Quite annoyed

[Walney]

Sorry, I hate moaning. However I've been told today that it's nice 'my dog has stopped being aggressive'.

My dog was spayed a couple of weeks ago, and so a male dog has finally stopped forcefully humping my dog at every opportunity. This dog follows us even when I keep mine on lead and try to be far away. Understandably my dog snaps as she is fed up of being humped and harassed (very forcefully, I struggle to get him off my dog), owner of said dog seems to ignore this.

Now mine is neutered the male is beginning to lose interest. I'm very upset at the above comment as my dog is laid back and loves everyone.

[Walney]

Thats ok!

I just find it annoying because I am aware of the reputation of off lead dogs and their owners. I like having mine off lead to play, but I try really hard to also be aware that not all dogs want to play and could be nervous etc. So having other owners ignore these basic etiquettes annoys me even more because I worry how people react when they see me with my off lead dog (if that rambling makes sense).

[missbattenburg]

For sure it probably also means the dog could do with some help to develop better ways to avoid something it doesn't like but it does not automatically mean that dog is a bad dog.

This was not aimed or intended about your dog. On rereading I think I may have made it sound ike it was

[missbattenburg]

I feel for you. I'd go even further than this and say most people's understanding of canine aggression is deeply flawed. Your own example is a great case: your dog is using behaviour to try and stop another dog doing something she doesn't like. That behaviour is almost the opposite of aggression as she's trying her hardest NOT to have to fight.

A growling dog is not an aggressive dog. It's a dog that is trying very hard not to have to be aggressive. For sure it probably also means the dog could do with some help to develop better ways to avoid something it doesn't like but it does not automatically mean that dog is a bad dog.

I saw a different example this morning heading back to the car when an off lead lab came over to me and Battendog (on lead). He walked tall, straight on, direct eye contact. He was standing on his tip toes as tall as he could be, tail erect and still in the air, back/neck hair on end, head high. He got to us and placed his head purposefully over Battendog's back.

The owner had been calling to no avail and eventually caught him and grabbed his collar to pull him away. As she did so she said "sorry, one word from me and he does what he likes but he's harmless". This suggested to me that she had absolutely no idea of the body language he was displaying or it's warning/threatening intent.

If Battendog had snapped, growled, barked, I have no doubt she'd have thought he was the aggressive one. She just could not see that her own dog was almost spoiling for a fight with his behaviour.

I don't think her dog was a bad dog but I do wish more people were more aware of their own dog's behaviour rather than judging it by human standards. I also wish they would stop hanging onto the idea that dogs fit into two clear camps:

Good dogs that would never growl or snap or bite
Bad dogs that do those things

There are just dogs and a range of dog behaviour. 'Good' dogs can bite. 'Bad' dogs can be friendly.

[Nesssie]

I would say 'well i would be angry if a strange dog kept trying to hump/rape me too..' and pointedly stare at her dog.