Oakley attacks certain people...what do you think of this?

Dreeza

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#1
Ok, so this has happened maybe about 5-6 times in his life...

but it just happened yesterday...so I wanted to get y'all's opinion.

On walks, Oakley pretty much ignores people. If he does actually pay attn to them, its cause they have a treat or something, lol. Usually people *want* to pet him, but he is too busy sniffing around to care.

Anyways, there have been ~6 people now that he VICIOUSLY reacts to. All have been at very close distance...i.e., we are calmly walking towards them, and right as we pass he FREAKS out...like horrible, vicious barking.

Luckily, after the first time, I've been able to pretty accurately predict every other person...usually its a cracked out looking african american (I don't think its that he is racist...but unfortunately as close to detroit as I lived, most cracked out ppl walking in my neighborhood were black).

He has been leashed every time, so other than one scared dude, no injuries occurred.

Once I was at a party with him & this white dude walks in (that seemed high on something) & Oakley FREAKS out at him...he was obviously not leashed, but luckily, he was just viciously barking & did not bite. I quickly removed him from the situation.

Yesterday, I didn't see it coming though. There was a very pleasant looking black man (he was probably homeless), and right as we passed Oakley flips.


So what gives?


To be realistic, I don't think this is ever something I could train out of him...there is obviously something he is reacting to that he is only sensing at a very close distance. Is it possible that they are all on a certain drug? Maybe one that Oakley's previous owner was on?

Anyone else's dog do this? Anything I can do other than just do my best to try to predict the people he is going to react to & just cross the street?

Thanks...
 

milos_mommy

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#2
He certainly probably smells a drug or SOMETHING, especially if they all seem like they're on drugs, and it's only happened a handful of times. Was he possibly abused in his previous home?

I'd just be very cautious approaching strangers with him, honestly I don't think it's the kind of thing where you can call up your cracked out black friends for help...especially if he's okay with black people and has gone after a while person with similar traits...and be like "hey wanna help me train my dog to be less afraid of druggies?"

Are there any warning signs, like does he appear anxious or growl a little before he full on tries to go for them? Because then you could just avoid him, I'd definitely try to keep him from getting too close to suscpicious looking passerby
 

ACooper

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#3
Phoebe is one of the most kindest, out going, laid back, LOVING dogs you will ever meet in your life, no exaggerations. Enter a person who's impaired by alcohol or drugs and you will see a different dog entirely, again, no exaggerations. She is automatically on guard, won't take her eyes off them for love or money. If she feels they are over stepping their bounds in ANY way........she's on it.

I know more dogs who are leery of people when alcohol is involved.........it stands to reason they would be the same if drugs were involved as well. I mean think about it, we KNOW dogs who can tell chemical shifts inside people before they have a seizure, or other things like that..........how much EASIER is it to tell/smell when a person is on drugs or alcohol? Even us lowly PEOPLE can do that without our nose, LOL

They know when something is not "right" IMO. I agree with Milo, you may want to notice for more "signals" from him and avoid when possible.
 

Baxter'smybaby

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#4
I have had this happen--again with someone who had been drinking. Baxter went crazy when our neighbor (who is a great guy, visits us often, and spends lots of time here)--but this day the neighbor had been drinking and it really put Baxter on alert. Luckily I don't experience this kind of stuff alot--so I don't have to 'manage" it the same way you seem to need. But I do believe our dogs can tune into things about people that maybe we miss on first glance.
 

Snark

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#5
My old dog, Patch, had a thing about teenage guys - not all of them but a few set her off and she'd go after their ankles. Never barked or growled a warning, but she'd get a 'hard' look in her eyes that I learned to identify pretty quick and either warn them away or take her someplace else.

Mom used to borrow Patch for a walking companion and there was one guy in her neighborhood that always raised Patch's hackles. He never did anything but Mom always heeded Patch's warning and stayed away from him.
 

Doberluv

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#6
Nope. My dogs all seem to be very stable around everyone. They like drunk people just fine. No one has ever been violent to them with the exception of Toker when she was a pup. But she's somehow gotten over all that pretty much. Only loud, anxious sounding voices make her a little fearful. So, I don't know what to tell you. I don't think the smell of someone who takes drugs should make a dog react viciously. I am more inclined to blame it on a somewhat sketchy or unstable temperament.

If it's only one race of people that the dog reacts badly to, I'd wonder about his socialization history and temperament. Of course, living in Idaho, my dogs haven't had much socialization with African Americans but when I visit in Seattle, they may pass a black person and they don't react any differently than they do anyone. They go past people with drugs on them, no doubt and there is no adverse reaction.

So, socialization, desensatization exercises, associating those he reacts to positively etc is all I can think of to help. Click to Calm and like books might help. If it's on account of his in born temperament, it would take a lot of practice to try and compensate for it, even a little. JMO. Management is the best thing you can do to prevent any accidents.
 

bubbatd

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#7
I've never had those situations , but I would say it is all scent related .
 

Dreeza

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#8
I am more inclined to blame it on a somewhat sketchy or unstable temperament.
yahhh, as you prob know, Oakley isn;t exactly the most stable of all dogs :lol-sign:

I really wish I knew his past...he was found in detroit, so there is a high chance that he was around drugs. Who knows what they did to him :( He was unstable from day 1, so it is really hard to know if it was his breeding or his experiences.

Its def not a race thing though...he has met plenty of black people who he loves. (thank god too...I would be totally mortified if my black dog was racist, LOL).


haha, Milo...yeah, I also figured it would be innappropriate to ask the guy "hey, what drugs are you on???"

I am gonna have to be more attentive when looking for warning signs...we were on a run, so its not like i was staring at him,...but he wasn't pulling on the leash, so I didnt realize a reaction was coming until it was too late. I am just so glad I had him on a short enough leash where there was no issue!

It is good to hear that other people have similar issues with their dogs...makes me feel a little better!
 

Brattina88

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#9
Hmmm.... could be a certain smell, the way the men walk, or act. Were they wearing hats? Or long coats? Strong colone? Were they giving you a weird vibe?

I can only thing of two slightly similar situations that I've been in sort of like this, but I know what provoked them. Once, was at the park, I was walking Missy the GSD (parents dog. she and I are very close). We turned around this corner of trees, and there was a man standing there by the creek. He looked at me, smiled a weird smile, and flashed me. Missy hit the end of the leash so hard it nearly knocked me over - barking and snarling. She was doing her job ;)
The other time, I was getting home(parents home) late. They have a pretty closed in, private driveway because of the way the bushes, trees, and the neighbors house are. I had just turned the car off, and placed my hand on the car door to open it when Maddie startled me with her deep, serious, growling that curled into a serious of big dog barks :p There was a man ducked behind the tall bushes, I don't know why he was hiding there but I just about freaked!

Anyway, I think its never too late to socialize ;)
I agree with this as well :)
So, socialization, desensatization exercises, associating those he reacts to positively etc is all I can think of to help. Click to Calm and like books might help. If it's on account of his in born temperament, it would take a lot of practice to try and compensate for it, even a little. JMO. Management is the best thing you can do to prevent any accidents.
 

Lolas Dad

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#10
He might actually make a good drug sniffing dog. Wouldn't it be interesting to have a cop walking with you and every dog that Oakley came across that he barked at were searched and either high on drugs or were carrying drugs :lol-sign:
 

Tazwell

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#11
Ha! I live in Metro Detroit. Never knew you were so close to me.

Anyway, I've seen a few dogs in my training classes that are more wary of african american people-- especially puppies. Probably simply because they haven't been socialized to people properly, and have never experienced a person with dark skin, who's eyes and facial features may not be as easy for them to read.

But more often than not, I see dogs reacting to things like a hooded jacket, or winter coat. You'd probably see that on a lot of people who Oakley is reacting to.
 

ACooper

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#12
Nope. My dogs all seem to be very stable around everyone. They like drunk people just fine. No one has ever been violent to them with the exception of Toker when she was a pup. But she's somehow gotten over all that pretty much. Only loud, anxious sounding voices make her a little fearful. So, I don't know what to tell you. I don't think the smell of someone who takes drugs should make a dog react viciously. I am more inclined to blame it on a somewhat sketchy or unstable temperament.

If it's only one race of people that the dog reacts badly to, I'd wonder about his socialization history and temperament. Of course, living in Idaho, my dogs haven't had much socialization with African Americans but when I visit in Seattle, they may pass a black person and they don't react any differently than they do anyone. They go past people with drugs on them, no doubt and there is no adverse reaction.

So, socialization, desensatization exercises, associating those he reacts to positively etc is all I can think of to help. Click to Calm and like books might help. If it's on account of his in born temperament, it would take a lot of practice to try and compensate for it, even a little. JMO. Management is the best thing you can do to prevent any accidents.
I know this was your opinion directed at Dreeza for Oakley. I just wanted to say that Phoebe has a BOMB proof temperament. She is fabulous with humans and other dogs. She has never had a single issue meeting/greeting strangers/strange dogs. She is not shy, fearful, and nothing shakes her...........not even gun shots, fireworks, or thunder (she actually LOVES those things and wants to be in the middle of them :rolleyes: )

She has wonderful judgment skills in every situation I've seen her in.........with people AND other dogs. I am telling you right now, she does NOT trust people who have altered their state of mind with drugs or alcohol. It has nothing to do with the smell of alcohol..........she doesn't get upset or on guard when she smells beer or wine, LOL........she DOES however get on guard if there is a drunk person in the vicinity. She watches them closely, it's not out of fear because she is afraid of NOTHING I've ever found...........it's because she KNOWS they aren't "right" at the moment and she's making a judgment call IMO.

She (with all her 38lbs) protected me from a construction worker who had been working at our home for over a MONTH. She saw him everyday, knew him, had played with him, he was in and out the front door CONSTANTLY on a daily basis. He came to work drunk one day, came in my front door and proceeded down the hall to where I was. Phoebe hopped out from under the desk, put herself between us and warned him with a growl not to come any closer. THAT confused me..........she KNEW this person, she greets EVERYONE with a happy tail and heart..... WHAT was going on?

I had yet to notice his intoxicated state, she hadn't. He paused at her warning, but decided to come closer........I grabbed her collar as she lunged for him! When I realized he was drunk I understood her protests. Luckily, the other workers were on the job including his supervisor. He was NOT a nice man on that day, I can tell you that..........what could have happened if she had NOT made that judgment call? I don't know, but I trust her instincts and nobody could ever convince me to do differently or attempt to train that out of her :)
 

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