I've noticed every now and then when walking with Lady that she is very suspicious of some people but not others. We met a couple walking this morning and we've met them before. Very pleasant and chatty, but Lady will not approach within about 6 ft of them and if they approach her in a friendly way she backs away. I apologise for her (just to be polite) and generally suggest she is a bit timid and is afraid of strangers so best to leave her. I think if they'd persisted in approaching she would have either legged it of given them a warning - both of which I'd want to avoid. Then with the vast majority of other people she's really friendly and waggy and lets them pat and stroke her even on her head. Must be something in the body language I think that's not apparent to me but is to the dog. Anybody else?
Re: Wary of certain people How old is she? It's probably just something she hasn't encountered before, so she's being cautious. Best thing to do is ignore it completely, when she sees your fine with talking to them, she will be too.. It's difficult to get strangers to crouch down and offer treats but that would work!
Re: Wary of certain people Odd... I find Lilly over friendly generally : and haven't encountered this. interestingly one of our nurses who has a KCS had a visit at lunchtime from her dog and her son. Of course I went to say hello. No problem. Apparently her dog wouldn't go near one colleagues just a couple minutes previously. We are all dog owners. Only observation might be only one of the three of us were smokers . Could that be relevant? Sensitive souls our dogs ♥
Re: Wary of certain people [quote author=gad link=topic=6029.msg78194#msg78194 date=1400316211] How old is she? It's probably just something she hasn't encountered before, so she's being cautious. Best thing to do is ignore it completely, when she sees your fine with talking to them, she will be too.. It's difficult to get strangers to crouch down and offer treats but that would work! [/quote this wouldnt work with my eevee, would actually make things worse. Far better to leave a dog like this to come round in their own time. Eevee has a difference of opinion on people for no discernable reason but hers seems to be licationally based. I just leave her to it, as long as she doesnt react or leg it, im happy and most people will just leave her be. Its a problem if people get in her space and a couple of times ive had to ask people just to let her be. Other dog owners are usually the worst as they expect all dogs to like what their dogs like.
Re: Wary of certain people [quote author=hd link=topic=6029.msg78222#msg78222 date=1400323494] this wouldnt work with my eevee, would actually make things worse. Far better to leave a dog like this to come round in their own time. Eevee has a difference of opinion on people for no discernable reason but hers seems to be licationally based. I just leave her to it, as long as she doesnt react or leg it, im happy and most people will just leave her be. Its a problem if people get in her space and a couple of times ive had to ask people just to let her be. Other dog owners are usually the worst as they expect all dogs to like what their dogs like. [/quote] I know, I was being ironic you didn't think I was actually advocating handing out treat bags and social lessons to strangers??
Re: Wary of certain people David I wonder if the couple maybe had hats on or something Lady didn't associate with them. I was walking Hattie a few months ago and a man approached us and didn't interact with her but she barked and I think it was because he had a flat cap on : she never barks at anyone. Yes they are odd souls xx
Re: Wary of certain people Hi Gordon - well she's 4 1/2 actually so it's not a new puppy thing. Not a problem really I just thought it was interesting that some people are obviously slightly scary and others that look just the same to me aren't. Hi Helen - one of my neighbours has 2 Jack Russels and a son aged about 3. He was coming across the field towards us a while back with his son on his shoulders. Lady went berserk barking until he popped his son on the ground and Lady managed to sort herself out and say hello politely. Large version of the flat cap I suppose. ;D
Re: Wary of certain people Hi David, interesting isn't it, maybe it's the 'dogs don't generalise' gene
Re: Wary of certain people Our neighbour was kneeling down weeding at the top of his garden - Tatze barked at him : She doesn't bark at all when we walk past him normally, she obviously didn't think kneeling was 'on'! :
Re: Wary of certain people [quote author=David link=topic=6029.msg78258#msg78258 date=1400330403] Hi Helen - one of my neighbours has 2 Jack Russels and a son aged about 3. He was coming across the field towards us a while back with his son on his shoulders. Lady went berserk barking until he popped his son on the ground and Lady managed to sort herself out and say hello politely. Large version of the flat cap I suppose. ;D [/quote] ;D ;D ;D xx
Re: Wary of certain people Years ago when megs was a puppy (must have been summer of 2000) hubby and I had gone to our local for a drink with meg and it was boiling hot. This bloke walked in wearing a long leather coat, got his drink and sat down. Meg belly walked until she could see him and then started growling at him. We made her come back (she was on lead), made her lie down but she did exact same thing again. He only had the one drink and was off. Don't know if was the leather coat or just something about him she didn't like. She's never done it since. She's always friendly to everyone she meets.
Re: Wary of certain people Barley says people are scary and are terrifying : Some people he loves (especially the ones who feed him yummy treats) and some people he hates and won't go near even if he sees them regularly or see's them making a big fuss of puzzle he won't budge. Where we live we find that doggy people are much more accepting of his nervousness of people, they read the signs that he he is uncomfortable with the situation and leave him alone or ask or we try and work to at least get him to take a biscuit from them to teach him that strangers can be good. Non-doggy people around here are a nightmare, most don't ask before stroking and just let their kids run over to him and cuddle him like a big teddy bear . Thankfully he is not aggressive he just backs away and looks terrified, i can't say that he won't get aggressive if put in the wrong situation, i.e. no escape route and being surrounded by strangers (his and my nightmare) so we always have to ere on the side of caution with him.
Re: Wary of certain people My friends lab (very similar to Lady in age and build) growls at men with cameras......quite odd!
Re: Wary of certain people When I was in Primary school in the late 1960s, in Ausie, I went to my school's annual fancy dress ball. My mum made me a gypsy outfit. I walked home on my own ( I guess we did in those days) and as I approached where we lived my dad and my Labrador, Sam, were waiting for me. Sam didn't recognise me and really barked at me as I came closer to my dad, he was the gentlest animal ever usually and I had never seen him that way. As soon as I said "What's the matter Sam? he nearly wet himself with joy and almost turned himself inside out greeting me. He obviously was protecting my father. They are both sailing around Australian waters in 'heaven' with my mum now!
Re: Wary of certain people Poppy was quite nervous of strangers as a pup, but is much better now. However, she is sometimes odd around people who are nervous of dogs. Maybe they give off extra adrenaline or something?
Re: Wary of certain people [quote author=gad link=topic=6029.msg78234#msg78234 date=1400325824] I know, I was being ironic you didn't think I was actually advocating handing out treat bags and social lessons to strangers?? [/quote] I don't know what's ironic about it Gordon I do it all the time. No seriously I do. Not with complete strangers mind you. My dogs have nervous aggression towards people they don't know due in part to a very unfortunate experience at the vets when they were pups. If you are into dog psychology it was right in the middle of their second fear phase. The easiest way to get them to accept close proximity of people and hopefully move onto touching is for them to associate people with treats not fear.
Re: Wary of certain people I agree Jen, even now when I am walking with friends and their dogs we all treat each others dogs for good behaviour, even our lovely Postman has dog treats in his van and always gives some to Hattie and Charlie so they always have good associations. Can't do any harm especially with a puppy x Infact I have always got really good treats and all the dogs I know when out and about always come to see me, sit firmly infront of me waiting patiently ; x
Re: Wary of certain people This thread reminds me of Lilly's manic barking last year when we were on holiday on the west coast. We popped into Inverary and visited the old fashioned sweet shop. I think she had a right to be suspicious of the sweetie seller ;D (I guess you might be able to tell we are in Scotland )
