Leash/off leash aggression

A:I can't answer your question for sure, but the same thing happened to me and Copper (oooh bad grammar!) once in my mom's backyard!!! We were having a family reunion or some party with all of the family there. Well where I go, Copper goes too. So we showed up at my mom's and I had Copper on his leash and halti so he didn't go barreling out in the yard knocking people over. My cousin from TO was there and had brought his dog. So I kept Copper on leash and his dog comes over to check Copper out. Next thing I know he went after Copper!!! I covered Copper as best as I could until someone grabbed the other dog(I think people were afraid to get involved because of the Pit Bull ). My cousin then told me to take his leash and halti off because that's the reason why his dog went after Copper! So I did and they got along fine. I even have a pic of them together(but it's at work on computer). Weird isn't it??

A:Why are some people allowed to own dogs grrrr. So you obeying the dog laws are a cause for her dog to become aggressive. I have had people tell me this too but they are at least appologetic about it. Sorry I dont know if theres truth to it, but I think the person was really rude, Im a little sensative today cause the woman from accross the hall had her poodle tied up outside her door and he BIT me!!!!! He didn't hurt me Ipulled away in time but his teeth did graze my fingers and he was baring his his teeth just before so he wasn't playing. Idont know if it was because he was on his leash outside the door, so Im interested to hear the answer to this as well. BTW Im a "pit bull" owner so I cant kick up too much of a stink over this for fear of retrubution but my three year old grandson lives next door to me and that dog could hurt him!

A:The other person was rude to have made that statement - taking no responsibility for her own dogs bad manners - that said there is some truth in the statement.
A dog who PULLS against his leash towards another dog is forced into a body position that conveys aggressive intent. The head is high, the chest is pushed out and the energy is up. All bad body language in the other dogs mind. Then the other dog lunges at your innocent pup and your pup thinks "shoot, I was just trying to be friendlly and now he wants to eat me - guess I can't trust other dogs so maybe I should start getting nasty first to keep the likes of him away" thus begins the vicious (no pun intended) cycle of dog mis-communcation.
This is one more great reason to teach your dog not to pull against the leash.