Dog Community

Second thoughts on Gibby

dyan

Posted : 6/30/2011 6:37:26 PM

About a month ago I wrote about Gibby http://forum.dog.com/forums/t/113973.aspx that has started to SOMETIMES bark at people while on walks. Had a lot of different opinions ranging from one end to the other. One of the opinions or ideas was that maybe maybe maybe he was upset..or just trying to push his weight around to people that are not petting him. That kind of got shot down.... but you know.... there WAS that possibility in my head because he IS " Gods gift to people" you know!!!! Well today our neighborhood had a garage sale and we decided to get in it....then there was Gibby. HHHmmm running from one door to the other....sometimes stopping at his water bowl along the way, so of course I have drool from one end to the other also. He was on his leash and harness..... and I was holding him. He would try to bite the leash now and again becuase he is used to being off leash when we are just sitting around. He made a lot of friends....and he was either ignored totally and 100% OR the hit of the party. But...one lady who had retrievers just loved loved loved him.......in fact came back twice just to talk to him again. Do you know....she came in and he kind of barked at her a little.....I couldn't believe it because he hadn't done that to anyone. BUT she walked right up to him and said " oh.........he's just talking to me!" Do you know.....she kissed his face a trillion times....hugged him tight just like I do.... and when we stood and just talked to us.....he barked the same kind of bark he does that caused me to write the original post. He did it all a couple of times with her...only her. I KNOW he was telling her to quit talking to us an pay attention to him because that is what he does when DH and I are talking at certain times. It sure seems like the same kind of bark..but she just went and hugged him...said " thats okay...I'll pet you!" Seriously....I love dogs... I am not afraid of them at all ( I always say I will get bit one day ) but I would not have done that.

tiffy

Posted : 6/30/2011 7:31:58 PM

I don't think I'd let complete strangers get so close to his face or hug him unless you give the okay. Also, the attention barking is very similar to what Tootsie does for attention. She doesn't bark, but growls/talks kinda. Picture the sound a baby dinosaur would make. Big Smile

dyan

Posted : 6/30/2011 9:03:15 PM

tiffy
I don't think I'd let complete strangers get so close to his face or hug him unless you give the okay.

I know...I wasn't quite comfortable with it......

willowchow

Posted : 6/30/2011 11:16:15 PM

I find the less people are afraid of Willow the less likely she is to do something stupid. She is normally fine with people who just go right up-its the ones that hesitate and say stupid things and gesture that get her defensive. But, I agree, you have to be careful.

spiritdogs

Posted : 7/1/2011 7:11:26 AM

dyan
tiffy
I don't think I'd let complete strangers get so close to his face or hug him unless you give the okay.

I know...I wasn't quite comfortable with it......

I feel the same way. On the other hand, barking for attention is different than barking a warning. So, if what he wanted was attention, she certainly did reinforce him for it, and he was probably thrilled.

Wink

dyan

Posted : 7/1/2011 7:33:42 PM

spiritdogs

I feel the same way. On the other hand, barking for attention is different than barking a warning. So, if what he wanted was attention, she certainly did reinforce him for it, and he was probably thrilled.

Of course Anne........ he was thrilled. Funny...she stepped back and he barked at her again....and she came right back. He usually does'nt do that...but now that I think of it...................he WAS on a leash...which he is on our walks also. Lori...your right. Although I would never have thought I would have to even think twice about worrying about Gibby ( unlike Bubby ) he just runs up to people as though he is Gods gift to life....but just that little walk on the leash that has him acting different. He always walks on a leash though.....thats our law in our neighborhood.