Yeah...I do think it's some sort of energy that people give off. Kaia is very friendly and greets a lot of people she meets with her ears back and tail wagging. However, she does act differently around children. If she sees children that she doesn't know, she usually hides behind us. Although, she loves children I introduce her to.

Okay, I figured out one small part of it. The guy reaches out to pet Otis above his head with his palm down. Otis nipped at him again. I noticed it, and told him to come from below with his palm up toward his neck instead of over to touch his head. It worked. Otis is still very wary of him, but he's getting better. I never would've guess dogs could sense handicaps, but I'm very sure Otis does.

I am physically handicapped and my dogs pick up on it when I am having a bad day and are even more loving, bless their compassionate little hearts. I think dogs just like people pick up on the insecurities of people not knowing what to do around handicapped people at times. Isn't it great that we are all not just alike. I guess that is why God made so many different flowers to decorate this world. Love ya all. Have a blessed day!

Animals can sense things, I always said I didn't trust or like anyone my dog didn't. But maybe in this case they sense something different but don't know how to react to it so they try to send it away by snapping.

I dont know about the "energy" theorem, I thought bad vibes went out in the 70's.

Dogs are extremely perceptive of human actions and emotions. Thousands of years of selective breading and close quarters with people will do that to a species - it’s due to selective breeding. I know they pick up on anything out of the ordinary. Sometimes it bothers them and sometimes it doesn't.

There is a mentally challenged kid in our neighborhood that drives my male 1 y.o. crazy. He always makes a show of bravery if he's outside and we walk by his house, and the more this kid postures, the more my Yorkie barks his head off. The kid really seems to enjoy setting Gatsby off, so its not a big deal. Of course, other "strange" things bother Gatsby as well, such as trash bags on a windy day, helium filled birthday balloons, mail box covers, etc...

My son has ADHD and when his medication isn't working I can tell right away because my two little one will not snapp but they growl at timothy if he gets anywhere near him. This is very unlike them because they are normally all over him. They wake him in the morning and love all over him all of the time. He is there favorite out of all of my kids but they can just sense something is wrong and they are afraid of getting hurt or something. It is so strange.

If dogs can detect cancer, sense a seizure coming on etc why not a handicap?

I DO not believe it has anything to do with the individual person, special needs or not. Dogs need to be propperly socialized to accept ALL humans.
IMO, it is not a personal reaction towards the individual. It could be a smell. the voice, or any of the dog's senses that is making the dog uncomfortable.
Dogs are acutely aware of their environments and their senses are highly more develped then are's.
I have known dogs to behave completely opposite to people who are special needs .much more calmer, reacting submissive, and alowing the person to pet .
I blame the owner fo not exposing their dog to more people, and all different types of people. It is so inportant for any dog to have the propper socialization skills , and feel relaxed, calm and good towards humans .
My son has cognitive delays and is high functioning autistic, and I am also disabled.
We have never come accross a dog that has reacted indifferently towards us. The complete opposite hs occured.
I have taken my yorkie, Suzi to my son's Special Day Classroom. At his High School .these teenagers are all disabled with varying degrees of stuff.
Suzi was placed in the arms of these kids and she was a totally different dog. CAlm, and allowed the kids to pet her .
however, I am aware that NOT all dogs have good temperments. That is why i feel strongly about proper training and socialization skills taught to any dog.
I do not believe for one moment that it is the dog somehow "knowing" someone has a disability, therefore reacting negatively. That is a load of crock .
Train the dog propperly and to be socialized well. That way your dog will be comfortable, and happy with all people . This is what it is truely about.

Perhaps Otis picks up on your nervousness. Will Otis growl? Will he snap at him? You really want them to get along, so you worry as the man approaches that Otis may react badly. It may not be anything to do with the disability but more your concern that Otis be friendly toward him.

I'm sorry but I don't completely agree. I do think that dogs do need to be socialized but I do feel that dogs can feel a difference in people. My dogs can definitely tell me when there is a difference in my sons behavior. (not that I cannot already tell myself)

With a child with ADHD , they are overly active, and sometimes even out of control, when not medicated .
A dog will obvioulsy react to that type of behavior , therefore be uncomfortable , with a bouncy, hyperactive person possible invading the dogs space.
AS a former teacher, and a mother with a son that has been through ADHD I certainly can understand why a dog would growl, and become uncomfortable fast when a overly active person is near them!:rolleyes:
With a developmental disability people are not hyperactive as much as cognitively delayed, slower in their movements, and even withdrawn.
THis is why there is such thing as SERVICE DOGS< animal assisted therapy . ANd so on, it is a proven fact that the ADA and professionals recognize the positives a dog gives to people of special needs .
Again, not all dogs have the right temperment for that kind of training, or propper socialization as puppies to be even considered to do this type of work.
It is all about training, the dog, and its temperment.

Otis is 5 years old. He is very well socialized. He has never, ever snapped at anyone else his whole life.
This man is very gentle, and has a soft voice. I do pick Otis up when he comes to the fence, but I pick Otis up when anyone comes around because he's a bolt and runner.
All that matters is that Otis is doing better with him. Certainly didn't mean to offend anyone.

Glad that Otis is doing better with the disabled man. One does not know for certain why a dog would react in this manner to someone. Perhaps ,as I mentioned before, it may have been from a highly sensitive reaction to your dogs senses> A smell, voice tone , or anything, regarding the senses. Rather then a person with a disability. Or that the man was simply a new person to Otis.
However, If a dog has not ever been exposed to people who have disabilites , the animal is not going to know how to respond well. IMHO, the dog has NOT had these social experiences , which is why the dog became snappy, or it may have more do to with a fear aggression response. I am just throwing some logical ideas out on here.
It's never wise to autoamaticlly assume the dog is responding to a human negatively because the person has a disability:( If the dog was propperly trained and had many social encounters with all types of people, the dog would not respond in such a manner.
BTW, if the dog had bitten this person, the owner would be held accountable. Anther very important reason to expose dogs to all people. It is too easy to say my dog has Never...... then for the dog to react and bite a individual. By then , it is too late !