Romeo got attacked-again. By a labrador-AGAIN.

I don't like to stereotype any breed but God damn it, today is about the fifth time that Romeo has been attacked by an oversized aggressive male labrador!
I was in the park across the road from me and Romeo spotted him in the distance, and crouched down ready to play. The labrador saw him and started prowling towards him. I don't have very good eyesight, it was twilight, and just at that moment i realised the lab was on a very long, thin training lead. Romeo jumped from his crouch and took off like a rocket. I then realised it was a dog i've seen lots of times before, called Max, who has always been fine. So i let Romeo say hello, and Max weakly wagged his tail.
I said hello to Max and the owner who was grinning like a moron. I wanted to ask why Max was all of a sudden on lead but i don't mention anything. His owner started telling me how Max had just had a bath. I noticed that Max was standing quite stiffly and his posture was worrying me, but the owner was going on and i didn't like to be rude and interupt him.
Then, with a roar like a bear Max flung himself at Romeo, jaws open like a great white shark, spittle flying everywhere, he tried to roll him over with his paw but Romeo is too big and heavy for that trick now. He growled straight back and ducked the bite intended for him. All his hackles were raised and he snapped back at Max.
I shouted LEAVE IT and he immediately backed away and ran behind me, leaving Max growling furiously and straining at his flimsy lead.
Why didn't the owner warn me he was aggressive?!! I understand that he was on lead but we've met dozens of times before and i'm not bloody psychic! He should have told me straight away and i would have called Romeo to heel and walked in the opposite direction. I have noticed over the last few months that Max has been getting steadily more and more aggressive. Why has his owner not addressed this issue? Why has he not had him neutared? When Max went for Romeo, the owner said nothing. Nothing! What if i had let Romeo fight back? I have no doubt that both dogs would have sustained nasty injuries. Why do think that just because they own a dopey breed like a labrador that they are exempt from training their dog? ALL dog breeds need disipline and guidence. The man is lucky he doesn't own a larger or more neurotic breed like a weimaraner. ALL the dogs that have attacked mine have been male labradors. -_-

so annoying, there are so many of these stupid people, it's unbelivable...
and I did notice myself that labradors can be really aggressive... there's one in my neighbourhood that usually barks and growls at me very viciously when i walk alone and tries to jump over a gate (I am really afraid of him , if he ever manages to get away i will be in trouble ), but whenever I walk with Mambo he's quiet and rather afraid which is good...

I feel sorry for Romeo, (my dog has been attacked several times by Collies so I know how you feel), and I hope he's none the worse for his unpleasant experience. Max is one to avoid in future for sure, and his owner needs telling!

I did see on Amazon when I was searching for a new lead for Harry that they now sell collars and leads with large luminous lettering on say 'No Dogs'. A good idea for dog aggressive dogs as other owners can quickly see this and call their dogs back. I know you shouldn't have to do this, but its better than the alternative.

They also have ones with 'friendly' on and one with 'not friendly' for people and children to leave alone.

Lizzie wrote:

I did see on Amazon when I was searching for a new lead for Harry that they now sell collars and leads with large luminous lettering on say 'No Dogs'. A good idea for dog aggressive dogs as other owners can quickly see this and call their dogs back. I know you shouldn't have to do this, but its better than the alternative.

They also have ones with 'friendly' on and one with 'not friendly' for people and children to leave alone.

I really like this idea!

Hope romeo is feeling alright. ><

I know how you feel harv has been bitten i think 3 times now and every time by a collie, although i've also seen a few really aggressive Labrador around but each time the collie bit him the owners never said a word to their dog just gave us both a filthy look and walked off

I think labs get aggressive because their owners don't think they have to train them and while it sometimes works out it can also lead to things like this! My mom's lab is DA because she was never socialized with other dogs except her (now deceased) older sister lab.

Stupid owners think that a lab is the dog for them,with no research! i blame Andex and their stupid advert, a stafford would have made a better pup for their image!! damn stereotyping!!

cute little labs are on tv so they must be nice, what a load of shizz!!

nawww don't start stereotyping the whole labrador breed, remember, the deed not the breed.
we have one of the most beautiful dogs I have ever met, our chocolate labrador and he is the best behaved, well mannered dog my family or any one we know has ever owned, he always lets you walk ahead of him, if I open the door, the other dogs race in and he stands there looking at me asking "do you want me to come in now?". and he plays so wonderfully with all the dogs he meets. only time he has ever gotten grumpy is when another dog wouldn't leave him alone at the park then he just growled snapped and came back to me.

Yes I have seen a few aggressive labs at the dog park, as well as an aggressive dalmation, german shepherd, poodle, corgi, bull arab... even seen an aggressive staffy at the dog park... but theres not one breed I've seen thats more often aggressive than any other breed.

I'm sorry that theres so many dogs out there who get stuck with owners who don't educate themselves properly, and thats where these bad names come from.

No i'm not saying its the labs that are bad, i'm saying as people have said previously, that people buy a labrador 'cause they think its a bomb proof perfect dog and don't put one iota into it's training because 'its a labrador so it'll be okay even if i don't socialise or train it.' Sadly thats not always the case. I believe i read somewhere the other week that the dog most responsiable for dog bites in the uk is the labrador and springer spaniel. Again i wouldn't blame the dogs for it, but the owners. In a way labradors are just as stereotyped as staffies and its doing them no favours. Spaniels, collies and golden retrivers are other breeds subject to this. I love goldens but the first one i met was horrible, it belonged to my friend's mum and it eventually went on to attack and kill another dog and then turned on the woman's son and tore up his leg and arm. If that was a bull breed i have no doubt it would have been labelled a pitbull and made the national newspapers. However it didn't automatically make me hate all golden retrivers, and i don't hate all labradors. I'm just fed up of people expecting certain breeds of dog to always act a certain way and put no effort into raising them. Theres more out there then you might think.

wow poor Romeo..glad he is okay ( and you ! )

Some people who own dogs are such morons aren't they...they are a classic example!

shakespearesdog wrote:No i'm not saying its the labs that are bad, i'm saying as people have said previously, that people buy a labrador 'cause they think its a bomb proof perfect dog and don't put one iota into it's training because 'its a labrador so it'll be okay even if i don't socialise or train it.' Sadly thats not always the case. I believe i read somewhere the other week that the dog most responsiable for dog bites in the uk is the labrador and springer spaniel. Again i wouldn't blame the dogs for it, but the owners. In a way labradors are just as stereotyped as staffies and its doing them no favours. Spaniels, collies and golden retrivers are other breeds subject to this. I love goldens but the first one i met was horrible, it belonged to my friend's mum and it eventually went on to attack and kill another dog and then turned on the woman's son and tore up his leg and arm. If that was a bull breed i have no doubt it would have been labelled a pitbull and made the national newspapers. However it didn't automatically make me hate all golden retrivers, and i don't hate all labradors. I'm just fed up of people expecting certain breeds of dog to always act a certain way and put no effort into raising them. Theres more out there then you might think.

aah I see what your saying now, and I have to agree.
knowing these stories it's just so obvious that any dog is capable of this kind of thing and really, every one needs to be educated no matter what breed they decide to get.

i wasnt slating labs either, just tv, stereotyping and gulliable people x

its the owners not the breed x

Hope Romeo is okay.
Some owners are so dumb these days.

Thanks for everyone's concern regarding Romeo. Hes fine, hes learnt now to dodge other dog's bites and not to expose his throat. He has been injured in the past from being attacked but nothing very serious thank God!
It hasn't affected his personality one bit-hes still friendly to the world and it's wife.