I hate the "oh my dog is okay" thing, if my dog was alright with others, I wouldn't worry quite so much! You'd think it'd be obvious that you're trying to restrain your own dog.

I feel sorry for people with large dogs in situations like that! Mine is only a little terrier so if things get a little bit out of hand, I can pick him up. I know I probably shouldn't, but it makes me feel better to know he's out of reach of the other dog. I've only ever had to pick him up once though. a GSD came running over to him, and although it meant well and only wanted to say hello to him, I didn't want my dog provoking it to fight! Luckily the owner took notice and called it back and put it on a lead.

I had a horrible experience once with a very ignorant man in the park. He had a lively little cairn terrier that was running all over the place, so I stopped and wound my dog's lead in knowing that it was going to come over, and I shouted over to the owner to please put his dog on a lead, but he totally ignored me, and when his dog came bounding over, it made my dog panic and he jumped on it and started snarling, although he didn't bite it. The man gave me the most horrible look, so I went "THAT is exactly why I just told you to put your f***ing dog on a lead " I know I shouldn't have been so short, but I did warn him well before his dog came over to mine. And to top it all off, he shouted something back at me and started running after me! I just walked off as quick as I could, I wasn't gonna bloody stop and argue!

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R.I.P Buster - Causing mischief over the bridge, sleep tight soldier

Well my O/H and son have had a few run inns with other numpties over the past few weeks,once with a Dobe who charged my bitch growling and snarling,according to the owner it was been friendly My bitch bit it on the head,the owner then had a lecture off the O/H because it was supossed to have been onlead as well

Then a few weeks back they had a run in with a JR,my son had hold of Meg,this dog came snapping right in her face,she lunged at it and caught it.Luke just couldn't stop her but did well under the circumstances,honestly other owners I could loose it big time with them.

I know, I never get mad at the dog because it's only doing whatever its brain tells it to, whether that's to attack or go and say hello. It's the owners that are at fault because they should keep their dogs on a lead! They'll still be well exercised. It's just the sheer ignorance of people sometimes. They think just because their dog is friendly, that every other dog in the world will be.

I'd be reluctant to let any dog of mine off the lead where there are other dogs unless I completely trusted them to recall (which mine probably won't).

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R.I.P Buster - Causing mischief over the bridge, sleep tight soldier

Hi. Sorry to hear that you are so frustrated. With 2 problem rescue's I've had my share of issues. My husband was a bit lax and un cooperative when I wanted to instill discipline or new ideas, it took my dad getting attacked for him to pull his finger out and take more of a leadership role. Just wondering, whose dog is it, your's or mum's? Can you not walk her all the time and tell your mum that if she won't do what's best for the dog not to walk her, or keep it to a minimum? It is possible that she is anxious being on a lead, but please don;t think this will answer all your problems. What's the recall like? ARe you confident that he will come back to you if you call and not charge at other dogs? I understand people's concern that a dog can't protect itself wearing a muzzle, but I would rather my dog got bit than attacked another dog. If you want to gauge his reaction, introduce a muzzle and use it at first when you walk past another dog. Try to walk past as many dogs as possible with the muzzle on and him off the lead and see what happens. If he starts charging at other dogs or acting aggressively whilst off the lead, then having him off the lead is not the answer.

What I found with my dog was when I started off lead walking with him on the muzzle, I went into a very relaxed state. This in turn filtered through to Max and after a week or so, I could remove the muzzle. Max, is however a very nervous dog (hense the aggression issues) and does not go very far from me and his recall is superb. This gives me the peace of mind to be able to recall him if I don;t want him to go near a particular dog - usually small dogs.

If you don't already, watch the Dog Whisperer, you'll get some great tips on successful lead walks.

Good luck x

He's my mum and dad's dog, although I do live with them, so he's all of ours really. But the problem is, i'm out of the house at college from 6am-6pm, then stuck doing college work from 6pm-11pm nearly every night of the week, so I just don't have the time to walk him myself. So, I can't tell my mum not to walk him, because then he'd never get walked, because my dad doesn't bother to do it.
And my dog is absoloutely round the bend in the house, so I haven't dared yet to let him off the lead to test his recall! But, he's extremely toy orientated, so if I was to bring a squeaky toy out on a walk with him, I think he'd come back straight away, so that's possibly something I could use to train him with recall. As for the muzzle thing, because I don't get the time to walk him, it's pointless even considering it, because I know for a fact that my mum wouldn't use one, she wouldn't even try a damn halti because she thought it was cruel!

if I had the time to walk him and train him, i'd be trying every trick in the book, but until college holidays come, i'm never going to be able to help him.

We did buy a halti, but my mum sold it over eBay because the dog didn't like it....she only tried it on him once! She doesn't seem to realise that it can take time for a dog to get used to something like that, as they don't know what it is or why they have to wear it. But, I get 12 weeks off college over summer, so i'm going to buy another one and get him used to it myself, then she has no excuse not to use it. I know it won't be quite the same as a muzzle, but it gives you so much more control over them than a chest harness (which is what we currently use for him and I find absoloutely useless!)

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R.I.P Buster - Causing mischief over the bridge, sleep tight soldier

I've just started a threat about my dog's aggression with certain dogs (police caution). The police were very understanding but did suggest a muzzle and my husband isn't keen for the same reasons some of the posters suggest about Harry not feeling like he could defend himself.

However, family members not getting onboard is hard - my oh persists on letting Harry off the lead and allowing him to get into scrapes with other dogs and my fear is it's only a matter of time before someone or some dog gets hurt and Harry is destroyed.

We've found a distinct lack of good assistance in the North East of Scotland and tried a behaviourist but we need someone to come to our house and see him in his own environment and not a large hall full of excitable dogs or in a vets surgery!

I have put Harry on dried food as he wasn't food motivated and now I can distract him a little outside with treats so I'm working on getting his attention before he goes ballastic and rewarding him when the dog passes.

I'm resigned to a life of Harry not ever being off the lead - some dogs just can't! But the OH - well, he'll take more convincing. I'd rather have a lead walked dog for 14 years than a dog running free for 2!

the gsd i had 4 a while was like this i got him a muzzle i relaxed as i knew he couldnt bite & he never once did anything.we all just chilled it makes a huge difference xx

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]mummy 2 :_lucy x rescue,2 golfish & 3 gals, african grey parrot - mojo x

Hi. I never thought my dogs, especially Max would be off the lead, but with my husband now on board things have really improved. If your other half is not cooperating then there is prob not much point in paying money too see someone anyway, unless you take over all the walks. My husband will not walk Max off the lead, so it is down to me. Please don't resign yourself to not achieving off lead walks. My dogs were street dogs in Spain and totally unsocialised and almost ferril, if I can achieve it in a year then so can you. In saying that I can;t walk my dogs off lead together as they still have a negative pack instinct, however I KNOW I will achieve this over time. If you can change your other half, you can solve this problem (easier said than done!). Good luck x

Hi. I can totally understand your frustration, but without your mum on board, taking into account your hours, then there is nothing you can do. If you have sky get her to watch the dog whisperer for some education! x

Goodvic2 - what methods did you use to help your dogs. did you use your own previous experience or get outside help?

I'd love to see him run and play with his pals because we all enjoy that.