My dog seems to hate one particular man

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She's a very friendly gentle 10 month old working cocker and generally pretty happy and pleased to see people and other dogs.

But a few times in the last couple of weeks we've been passed by a particular man on the street and she's immediately started straining on lead, her body language has become aggressive and she's growling and baring her teeth. As soon as he's gone she reverts to normal. I obviously hold her back and try to calm her but he must think I've got a seriously aggressive dog.

I've never seen him before but now we keep passing him. He seems pretty normal as far as I can tell. Any idea why she would have taken against one random individual like this? She is clearly really upset by him. I've never seen her react like this to anyone else

I honestly don't think dogs are a magical judge of character any more than we are.

What they are is good at spotting something different (different does not mean bad = standing very still is different but not bad) and often are mistrustful of things they have not experienced before.

That makes them typically suspcious. (Not all dogs are)

ps. a good tip to remember whenever you suspect your dog is the only little weirdo dog in the world... Monty Don says the World's Most Perfect Dog Nigel always hated men in orange hats. Turns out they all have their things

We have this - he seems to have a random dislike of some older men with beards and shorts, also bullies labradors of all breeds.
It's very annoying, but so random as well.

yes some dogs can , they can pick up on slight movements or facial expressions that we dont notice, they can tell if somebody is nervous or panicking ( which sucks for people with anxiety or depression),
they are good at protecting their owners but sometimes they just bark at people for their own reasons, they can misinterpret things because they are just dogs,
it still doesnt mean the persons weird,

like i said theres one little dog that always barks at me and nips me , he gets walked in a pack of 3 other dogs who dont bark at me
im not serial killer and i wasnt trying to murder the owner , so the dog is just a little shit

Not liking you, for whatever reason, doesn't make the dog a little shit, it just makes it a dog that has taken a dislike to you for it's own reasons.

Have you never met someone you have instinctively taken against? Well that dog feels the same way about you.

Perhaps it's picking up on your hostility towards it.

My dog was like this when she was a pup, wouldn't go near my husband. Worked out she didn't like his steel toe capped work shoes. If he took them off in the hall, she was fine with him. If anyone came in with them on, she'd hide behind me. Men my husband worked with would have to change into runners before coming into the house.

Thanks fir all the replies it's reassuring to know she's not turning into some kind of evil sensing demon.

Well we saw him again this morning and she reacted the same way and I apologies saying I was really sorry and couldn't understand her reaction to him. He said most dogs react like.that to him and he's absolutely no idea why but it's always been the same since his early teens. The worst thing is he would have loved.to have a dog but didn't think it a very good idea as they all apparently hate him.

He seemed a perfectly pleasant and normal man. I feel quite sorry for him really. Imagine every dog you ever pass however normally calm and friendly going into snarl and growl mode

What a shame for him! Fancy going through life feeling like dogs hate you
Did your dog carry on barking and growling at him while you were talking? My dog usually settles down if I chat to people she is wary of and is fine as long as they don’t try to pay her any attention. If they are especially respectful she may even end up allowing a Pat or, if they are lucky, a Lean against their legs

He said most dogs react like.that to him and he's absolutely no idea why but it's always been the same since his early teens.

Very strange; given he mentions his early teens my guess would be that around puberty he started letting off an unusual pheromone that dogs dislike.

😂

We rescued our dog when she was three. She was terrified of all grey haired men with glasses - I mean whimpering and running terrified and she's a brave little lass who loves people in general. I often think someone who looked like that frightened her when she was younger. I wish I could get my hands on that person!! She's not so bad now, but still wary.

My dog has been like this with a few men and one woman. He’s the softest thing in the world so for him to bark at someone is extremely unusual. I just give them a wide berth as it’s not like I’ll need to see them again and I’d rather be safe. Mind you he took exception to the new fire pit that DH put out in our garden last night and growled at it for some time so maybe he’s just odd 🙈.

its a dog it doesnt like or dislike me , you sound ridiculous
it is actually a little shit and my hostility is justified because it bit my trouser leg and yapped at me for no reason, if it had broke my skin i wouldve called the police so they can put the dog down

if it attacks me again im going to kick it up its backside

My dog hated our old neighbour. She's the soppiest thing ever and loves people, but she was terrified of him and would just bark. He wasn't a particularly nice man but I think it was mainly that he had very unusual mannerisms and body language that made her very unsettled. He told me that if my husband and I died she would be PTS as no one would be able to get near her, and I didn't like to say that he was the only one she had ever disliked in her life!

I've been watching too much 'Criminal Minds' so of course my mind goes straight to maybe he smells of death or if kidnap victims in his cellar

Every time any of the otherwise friendly dogs I've known have taken against someone it has always proven to be extremely well founded. I trust my dogs' opinions of people and, personally, I'd be avoiding him.

Yes, of course you are dear.

My dog barks at the known drug dealers who live in the street. Literally the only time she barks, and even from her sleeping position on the sofa.

yes deary

Rubbish. I’ve known a lot of dogs AND a lot of wronguns and dogs absolutely can’t tell.

I agree. I do think that dogs can sometimes be aware of things we aren’t but I’m not sure how good that are at actually rationalising those feelings and they are capable of getting things wrong.

Oh that's interesting, I had no idea! And lol @ the Frenchie ticking all the boxes.

Amused at the suggestions dogs have an innate sense of character. My old dog would have jumped into Charles Manson’s lap for a liver treat.

Crikey.

so i should just let the dog bite me ? blame the owner for not controlling it

If it was my dog, I’d trust that there is something the dog knows about them that you don’t yet know (and hopefully won’t)

Very true as the former owner of a large black dog who was regularly attacked because their facial features were less obvious.