Unleashed small dogs

[starburst]

I took Lola (4.5mths old) for a walk last night around the neighborhood where we crossed 2 small unleashed dogs.
The first one,a boston terrier ignored his owner's call, walked up and started sniffing Lola non aggressively but the own was visibly panicked.
He yelled all the dog and it pissed me off because I didn't want Lola to feel like she did anything wrong.
A few houses later she was charged by a shih tzu that snapped at her while running circles around her.
I stayed calm as it was 2 little kids out with the dog but I was pissed.
I know this will happen again and I don\t want to come off as the mean neighborhood lady with the GSD. How should I handle a loose agressive dog next time.
I;m not afraid of Lola getting hurt but one snap from her and their dog would be seriously injured.
I'd love advice please.

[arycrest]

I'd rather be known as the mean old neighbor lady than have any loose dog harassing my dog ... my first allegiance is to protecting my dog.

[starburst]

The thing is I don't want to make a scene and scare MY dog, kwim.... she didn't do anything wrong.

[theteacher]

I would let them know that if their dog is not leashed and your dog bites, oh well. Some owners are just stupid, and you know what they say, "ya can't fix stupid" !

[arycrest]

You don't have to scare your dog when you tell someone to put his dog on a leash or not to let their dogs run loose.

[starburst]

Oh, I did tell them all of the above but I mean, what do I do physically to stop the small dog from getting at my dog short of kicking it ?

[Dotty]

I have the worst problem with those small dogs!! Around here they usually have no training, lunge, and challenge our dogs.
Thankfully, the neighbors have realized they need to avoid our two reactive gsdogs.

We now sit and treat our dogs when a little walks by.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

I think it's good to associate it as much as possible with good things - carrying treats to mark her good behavior, then keep you in front of your dog/away from them and keep walking.

You can also sternly tell the dog to go home. Obviously if big, threatening dogs were approaching, you'd need to take a different role, but it's good for our dogs to learn how to deal w/these things well and it sounds like your girl does. I have a dog who sounds like Regan in the Exorcist when he sees a strange dog approaching...

[GusGus]

Check your laws. I had the same problem when I moved. I had so many small dogs running around my neighborhood off leash or wasn't funny. They are ALL aggressive and they are all Chihuahuas. One bit my dog and to protect me, my dog, and the other dog I had to call animal control. Cause it originally snapped at me first.

[Lilie]

Originally Posted by JeanKBBMMMAAN

I think it's good to associate it as much as possible with good things - carrying treats to mark her good behavior, then keep you in front of your dog/away from them and keep walking.

I utilize the small dog as a training tool (a distraction). I'll pretend that I'm totally ignoring the small threat, while asking my dog to either do something different (Look!) or if my dog is reacting, then I'll ask my dog to continue walking forward, rewarding when my dog focuses on me and not the small threat. I do not ask my dog to sit, or stay. I want to remove him from the distraction.

I'll sweep out a leg and kick the dog, or shove it, or what ever it takes to keep it off my dog. But I try not to let my dog see ME react to the other dog. My reaction to the threat will dictate how my dog reacts. If I start screaming or scolding or shouting, it will cause my dog to react. I want my dog to ignore.

A bigger dog will cause a different reaction from me. That all depends on the size of the threat to my dog. If I don't feel I can safely ignore the dog and utilize the distraction as a training tool, then I will go into defense mode.

My focus and my responsibility is for my dog. I don't worry about what other folks will think, or if I make Suzie Dog Walker mad because I kicked her dog. I won't engage in a shouting match with the owner. If I do, I'm teaching my dog NOT to ignore but to react.