My staff attacked another dog yesterday

Rocky is a 23-month neutered male. I've had him for 2 months and he's been an absolute sweetheart, really friendly with people and other dogs (male, female, old, young, big, small).

We were walking round the local park, he was off lead as I have no worries with him. We came across a small female GSD on a lead. Rocky approaches and starts to play, GSD tries to play too but can't really because of being on the lead. The owner says she is wary of staffs, I say don't worry he's fine and I'm half way through the speech of why staffs don't deserve the bad rep, when Rocky goes for the GSD. Never seen him do anything like that before.

It's all over in about half a minute, and thankfully no blood was shed (wasn't the worst dog fight I've ever seen) but I was really shocked as normally he is so friendly, the GSD did not seem to be threatening or aggressive, and I just didn't see it coming at all. He gets involved in the occasional scrap, but he's never been the aggressor. Until now.

The GSD owner tells me "Staffs always attack her" - is this the clue? Do you think maybe Rocky could sense fear/hostility from the GSD or her owner, and that might be why he attacked?

I am worried now, kept him on his lead for most of his walk later that day. Can't do that for ever as he is young and energetic and needs to run, but a bit unsure of whether I can trust him now, or what I can do about it, or if I need to do anything about it?

Would really appreciate some other opinions. Thanks

Well firstly, in this day and age, we really shouldn't let our off-lead dogs go up to an on-lead dog. They are on a lead for one reason or another (and we don't know what it is), but it's just modern manners, sorry.

However, in this instance your dog was friendly and wanted to play, and so did the GSD but she was on a lead. Being on a lead puts a dog at a disadvantage, she can't defend herself so well, so if she had problems with aggressive dogs before (and I don't believe that dogs are breed specific, although fear could well have travelled down the lead from her owner) she may have sent out signals to your dog (or him to her, let's be honest, as you say he has been in scraps before) that all was not well with this encounter, and your dog being off lead and therefore having the upper hand in the encounter, put his spoke in first.

You've not had Rocky long, and you and he are still getting to know each other, and presumably you don't know what has happened with him in the previous nearly two years of his life. Personally, I would not have him off-lead all the time until I knew him a lot better. If his recall is 100% +++ then maybe, and you can put him on a lead when a strange dog approaches. Otherwise, I'd have him on an extendable lead (so you can reel him in). Until you know he is absolutely bomb-proof with other dogs ( but even then, remember the modern manners of off-lead dogs approaching on-lead dogs).

Are you certain it was aggression and not simply rough play? Here is a link on body language that should help:

http://staffy-bull-terrier.co.uk/dog_body_language

ALso have you considered a long lead so he can run but still let you maintain control

Hi and thanks for the responses. I didn't explain myself very well in the first post. Apologies for that.

It wasn't a random approach, the other owner and I had had the "is your dog friendly" conversation, we both said yes and she was initially happy for Rocky to say hello to her dog. We were chatting and the dogs were sniffing each other for about 20-30 seconds before anything happened.

When I say he has been involved in scraps before, I mean those 2-second ones where a dog warns another off by growling/snapping, Rocky snaps back, the dogs back off, then the other owner says something like "sorry, he's always like that with dogs he doesn't know".

This time was different, Rocky definitely went for the other dog, though thinking about it again, it probably lasted no more than 10 seconds, just seems longer at the time.

I have seem him play rough with other dogs before, including mouthing. This was different, I'd never seen it before from him. I can't emphasise enough how unaggressive this dog normally is. Very playful, sometimes submissive, but never fearful. I just wish I had some idea about what might have set him off.

He has an extendable lead, which he goes on whenever I think he needs it (so he doesn't crash into cyclists or knock small children off their tricycles) but on this occasion I didn't think it was necessary. Maybe I just need to be more wary when he is near other dogs, but he meets dozens of dogs every day in the park, and he has been great with all of them until this one.

Might be an idea to keep him on the long training line for a while longer and do some more recall training, and also might be worth having a go at the Leave and No commands too.

Do you have somewhere you can go without any distractions to do the training, this might help. We used our local park tennis courts, when not in use, for this and it really helped with our dog Rocky, strange they are called the same and you are having very similar issues too.

Hope this helps and you can get to the bottom of it, good luck.

Sounds like it was simply a one off than. They will have other dogs that they simply don't get along with for whatever reason. We never let Suki off lead around other dogs unless they already know one another and have played together many times before.

Personally in my opinion if someone has a dog on a lead and says their dog is wary of yours you should call him back and put him on lead. The owner obv didnt want the two dogs socializing and even though your dog is normally ok it isn't really enough in this situation.

Logan is wary of certain dogs and it really annoys me when people let their dog run up to him when I ask that they wouldn't and just say "my dog is fine".

I don't think you will have to always have your dog on lead but in future it would be better if you see a dog on lead or meet an owner that doesn't want them to socialize respect their decision and call your dog back.

Don't worry about it though. These things happen

My two are always put on leads as buster is not dog friendly I have lost count the amount of times someone lets their dog wander up to us off lead now Skye is very friendly but can be ott with excitement

Unfortunately with every off lead dog it makes buster more aggressive through fear

At lest you may have learnt the hard way but I would put him on a lead if you see an on lead dog this may save him from getting himself in trouble

I used to do the same with my gsds and they were both friendly but you can never tell how the other dog will react so be safe not sorry

Thanks everyone for your help. I think it probably was a one-off but I'm not risking it happening again. Today I let him off the lead in the woods and the field as usual, but in the park he stayed on lead. Probably will try some more training too, though his recall is pretty good - unless he sees a cat, or a squirrel, or a tennis ball...

That sounds great. Don't feel you have to have him on lead all the time in future, but I think it's advisable in general to call a dog back when you see another dog on lead.

You are lucky to have a decent re call with him. Logan's is viturally non existant if he see's something more interesting lol.