Little dogs keep attacking my Staffie and Great Dane!!!

gokogo

Ok so I am the owner of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and a Great Dane. Both dogs are family pets, well trained and socialised with other dogs and of course people and especially good with children (I have a 5year old boy also).
The problem is other dogs, the little yorkies and poms, king charles and jack russels.
Every day I walk both dogs for an average of 5miles, I live in a rural area so
walk on the roads by other houses as there are no paths. There seems to be a huge trend around here for the small breeds and I am sick of them all!! :mad:
9/10 times that myself and my dogs come across these small dogs they rush and attack myself or my dogs, I have gone so far as to carry a stick with me (a big one!) on my walks to ward off these dogs. I have spoken to various owners of these dogs and a few have actually listened and kept their dogs in their property (gated) but some (mainly one) have scoffed in my face and told me to stop being ridiculous, that my dogs are huge and well able to take care of themselves and me. this made me really angry as my dogs have been trained from puppies that it is NEVER acceptable to be so aggresive! Now I explained this to the small dog owner and told him that if it was the other way round and he was walking by my house and my dogs came running ready to attack him I would be sent to jail! and that if one of mine did turn around and bite his dog there would be nothing left of him (the dog that is) He just laughed and told me to p*ss off!!
I'm fuming!! What do I do people???

gokogo

I should probably have said that my dogs are always on the lead, only ever let off the lead in my own enclosed garden!

tk123

We were just talking about this recently - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057016216

If the dogs are running free then call the warden. Total PITA - my 13 week old retriever pup had 2 brats barking at her last week - I told her she'd get used to bold dogs barking at her and the owners go pi$$ed off lol! :pac:

borderlinemeath

Be ready with your phone to take video evidence of the dog being allowed roam (I assume it comes out of his house onto the public road) and also not under effectual control of the owner, and a danger to other dog owners. Show the owner and also tell the owner that if you have to call the dog warden and show evidence of his dog out of control and attacking yours then the small dog owner is liable for prosecution.

If you're going the dog warden route, make sure your own licences are up to date and RB necessities (muzzle and short leash) are available and in use if the warden sees you out walking. Unfortunately necessary, and actually downright dangerous if your staffie is being attacked and cannot defend himself.

gokogo

Yeah, I was thinking of calling the warden but am wary of starting a war with this particular neighbour who is known for holding a grudge! And it is my staff that suffers most, great dane just ignores the little dogs and if they come near him he just paws them out of the way and keeps on truckin', but my staff gets very scared and hides behind me and whines, breaks my heart :-( I'd bring them elsewhere to walk but I can't fit them both in the car!

muddypaws

So the neighbour isn't going to take any notice, and you don't want to go to the warden, which, living in a very rural area, I can understand.

How about you try and turn the situation around, I realise that you shouldn't have to, but maybe its the only way you're going to be able to enjoy your walks? Take some treats with you, maybe go for walks by yourself a few times, or just take the GD along. When you get to the problem dog, either make your dog sit and get a treat, and see if the other dog will also sit, and then you can throw a treat to him/her, or just as you're going past and the dog comes out, throw the treat at it, away from your own dogs, as you don't want to start a food possession fight? I'm just thinking, and it could be completely wrong, that if you could get this problem dog to see you and your dogs approaching as a good thing, i.e., a treat comes his way, he may stop attacking. Of course there is the possibility that he will think he is being rewarded for attacking, which is why I've suggested going out either without your own dog, or just with the GD, so that you're more in control of the situation?