet and greet" when in fact that is just what I should be doing to make a positve impression...rather than be remembered as the grouchy woman with the gorgeous dog. I try to be the friendly woman with the grogeous dog......Please note Sal remains the same regardless of my reaction.

All I can say is keep plugging on and eventually I hope the bubble for Staffs and crosses will dwindle as it did with Rotties and GSD's...but beware because the next "chosen breed and or X's of it have the same to come...sadly....and it could be your breed next...although I hope it is not "

I hope the above makes sense to someone...................

Yep it certainly does

I usually find it's little terrier types (jack russels come to mind) that are the worst - they are always yapping and growling when we pass. My dogs are rarely on the lead when we are with them but they always come back when we call them (except Treacle if she is chasing a bird - but then a bomb wouldn't distract her far less another dog). If someone has their dog on a lead then ours are called to us but last week a wee terrier thing was right in the face of all our dogs including our bernese - very brave of it :-D . Bramble gave it a right telling off - bark and growl no biting or grabbing and it trotted off to its owner!

We have met staffy's on our walks and I must admit that they are one of the few breeds that will make me call the girls back immediately and put them on a lead but that is me assuming the stereotype (there are so many badly bred ones with badly bred owners too :-) ). We have never had a problem with any of them and once we know they are OK with dogs then we let them sniff or play as normal. In fact they were playing with one of these white american bulldog thingies at the beach and the poor man, like you, was sick of people assuming that his dog was aggressive.

Some owners don't help themselves or the breed image by having a ton of leather and studs on the dog though - just makes them look aggressive IMHO :-D

hi tina s the reason I phoned the police was because I was on my own  and she was threating behaviour and more people were joining her (men) and felt quite intimidated plus one of the dogs that was taken was on lead but if let off I think would of defiantly attacked me or tilly.
The supposed red-nose pit has been released as wasn't actually her dog and as it wasn't being aggresive the real owner has it back.

The woman is well known to the police. I didn't phone because of the dogs. They were only doing what they have been trained so not really there fault.

I know what you mean about the jrt and west highland and yorkshire terriers and a few collies. All the bad sbt never get taken to the park when we have bad weather you dodge them in the streets (there the  ones that are walking on their back legs)we also have an akita
(asian lad will always ask for the dogs to phone err NO) and a ddb so the breed types are changing for the worst unfortnately:(

Nessa