Advice needed please

Hi everyone

Just in need of some advice. As you will probably gather by now from my other posts I'm quite nervous about letting Axl meet other dogs. He does have a few doggy friends but even then I get so worried when they play just because he's quite dominent, I tend not to let him off the lead unless there's no other dogs about.

Anyway we are due to meet up with a friend of ours and his 7 month old staffie Reggie. I met Reggie yesterday without Axl and he seems like a great little fella with the usual puppy enthusiasm. I just wanted to get advice on how to introduce them when we go for a walk on Sunday. I will be with my OH too which does tend to calm me down, I'm a lot more nervous when I'm alone which usually results in me not taking him anywhere with other dogs and on really bad days I just walk him on the streets where I know dogs will be on lead. Anyway, bearing in mind this is a puppy he's going to be introduced to and puppies are very jumpy etc I'm scared Axl will get annoyed with Reggie. Do you think its best to keep Axl on the lead? This anxiety of mine has come out of nowhere and I don't want to punish Axl for my own worries. He's even been attacked and not really retaliated (the only time he's shown proper aggression was when a dog came into our garden on holiday but that's in another post.)

I do feel like i'm making a big deal out of nothing but I can't help it and I also feel so guilty because I feel like I'm stopping him doing what dogs love to do, play I'd like to know how to introduce Axl to Reggie and hopefully let them have a good old play together, maybe then I'll be a little bit more confident in future!

Not a big deal at all Deb, I would keep him both on the lead and take a nice stroll so they are used to one another in a calm way. Perhaps a long training lead after so they can have a run but you still have some control. I am sure all will be fine x

Try not to be nervous as this will travel down the lead. This sounds odd but when I'm out with Rocky and he meets other dogs he seems to know when they are younger than him and he is great with them even when they can be jumping up at him, they don't bother him.

When first intros are made keep them both on the lead and see how it goes. I'm sure they will get along just fine.

Thank you Inez and Kathy, I will keep Axl on the lead and ask our friend to keep Reggie on the lead too. The good thing is we are going for a long walk through countryside and woods so if they get on okay I'll see if we can let them off for a little bit, with all the nice smells and things to investigate maybe they'll be investigating buddies! I'll let you know how we get on

Yes do let us know Deb.