HI
I had a visit yesterday from a member of my family I'm not that keen on, dont usually see her very often but she called round unexpectedly yesterday with her 2 children who are affraid of dogs. I have a 14 month old GSD bitch with a loud bark and she barked alot at them yesterday, the kids wouldn't come in the house so I shut the dog in the kitchen, ( which I dont usually do when visiters come round) she still carried on barking for a while then she started cryiong so I put her on her lead (to make the kids feel a safe) and brought her out the kitchen she was fine at first and just snifed them all then when the kids mum went to stoke her she went for her as if to bite her, she is not normally like this and it worried me abit, luckerly I pulled her back in time and nothing happened but of course I had to put her back in the kitchen and they left soon after.
Why did she do this was it becouse she was on her lead or would she have been able to tell that I didn't like this person and that I was a bit on edge about her arriving at my house uninvited?
I am hoping this is a one off normally she is fine with anyone that comes to our house I have a teenage daughter so we have alot of different kids visiting she is always ok with them all even ones she doesn't know.
Thanks
k

im afraid to say that part of might have been your fault. but first YES dogs can tell if someone likes them or not, better then we can infact. they can sense and you'll proberly find that if shes never done it before it was that person.

the bit that u didnt help with was u locked her in the kitchin. her own home. and then you had her on a lead, she might of been better off the lead.

i understand that you done this to protect the visitors.

well look at it this way, they might not come round unexpectedly again!

Yes she could probably tell they were scared - and GSD's aren't known for being terribly brave around unpredicatable people :( being on the lead meant she had to face them, so resorted to her top line of defence as a dog usually prefers to 'flight' rather than 'fight'...... :( Next time make sure being shut away is a pleasant experience - I use a crate for my nervous dog which is fine so long as people just ignore her - that is her 'safe' place.

Thanks for your advice, yes I can see what the problem was I should never have put her on her lead, or shut her away in the kitchen, I'll know better next time if there is a next time that is! Afterall this is her home too why should she be shut away. thanks again.
k

be careful-because if you misjudge the situation, leave her loose and unleashed and she bites someone. she could end up in deep trouble./

Hi,

One thing I have noticed about people who don't like dogs or are afraid of them (or just not used to being around them) is that they tend to hold or wave their hands over the dogs head but not allow the dog to sniff them, usually pulling their hands away quickly when the dogs nose comes near, this often causes the dog to jump at them or, if done for long enough, snap at the hands. Even a really sound dog can be persuaded to eventually snap at a hand which is continually snatched away. Trollgirls friends are often guilty of this behaviour and she has been instructed to take notice of this and educate them.

Another thing that truly scared people often do is keep an eye on the dog, often looking directly at the dogs face. A situation that can certainly make a dog feel threatened and react accordingly.

i really agree dill - my eyes have been absolutely opened over hte past 2 months that we've had our pup. we never had one before and i've never known too many doggy people so learning curve's been enormous.

it really highlights it now when we meet un-doggy people with our pup - they automatically go to stroke her head and wave hands around her face, jerking them away when she - funnily enough - makes a move to sniff them and hten she gets really interested! its hard getting kids to keep still and calm enough not to excite her some times but that just shows how much supervision the two need together, esp if the kids aren't used to dogs.

i also really notice how friends who don't have dogs but who aren't scared just want to come and rub all her head and ears! Can't believe they don't think she might not like it - luckily she is a cavalier so would rather have uncomfy attention than none but i still try and tell them all to let her sniff hands and stroke her back first.

Dizzy Shes never done any thing like that before when she has been loose, I think it was a combination of me being tense, shutting her in the kitchen, her being on a lead and her being able to tell the children were scared of her! reading the replys I got it makes sence really! But if they come round again I will be careful that goes without saying, but I dout it will be anytime soon.

Dill what you said makes sence to, and come to think of it that was what was happening, it was almost as if she was hesatating (spelling) with her hand not sure whether to touch the dog or not.
K

Hi K,

If she is reliable on a down-stay the next time visitors come put her in the position, let the visitors settle, release her and let her check them out when she is relaxed. She should be fine. Dog friendly visitors can help by giving her a treat when she stops by to give them a sniff.

Years ago I had a GSD who could be a real pain with visitors. She would bark, just once, to see if they were scared of her. If they were she would let them settle, eventually get to the point where she had them stroking her, and then when they would get up from their chair she would give them another "woof" to watch them quiver. You could almost see her grin. GSDs are real smart and very sensitive to people indeed.

Stacey

I'm afraid i really can't understand how a mother can let both children develop a fear of dogs. One is understandable, these things happen but if both were scared then it makes me wonder if the mother is also not a dog lover. My young cousin is scared of dogs, but his parents pander to it which makes it worse. I think dogs can definately sense if someone is fearful, body language alone can tell them, as it has been mentioned. I think the dog was most probably confused. As someone said it is her house and if the visitors knew that you had a dog i think it is unfair to expect you to separeate her from everyone else just becuase they don't like dogs. Having an unruly dog i can understand your position, you have to make them feel safe, but i would tell the mother that its about time she helped her kids get over their fear.

hi

maybe she sensed you were a little uptight which made her feel uneasy probably a good idea to let her meet more children so's that this experience does'nt put her off for life, if people come to my house who are nervous of dogs i don't let the dog in whats the point its no good for the visitor and no good for the dog!