# Totally suprised at Cruisers reaction.....



## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Shadow is getting growly. He has now growled 3 times at people. This over a 6 year time period. Once when a young child was throwing here hands around near him. Once when a man approached me and just recently at the Vets office when a tech he used to know walked in with her son. Shadow loved this kid. He has Down's and he took care of Shadow as a pup. He didn't growl at Vinnie, but he growled at his mother. It was just a low muffled sound, but I didn't like it. I easily got him to relax, but still...


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

There was something about the woman's handicap that did not sit well with Cruiser. My first dog use to react this way with a young man who worked in a pet store I shopped at. This was the only persom she ever reacted this way towards in her lifetime and I found it rather uncomfortable and embarassing. And I tried all kinds of things to get her to accept him and she just could/would not.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Maybe he got some weird vibe from her or the parents. 
I think dogs have such heightened senses about people. Almost other worldly.

The only person my dogs have ever growled at was a guy who was renting our neighbors basement. The guy barked and growled back at them (very mature) so when ever he came out, I took them in. He gave me the creeps too so I trusted their judgement. He doesn't live there anymore, thankfully!


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

At first I thought it was because she was very loud, but then again my house is loud with kids and video games, Dont know if it was her body language, as she walked closer to him he would growl and then look at me like help get her away from me and he started shaking.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Could have picked up a scent? I know the Vet said the woman Shadow didn't like has a number of dogs and they are so sensitive to things we just cannot see or relate to.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Kimm said:


> Could have picked up a scent? I know the Vet said the woman Shadow didn't like has a number of dogs and they are so sensitive to things we just cannot see or relate to.


They have no dogs or cats, for that matter no pets what so ever.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Maggies mom said:


> They have no dogs or cats, for that matter no pets what so ever.


People carry their own scent, too. Maybe there was some different body language going on. Shadow couldn't figure out why those little hands were flying when he growled. Moments before he had been licking Jillian all over, but she was in her stroller.


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

Maybe he sensed fear or something coming from her.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Debles said:


> Maybe he sensed fear or something coming from her.


It was something from her.... she didnt back away from Cruiser when he growled.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

I some how left out that the young man in the pet store was a disabled person with disabilities.

Sorry if that was not apparent


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Sounds like he sensed her disability and it upset him. He's probably never met someone with her 'vibe' before. Sam noticed these things but his reaction was less pronounced. We had a neighbor who had cerebral palsy. When Sam came in contact with him, he became very leery though without the growling or barking. Over time, Sam accepted my neighbor and was no longer spooked. Has he ever met people with disabilities before?


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

paula bedard said:


> Sounds like he sensed her disability and it upset him. He's probably never met someone with her 'vibe' before. Sam noticed these things but his reaction was less pronounced. We had a neighbor who had cerebral palsy. When Sam came in contact with him, he became very leery though without the growling or barking. Over time, Sam accepted my neighbor and was no longer spooked. Has he ever met people with disabilities before?


Cruiser has been around people who have down syndrome and it didnt even affect him.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Maggies mom said:


> Cruiser has been around people who have down syndrome and it didnt even affect him.


And the dog I spoke of use to visit a hospital's ward for mentally challanged and disabled every week and never had an issue with anyonr there. But that young man at the pet store was different story altogether.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Im sure I will never know what set Cruiser off exactly, but I was so shocked at his reaction, since he is just a big happy doofus, who doesnt have a care in the world... Even when a dog growls at him he just turns and walks away.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

I think it was just a fluke...something was very different about her. Cruiser see's so many people and dogs...there is bound to be that one person for some unknown reason where he is nervous.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Lucky's mom said:


> I think it was just a fluke...something was very different about her. Cruiser see's so many people and dogs...there is bound to be that one person for some unknown reason where he is nervous.


I hope it was just a fluke, He went to the nursing home last week and was just fine there.


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## Heidi36oh (Feb 27, 2007)

Maybe he sensed that the girl could be violet to animals!


Never know she mid of been in the past!


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

You'll never know, but when a dog uncharacteristically does that....listen to them. Something's wrong.

Heidi might be on the right track. The woman might have a violent, or mean streak that you don't know about. That can be anyone....handicapped or not.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

Some of you may remember a post I made about Honey acting strange a few weeks ago when my freezer was delivered.

Honey thinks that everyone that comes here comes to see her. She was at the door with me when I let the guy in. Then suddenly she put her tail between her legs and tore down to the bedroom. She peeked aroun the open door down the hall at us. I callled her and she came to me almost on her belly. He held out his hand, back towards her, she sniffed and turned and tore down the hall again. She never growled but sh did bark.

The guy told me he had heeler. Now I had never seen Honey act like this around any dog or human. I was totally surprised. The guy had on oridnary clothes and a baseball cap, as do most of the men who come into this house. He was carrying a clip board, but I ofen take one back and forth from livingroom to bedroom if I am working large print puzzles. So that was not something she had never seen.

Don't guess I will ever know what it was about him that scared her.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Maggies mom said:


> Im sure I will never know what set Cruiser off exactly, but I was so shocked at his reaction, since he is just a big happy doofus, who doesnt have a care in the world... Even when a dog growls at him he just turns and walks away.


It could be as simple as the time and place too. He expects to see certain people in certain places. Might explain Hal's pups reaction too. Like Claudia said also, the daughter might have an affliction that causes her to strike out. Cruiser probably sensed this too. 

I'm sure he's still your goofy lovable guy, I wouldn't worry about it.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I did put a call in to my trainer and talk to him about this. we are going to do some classes so we can try and work with Cruiser if something like this ever happens again that he doesnt freak out .


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## bwoz (Jul 12, 2007)

Maybe the girl was on some kind of meds that Cruiser could pick up but didn't recognize the smell, so it made him uncomfortable? I wouldn't worry about him though, he's entitled to be uncomfortable sometimes .


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## vrmueller (Jun 14, 2008)

Ruby does the same thing with my brother who is disabled. Let me also add that my daughter has disabilities and she does not act this way towards her. Ruby will growl and bark when my brother so much as pats his lap for her. He had brain surgeries as a child which left him speech impaired. When he tries to talk his voice raises and it is hard for him to get the words out. He had a wife that was physically disabled and she had a Golden for a service dog and he loved that dog very much, so there would not be a sense for Ruby that he is violent. The dog has since passed so there would not be a scent from the dog to make Ruby go nuts and she does go nuts. We have never seen this type of behavior before. I think the girl with Down Syndrome may have had irregular speech and that may have set him off. Ruby also will come to us shaking and unsure. I guess we will really never know. I feel badly because he was very attached to his wife's Golden.

Vicky-mom to Ruby, 18 months


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Maggies mom said:


> I did put a call in to my trainer and talk to him about this. we are going to do some classes so we can try and work with Cruiser if something like this ever happens again that he doesnt freak out .


Good idea. I bet it works.


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