My Pet World: Dogs can be triggered by the same things as people
Dear Cathy,
We recently purchased a one-and-a-half-year-old Bichon Frise from a show dog breeder that we have used before. His name is Pip, and he is the most loving, compassionate dog you could meet and loves everyone but our daughter Megan who is 57 and lives with us.
If Pip hears Megan come out of her bedroom, he starts to growl even if he is downstairs. Pip also continues to bark and growl when Megan enters the room my husband and I are in. This behavior started when we brought him home and he saw Megan.
But Pip does not attack Megan – he backs away when she comes within five feet of him – growling all the time. The only exception is after we have finished eating, Pip comes to the table and sits on my lap, and Megan puts a tiny piece of food on the tip of her finger. Pip cautiously moves his head toward her, takes the food, and quickly pulls back.
Megan has tried giving Pip his favorite treats, but Pip backs away and growls. Pip is skittish and startles easily at any unexpected noise or movement but does not growl and settles right down. Could it be that he was traumatized by someone that reminded him of Megan? The breeder says she was never traumatized. Any suggestions?
— Betty, East Northport, New York
Dear Betty,
A dog's memory can be triggered by a smell, an experience, or a person, just like it happens with people. Even without these experiences, though, dogs can develop a dislike for someone or something without a logical reason. A good example is dogs who are afraid of people wearing hats. Some people think the dog must have been abused by someone wearing a hat, but they may fear the hat because it's different.
I don't think this behavior is solely for Megan, though. Your dog sounds fearful of new things, and adjusting to changes may take longer than the average dog. Having Megan toss treats his way is a great idea, but let's go even further.
Can you turn over all caretaking (feeding and walking duties, etc.) to Megan for the next few weeks?
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