Originally Posted by lemmsy

And TBH- I think all of the main leading behaviourists in the field of B-MOD and training would do too!

Originally Posted by leashedForLife

Yes, it IS their responsibility to move - move their dog away, get between their dog
& the Dog-Aggro / Dog-Reactive dog to block their visual access, turn their dog's BACK to the reactive dog,
or otherwise do what they can to halt the escalation, & minimize their dog's own additions to the event
[like staring, posturing, hackling, barking, jacking the tail up over the back, etc].

JUST STANDING THERE, spectating, IS NOT intelligent, helpful, or responsible.
handlers, whether they are owners, dog-walkers, visiting guests, a neighbor, etc, must have some basic
concept of dog-behavior, safe handling, & so forth, before they sally forth on the streets or byways.

But the reality is that many if not MOST owners do not have basic concepts of dog behaviour, if they did, there would not be the proliferation of threads such as this or forums such as this and perhaps not so many dogs with issues.

As a dog owner it is not MY job to accommodate the failings, fears of others (unless of course I was irresponsible and allowed my dog to interfere with others).

So if I have a well balanced dog on a lead and am going about my daily business it is not MY job (or that of my dog) to train yours (unless of course I am being paid for it).

It is MY job, as the owner of a (insert relevant inappropriate behaviour) dog to ensure that I have the skills, knowledge, ability, training and experience and strength to avoid problems.

That is the RESPONSIBILITY of the dog owner, not that of others.

Until and unless people STOP blaming other things and other people for their own failings they will not progress (nor will their dogs) as it is a futile exercise.

The mirror is the best place to research the cause of our unhappiness IME.

standing there like a poleaxed ox & letting their own dog continue to trigger an over-the-top reaction
by another dog is beyond dumb, & well-into deliberate aggravation.

I am always fascinated that the purporters of positive reinforcement training for dogs are not adherents of the same for people.

Hurling meaningless insults to individuals is "beyond dumb and well into deliberate aggravation" IMHO.

Moving =Away= will not make it 'worse'; it gives the reactive dog a chance to calm down, as the trigger
is at a greater distance.


No argument there.

not true -
fearful dogs of all types are far-more likely to BITE than are confident dogs of all types.

Yes, surprisingly I am aware of that "basic concept"

one common example:
dogs who snap defensively at the vet, but are just fine at the groomer's, clearly exhibit fear-aggro,
as their aggro is motivated by fear: they are afraid of pain, afraid of specific kinds of handling,
anticipate a needle or a venipuncture, etc.

Thank you for that lesson, I was completely unaware that this was a possibility.

dogs wearing muzzles must still be leashed - & they cannot be approached by OFF-LEAD dogs,
no matter how sweet, charming, playful, social, etc, those off-lead dogs may be.

it is up to the owner or handler of an off-leash dog to call them away, or immediately leash their dog[s]
when they see a muzzled dog approaching, or when they approach a muzzled dog: it is far too intimidating
& even dangerous to the muzzled dog, to allow an un-muzzled dog free access to them - they are
utterly defenceless.

Originally Posted by momentofmadness

...there are fools out there [who'll] see [that] your dog on-lead, & [wears] a muzzle... & to be honest, they think,
"Right, that dog is muzzled & can't bite mine, so it's fine for mine to get in [her/his] face."
Even tho I've asked people to get hold of their dogs. Doesn't matter what we do; Someone always knows better.

Originally Posted by spaniel04

Malmum, I found this article The Stigma attached to muzzles and dogs who wear them | Luke The Greatest Dane

It might make you feel a bit better about your dog wearing a muzzle.