Question?

**turner** · 08-12-2002, 09:17 AM

Whenever one of our friends brings her 2 boys over, Phoebe barks and nips at the one boy. She doesn't growl but I don't know if she is playing or if there is something about that boy that she doesn't like. Our other friends have 3 girls and the youngest one Shelby (she is 3 years old) can do what ever she wants to Phoebe. She runs with her, almost tries to ride on her back like a horse. She grabs her ears and kisses her on the face and just about everything else.

Should I be worried about that boy with her, we do always keep an eye on them when playing out in the back yard. What could it be with Phoebe?

**sottice** · 08-12-2002, 09:47 AM

It sounds like there is something about that boy she doesn't like. I would be very watchful when the two of them are together.

**ChrisAK** · 08-12-2002, 10:38 AM

I ditto sottice. Dogs have this uncanny thing to be able to be better judgement of people than we are.

If my dogs don't like something or someone, they are not welcomed in my house.

**turner** · 08-14-2002, 08:34 AM

Ya, I feel the same way. Dogs are better judgement of people than humans are. They are able to sense things we can't.

An Adult is always out there when that boy is here, because we don't know what or how Phoebe will act. She has never done that with any other kid. She loves kids and is usually very protective of them.

The little boy (well he's 10) but his mother says he's a brat. So maybe Phoebe senses that he's not a very good kid.

**manda99** · 08-14-2002, 02:01 PM

Originally posted by ChrisAK

If my dogs don't like something or someone, they are not welcomed in my house.

I have seen Pork Chop react to 1 person badly and the guy was scared, got pissed and didn't stay long. He thought it was because he was black, but P.C. has been around our black neighbors and has NEVER been aggressive. So, that shot down his little argument. I think P.C. was just picking up a bad vibe that I kinda felt anyway but thought it was just because I didn't know the guy (he was a new roommate's friend).
Smokey didn't react the same way, but Smokey was also only about 3 months old and not very aware of things yet.

Anyway, it was interesting because we have people coming and going all the time and have had several parties with all kinds of people and as long as no one was being an ass the dogs have been 100% fun.

**ChrisAK** · 08-15-2002, 07:43 AM

It's amazing how instinct takes over even at a young age. Our dogs are very people socialized (other animals...not so good), but there have been a few that have gotten our male really worked up just by being around.

Most times it's really been fairly accurate, since 99% of the feedback we get from their aquaintenances has been accurate. We had a friend of ours one time introduce us to a friend of his. Immediately Rio (at the time 6 months) "hit" on him. Hair on the back of his neck stood up, he was posed in a locked stance, and bless his heart, his little eety beety growling. We found out later on that day, he was arrested for drug possession about an hour later.

Jazzmine caught a thief a week after adopting her. We knew it was the guy before the other person involved fessed up to it. Jazzmine immediately growled, barked, and locked as soon as he showed up with the cop. Had this not been him, Jazz's reaction would not have been so definate.

Yeah I would say, instinct and good judgement. I won't question either one of their judgements to this day either.