GSD's sensitive to bad people or is it Aggression?

[StarryNite]

So I was just out in my back area walking Lulu on her long leash and all these people were on the deck of the set of condos next door (we share the same large back area) The place was previously vacant so they just moved in. So as they are waving at me I waved back and they yelled out "Is that a dingo?" LOL I said, No, a GSD. I figured I would bring Lou over to say hi and meet the neighbors, so we get close and Lou goes NUTS! I mean hackles up and barking at this guy not in a friendly way! On closer inspection I see the guy is really drunk and before I can make my getaway he slurs "I've worked with dogs all my life, I can get her to come to me" and I just said "I've never seen her act this way, she usually loves everyone" Lou is still going nuts and I was politely starting to walk away and he says "I've got a mini chiuaua in the car, I'll bring her out" and laughs and I just said "um, no, that's okay" then he says "she's not a GSD" LOL I just said "yes, actually she is" and he says "now watch this, here's a trick I learned" and the guy BARES HIS TEETH AND GROWLS AT HER!!!! If I wasn't sure weather to laugh or just be dumbstruck! I just said "alright, well we should go" and he was still growling at her!!! We hightailed it back to my area.

My question is this, I have NEVER seen Lou act that way except one time when she was only 4 months and some old guy at a garage sale went up to her and she barked at him and ran away, other than that, we have kids in here all day and night and everywhere I take her she goes up to most everyone. Do you think she is starting to have aggression issues or was it just this guy? Are dogs really that sensitive to the good/bad people? She seemed scared of the older woman as well, she was trying to run away from them, not at them.

Granted the guy is obviously a fruitcake (yay for me, my new neighbor! Well apparently his mom lives there not him, he was in his 40's maybe) but still, Lou was really really upset and wouldn't get close to them and barking, hackles raised the whole time. This is the first time I have ever seen her do this. Should I be worried about her or more worried about my new frieky neighbors!

[BowWowMeow]

She was probably reacting to him being drunk more than anything else--erratic body movements and all that can be really startling to a puppy.

[StarryNite]

His body movements weren't really erratic, in fact I didn't know he had been drinking until he spoke... she just sensed something... was so weird!

Hmmm, well on second thought I guess he was acting a little wobbly which is why I was leery of talking with him... I forgot about that... I wonder if that is it...

[SunCzarina]

Luther used to react to people who'd had too much to drink. He stopped doing it when he was about 3 becuase I never let him get away with it. I got him when he was 2 and I know he lived with college kids but have no idea why he didn't like boozy people.

Not fun in a neighborhood with a lot of college kids - taking a walk and having my dog barking his head off at someone sweating out lastnights booze at 7:30 am. That was always what it was too because they'd walk past me and I'd get a wiffy wiff. Obviously with his superior snoz, he smelt them coming towards him.

LOL, I miss Luther, he was a nut.

[Metalsmith]

I don't think she is starting to have agression issues but she certainly knew something was "off." And what's up with mister boozer baring his teeth and growling at her? What a weirdo. Aren't neighbors a pain sometimes?

Maybe when he's stone cold sober they can meet again. Maybe then he'll have the sense not to growl at her.

[StarryNite]

LOL Metal, I wish I could have seen the look on MY face when he started doing that. I just sort of stood there with my jaw dropping I think... Not sure I want to meet him again LOL, I actually got a weird feeling from him as well, drunk or not!

[slapshot]

Another doozy to line up next to the dog that was straddled on the ferry a week or so ago and reacted. Your dog probably got a very intense eye contact stare from this guy, which alone will often make many a protection variety dog react. Your dog is young and discovering what is good, bad, a threat and not. So long as you are calm, correct firmly but calmly and exit the situation where you feel it is unnecessarily escalating, you have done the right thing.

Sure, in a perfect world your dog does not peep unless it looks at you first and you give the ok command. I don't buy that 100% of the time. If a young dog is being directly challenged, it will occasionally react, especially head on direct and fixed eye contact (and not the "Oh how I admire your dog.", kind of look.). If it is being assaulted, it will react. Putting the flame suit on, I'll say, I don't think you should necessarily expect less in this situation. A drunken stranger, and obviously very inebriated? His whole "growling routine" only confirmed what the dog already sensed before you even engaged: this is trouble with a capital "T". If this reaction were projected at a couple taking a walk around the block who admired her or a kid on a bike and then she went off, then that is another issue. But, IMHO, in this scenario it is certainly not something to second guess the dog. The dog does not appreciate challenging inebriated knuckleheads. Period. Most people do not either.

[StarryNite]

Oh, luckily most my neighbors are great, at least the ones in my little condo building (is 4 to a building). In fact the ones on the end are amazing and Lou loves them! I had to bring a dying bird a cat got to them yesterday that I couldn't kill and he just said "I'll take care of it for you" and they are huge bird lovers. I am lucky my immediate neighbors are wonderful! I hope I don't have to deal with "dogman" much in the future!

[StarryNite]

Slapshot, I agree 100%, she knew from the moment I walked near them that she did not like him. I wish I did! I was glad she did not get aggressive towards him but just "frieked out" and tried to leave the situation as I probably should have sooner than I did! If she was doing anything she was warning maybe me and him...

[Metalsmith]

I think Slapshot put it very well.

Quote:I am lucky my immediate neighbors are wonderful!

That's good to know! Good neighbors are such a great thing to have. If drunken "dogman" is not an immediate neighbor with whom you'll have to deal with daily, then I think it's a good plan to just ignore him.