lost trust in my dog with other dogs

my 2 year old staffy used to be brillant with other dogs, a few times now, he has pinned another dog down and growls and barks at him, this has only started to happen with the last few months, i have lost trust that alfie with do it again

I've had no experience with this, so can't advise much, but has anything happened recently with another dog that could have made him defensive like this?

Maybe it is the other dog starting it then>?
Since he is usually good with dogs?

I'm sorry to hear about this. It can knock your confidence, but our doggies are no different to us as in some dogs they just don't like.

There is some really good info on here about reading your dogs body language as it starts usually way before we may notice it. Is your dog usually quite vocal. Betsy can occasionally growl, bark and both dogs can pin one another down all in play. I only step in if it seems all one sided.

Did this happen off lead? I swear by a 50ft training lead as I know many owners do on here. It's a great way to see how your dog interacts with others, yet you can bring them in if you're a little unsure. It also really helps in reading your dogs body language, as when they are off lead it can all happen so fast.

I suggest taking it slow and steady, at a pace where you feel comfortable and calm as Alfie will be picking up on how you are feeling.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

Yes the long training lines are brilliant and can be bought cheaply from eBay. I would definitely keep him on lead for the moment. It's really important for you not to be nervous around other dogs as He will pick up on it.This is the link on body language

http://staffy-bull-terrier.com/dog_body_language

Do you have anyone with a calm older dog you could walk with to try and build your confidence a bit and to socialise Alfie?

it is only some dogs who don't leave him alone, other dogs he plays with for hours

oh my dog has started doing this too.  She has got attacked 5 times by the same dog though (in fairness to her) but since these attacks she has once sat on a little lab pups head and when the pup tried to push her off she quickly turned round and pinned him to the ground.  The next time was with a border terrier who came running over and she pinned this one to the ground.  she doesn't bite but does the lovely staffy growl.  My husband is a lot calmer with her than me as he didn't witness these situations and therefore gets a lot of calm interaction with dogs whereas I stress and I think she feels this and is  therefore not as good when meeting dogs.

She is great with well mannered dogs who say hello and go about their business, maybe your dog is just telling these dogs to back off and they don't so he has to tell them he's serious.

Its not nice though and I have no help for you.  I just put mine on a lead when meeting other dogs and then its up to their idiotic owners to call theirs away (which they don't tend to)

Jules

My 10 year old male neutered terrier attacks every dog he meets out doors so I never let him off the lead.People are always letting their dogs off the lead and they run up to socialize.Then their dog gets bitten and they say oh sorry.Strange the way this never happens when I bring my Rottweiler (who is not aggressive to other dogs) out for a walk they never want to let their dog socialise with her and find their dog lead very quickly.Even though she plays with dogs.

So my point is if your dog does not like other dogs then so be it.Keep him on a lead.

thing is you can work on the training to try and get him back to where he was with other dogs but really you should not be letting him get into the situation where he pining dogs down as it could end in disaster
you really need to train him from a distance (and always onlead)untill you have full confidence back .
as its sounding like he may be picking up that your not to sure about his behaviour