3yr old dog, cockerpoo, neutered, health issues (ongoing, medicated including life long steroids), 'difficult' in many way but mostly well managed.
Most dogs he is absolutely fine with, has some 'friends' but is not a 'playful run around fun dog'.
Can be reactive to certain dogs; mainly bigger, guard dog types and all unneutered males. He'll bark and lunge if they are close enough. Some of the local dogs he's reactive to, if there is space, and the other dog ignores mine I can stand chat to owners.
If he has space, we can pass calmly without the dramatics. He is always on a lead (slip long lead), I will occasionally drop the lead in safe places if I am confident no risks and his recall is brilliant providing no distractions.
Walked this morning following a path in field with long grass. Saw a person in distance but no dog. As got nearer realised it was was off lead and one of the locals that my dog has taken issue with before. I generally turn and walk the other way but a week or so ago we passed the same dog (on a lead) and we passed without incident and I saw its now neutered. The dog is a big guard dog type and is all all accounts lovely, big playful softie. Owner attempted to recall but he more interested in trotting towards us looking happy he might have a playmat.
My usual tactic is to have a shorter lead although not tight and we do "lets go" with the aim to walk briskly past.
The dog approached us, my dog growled so the other growled. I continued, head up with "lets go" walking ahead and not looking at the either of the dogs. I'm aware there is movement, both dogs near each other, growling type noise from both but I just attempt to keep going. In this time owner has jogged over, apologised for not realising mine was on lead, attempting to call dog away and ended up asking me to "just stop" so she could grab her dog as he wasn't going to her voluntarily.
I paused momentarily. I was in panic mode and I just wanted to keep moving. She grabbed her dog and I kept walking but my immediate reaction was 'all my training has gone to pot'. No harm done to either dog, realise now that the noise was probably just noise.
My dog is a pain, I know that and for the most part its well managed. We have training support but I can't afford to sustain regular sessions so its intermittent. There are a few local dogs he takes issues with but on the whole, most days pass without incident.
We had one run in with this particular dog last year when he was younger, intact and off lead. The owners do appear to be responsible, they have a dog who does seem to just want to play despite my dog giving clear 'go away' vibes!
That's a lot of story - basically, could I have handled it differently? I was in panic mode and know that wasn't helpful.