Rottweiler Attack

@Iam64 that's shocking and yes it is selfish. So sad for the dogs themselves! So many breeds do get a bad name and often it's the bad owner.

@MayBee that's what we do too.

@Gingster me too. A lady in the park with her dog told me "never lose that fear" I thought it was a strange thing to say, but she said "Your fear will keep you safe because it will make you watchful"

I am definitely watchful...

I only have a small dog, but he can be quite aggressive. If anyone wants their dog to say hello to him, I tell them he can be tricky. He does have a dark side, and I always back him away.

Small dogs can be more aggressive than bigger dogs.

libra10, you're right about small dogs. I also feel some owners of small dogs don't make the effort to train them out of aggressive behaviour (I don't mean you). If a German Shepherd or a doberman behaved like some Jack Russells - that would raise eye brows.

I’m very wary of terriers. We’ve had attacks from Jack Russells and, believe it or not a French Bulldog. When we got to the beach today there was an Akita running loose far from it’s owner. Now, Akita’s can be quite wonderful dogs. A friend of mine wouldn’t have any other breed. But we immediately walked in the opposite direction and kept our eyes open. No stick or noise emitter would protect us from an Akita if it went rogue! You can get jackets from a company called Neon Dog and I am thinking of getting one to make out ours is reactive, even though she isn’t. We tend to keep a coat on her most of the time when it isn’t too hot as it protects her body. We do have a problem though. When she did her first training class it was an outdoor one and at the end of it the would put the dogs in a large pen to have a play. They were very careful to put dogs of similar ages and sizes together. Ours didn’t play with the other dogs just ran round in circles and thoroughly enjoyed herself. At least we knew she wasn’t nasty. However it resulted in a dog that, when she sees another dog gets over excited and wants to play. We don’t know what to do to calm her down. We’ve tried treats and distraction etc but nothing stops her excitement. I wish we hadn’t been to that particular training class now. She did two more afterwards that were indoor and she was much better at them and gained her ‘ologies.

MayBee70, your point about training classes that mix dogs, especially puppies in the way you describe, is an important one.
I bought one of those I Need Space yellow leads for my reactive cockerpoo. His reactivity was partly the breed and definitely the result of being attacked three times. I did a residential training course with a well known trainer, who is called in by police to assess 'dangerous' dogs. He advised us not to use the yellow warning leads or jackets. If an incident occurred, the owner of the aggressive dog could easily put responsibility on your dog, because you were advertising a problem with him.

I went to dog training with my dog. She is a small dog and has not been aggressive to big dogs, so it worked in that way. But she was attacked while walking down a residential street on our way home. A (large scary breed) jumped out of a garden and started attacking her. Fortunately the owner got the dog off quickly and the dog just got mouthfuls of the jumper my dog was wearing, but it was terrifying. I can not walk that way again. The dog warden did "have a word" and said they wouldn't have to dog in the front garden again.... but you just never know.

Interesting to note the trainer advised against using the yellow leads or jackets @IAm64 Shocking to know that though as well.

You do seem very unlucky Lavazza in your outings with your dog or perhaps you live in an area where dogs are particularly aggressive?
I think a walking stick is the way to go.

That’s just what happened to us Lavassa. The dog had attacked another dog the previous week as well, also escaping from its garden to do so. Many dog walkers were scared to walk their dogs through the village and even down the Lane as the dog could see an area where many people let their dogs off lead from it’s garden. The last time we saw it it was wearing a muzzle but we think it’s because it had gone for a boxer. We’d warned the owner of the boxer about the dangerous dog but he’d shrugged it off and said it wouldn’t go for a dog as imposing as his. Then DH bumped into him a few weeks ago and was told that the Staffie had just gone foor his boxer. Both were on leads but he was visibly shook up. Since then the Staffie has been muzzled when out walking.

Iam64 - well in Scotland dog on dog attacks are acted on. A year or 2 ago I was bitten on the hand by a Staffie who wanted my Cavalier! I lifted my dog up to save her but in process I was bitten. I decided to inform the Police the next morning. The dog I question lived in my vicinity I was fearful we would be attacked again and also had concerns for people walking with young kids. Anyway the Staffie had offended before. Consequently, under Police involvement and advice, the dog was put to sleep. I felt bad about this but it was not of my doing. Here in Scotland these cases can go to Court.