Advise on dealing with anti-Staffie feeling after local incident

[StaffieOwner]

I am a regular but have name changed for this one as it is could be outing.

This week a Staffie attacked a small dog very near to me. I know the small dog and it is always off lead, very excitable and the owners have no control over it so it runs up to on lead dogs and often humps them. From what I've heard it did its usual thing and the Staffie slipped its collar and went for it in a big way. I therefore feel both sides share responsibility for not having their dogs properly under control, but with a greater share falling on the Staffie owner who should have made sure their dog was securely leashed. Feelings are understandably running very high against the Staffie locally though.

I have a Staffie. She has never shown any aggression towards people or other dogs. But the dog walkers in the local park, who of course get to know one another are all talking about how violent Staffies are. I understand it was harrowing and awful and I would be devastated if my dog was attacked, but there is now a lot of generalised anti-Staffie feeling. It's been suggested that I should muzzle my dog to make everyone else feel better. My dog is on lead in that park, well trained and completely under control. I have not muzzle trained it so it would be very upsetting to the dog and, in my opinion, just make a very friendly dog look like a threat.

Temperatures are running high and I'm expecting further comments or unpleasant encounters, despite being a responsible owner myself. I am thinking of walking elsewhere for a while and I am very sad that my dog will be ostracised. Can anyone suggest polite and constructive ways of handling this and responding to any comments? I'm feeling very bruised that we are being punished for the deeds of another, irresponsible, Staffie owner and that my dog has now been lumped in as violent when that couldn't be further from the truth.

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

I wouldn't muzzle either. I'm not sure how you should handle it tbh, because your dog hasn't done anything wrong

[AmazingBouncingFerret]

Show them this

[HelgatheHairy]

I wouldn't muzzle. I think it would just give people the impression that they need to be worried about your dog when it's perfectly under control.

[TeaBrick]

You don't need to do anything apart from continue to behave in a responsible manner. Has anyone said anything to you?

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

I would (and do) do nothing.
There are always people who, after reading an article or hearing a story decide all breeds are the same.
Staffies seem to get the worst press, maybe because of this mythical lockjaw they have.
I've been rescuing and fostering staffies for years, some with severe behaviour problems. They have never attacked anyone. The only person one has ever bitten was me, and that was entirely my fault.

The problem is, no one prints stories, or gossips about how well behaved staffies are so the only stories out their are negative.

But your dog has done nothing wrong, you have done nothing wrong, I don't see why you should have to do anything.

[ClaimedByMe]

Don't muzzle your poor staffie, she has done nothing wrong, I have a dog aggresive staffie and she is walked on a gen-con so I have better control of her and I have worked hard to learn her body language to distract her when I know she is about to kick off, I would never let her off lead.

I think you should keep walking in that park and hold your head high and be proud of your dog and her behaviour, I dont know how you can actually change the other walkers perceptions of staffies.

[StaffieOwner]

Yes I have pretty much been told by the most vocal of the group, but of course in a much less direct way than this, that I should expect everyone to give me a wide berth, that I can't trust my dog because Staffies are completely unpredictable, next time it might be a child and that she should be muzzled so other dog walkers don't feel nervous in the park.

Writing this and reading your responses has made me think I am actually being picked on precisely because I am polite, approachable and responsible. Maybe it is satisfying their urge to "do something" about this. I'm honestly a bit surprised at how much I have taken it to heart as I am usually quite feisty. Dog walking is the relaxing part of my day so I have struggled to process it a bit.

[RedwingWinter]

Just because one person said that to you, it doesn't mean that everyone else feels the same way. She might have exaggerated, or some people might have been too polite to disagree with her. Besides, if people like that are going to give you a wide berth because you have a well-behaved dog, tbh they are doing you a favour.

I agree with others that you shouldn't muzzle your dog (that would give the impression it is dangerous) or do anything. The incident was horrible but it had nothing to do with you. Hopefully the gossip will die down soon.

[strumpetpumpkin]

that makes me so sad. Staffies are amazing dogs. In fact I would only ever have another staffie. That other bloody small dog should have been on the lead, and I would have no problem in being vocal about that. Hes very lucky he wasnt killed already if he had such terrible recall, and im so sorry for the Staff that had enough.

[strumpetpumpkin]

Is your dog well trained? Surely if she is, then everyone will see that shes ok anyway? I dont tend to even take a lead with me in the park as my staff is the most obedient dog out of any ive ever met or had and will just come back and walk to heel if i ask her to. Everyone loves her

[Montypig]

Ours have a collar that says "friendly"- might help? Horrid for you !

[NaturalBaby]

I have bad experiences of a particular Staffie and struggle not to view all staffies as unpredictable fighting machines. That is my issue though. If other people have issues then it is theirs to deal with and nothing to do with you.
You sound lovely, your dog sounds lovely too! It's made me think twice about my experience and the way I view staffies.

[StaffieOwner]

Thanks all. You have made me feel a lot better and confident to do precisely nothing because my dog is well trained and under control. All I am guilty of is having a nice dog that happens to be the same breed as one involved in a fight.

I will continue to walk in my local park and just make sure I avoid this walker if I see them. And maybe get some sort of firm response ready for if they or anyone decides to have a go again.

[gymmummy64]

Anyone who's really nervous (and I was that person until very recently) will just be relieved and happy when they see you have your dog (of any breed) under control. Trust me, as someone who has been a genuinely nervous owner, you can tell very quickly - it's not just the body language of the dog, it's the body language of the owner and the body language between them.

As a nervous owner with a reactive dog (yes, we fed off each other, but we are doing so so much better now) you and your dog are exactly the sort we want to meet - good recall, under control, no rushing up. I have been helped so much by owners seeing our nerves and saying 'do you want to introduce them, my dog won't react'. It's been brilliant. I really do credit our local dog population with the progress we have made recently.

BTW, the dogs that attacked mine and lead to all this nervousness in both of us were a GSD, 2 labradors and a boxer. I get much more nervous about those breeds than staffies.

[poachedeggs]

Have you thought about joining the Therapet scheme? She sounds ideal, and it would be great to meet any comments with the information that she's a Therapet!

[D0oinMeCleanin]

I had this a few months ago. An old man started walking his two terriers in our local park, whilst informing everyone that his third dog had been killed by a pack of greyhounds, which is of course awful.

He told everyone his vet and the poluce told him they believed all greyhounds should be leashed and muzzled in public because this happens often

My lurcher pup became public enemy number one for a while. I ignored it and it all blew over in a short time.

I did find it highly amusing when one of his dogs slipped its lead and ran at my pup who imediately playbowed and tben rolled over ignorant of the fact that the small dog wanted to eat him

[Scuttlebutter]

One thing you might want to consider is the use of a Dog Control Order which can specify that dogs must be kept on leads in certain areas. This is set up and administered by your local Council. I would also suggest asking the local Dog Warden to do some patrols in the park (you can always say that you are concerned about dog poo) - this visible presence might help to reassure people and as a responsible owner with a well behaved on lead dog you will have nothing to worry about.

I'd also say that life is simply too short to put up with a load of nonsense from brainless idiots like this and quite simply if it was me, I'd use another park if there was one that was convenient.

[StaffieOwner]

Thanks so much all. I found out a bit more from someone else today, and it turns out that the little dog wasn't hurt. The Staffie pinned it down but when they got it off there wasn't a mark on the little one. So there really has been a lot of hysteria and I am going to ignore. If those people don't want to mix with me or my dog that's fine with me. There is another lovely walking area a short drive away that has a lot more types of dog and more 'doggy' people so I am also making a late New Year resolution to go there more often.