I know this isn't a huge behavior problem or anything that requires correcting but it I don't really recall ever knowing another dog that does this: my dog ignores people. She is a rescued Doberman from either a BYB or a puppy mill where she had puppies with every heat apparently. She was given the name Bonnie for the two or three years she was owned by the rat bastards who dumped her at a shelter once she got heart worms and kennel cough. (best thing to ever happen to her) Anyhoo, she never responded to her original name but does so to the name we gave her. It is my guess that she didn't have a lot of interaction with humans except to be fed. She is responsive to us and to my friends whom she knows, but when I take her out on walks and we run into strangers, she totally ignores them. They may pet her, say her name etc and she will stand there as if they didn't exist. There is no reaction. She isn't shy around people and I don't think she was abused, but man can she blow off people. It's almost a little embarrassing. So, is this normal?

Thanks,
Kitty S.

It certainly can be normal. Based on the dogs history I think that you are miles ahead with this dog by it not having an aggressive response to people. I wouldn't mess with success.

Kitty,

I agree with Richard. From what you are saying you are doing extremely well with this dog. She has learnt to trust you and therefore when you say it's O.K. she will be O.K. with your friends.
How long have you had her? Perhaps in time she will learn that there are kind strangers out there but in the meantime respect her distrust.
She is your dog - strangers don't have to get close to her JMO

Gwen

I cannot take any credit for her willingness to trust me and my friends. Just give her some food and you're the Second Coming. There's only been one person whom she has had any negative reaction to and that was a trainer who got a little heavy-handed with her when she refused to platz. All the pronging in the world would not get her to go down on command. She finally started barking this awful wailing protest bark at the trainer and I said enough. (afterwards, the trainer wondered if she just needed to pee and that was why she just wouldn't comply) After that, my dog would not even take a treat from the trainer--which for my dog is really saying something. That ended the training with that person. Anyhoo, to answer your question, I've had her three years now. As for keeping her from strangers, soometimes that's hard. Just the other day as I was walking her, I saw a lady with a little fluffy dog up ahead coming our way so I crossed the road to the other side and this lady crosses over and walks right up to us!She was giving me no choice on avoiding her so I just said that I make no guarantees on how my dog will react to hers. Fortunately, nothing happened.

Kitty S.

I don't know if this is a Dobermann trait or what but I have had a couple female Dobes act like this. Elka and one of her daughters both would simply not acknowledge the presence of another person in a social setting. In their little dog minds, those people don't exist, I guess.

I like that though. Better than a dog that schmoozes every living breathing person in the vicinity.

M female dobe does the same thing. When someone walk up to her she causally sniffs them and that's where it ends. She couldn't care less. If someone tells her to come she puts on her "pfft yeah right" face and turns the other way. She's not the type of dog that will happily greet everyone she meets. But I gotta say I kinda like that <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Cool, standoff behavior in a guard breed. Wow, imagine that. . .lol

I know, I know, I'm a biiig jeeeerrrk.lol

Cool, standoff behavior in a guard breed. Wow, imagine that. . .lol

I know, I know, I'm a biiig jeeeerrrk.lol

 Quote:

Originally posted by VanCamp:
Cool, standoff behavior in a guard breed. Wow, imagine that. . .lol

I know, I know, I'm a biiig jeeeerrrk.lol

I guess you are big jerk squared......... lol

what's up with the double posts. ? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> hehe

Cindy,

How do you think he got to 1315 posts so quick? He took over for Vince. Vince was the master of the one sentence post....VanCamp can be the master of the double post.LOL