Morning all,

I've just return from the park with my two JSI's and would like your thoughts on an "incident".  Whilst there I saw approaching us a brindle staffie (a cracker!), on lead, with two guys.  I stopped where I was which gave them the opportunity to take a different path and therefore avoid me if they thought it necessary.  They came towards me so I felt comfortable letting their Staffie dog say hello to my two, Lennon, the pup, in particular was keen to do this.  Whilst I was stroking the SBT he jumped up and the guy pulled him back.  I thought he was worried that the SBT had made me muddy, and I said "don't worry, I'm not bothered about that" indicating the mud.  His response was "I'm just worried about your dogs, I don't want "him" (the SBT) to switch on them".

Oh, I said to myself, and made polite goodbyes and left.  I can only assume that he meant that his SBT was prone to aggressive behaviour sometimes towards other dogs.  Am I right?  If this is the case, shouldn't he have avoided me?  The SBT gave no indication of agression and was friendly towards me and Lennon, so I'm a bit confused......

Your thoughts please.

Thanks :)

I am allways weary of my staffie with other dogs even though she gets on with most of them.

I do avoid dogs I dont know just to be safe & I think if this guy knew his dog could be a bit funny, he should of kept away.

My staffie does have loads of doggy friends that she plays well with but she has also snapped at a couple of dogs she does not know if they show threatening body language.

JMHO

Jo
xxx

there is a very scrappy shiba around me. maybe this staff owner has met a dodgy one before .quite responsible attitude!!!!

Hi Vicki,

>"I'm just worried about your dogs, I don't want "him" (the SBT) to switch on them"<

to be honest, my interpretation of that comment is that he was worried that your dogs might turn on his   Coupled with the fact that you feel the Staffie was friendly towards you and your dogs, it may be that he's had a bad experience and he's either worried his dog will be caused to become aggressive if attacked again or that if it had to defend itself his dog would get a bad name.  Staff owners get wound up at the thought of a spat occurring too :)
I understand you're confused and quite naturally worried that if someone has a dog with a dodgy temperament they didn't attempt to avoid you, but it actually sounds like these two lads were probably being responsible owners ;)
Glad nothing untoward happened and hope Lennon and Roxy are continuing to become best ever friends.  Teri :)
 

sounds like he had his dog under control and was responsible for a first time meeting. Some dogs get on great but sometimes for no reason they don't.
You can't really avoid all other dogs otherwise they never get to socialize properly.

Sounds as though he was weary but I think thats a good thing, you can never trust a dog 100% so he was preparing himself just incase something did happen, thank goodness it was fine and they were fine.

Things like this always happen on first time meetings, next time you know the dogs are ok together

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice.  All noted and taken on board.

Cheers  :)