If your dog is dog-aggressive (but only if approached by another dog), would you muzzle them?

This is a long rambling post....(warning) Short answer: I think EVERY dog should be muzzled in public regardless of size. I am not a proponent of BLAME THE BIGGER DOG. Many Small dogs are AGGRESSIVE and their owners incompetent fools.

However, until that happens ( I won`t hold my breath) I choose to muzzle my dogs in public by choice. At times I struggle with it. But after 30 years and having many close calls, I`ve come to realize its the most prudent choice for me.

Before Dangerous Dog legislation came into effect (2005) I would be routinely charged and confronted by off-leash dogs. It was unfair to muzzle mine and then be accosted by others and in spite of what you may believe, people were not MOTIVATED to leash their dogs. The laws were not punitive enough and regardless of whether I asked politely or was rude - most ignored me.

People are strange and when it comes to their dogs or their kids - they NEVER believe they are wrong. MANY people with little dogs feel entitled to torment everyone - people with barking, yapping, growling JRTS, Shelties, Schnauzers, Shitzhu`s (sp) think its amusing and cute. People are BIASED to believing some aggression in some dogs is perfectly OK and since your dog is big, its YOUR DOG that has to deal with it.

IT IS NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MANAGE YOUR LITTLE DOG when it is out of control off lead and mine are leashed. The law here is clear - people with little dogs are RESPONSIBLE for their actions. So its not just dog aggressive dogs that need to change.

Its ALL dog owners respecting the rights of others. If mine are leashed and your belligerent JRT attacks them - its YOUR fault. But it will necessitate an investigation and evaluation of my dog.

Who needs that. And who needs to live with the thought your dog harmed another dog. I choose PEACE.

Most people now leash their dogs when out on the street - but many are still poorly controlled walking on flexi leads or buckle collars. While my dogs will tolerate a lot, if a small dog like a JRT targets them at close quarters, with two large dogs on lead, its not going to end well for the JRT. A muzzle gives a split second chance of recovery and under the Dog Owner`s Liability Act - it protects me and my dogs from fault.

It demonstrates accountability and mitigates any possible cause of negligence on my part. My dogs were leashed, under control and muzzled. Your dog attacked them off lead with you 100 yards away.

Should my dogs lie down and urinate - or defend themselves. When all people take control of their dogs by equal measure, then we all benefit. When all small dogs are leashed (Flexi`s should be banned) - at least I can move away from them.

When all large dogs are muzzled, if there is a confrontation or a dog barks out - people actually visibly relax when they see the dog has a muzzle. And being relaxed has A LOT to do with how a dog will respond to a threat. Its easy to say - but very hard to do.

Just recently my two dogs fired at a strange dog walking by while I was talking to a man with his daughter. I know the man and daughter were a bit ``shaken`` by the display, but the fact my dogs were muzzled and then quickly controlled, made it (I presume) less stressful for them, so they didn`t make it worse by screaming, or running. How others react to your dog has as much to do with how you handle them.

People scream, run, shriek and basically do everything they should NOT do when a dog they are afraid of does something. This is stupid, but its my dog`s problem and mine to deal with it. Training can only do so much- dogs are dogs.

The other benefit of muzzling is the deterrence. So while it was not my intention, muzzling has actually deterred people from doing stupid things to antagonize my dogs. People see me - and keep their kids under control.

In 30 years I could write a book on the number of times men, boys or groups of teenagers have purposely provoked my dog because it was a large breed dog- Some people consider it a personal goal - to PROVE to themselves (and me) that they are not afraid. Finally, there is always a bigger dog. Mine are aging, and one is more bark than bite - both are not deadly dogs.

They are just your average garden variety snots :-) But under the law, every bite no matter how small, is a bite that requires investigation.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.