My JRT is 5.5 months old and there are quite a few SBT's that live near us, for some unknown reason they all seem to have a problem with him.

Tonight when I took him for a walk, he saw one and she is never taken out on a lead so came over I told him to sit and not get all excited. Which he did and then she just went for him and I panicked and pushed her away, she didn't hurt him more of a warning. He just wanted to go back for more, thankfully he is small and the last time a SBT went for him I picked him up and let the child walking the dog get out of sight.

Am I handling the situation correctly, I don't want him to become aggressive towards other dogs. All the different types he meets are great with him generally or the owner will say if he is going to be a problem. Or could the growling and snapping be something else and not aggression towards him, he does not growl or snap back.

It's always difficult to know what to do for the best especially with a small pup.  To be honest I wouldn't have asked your pup to sit because they need to sniff butts amongst other things. :)  Most of the time if you let dogs greet each other without interfering then they will be fine.  An adult dog may feel it appropriate to tell a pup not to be pushy or to calm down and you shouldn't worry but as we so often hear on here we do need to protect our pups from unsociable dogs who may hurt them and cause them to be fearful towards other dogs.  It is always a good idea to try and find some dogs that you know are friendly for your pup to meet and play with which will also give you more confidence when meeting new dogs.  The more you do it the better you'll get at 'reading' dogs (and owners!) and knowing which ones to avoid.

I usually do let them get on with it, unless of course the owner says their dog can be a bit funny. I know this dog is not good with other dogs, and mostly everyday escapes. I just don't want my pup to have too many bad experiences around her, he does not run away or seem frightened. The first time they met I let them get on with it and she started growling at him so I carried on my way. She even escaped once and came straight in our front door. I will just try and avoid her from now on.

If this dog is regularly out with no supervision and is agressive towards other dogs, the owner is breaking the law! All dog owners are responsible for ensuring their dog is under control in public places. If I were you I'd report this to the police and dog warden and ask them to take action. It's this sort of owner that gives SBT's a bad reputation. You also state that a SBT is taken out by a child...I hope it's a big child - IMHO no child is strong enough to take a SBT out without and adult!

<<<...I hope it's a big child - IMHO no child is strong enough to take a SBT out without and adult>>

Some people are so stupid - a full grown SBT can be a handful for an adult at times and theres NO way a child could maintain control in this kind of situation :(

That's for sure. My daughter was babysitting a friend's Pit Bull and the dog is very friendly and sweet, but doesn't know how to behave on a leash and my daughter started to trot with her and she pulled so hard my daughter went down, scraping the heck out of her knees and she is 24 years old, 5'6" and about 130 LBs and works out. So, that type of dog is definitely strong for a child.

I would not want my pup to have bad experiences with aggressive dogs. It sure could have a bad effect later on. People say sometimes that that is life and they should learn how to deal with it. But a young puppy can't learn anything like that if it's hurt or frightened. You want a good foundation of trust and general good feelings toward other dogs. Then when it's older and if something happens, then....it's better able to deal with it when it's already deveoped a sense of security about itself and other dogs.

So, yes, you should probably report this dog and stay clear of it. Good luck.

Carrie

Thanks for all your replies, I will report it. And as for the child, no he wasn't big and the dog dragged him about 100 yards towards my pup.
He had no intention of just sniffing and was snarling all the way hence the reason I picked him up and walked off.

The majority of dogs near me are all SBT and the owners will let any of the children who live nearby take them out. They are constantly asking to take my puppy out, not a chance in hell and even if they were old enough I still would say no.

I have seen children as young as 10 take SBTs out.

You have my sympathy! I'd hate to live in an area where people were so irresponsible. It sounds like there is a need for public education on good dog ownership, why not get the local dog club and local papers involved in a campaign to promote responsible ownership? Or perhaps consider moving...
And Lel - the 'child' who occasionally walks one of my SBTs' is fifteen - but he's six foot three and weighs eighteen stone - he's probably got more strength than most women I know! He's also very good with dogs and has loads of common sense. But I totally agree that no SBT should be out with anyone who is not able to control it properly (which excludes almost all children, and some adults), whatever their age. The other issue is training - my bitches know how to behave when out and about - but I still wouldn't take any chances. How many of these SBTs that are taken out by children are well trained?

Just thought I would let you know, I didn't need to call the warden. She escaped again and this time was taken to the dogs home, they are having trouble getting her back as she had no collar and they have no way of proving she is theirs. Maybe they will have to realise now that they need to take more responsibilty with her or the home will check up on them.

We are having much more relaxed walks now, and he saw his first horse yesterday, wanted to follow them LoL. Its funny because he runs away from my mum's rabbits, especially when they thump in their hutch.