Question for you all that I started to think about more following the "guardy" thread in the general dog chat.
Boo is an odd little dog that I still haven't quite managed to wrap my head around, despite having had her for nearly 6.5 years now. Here's the scoop. She is friendly with the family and has never had an issue with my sister's husband (despite him being introduced years after adopting Boo) or my boyfriend (same thing there). She is readily accepting of many of my friends, some of my parent's friends, several of my brother's friends, quite a few relatives that we don't see but once or twice a year, and an odd assortment of random strangers that pass through our house.
We had a group of six carolers walk into our foyer over Christmas and Boo sniffed and greeted them without so much as an eye blink.
Yet sometimes (and it's not a rarity either), she just doesn't deal well with particular people. She has never bitten and I honestly don't even think she has ever attempted to nip, but she puts on quite the verbal display when she wants to.
Specifics that I've noticed:
1) She reacts more when someone rings the doorbell and is then let in (versus just letting themselves in). She tends to react the best when others come in with us or if she is let in after them. Sometimes her reaction (for the duration of the stay) will be determined by the manner of entry, but vary between two occasions with the same individual.
2) She can easily be taken care of by neighborhood kids at our home while we are out of town.
3) Our foyer narrows into a hallway (and Boo typically trots down the hall into the foyer to arrive at the front door). If she is going to react, but hasn't yet reacted to the people entering the foyer, it's a fair bet that she will as they move "into" her bubble. If they were to walk away from her, yet still deeper into the house (the foyer alternatively opens to a staircase or the dining room), she is less likely to react.
4) She moves at people, rather than away. If someone walks into her space and she isn't liking it, she'll jump up at the person (without touching them) and put on a barking/growling display. I can call her or physically take her away, but she doesn't move herself away out of fear.
5) She settles down as soon as any person is seated and inside, but will continue to get aggravated if they stand up and move around and she doesn't like them.
6) There is no obvious pattern among those that she "likes" and those that she doesn't. She is happy as a clam with my 6'4" friend, but typically reacts to his 5'5" girlfriend. She loves my boyfriend, but hates his mom (albeit his mother has a loud voice). She doesn't usually react to kids acting quietly, but she will react if they try to hug her, etc. She dislikes some men and is fine with others (e.g. she hates my neighbor who is a big, bulky guy, but is perfectly content with my sister's husband who is 6' something and also has a big, military frame).
7) She does not react in public (typically... the only time I can recount was when man startled her about 30 feet up an otherwise remote trail. She growled a little at the time, but then passed him without trouble). She does react at other houses (lake house and my apartment at school to name a few)
8) She will readily take treats from pretty much anyone, even if .5 seconds prior, she was throwing a fit about them. It doesn't mean that she will like them after they're finished feeding her treats. Keep in mind that she is food motivated, but not overly so (and I have seen her refuse treats in settings that stress her out).
9) She has some other anxiety issues (afraid of thunder/gunshots, doesn't like being outside in the dark, etc. etc.), but is also likely a chow mix.
There you go! Feel free to ask questions. She is truly an excellent dog, has never suggested that she is dangerous, and is under control, so no worries there. That said, I'd like opinions on what you think is the trigger of these reactions. My guess has always been anxiety, but bullets 4,6 and 8 seem to be inconsistent with a truly anxious dog. It could be guardyness, but bullets 1 and 2 seem to suggest otherwise, as does bullet 6 if you consider that she doesn't always act this way.
I still tend to think that it stems from anxiety more than anything, but I would like input.
Boo is an odd little dog that I still haven't quite managed to wrap my head around, despite having had her for nearly 6.5 years now. Here's the scoop. She is friendly with the family and has never had an issue with my sister's husband (despite him being introduced years after adopting Boo) or my boyfriend (same thing there). She is readily accepting of many of my friends, some of my parent's friends, several of my brother's friends, quite a few relatives that we don't see but once or twice a year, and an odd assortment of random strangers that pass through our house.
We had a group of six carolers walk into our foyer over Christmas and Boo sniffed and greeted them without so much as an eye blink.
Yet sometimes (and it's not a rarity either), she just doesn't deal well with particular people. She has never bitten and I honestly don't even think she has ever attempted to nip, but she puts on quite the verbal display when she wants to.
Specifics that I've noticed:
1) She reacts more when someone rings the doorbell and is then let in (versus just letting themselves in). She tends to react the best when others come in with us or if she is let in after them. Sometimes her reaction (for the duration of the stay) will be determined by the manner of entry, but vary between two occasions with the same individual.
2) She can easily be taken care of by neighborhood kids at our home while we are out of town.
3) Our foyer narrows into a hallway (and Boo typically trots down the hall into the foyer to arrive at the front door). If she is going to react, but hasn't yet reacted to the people entering the foyer, it's a fair bet that she will as they move "into" her bubble. If they were to walk away from her, yet still deeper into the house (the foyer alternatively opens to a staircase or the dining room), she is less likely to react.
4) She moves at people, rather than away. If someone walks into her space and she isn't liking it, she'll jump up at the person (without touching them) and put on a barking/growling display. I can call her or physically take her away, but she doesn't move herself away out of fear.
5) She settles down as soon as any person is seated and inside, but will continue to get aggravated if they stand up and move around and she doesn't like them.
6) There is no obvious pattern among those that she "likes" and those that she doesn't. She is happy as a clam with my 6'4" friend, but typically reacts to his 5'5" girlfriend. She loves my boyfriend, but hates his mom (albeit his mother has a loud voice). She doesn't usually react to kids acting quietly, but she will react if they try to hug her, etc. She dislikes some men and is fine with others (e.g. she hates my neighbor who is a big, bulky guy, but is perfectly content with my sister's husband who is 6' something and also has a big, military frame).
7) She does not react in public (typically... the only time I can recount was when man startled her about 30 feet up an otherwise remote trail. She growled a little at the time, but then passed him without trouble). She does react at other houses (lake house and my apartment at school to name a few)
8) She will readily take treats from pretty much anyone, even if .5 seconds prior, she was throwing a fit about them. It doesn't mean that she will like them after they're finished feeding her treats. Keep in mind that she is food motivated, but not overly so (and I have seen her refuse treats in settings that stress her out).
9) She has some other anxiety issues (afraid of thunder/gunshots, doesn't like being outside in the dark, etc. etc.), but is also likely a chow mix.
There you go! Feel free to ask questions. She is truly an excellent dog, has never suggested that she is dangerous, and is under control, so no worries there. That said, I'd like opinions on what you think is the trigger of these reactions. My guess has always been anxiety, but bullets 4,6 and 8 seem to be inconsistent with a truly anxious dog. It could be guardyness, but bullets 1 and 2 seem to suggest otherwise, as does bullet 6 if you consider that she doesn't always act this way.
I still tend to think that it stems from anxiety more than anything, but I would like input.