This morning as i walked into the gates of my local park with my staffy(BAILEY) a middle aged woman with her german shepherd about 20 foot away shouted at me that my dog should be muzzled.she started getting very nasty,shouting,swearing and telling me to get out the parkand that all staffies are dangerous.I should point out that Bailey was on his lead and sat down as i was listening to this abuse,her dog started barking and growling and still Bailey sat there looking at me as if to say whats going on.When the woman had finished her onslaught i tried to reason with her,she said her dog had been attacked by a staff, i said i was sorry to hear this but you can't condemn the whole breed and that my staff had been attaked by gsd when he was a puppy.Bailey is very good with other dogs and i asked the lady if she would like to let the two dogs meet properly and maybe she might change her mind,all i got back from her for my trouble was more abuse and swearing so i just walked off. Is there anything else i could of done iam wondering.4hours later im still fuming about it.   PAULY...

it sounds like shes the kind of person you cant reason with so you probably did the right thing, if youd have responded in the same manner as her (ie aggressive!!) it probably would have just made things worse, as then she would be even more determined that she is right!

your best course of action would be either to ignore her completely if you see her in future, or just be pleasant and pass by without stopping, that way, she may eventually realise that your dog isnt such a "baddie" after all and she may even change her tune!

well done for not losing your rag, you may feel angry, and rightly so, but you did the right thing by not letting her get the satisfaction! :-)

i wouldn't botter to be honest it isn't worth it.there can be funny dogs in all breeds,she had no right to speak to you in that manner at all,but theres always some one who thinks they have got the right out there.all the staffs i have ever met have been ok,the fact you said to her "let the dogs meet" shows or should show her that your dog is ok,she probably didn't trust her own if it was having a go on the lead.
i may be wrong but i thought staffs dont need to be muzzled as i have never seen one.isn't it pit bulls that do,in which case she needs to learn the difference,ever thought they are both bull terriers and look the same to some.god help her if she saw my leo  but i wouldn't have taken any of that off her at all,she will speak like it to the wrong owner at some point.you don't expect that from someone when you walk your dog in a public place.
just let it go its not worth the upset,if you see her again just be ready for it.
  

"Is there anything else i could of done i am wondering.4hours later im still fuming about it.   PAULY... "

A-w-w-w.....don't let it get to you. Remember, you cannot possibly control what other people think, how they perceive things or conduct themselves. All you can do is control your own self. She was clearly a nut case, completely out of line and rude. If she didn't like being near your dog, she could have left. That she has some kind of irrational fear isn't your problem or your fault. If you ever run into her again, take the offensive first. Tell her "Be sure and keep your dog under control as my sweet dog was bitten by a GSD once. And it was ill mannered and growling just like yours."  LOL. I get a lot of B.S. from people too because I have a Doberman. So, don't take it to heart.

Carrie

i would just ignore her, or better still, say a polite "hello" and walk by giving her a wide berth, if you respond to these people in a like manner, all youre doing is lowering yourself to their level :-) We all know staffies are wonderful happy little dogs so its this womans loss if she believes otherwise! be proud of your dog and dont let anyone tell you where you can or cannot go with him! :-)

I find a real big grin and  a smile is really the best way to deal with people like this....they hate it!!
Archer

Yes Im with you Archer a big smile stops them dead in there tracks!!!!

Just returned from a week in Dawlish where there were lots of dogs of all different breeds around. What I did notice was that people with large dogs like akitas, labs etc, pulled theirs away as we approached with Maddie, (I just smiled to myself) it was the owners with little dogs, like jrt's, that asked if the dog could say 'hello'. We were sited next door to a family with a staffie and at first I admit I was a little apprehensive, but although his dog wasn't very friendly towards Maddie, He had perfect control over him and I grew to like the little fella.

Archer...I like that! That is so true. My mother use to tell me an antidote when I was young and someone was "mean." She said to look down at their shoes and just stare. LOL. I don't know what that's suppose to do. But yes, a big smile would drive them mad. LOL.

Carrie