Dog Community

hates white cat=hates white dogs? (Bugsy)

Posted : 5/23/2009 10:05:05 AM

OK this is a reach but I'm confused.

From the day we brought him home Bugsy has hated the neighbor's all white (wandering) cat (he is cat sharp but this one is his nemesis)

Then sometime last winter Bugsy reacted to a reactive mostly white *** eared dog aggressively. This was so out of character as he has never had any negative reaction to any dog. We tried various methods of dealing with this and are happy to say that we have not seen that dog lately.

Then at the beach we saw an Akita which drew B's attention quickly (they were at least 50 ft apart) and his body stiffened so I diverted him.

Then last week there was someone walking a reactive white shepherd and when it snapped at us B began to react but I diverted him.

So could his hatred of the white cat inspire this issue with white ***-eared dogs?

I am really curious as at the beach we must have met a dozen dogs from mini-doxies to an Irish Wolfhound and he played or was his usual friendly self to all of them. But when he saw that Akita bam his body went rigid. I really don't get it?

edit to say that ***= pointy/ stand up

JackieG

Posted : 5/23/2009 11:28:53 AM

I think you're right and he is making a connection. The color gets his immediate attention and kind of gets him going and the other dogs could be posturing because they are reacting to Bugsy's actions and body language. As has been discussed, many dogs seem to react to the tail over the back posture of the Akita and breeds with similar body structure. It doesn't help that now B's been snapped at by a white dog. :(

kpwlee

Posted : 5/23/2009 11:51:40 AM

Thanks for replying Jackie, it is disturbing to me because he really loves every dog and he is uber tolerant of bad behavior UNLESS it is a white stand up ear dog. Little white dogs are OK as he has a westie friend and two little white mixes (under 10lb) and he has just a playful reaction with them. I would think they were more cat like than large white stand up eared dogs but I don't know.

I'm not sure that it will help me to manage his reactions to them by knowing this but I'm naturally curious as to why he reacts.

JackieG
It doesn't help that now B's been snapped at by a white dog. :(

Two of them in the last 6 mos - one that we were seeing every week but thankfully have not seen in ages!

He has met Brookcove's BC's and Maremmas and loved them all. He doesn't even look at barking dogs or the hard charging aggressive JRT in our neighborhood. Has been lunged at by various other dogs with no reaction. I just don't get it.

As for the Akita it was mostly white - it could've been his tail or it's stare that was easy as that owner was clearly aware that her dog wasn't friendly and we both distracted our dogs and went in opposite directions

JackieG
the other dogs could be posturing because they are reacting to Bugsy's actions and body language.

Could be be when he first went past the dog from last winter he didn't react at all, he kept doing what he was doing while the dog growled and lunged. That is normal for B. I dont' know why he decided to react after a few times of seeing each other but the other dog upsets every dog it passes, which may be why we don't see them anymore

Sorry long winded - thanks for responding

BTW I sure hope Belle has nothing more than a sore muscle.

rwbeagles

Posted : 5/23/2009 12:50:08 PM

If it helps...MOST dog reacts the way Bugsy does to seeing an Akita. When I owned them perfectly sane dogs would go well..INsane at our approach. They are a VERY dominant looking breed even when not meaning to be...the Akita incident IMO is not that unusual.

JackieG

Posted : 5/23/2009 3:18:22 PM

It's always so upsetting when a perfectly nice tempered dog like Bugsy is provoked into a reaction. It sets up such a vicious circle. He is such a large, confident dog that I would think that this alone can trigger some dogs into a confrontational pose.

It's logical that dogs develop certain reactions to other dogs of a certain size/color/shape based on past experience. My cat is a good example of this too. He has been around large black dogs all his life. Any dog of that description can walk right up to him and make friends. He reacts much more fearfully to dogs of a different look.

I would try and avoid any confrontation with this "type" dog unless it's under controlled conditions. Turn around and walk the other way. It would be great if you could get someone with a dog of this description (a good natured dog, of course) who would be willing to help you desensitize Bugsy. He could probably overcome his bad feelings with some liverwurst. :)

Thanks for the good thoughts for Belle.

griffinej5

Posted : 5/23/2009 10:38:07 PM

It's certainly possible he generalized the white cat fear to be a fear of white dogs with a similar type of ear. We have no control really over how they form their categories (wouldn't that be nice if we did?). To us, these are obviously not members of the same group, but to him, they might just form the group I'm going to call 10lb white *** eared mammals. That group might be a member of a larger group of scary things.

kpwlee

Posted : 5/24/2009 6:10:13 PM

JackieG
It would be great if you could get someone with a dog of this description (a good natured dog, of course) who would be willing to help you desensitize Bugsy. He could probably overcome his bad feelings with some liverwurst. :)

Yes that would be ideal! I think given the chance to mingle he would be fine

and thanks all - I know it is irrelevant whether it is somehow related to the white cat but I was just curious

ron2

Posted : 6/7/2009 1:29:51 PM

While desensitization might work I think you may have a point suspecting the color, especially color with size. I wonder how white looks to him.

superdav42

Posted : 8/17/2009 5:36:27 PM

ron2

While desensitization might work I think you may have a point suspecting the color, especially color with size. I wonder how white looks to him.

That's a good point. Dogs look at the world much differently than you and I. We can readily see the difference between an Akita and a white cat but your dog probably doesn't.

BEVOLASVEGAS

Posted : 8/17/2009 10:25:11 PM

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Sera_J

Posted : 8/17/2009 11:02:09 PM

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