The girls meeting with a De-Muzzled Bully

Hi
On Friday Luke and i took our three cavaliers for their normal walk after i had finished work up The Wirral Way which runs along the water front of the Irish sea it was fairly cool so we were going at brisk walk when we met going the opposite way a lady with a friendly mongrel dog ,the dogs all exchanged greetings and sniffs and so we carried on ,the lady then shouted that if on our travels we bump into a large female Staff Bull Terrier with a muzzle on don't worry shes OK.
So onward we went and decided it was a cold wind off the sea and to head along another path a bit further inland away from the wind, so over we went then turned to head back to the car park and then looked up and 20 mt rs ahead blocking the path and just looking at us stood this great big bull terrier but her muzzle had been pushed sideways so her mouth and teeth were functional, i always carry quite a hefty 5 ft walking stick,Luke seemed a bit uptight and my girls were off lead and the bully then advanced towards us all i could think of doing was just carry on walking forward as normal and when the dog came to me i just talked to her She sniffed my dogs and Luke who was a bit nervous and then me but we continued on walking ,twice she stopped and we carried on thinking we had got away but each time she lifted her head up spied us and galloped straight after us.My thoughts then were she had not harmed the girls or Luke (my main thoughts ) so we may as well carry on walking back to the car park with me in the lead with the bully talking to her followed by the girls then Luke in the rear.Of course we all got back to the car park fine and her owner was waiting there for her she thanked me and we all went happily home. What should have i have done in this situation as when we first saw her standing there with no muzzle she looked rather intimidating and my three girls luckily have had no nasty experiences so they all approached her as they do other dogs mainly submissive with all tails twirling and i must say neither Luke and i were not to keen but i just thought continue forward and don't pick any of mine up and to talk to the other dog,Was this the correct way or should i have dealt with the situation another way I suppose in some way it worked out fine cos with following our crowd she got back to her owner and she was a superb specimen though a bit big and powerful

I also worry about the bigger breeds,Alfs was attacked about a yr ago on the beach.I also some times carry a riding crop,these dont break and are light to carry.We were at the park last nite and a man was walking a big dog but he kept it on the lead.I try to act cool becos i dont want Alfs to feel my worry.

It's always a worry.Daisy was attacked by a shitzu last week and thankfully he wasn't able to do too much damage.He was on an extendable lead which his owner couldn't operate.She just allowed him to run around me after Daisy and entangle my legs.On the plus side it allowed me to haul him up by the collar and pull him off her.
Unfortunately our dogs are so small they wouldn't stand a chance against a large aggressive dog.Happily it all ended well for you and the dogs.
Sins

I don't know if there is a right answer to this question ?
I would say you probably did the right thing by staying calm and maintaining a business as usual approach with all the dogs even the stranger, therefore no fear sensed ??
I would have stopped breathing in the same situation I think with fear.

Gosh I think you were very brave. Well done, I think keeping your cool was probably the best thing you could have done- however, I would have been going mental. Sounds like the other dog was confussed and frightened also and following you she may have felt safe. Glad it all turned out well.

I have to say, when I see a staff running toward me I am quite frightened. I look very carefully at their face to try and determine if they are coming to great or eat! All the ones I have met have been fine but always sit on my feet which I was told is a "you're mine" action.

Anyway, my trainer said if you see a staff off lead, put your dog on lead. She said once a staff bites, it won't let go.

Hi
Last night by chance i bumped into the girls trainer/behavior expert who took all the girls through all their good puppy and good dog classes ,and i told her about the encounter with the Staff and asked her opinion as to how i should of behaved and her comment was to walk the other way from the bull terrier.So what would be the correct action in this type of situation or if say you are out walking and a dog heads towards your dogs and you are unsure of its intentions or it approaches in a threatening manner ,what is the recommended course of action. .I must say though all the Staffs i have met have all been very very friendly its just that they possess the necessary equipment to do terrible damage to a little dog like a cavalier ,the most aggressive dog i have ever encountered was a Kerry Blue i owned a long time ago "Casey" as he was called wanted to fight anything on four legs and he tried to totally dominate our house unfortunately after two years perseverance i gave up and his breeder kindly agreed to take him back .

i know you shouldn't tar all dogs with the same brush, but if i am out walking with our 2 and i see a staffi or something similar, then i either keep my distance or walk the other way. i just don't risk it. a lady at work was out walking on the moors and her dog got attacked, it was by a husky type of dog, i saw the photos and it literally ripped her dogs back open, it was dreadful. they are taiking it to court. so that has made me more aware too. i always have our dogs on a lead when we are out and about and i wouldn't hesitate to pick them up if i was worried.

I think you did the right thing, often when I'm walking my two we see staffs but they are always on a lead, I always put Jasper on his lead and Gabby is never off her lead anyway as I don't trust her If you own a powerful breed like a staff, I personally think you have a duty to keep them on a lead under control, and in your shoes I may not have been to happy when seeing the staffs owner. Mind you I think staffs are a lovely breed as my uncle always owned a staff up until he died, all his staffs were docile but my uncle would always walk a staff on a lead. :xfngr: I have not witched myself and come across a loose staff don't think I be as brave as you.

Three wolf hybrids came running up at my Misha - they were enormous. Their owner obviously had no voice control over them whatsoever, and they were off lead. I just tried to get out of there as quickly and calmly as possible. Who brings a pack of wolf hybrids off leash to the park?

When I was a child, my small leashed dog was attacked by a larger loose dog. Fortunately, she only had some puncture wounds and healed OK. I carried mace while walking after that, though I'm unsure of the good it would do :/