not sure what this behaviour was?

[rawnzgrl]

Well Katy was with me last night at a baseball game. She does great with strangers of all ages stages and types. (big humans, kids, teenagers, other dogs etc.) She came home with me and my husband and a few of his friends were home playing golf on the playstation. Katy reacted very strangely to one of his friends. She mumbled (almost a growl) and yapped (almost a bark) at him several times. She kept looking at him, she really did not seem to like him or trust him. She has met him about three other occasions and she has never responded to him this way. I have never ever seen her respond this way to ANYONE! He is a bit of a goof ball, but I wouldn't say that he is a bad person at all, so I don't think it's like she had some sense about him? He had a pair of sunglasses on his head that had orange irridescent lenses. I told him to take them off, maybe they were freaking her out, but even after she warmed up to him a bit but she still seemed a bit freaked out by him? She laid in front of him with her head planted on the floor with eyes up on him. I didn't see that as the ROTTIESTARE that everyone talks about, it was almost submissive? This guy isn't a very large or brut man at all either so it's not like she had any reason to be scared of him?
Anyone experience this with thier dogs? I am just confused by it, it was definately targetted at him?

[rawnzgrl]

Seriously guys, would love to have some comments from others about this. This post seemed to have gotten lost in the shuffle. Let me know what others think about what is going on here?

[Rott-Wiley]

Maybe she just agrees with you? How old is Katy? Sometimes it is hard to figure out what exactly is going through their head. It would seem that something about that guy set her off and she was trying to communicate that to you.

[LORHEL]

Has Katy had "good/positive" encounters with this guy previously?

Does he likes dogs? Is he possibly afraid of her?

If none of the above makes any sense, (she would pick right up on any of that) some times dogs can sense things we can't, or maybe there are just some people they do not like, and we will never know why.

I'll try to help if you explain a little more... I can't imagine the sunglasses were that scary, unless she might be in one of her fear stages, but even then when you say its okay, usually that should be enough.

:)

[rawnzgrl]

Her previous experiences with him have been positive. The last time he was at our house, he even fed her for us? He has grown up with dogs and his dad's dog is as big as the couch and so he is not afraid of big dogs. Her experiences with all company at our house have been positive. She is always allowed to visit all of our company. She is always part of the group when we are sitting around visiting! I can't explain it... She is one year old now and has never ever gone through a fear stage. SHe is not over confident either though. She has always been a really great dog??

[LORHEL]

Well I wouldn't worry too much about it. Maybe you could have him give her some of her favorite treats, and see how that goes, the next time he is over.

Maybe he smelled different? It could be just about anything.

I would just keep an eye on it. Sometimes, we just don't know what they think they see or smell, etc...

[jollyfattroll]

OK, here's a guess! Did your husband's friend spend some time with his Dad's dog that day? Scent is a very keen sense with rotties. Mine behaved strangely, too, one day. I had petted a neighbor's beagle for a couple minutes while going out to get the mail. When I came back in, "Wrecks" started sniffing me and actually licked my pant legs, where the beagle had rubbed against me! (He LOVES to play with that beagle!) Maybe this little tidbit will help!

Good Luck!
Pete

[rawnzgrl]

No, he didn't spend time with is father's dog. They live in Ontario, we live in Alberta! But maybe he did smell funny, he is a machinist and was still pretty dirty from work. Maybe the metal smells turned her off? WHO KNOWS?!

[Rott-Wiley]

OK, I'm just going to put this out for what it is worth. Back in the mid '70s I had a C.D.X. Doberman who was extremely friendly with everyone that came to the house -- once we let them in. One day a friend of mine was due over the house to help me with a project. He had a friend show up last minute and he brought him along. My dogs (all 4 of them, 3 Dobermans & a GSD) met the guy and that particular dog took an immediate dislike to the guy. He even tucked his tail and grumbled when I told him to go and lay down somewhere else. Later that night we found out that the guy had been arrested for breaking and entering in some homes in the neighborhood. Needless to say, I never doubted that dogs judgment ever again, ever! Now, don't ask me to explain his behavior cause I sure don't understand what he knew that no one else did.