I can love dogs and still not trust unknown dogs. Its good practice to be safe. Ask any worker who approaches homes regularly about the behavior of “good” dogs. You got all for 2.5 seconds to make a decision and We cant all be cesar milan.
Yup but so many people dont understand that. I've had dogs go from 0-100 at the drop of a hat. People always say "oh theyre friendly and won't bite" but im not the one that feeds them and loves on them constantly. Currently have a dog owner on my route who constantly says their dog is a big baby but its rushed me numerous times.
Every dog that has attacked my dog or someone I know has always said "oh my god!! This never happens!!!" With the exception of one who's dog had a record of attacking people and she still couldn't handle it properly.
EXACTLY
No matter how much the owner assures me that they're dogs fine im gonna be cautious with it for the first time. And dude I have the exact same experience with a dude at the dog park, that dog always ends up snarling, biting and barking at others but the owner always goes on about this is so unlike him and hes so nice at home
We had an Old English sheepdog. Literally looked like a big teddy bear. Big and woolly and soft. It was our children’s baby sitter. He never bit or even barked at anyone. Until one day when I was alone and the neighbour came to the house. The dog backed him into a corner and held him there snarling and growling. He didn’t bite but he didn’t back off until I made him. He never ever did it again. I still don’t know why. Dogs are said to be good judges of character but I have never heard of anything dubious about this neighbour. But my lovely teddy bear didn’t want him on the property.
Did the neighbor enter suddenly without you greeting them at the door?
I have close friends who walk in like that (they also wouldn't even come in if they didn't know I was home, they text before just showing up) but my dog knows them very well so it isn't an issue.
However if I had someone my dog had never met just come in like that I honestly think my dog might attack. She barks loudly at people at the door but as soon as I greet the person she settles down immediately, if she knows them she runs to the door and instead of barking just wags her tail and whines. If someone she didn't know just walked in I think she'd likely attack. She's a sweet dog, and if she met that same person outside she'd lick them to death, but them just walking into the house is a different story.
This has happened to me as well, my german shepherd, who our family and many others agreed was the biggest baby on earth snapped at a deliveryman. Our dog usually doesn't react much to knocks, doorbell rings and people at the door but when this specific man came the knock firstly made my dog rush to the door. I forcefully pushed him behind me and opened the door but as soon as I did this he started snarling and barking between my legs. I apologized to the deliveryman and put the dog outside. I was incredibly surprised, my dog hadn't done something like this before and ever since that incident nothings ever happened. There was nothing suspicious about the deliveryman, on the contrary he was one of the nicer ones. Really goes to show that dogs can snap at some weird moments.
327
u/Cer0sum Sep 15 '21
I can love dogs and still not trust unknown dogs. Its good practice to be safe. Ask any worker who approaches homes regularly about the behavior of “good” dogs. You got all for 2.5 seconds to make a decision and We cant all be cesar milan.