Obviously, it can happen with any breed and i think most of the time the owner is to blame... however i think some people don't realise the potential Staffies ( or any big dog for that matter) have for damage if they snap... If a small dog is aggressive, it can leave some nasty bites or even inflict some damage but if a bigger dog goes mad and attack people or other animals, the potential for damage is greatly higher! I think it's important to underline that when you choose a breed, you need to consider this. I'm not saying that little dog should be left to bother or attack others, i'm saying that owners should be made aware of their responsabilities when acquiring a dog of a certain breed.
If i had seen labmad getting hold of the collar of Henry and even if my dogs wanted to play, I certainly would have asked if it was ok first!! In this case, it's quite clear that the woman had no control over her dog. She was entirely at fault and i can't find ANY excuse for what happened. It's not to do with the breed at such (although if she had chosen a breed who wasn't as strong, she probably would have been able to hold on to the lead!!) more with training and the owner incapacity to control a dog.
I know that staffies are always pictured as dangerous and i know it's not true but being a "trendy" breed as meant that they are owned by people who didn't do their homework and obviously don't know how to deal with them. I'm afraid, i've recently realised that Labradors and Golden retrievers in parks are the same! Many owners think it's ok to just let their dog come to yours (when yours is on the lead) and pester them to play when obviously your dog is not keen. There have been more incident with labs in the park i go with my shelties than with staffies! So nobody can accuse me of being against staffies. i just think when you own a dog you must be prepared to be in control of his behaviour at all time and if it means keeping it on the lead then so be it.
I'm sorry you had to go through so much stress due to someone so irresponsible and i hope they won't be any lasting damage on your dog (because mine is now scared of labs. When he sees one, he runs away or cower in between my legs! I have nothing against labs but my dog is not keen on them due to bad past experiences)

As a lab owner and lover, I have to agree with you.  I have to admit that many lab owners (round here anyway), think that because they're friendly it's perfectly ok to let them run up to other dogs.  I suspect a large number of dogs with dog on dog behaviour problems are caused by the over exuberant play and being bowled over by labradors.  It really is down to owner responsibility, unfortunately, I think many owners don't even have a basic knowledge of dog behaviour, so don't see the problems - or don't care.

I agree with Lab Mad!

What is it with ANY dog owner? When I my husband walks our dog as it is still in training it stays on the lead.

So many times have I had to keep my cool as other dog walkers allow their dogs (all breeds and sizes) to approach our teathered dog and proceed to try and chase it or sniff at it or make him back off tryng to get away. If my husband then proceeds to place himself between the dogs and 'walk away' with our dog still on leash to separate the two dogs more often than not the other dog will follow. What of the 'responsible owner' or even 'owner' to prevent arguments as to responsible and responsibility? They are either unawares at another end of the field, yelling commands at their dog or not present at all!

Im not saying our dog is perfect hence he's still in training, but people do assume that because he is on a lead then he is naught, agressive or dangerous! Not because we simply cannot trust him and know he hasnt learnt dog socialisation skills!

Then theres the aspect of it must have been my dog who provoked the loose dog! After all he is the one on a lead, ive lost count to the responses I have had. Try to explain otherwise in a civil manour falls on deaf ears!

As our dog is a lurcher he noticeably has long legs and has been terrified of any dog that is smaller than a labradore as he had a past negative experience with a small snappy dog trying to gnaw on his legs. Again it was offlead and ours was on the lead!

We were actually on a walk in the country and there were many signs informing walkers to keep their dogs on leads, yet the number who were not was astonishd as we were in close proximity to a field of sheep in lambing season!

The same day we went to see a local ruin (checking previously dogs were welcome) it was out in the open and a free to roam windmill in a field at the top of a hill  and we took a picnic as it was a long hot suny day. On approach to the venue we became aware of another group of people and their dogs. To enter this site we had to climb a style and the dog had a gap to go through once we slid up floorboard style dog gate. There were 2 other dogs and bothe of them made a beeline for us when they noticed our dog. On climbing the style they simply got in the way and our dog almost hauled my husband over by trying to get away from the dogs. Obviously this attracted the attention of one of the older family members who cam over scolding her dog yet simply not helping the situation! Luckily she appologised and the group finaly moved on, leaving us to the peace and tranquility of the scenerwy and sunshine!

Once at the attraction we walked around with dog on lead and purposfuly avoided a sitting near the main attraction site family we had a good view in all directions of anyone/thing approaching and sat down to eat our sandwiches happy.

As it was just us and the dog who were around we gave our dog his own packed lunch of a small tin of dog food. He ate a bit and took a rest. I sensibly put his food bowl with fod still left in it out of the way in our rucksack yet still acessible to our dog. Our dog all the time being on the lead.

We saw a young girl approaching so took a firm hold of the dogs collar as they were making a beeline for our dog. She did ask if she could stroke him and if he was friendly so I said he might bite and so no she couldnt and appologised. But before I could finidh the sentance she was all over the dog! Poking it and prodding it pulling its tail and squeexzing his nose! Luckily our dog just tried to back off obviously scared but didnt show signs of agression.

I asked the girl about firmly to leave him alone and my husband got up and pulled the dog away. Shouting accross the field to the parents to attract their attention, they obviously hadnt the slightest awareness their child was missing!

The grandparents wandered over and (so their westie followed off lead) and the girl was pulled away (pulling faces at us and stickingher finger up and doing her damdest to convince granny it was us and not her). Not a word of appology or reprimand!

Their dog found our dogs food and started to sniff at it so I went to shut the bag to stop it scoffing it, but it growled and as I have already had past experience of being bitten by my old dog any dogs growl makes me terrified even a small Westie! So I shouted at it (as it was now chomping not only the dogs food but the remainder of our picknick) to bugger off and tried to rescue the rucksack at which point the dog snapped at me. The other party came over to try and get their dog only to have a heated argument with me that WE should KEEP OUR DOG under controll! My husband was still standing at a distance with our dog on a lead waitin to return in safety!

No question about the bleeding fingers or nothing. Told us they would report us for kicking their dog when I explained I merely tried to retrieve the rucksack not intended to touch the viscous dog. I then questiond if their dog had been vaccinated against rabies and they swore and stomped off!

Besides the fact we were following the law and country code there were loads of signs up the track and on entrance to the windmill area that dogs were to be kept on leads and the replies from both dog owner groups? Where I didnt se them

Now we are open to critisism but who is in the rightr here??

Sorry to rant and rave on and on but what is it with people??

:)

Guinness

"I then questiond if their dog had been vaccinated against rabies "

Why?

Dogs do not need vaccinating against rabies in the UK unless they are on the Pet Passport Scheme?

tome
Why? I dont know really - possibly a reaction to being bitten?

What would you have said?

SORRY if this was the wrong response!?

:P

guiness,are you in the uk or overseas?

Michelled

Why what difference does this make?

Guinness

because if you where in a country that had rabies it would be a VERY valid question that you asked!!!!!!!

Heo Michelled

blush

Im sorry I didnt mean to sound rude - honest! I was just trying to put the question in context.

I actually live in the UK :)

Guinness.

oh right! i expect you said it in shock then!!!!!!!

I mentioned Rotties but that was luckily a one off experience in 17 years and have met several soft lumps of Rotties since :D

I think I mentioned rotts as well, but not because I think they are a bad breed but because a lot of people do, My friend owns six rotties and they are lovely, the only problem with her biggest male is that he was hand reared and still thinks he is an 4 week old pup and like to sit on your lap!!!

Thats so sweet. When I went to meet the litter for the first time, i was lucky to meet both the parents who had such good natures. I was informed on here that is one of most important things to look at with this breed. there is a man in the park who has 3 females and its becuase of these dogs, that I decided to opt for this breed as opposed to choclate lab.

I have a choccie, she is as daft as a brush!!!! I was so lucky with her as she has lived outside all her life ( she is nearly 2 ) But I decided to try and start showing her due to the fact that she wasn't making it as a gundog, and brought her indoors and touch wood she hasn't chewed anything or had any accidents in the house. Good luck with you rottie pup, i'm sure he will be wonderful too.

Good luck labs with her.  She sounds like a good girlie.

Henry never chewed anything in the house at all.  He was a good pup and still is good.  I heard so many horror stories about labs chewing skirting boards and doors etc before I got Henry but I am glad it didn't put me off getting him!  Just goes to show, they are not all the same....

Em

The thing is, outside she chewed everything she could, waterbuckets ,her kennel, the run. She got lots of exercise and i saw them lots during the day, but she must just love being indoors and thinks if she chews she will be back out!!! She does steal things though and puts them in her bed!!!

I then questiond if their dog had been vaccinated against rabies "

Why?

The first thing that crossed my mind when i read about the rabies question was that a little sarcasm was behind it ;)

One of the kids at the playground got bit by another kid,the mother of the bit kid sarcastically said to the other mother 'hope youve had your kid checked for rabies'. :(

I'm assuming the rabies comment was said in anger and she was having a slight go at the other owner??

I'm not having a go at all :) I'm just saying that i understand your comment ;)

I must admit there are several dogs (and owners) I avoid due to their aggressive behaviour. Just this morning I was walking home with my dogs on the lead and a woman with a Staff on the lead was talking to her friend. As soon as it saw my dogs, it started roaring to get to them and almost pulled the woman over. She continued talking as I crossed the road while the dog continued to try to get to mine. Not once did she try to stop it or control its behaviour.

I was never anti-Staff but am getting that way - like some other breeds, they attract the the type of owners who try to appear tough and want a macho dog. Like many European countries where certain breeds are banned/restricted, the actions of a few irresponsible owners attract more attention than the 100's of well behaved ones.

we have a very soft dog lovng Staff and we have met many other Staffs on our walks and not met a nasty one yet. I have had problems with a vicious lab and an aggressive Gsd. The Lab was on the lead and was pulling the male owner all over the place to get to Giorgia who was off the lead and did not approach them. I was told  by the Lab owner that he was nasty and would jump on Giorgia's back if he could . Then he would be worried about what damage Giorgia would cause by defending herself so could I walk her somewherelse ... cheeky b....!!  I moved away from that field and owner very quickly it wasnt worth the hassle. Neither of these experiences have made me anti these breeds and I wish people wouldnt feel that way when they have a bad experience. Cant it just be treated as a very sad part of a dog owners life. We all know there are bad owners out there in all the breeds and generally I dont feel there are more bad Staffie owners than in any other breed.

Personally I think there is Staffy snobbery! Alot of people think that your dog is related to your class...

We get pigeon holed into being a certain type of person.

Not at all, but staffies do attract the wrong type of owner. Personally I will avoid them, I was bitten by a GSD when I was younger and I still love the breed but staffies I can't trust (though it doesn't help that my bitch was attacked by a staff x which was off the lead and she is now wary of them). In some parts they are seen as a status symbol.

You should come and meet mine, you'll love him. I think that you are generalising and that seems a little unfair. There are some very good staffie owners out there.

Can I add my story about nit wit dog owners that can't control their pet?  For my first ever full time job I had to visit people in their homes and interview them.  One place had a big Newfie outside, seemingly tied up.  As I approached the door it broke loose - it had only been tied to a clothesline, which broke.  It jumped up on me, gave my face a thorough licking and muddied my coat, but was friendly.  Fortunately I did not fall down under it's weight.  The people, a little old man and a little old woman, ushered me in, we conducted our business and I prepared to leave.  OK, get ready, here comes the good part.  They said they expected me to either fix their clothesline or pay to have it done soon as they wanted to tie the dog back up!

I agree though, it does not matter how big the agressive dog is.  My Lab is terrified of a neighbour's miniature Schnauser (sp?) who seems to think the best defense is a good offense.