Quote:
Originally Posted by gracielove  Sometimes the signals a dog lets off are subtle enough that we don't notice, but they do. Those dogs may have had something going on that was making your dog feel threatened or defensive. Who knows? It may have been a good thing that you were holding him. I never let Gracie down around other dogs until I am certain that all the signals are peaceful. Dog body language has to be studied. Having been attacked by another dog when my other dog was alive I am now really cautious about those things. |
It really doesn't matter much
what was going on...something clearly was...and Peanut was uncomfortable with it and issued a warning. It doesn't
have to have been something necessarily bad...just something to set Peanut on edge.
We took Mia to my son's house the day after we got her, and my son and granddaughter dog, Lady, 'surprised' us...and especially Mia, but I jumped, too, at first...at the window of the truck. DS met us at the truck to 'ease' the meeting for Lady...which he had not done when Brody met Lady and the two of them got along grandly and played until Brody collapsed on one on Lady's beds and Lady on the other. Mia, who was sweet as could be, good with other dogs, cats, and humans but
not bonded with us yet, saw an unfamiliar human face at the window and lit into barking. For that whole visit, she was extremely uncomfortable and tense, and playing was very stressed and almost non-existent...body language looking more like aggression/fear for both Lady and Mia...neither is aggressive or particularly fearful normally. Brody played with Lady fine when I held Mia.
The next time Mia went to DS's house to play with Lady, the scene was completely different, and they were great friends. When Lady came to our house, the three played well also with no issues. But that first day, Mia's alarms all fired at the same time, and there was no easing her discomfort or silencing her.
