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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why does my dog HATE this man?

82 replies

GingerNinjer · 21/03/2021 07:38

When my dog was a puppy I took her to my friends house. She was fine with everyone in the house (including friends brother, in his 60s) but hated her husband. Growled, barked, hid behind me, wouldn’t go to him, hid behind a chair growling at him ... all quite unusual.
Fast forward almost two years, friend and husband come to visit (just in the back garden). Dog again hated this particular man. She’s bigger now obviously and mature, she growled, continuously barked at him, heckles raised ... he put his hand out for her to sniff and she started air snapping at his hand. She just wasn’t going to warm to him at all so we had to separate her. How bloody weird!!

Friend then told me their own dog doesn’t like him either?! AIBU to really wonder why?

OP posts:
Dragongirl10 · 21/03/2021 07:40

Listen to your dog he knows something you don’t, and l am neither a woo person or being flippant.
There is something wrong , bad or evil about this man that is clear to your dog. Avoid at all costs.

Original poster
GingerNinjer · 21/03/2021 07:41

I can’t tell if you’re been serious or not?

OP posts:
Whenthesunshines · 21/03/2021 07:42

You’ll get dog owners telling you that dogs can see into this man’s soul or some such nonsense .

The dog probably just doesn’t like his manner/smell.

What is the man like as a person?

Original poster
GingerNinjer · 21/03/2021 07:44

He seems nice enough? I’ve only seen him a few times, there is “something” I can’t quite put my finger on with him but not sure if that’s me feeding off my dog’s reaction

OP posts:
SimonJT · 21/03/2021 07:44

Sometimes they just do, my friends dog hates me and will guard people when I’m there, we think we may have twigged why, the dog was the same with one of his wifes colleagues recently. The colleague and I are both type one diabetics, dogd can smell glucose levels etc.

Our neighbours dog hates beards and will growl etc if someone with a beard comes near him.

justanotherneighinparadise · 21/03/2021 07:45

I’m sure if this man had a few chopped up, cooked sausages in his pockets the dogs would change their minds very quickly!

GalOopNorth · 21/03/2021 07:45

I’d trust the dog

Original poster
GingerNinjer · 21/03/2021 07:47

@justanotherneighinparadise

I’m sure if this man had a few chopped up, cooked sausages in his pockets the dogs would change their minds very quickly!
Nope, we tried that! She’s a greedy dog and will normally do anything for food but she wouldn’t take anything off him. In fact, just the offering of food from him seemed to piss her off even more.
OP posts:
HikingInTheHills · 21/03/2021 07:47

Don’t listen to your dog, that’s just silly. Your dog does not have secret knowledge that this man is a serial killer or once kicked a puppy with his right foot some such rubbish. It’s probably his smell, his body shape, his movement or the tone of his voice. Just control the dog and let him know aggression towards the man is unacceptable because it’s not acceptable at all for a dog to behave that way to a human in a social situation. The dog is last in the pecking order.

Whenthesunshines · 21/03/2021 07:49

Does he do drugs? Was your dog a sniffer dog in a past life? 😏

Original poster
GingerNinjer · 21/03/2021 07:52

He’s a bit odd looking, I don’t know, it’s just weird. She’s a guarding breed anything so I’m used to her being aloof with people but once they’re in the house she’s fine. Just not with this man.

OP posts:
marchez · 21/03/2021 07:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Itsjustaride8w737 · 21/03/2021 07:53

Is he loud, tall?

Our dog is a rescue and terrified of my stepdad (lovely bloke) he is tall and talks very loud (part deaf). I think our dog feels intimidated by the noise.
After a few hours he gets used to him and sits by him for a stroke.

WhatdoImean · 21/03/2021 07:54

Dogs are excellent at a number of things - one of these is reading body language. They can easily tell if someone is nervous, excited etc. and they often feed off this (none of this nonsense of "seeing into peoples' souls" etc.)

In addition, they have a really good sense of smell (obviously). If this person does a lot of gardening (for example) and regularly uses a pesticide the dog hates, that can also be a cause for hatred (there are just too many possibilities here to bother listing).

A question for you - IF your dog had taken to this person, would you still feel as if "there was something off" about him? I know you mention this, but we can often re enforce our feelings subconsciously.

That said... being 100% honest.. if MY dog took against someone so badly, I would a) make a joke of it, put the dog away when he visits and b) watch the person like a hawk, as I think my dog is better at reading people than I am :-)

Original poster
GingerNinjer · 21/03/2021 07:54

@marchez

Hes a Terminator
Possibly but even then she’s been fine with terminators in the past. It’s just so unlike her.
OP posts:
EvilPea · 21/03/2021 07:56

Unless it’s a rescue and it’s learnt behaviour I’m in the trust your dog camp.
My guarding breed always got it spot on, even if we didn’t know until years later.

But I appreciate this does sound mental Grin

ClarkeGriffin · 21/03/2021 07:59

Animals don't like everyone, just like people don't like everyone. I've ridden horses before that go amazing for other people, and then I get on and they try to throw me off. I can get them to work, but it's a lot more of a struggle for me than the other person. Dogs just have a reputation of loving everyone. They won't.

Daytimetellysucks · 21/03/2021 08:01

My dog absolutely detests my neighbour.

No idea why, he’s a nice enough bloke who has never been nasty or horrible to any of us. He’s always greeted her, tries to make a fuss of her and has given her treats and stuff. I think he’s determined to make friends with her

He had a beard when she was a puppy but he’s shaved it off now, I don’t know if that’s something to do with it 🤷‍♀️

They have their own dog - our dog is quite nervous with other dogs, but she’s happy enough with next doors dog - they go on walks together sometimes, see each other on the street and will play together perfectly fine. I don’t know if she can smell another dog on him but doesn’t recognise it as her friend maybe

JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows · 21/03/2021 08:04

Dogs are extremely intuitive, trust the dog and maybe don't get too close to this person.

JamesMiddletonsMarshmallows · 21/03/2021 08:06

Everyone's had that thing right where they, for no reason whatsoever, get REALLY bad vibes from a stranger? Someone in a queue or someone you're showing round your house - we've all been there where our instincts have gone haywire for no particular reason, right?

Baabaagreensheep · 21/03/2021 08:19

Is he ill? It's probably a scent he's giving off

PamDemic · 21/03/2021 08:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SunshineCake · 21/03/2021 08:25

I'd 100% trust my dog.

WhySoSensitive · 21/03/2021 08:26

Dogs are alllllll about body language. Even something small he’s doing is setting her off.

I’d give him a wide berth anyways because if my dog doesn’t like you then I don’t 😂

CreosoteQueen · 21/03/2021 08:28

My best friend at school had a dog who absolutely hated me. I couldn’t stay overnight at hers because I would just be hassled by her dog all night. No idea why! The dog was a gentle, loving goof with everyone else and I have never had another animal react badly to me before. I’m a massive animal fan and have had lots of pets in my time.

I don’t know if it was something about my smell or appearance that triggered it. I’m a nice, non-psychotic person so it’s definitely not that the dog had a sixth sense for evil 🤣

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