I debated mentioning this because we are so new to this forum and we aren't known very well. However, I thought that it may be an advantage as it would more objective opinions on the subject.
I work during the day. Most days through the week, my MIL (actually my boyfriend's mother) will let my dogs out mid day to play if she has time or just to use the bathroom if she doesn't. It helps a lot because otherwise my dogs would be crated for 8 hours a day and I don't like for them to hold it that long if I can help it.
Anyway, my Lab hurt his leg the other day. Here is the thread on that if anyone is interested:
http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89814
He is doing better, and hardly has a limp anymore. Although, it is still a bit tender.
I wasn't here at the time this happened and this is just how it was related to me after I got off work.
She let my Mastiff, Uallis, out first. I told her to not let the dogs out together, like she normally does, because of Eddie's leg. They play with each other rough and Eddie, while he is better, is still on the mend. So she let Uallis out first. After he came back in, she let Eddie out. While he was out, she was just inside the kitchen, next to or close to the door, waiting for him to finish using the bathroom. She heard Eddie barking and went to investigate. When she went outside, she saw a UPS guy waving a clipboard in Eddie's face. Eddie had his ears flat, hackles raised, was growling and baring his teeth. She told the guy, "Stop waving that in his face!". The guy replied, "I'm not going to let him bite me!". She told me that the clipboard was aggravating Eddie even more and that is why she told him to stop waving it. She called Eddie to her and he readily came to her. The guy said something else, which regained Eddie's attention and he turned and started walking back to the guy, with the same behavior as before, bared teeth, ears flat, hackles raised and growling. The guy shoved the clipboard in Eddie's face again and started waving it. This time, instead of calling Eddie, she physically went and got him by the collar and he relaxed and calmly went with her into the house. That was the end of the situation. However, my MIL told me that the way Eddie was acting he was "this close" to biting the UPS guy. She said that she was certain that he would have if she hadn't intervened.
Now, Eddie is 2 years old. I've had him since he was 3 or 4 months. Yes, he was a handful as a pup but he has NEVER been aggressive with people...ever. He can be obnoxious...meaning that he tends to crowd people and occasionally it makes people uncomfortable. He can be standoffish when strange cars pull in the driveway, meaning that he'll bark at them from a distance until the person gets out of the car, then he will greet them, etc. We have had other delivery men come to the house with packages and he's never acted this way. Eddie is a very happy go-lucky dog. Before I would have sworn that he didn't have an aggressive bone in his body. The description I got today is a side of him that I've never seen before. Eddie is NOT aggressive...he LOVES people...a little too much most of the time.
We have discussed many theories of what could have happened for that minute that Eddie was outside w/o supervision. One was that he just took a dislike to the guy, for whatever reason. Another was that they guy did something to Eddie, like hit or kick him, before my MIL came outside. My boyfriend suggested that the guy could have bumped Eddie and with his hurt, although healing leg, it hurt him and he reacted this way. All of this is just speculation as we will never know what really happened in that short amount of time Eddie was alone with the UPS guy. However, in any of these scenarios I can't imagine that Eddie would actually bite someone. Although, I suppose every dog has their breaking point.
What worries me is that Eddie is not aggressive. When I was told about what happened, I was flabbergasted. That is NOT my dog. It isn't his personality. I admit that I started to panic because I could only think of two things if Eddie would have bitten the guy....lawsuit and that I could have had Eddie taken from me.
I'm a bit worried about how to handle this. My boyfriend suggested that he invite some friends (that aren't afraid of dogs and knowing the circumstances of course) of his that have never met Eddie over to our house to just see how Eddie reacts...to see if he acts this way again or maybe it was an isolated incident with just this particular UPS guy. I think that this is a good idea.
I've already decided to make a vet appointment for him. I plan on calling tomorrow from work to talk the situation over with them and discuss what medical issues could cause sudden aggression. He does have a hurt leg that I suppose could be hurting him worse that I know of. He doesn't hardly have a limp anymore but still I know it does bother him to some extent.
Personally, I think that Eddie showed restraint and showed that he didn't really want to bite the guy. He came readily when he was called...he backed off right away. When she had to go and get him, he relaxed and had no problem going into the house.
I'm worried about the whole thing. This isn't how Eddie is. We had company come over tonight as a matter of fact and Eddie was fine with them...however he knows them and they aren't strangers.
Sorry for the huge novel but I don't know what to think about the situation really. It's just unsettling to me.
I work during the day. Most days through the week, my MIL (actually my boyfriend's mother) will let my dogs out mid day to play if she has time or just to use the bathroom if she doesn't. It helps a lot because otherwise my dogs would be crated for 8 hours a day and I don't like for them to hold it that long if I can help it.
Anyway, my Lab hurt his leg the other day. Here is the thread on that if anyone is interested:
http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89814
He is doing better, and hardly has a limp anymore. Although, it is still a bit tender.
I wasn't here at the time this happened and this is just how it was related to me after I got off work.
She let my Mastiff, Uallis, out first. I told her to not let the dogs out together, like she normally does, because of Eddie's leg. They play with each other rough and Eddie, while he is better, is still on the mend. So she let Uallis out first. After he came back in, she let Eddie out. While he was out, she was just inside the kitchen, next to or close to the door, waiting for him to finish using the bathroom. She heard Eddie barking and went to investigate. When she went outside, she saw a UPS guy waving a clipboard in Eddie's face. Eddie had his ears flat, hackles raised, was growling and baring his teeth. She told the guy, "Stop waving that in his face!". The guy replied, "I'm not going to let him bite me!". She told me that the clipboard was aggravating Eddie even more and that is why she told him to stop waving it. She called Eddie to her and he readily came to her. The guy said something else, which regained Eddie's attention and he turned and started walking back to the guy, with the same behavior as before, bared teeth, ears flat, hackles raised and growling. The guy shoved the clipboard in Eddie's face again and started waving it. This time, instead of calling Eddie, she physically went and got him by the collar and he relaxed and calmly went with her into the house. That was the end of the situation. However, my MIL told me that the way Eddie was acting he was "this close" to biting the UPS guy. She said that she was certain that he would have if she hadn't intervened.
Now, Eddie is 2 years old. I've had him since he was 3 or 4 months. Yes, he was a handful as a pup but he has NEVER been aggressive with people...ever. He can be obnoxious...meaning that he tends to crowd people and occasionally it makes people uncomfortable. He can be standoffish when strange cars pull in the driveway, meaning that he'll bark at them from a distance until the person gets out of the car, then he will greet them, etc. We have had other delivery men come to the house with packages and he's never acted this way. Eddie is a very happy go-lucky dog. Before I would have sworn that he didn't have an aggressive bone in his body. The description I got today is a side of him that I've never seen before. Eddie is NOT aggressive...he LOVES people...a little too much most of the time.
We have discussed many theories of what could have happened for that minute that Eddie was outside w/o supervision. One was that he just took a dislike to the guy, for whatever reason. Another was that they guy did something to Eddie, like hit or kick him, before my MIL came outside. My boyfriend suggested that the guy could have bumped Eddie and with his hurt, although healing leg, it hurt him and he reacted this way. All of this is just speculation as we will never know what really happened in that short amount of time Eddie was alone with the UPS guy. However, in any of these scenarios I can't imagine that Eddie would actually bite someone. Although, I suppose every dog has their breaking point.
What worries me is that Eddie is not aggressive. When I was told about what happened, I was flabbergasted. That is NOT my dog. It isn't his personality. I admit that I started to panic because I could only think of two things if Eddie would have bitten the guy....lawsuit and that I could have had Eddie taken from me.
I'm a bit worried about how to handle this. My boyfriend suggested that he invite some friends (that aren't afraid of dogs and knowing the circumstances of course) of his that have never met Eddie over to our house to just see how Eddie reacts...to see if he acts this way again or maybe it was an isolated incident with just this particular UPS guy. I think that this is a good idea.
I've already decided to make a vet appointment for him. I plan on calling tomorrow from work to talk the situation over with them and discuss what medical issues could cause sudden aggression. He does have a hurt leg that I suppose could be hurting him worse that I know of. He doesn't hardly have a limp anymore but still I know it does bother him to some extent.
Personally, I think that Eddie showed restraint and showed that he didn't really want to bite the guy. He came readily when he was called...he backed off right away. When she had to go and get him, he relaxed and had no problem going into the house.
I'm worried about the whole thing. This isn't how Eddie is. We had company come over tonight as a matter of fact and Eddie was fine with them...however he knows them and they aren't strangers.
Sorry for the huge novel but I don't know what to think about the situation really. It's just unsettling to me.
