I'm wondering if I can get your advice please? having a nightmare.

I have two dogs, a boy (3) and a girl (6).

My boy used to be quite unpredictable and used to try and nip joggers as they went past and didn't like other dogs that much, chasing them off if he thought they were getting too close to his ball. He is 3 now but in the last year he's really been better behaved and I thought he might be mellowing. (plus he doesn't have his ball on walks anymore).

We took them out on Sunday to a large field / park / scrublands. We took them twice last week and its amazing. There is enough space for the dogs to walk along and people can pass without feeling trapped. Both dogs were really well behaved and I felt a bit better about everything.

This week, we took it a step further. We let them run off the lead, keeping an eye out for people and dogs (we could see for miles and nobody was around - or so I thought) and they were having a great time, spalshing about in a stream and rolling in the grass. Then two people appeared from the bushes and my girl dog barked at them (i think it was because a) they jumped out and it made her jump and b) they were wearing sunglasses) although she stayed where she was. The second the bark had left her mouth my boy dog ran towards the couple, who were standing very still and not looking at the dogs and he ran past them, jumping as he did so so that he nipped her mid flight as he flew past. I managed to get them back on the leads but this woman was understandably distraught and furious (and rightly so) and screamed and shouted and swore at me. No skin was broken but you could see she was going to have a bruise and I just felt sick.

Before I get flamed, i know this is my fault, I now know he should never have been off the lead and I feel such an idiot at making such a terrible mistake.

Thing is, I'm actually too scared to go out with them again now,which is making it worse as they can tell I am scared. i want to know what I should do. I have seen a behaviourist about him before (although I love him he is a nervous wreck) and she says he has fear aggression and gave us a list of stuff to do. She also said its hereditary (his mum was the same and tried to attack us when we first went to see him, this should have been our first clue!)

Should I muzzle him and have him on the lead? or should I just leave the walking to the dog walker (whom they behave much better with).

I feel like I am just letting us all down and just want normal happy dogs like everyone else. They are so great and behave so well when its just us but the second another person or dog comes along it all goes to pot.

Can anyone help? What should I do? I'm prepared to put the work in but I feel like I am doing this all wrong and have spent the last few days veering between frustration and tears.

oh no i can understand how distraught you must be.

I go to a 'high flyers' dog obediance class with my dogs because they get bored doing basic obediance.. and we get quite alot of agressive/over exited dogs that come to the lessons for a while because the dogs in our class have a very high level of obediance and are a good example around the agressive ones.

Do you think you could find your local obediance classes and have a chat with the trainer, and ask whether you can join in on classes and get some help.
This means they get lots of socialisation in a really controlled enviroment around dogs and people.

Also, the dogs may be a bad influence on each other. You say you want to put the work in and thats really good so i suggest maybe walking them seperately, and see whether they are better by themselves.

You also say the dogs are better aorund the dog walker.. this is interesting, and this is where i think obediance classes would really help as it will strengthen your bond. Also many dogs will walk better when they have a job to do.. maybe do something like ride a bike and teach them to run along side (individually not together) and then it will give them lots of exersise and they will focus on moving rather than other people

hope ive been of help

yes definitely.

I'm on holiday in September but when i come back I am joining an agility class with my boy. He is so easy to train and loves catching stuff, learning tricks. He's incredibly eager to please us and I think anything that works with me telling him what to do and him doing it helps us. Also the lady who runs the class is also a behaviourist and has said she will assess him before letting him near any other people or dogs.

Funny you mentioning my other dog. She's a sweetie really, but incredibly disobedient and stubborn (but she likes other people and dogs so its overlooked a bit as we try to deal with his aggression). Last night both dogs jumped on the bed. I ordered them both off, and the boy jumped off into his bed (dragging his teddy bear with him and making a whining noise) but the girl wouldn't get off at all. she laid on her back and looked at me. I wouldn't have tried to drag her off but I did shake the quilt (saying 'off!' "OFF!" until she got up and grumped back to bed...