Just took M&M out for a walk. All was going well until an offlead dog appeared with his owner behind, and as it got closer, I recognised it as one we'd met yesterday, who frankly made such a pest of himself that both me and Milly shooed him off (Max was much more interested in a scent on the grass), his owner telling me he was friendly - yes, but my onlead dog is clearly nervous, so will you PLEASE get your dog under control?
Anyway, that was yesterday. Tonight, owner kept said the same thing about his dog being friendly. This time, my 2 were in a sit-stay. Then the dog got right into Max's face and wouldn't budge. Max put up with it for a few seconds, then chased him off in no uncertain terms, barking, but came back as soon as the other dog got the message and as I called him. No snarling, no lip curling, no growling, no pinning the other dog down, no screaming/yelping from the other dog that suggested Max had bitten/attacked him.
Owner then said "It's yours. It's your's that's vicious". To be fair, he couldn't see his dog get into Max's face, because I was between Max/the other guy's dog, and the owner.
He's the 2nd person recently to label Max as aggressive, but critically, he's also the 2nd person who hasn't seen what his own dog was doing prior to Max's reaction. Maybe I'm in denial and Max is aggressive, but my initial response was if the owner had have gotten into my face the way his dog got into Max's, I'd have belted him one, probably with the flexi leads - never mind chasing him and then going my own way.
Don't know if there's a point to this thread really. Just feeling down about the whole thing. I'm going to see if there's any local training sessions that I can take Max to, for socialisation and possibly for a trainer to give me a better idea as to whether Max needs to be onlead and muzzled. I'd get a behaviourist in, but atm I'm only getting SSP so can't afford it atm.
Anyway, that was yesterday. Tonight, owner kept said the same thing about his dog being friendly. This time, my 2 were in a sit-stay. Then the dog got right into Max's face and wouldn't budge. Max put up with it for a few seconds, then chased him off in no uncertain terms, barking, but came back as soon as the other dog got the message and as I called him. No snarling, no lip curling, no growling, no pinning the other dog down, no screaming/yelping from the other dog that suggested Max had bitten/attacked him.
Owner then said "It's yours. It's your's that's vicious". To be fair, he couldn't see his dog get into Max's face, because I was between Max/the other guy's dog, and the owner.
He's the 2nd person recently to label Max as aggressive, but critically, he's also the 2nd person who hasn't seen what his own dog was doing prior to Max's reaction. Maybe I'm in denial and Max is aggressive, but my initial response was if the owner had have gotten into my face the way his dog got into Max's, I'd have belted him one, probably with the flexi leads - never mind chasing him and then going my own way.
Don't know if there's a point to this thread really. Just feeling down about the whole thing. I'm going to see if there's any local training sessions that I can take Max to, for socialisation and possibly for a trainer to give me a better idea as to whether Max needs to be onlead and muzzled. I'd get a behaviourist in, but atm I'm only getting SSP so can't afford it atm.