->  WC> I only lead him up when I see a potentially aggressive dog.

-> In that case... (You know I was just yuckin' it up with you?)

Well didn't figure unprovoked belligerance was in your nature ;-)

-> As we talked before, I think you have a gem in Spanky. 
   
It was dead simple to train him, he wanted to please, I was pleased.
  
Oh yeah he spent his first two years in the hands of those that
wanted an attack dog.
When he came into my hands we had one bloodless _discussion_
over his taking a bath, nothing since :-)

-> My bias toward the
-> breed, is dismay at some of the idiots that don't know how to raise them, (Two
-> doors South of me.) or worse, the idiot that thinks they do! (Your gem's past
-> in consideration.)                    

Like the California girl whose Pit attacker owners said, "it'd always
been friendly" :-(
It's still a canine morons so you have to establish pack leader status.

I share your bias against the breed for those who own them having no
clue. 
They can be quite deadly and impossible to beat off if improperly raised
as most unfortunately are.

I don't believe I'd still be walking at all were it not for Spanky
and our twice daily walk.

-> Because he came from a questionable past, to a future beyond reproach, I have
-> no doubt you have a loyal, appreciative fella on your hands. 
   
Feeling is mutual.

-> Quite frankly, I
-> was always jealous when we conversed about him, because my deceased mixed breed
-> terrier sounds a lot like him. [(sic.) Which means, "Such is
life.")] I *know*
-> I don't have to worry about your appreciation of each other!

Terriers are smart but can be stubborn.

-> To what I've heard then, is the difference between my old guy and yours is, I
-> would never be able to walk him without a leash, because if he was interested
-> on an object, there was NO convincing him otherwise. I had worked the leash in
-> training in my yard for a 'lay-down and stay' with urgency, provided there was
-> no robin, or rubbish blow by, but his patience with a distraction was always
-> too much for his free-will. Short of negative physical reinforcement, 
   
worst punishment I've ever given to Spanky was not allowing him to 
sleep in bed with me for a night, expelled from  the pack for a night as
it were.
That's happened three times and not in a few years now :-(

-> I never
-> was able to break him of that. So I adapted to him, that if he was off leash,
-> we were either in a hurry, or did not have a thing on our agenda. I figured he
-> had a right to his personality, and short of a shock collar, this was one thing
-> he wasn't prepared to let go of.

I allow Spanky the freedom to just be himself as well however
where his safety is concerned he MUST obey.
I've even got one non-English command, a sound, that means
stop whatever you're doing he responds to.

Sorry about your losing your Terrier, it lay in the future for me as
well :-(

Right now I'm looking at Spanky taking me for my theraputic
walk in about an hour. 
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