Lucy has progressed nicely. I can touch her ears, place my fingertips a hairsbreath inside her canals, touch her feet (with some resistance still, but then she relaxes), pick her up and carry her (BIG breakthrough there), touch her teeth and gums with no resistance (except for incisors, but working on that). She will now greet family with a 'smile' and ask for her head to be scratched. She then lay down and sighs, so she is still somewhat stressed over that, but all in all, she has progressed much farther than I had initially hoped.

However, I figured out why she charges people. Lucy will stare. Not a confrontational stare, but she really looks people in the eyes with very little blinking and people find that fascinating for some reason.

Long story short, she charges people who stare and bare their teeth (in a grin and hold it while chuckling because she doesn't look away or blink).

So, I have told family do not stare and grin at Lucy. I know she is cute as a button and as odd as all get out, but just don't do it, and they haven't.

How common is this behavior and what, if anything do I do about it? Yes, make sure no idiot stares at my Lucy--done.

Make sure I am always aware of her posture, twitches of eyes and lips, and her behaviors when she is getting stressed--done.

But, training. Is there a way to desensitize her without forcing a defensive attack? I have never come across this and Googling did come up with some dogs who take the stare and grinning as, for lack of coffee and brain cells right now, a challenge that must be met.

Any thoughts? I have thought this through and checked my notes, and I am not seeing things.

I had always thought it was interesting that NONE of my dogs like my one brother. He likes my dogs and tries to engage them in play with a ball or running around. Finally I realized what it was: He doesn't smile! He has a such a straight-faced expression that my dogs weren't sure what his intentions are.

I've always pondered the ability of dogs to understand, without training, human body language that they themselves are completely incapable of producing (smiling, pointing). For example, try pointing something out to a cat - he sniffs your finger, rather than looking in the direction you point. A dog will, more often than not, look where you point.

In Lucy's case, she seems to be UNable to understand the strange human body language that is smiling. In dog language, that's not a friendly gesture. (I have a dog that does not understand pointing - I attribute it to lack of socializing when she was younger; she's definitely undersocialized).

I suppose you could desensitize her to it the way you would any other thing she didn't like: in small increments, with praise and high value treats for remaining relaxed. I do not know if the treats should come from the "smiler" or from you, the handler. I think I would have the smiler give them, so she associates them with positive things.

Theoretical, of course... I have no real experience with this.

Jo, does she know the 'watch me' command? (or whatever you use to get her to focus on you)

If not, you could practice that one with her, gradually lengthening the time that she looks in your eyes/at your face.

Once she's comfortable with looking in your eyes while you are smiling, perhaps you could enlist the help of a family member to work on this...

My previously skittish/nervous/fear-aggressive Porter (3yo GSD) does the stare thing. I had the same issue with him while we were working through his rehabilitation ... he'd stare into people's eyes (not in a challenging manner) and then get freaked out when they held eye contact ... but you try looking away from those big sweet,brown eyes gazing into yours, it was quite a dilemma

I've always taught "watch me" to my dogs as soon as I acquire them. I've never thought about it, but I could certainly see how that practice, as Lynne mentioned, may have helped Porter get to where he is now. He's always been comfortable gazing into my eyes, and now he doesn't get edgy when other people look back at him.

Long story short, the techniques that I purposefully used were to interrupt the stare from Porter myself with a distraction of some sort, command or movement. I taught Porter that interactions with other people were between me and said people, not between him and the strangers. As you said, I would not allow people to interact with him until I knew he was ready (no touch, no eye contact) ... when someone really wanted to be his friend (someone we are around often, not just a goof on the street) I told them to pull the "coolest kid in school" role, and pretend that Porter did not exist ... this technique almost always relaxed him completely!

Funny, but what actually seemed to help him the most with new people, was when he learned that if he swung his butt around to the person he would get a booty scratch ... the moment he learned to manipulate like this I swear I saw his eyes light up

As to why my (once) nervous and never challenging dog would stare into people's eyes like that ... no clue! It's a wonderful, warm communication between he and I, though ... I love it

All good thoughts, advice, and ideas.

When she stares, she looks like she is trying to understand what these tall upright loud slightly smelly (not in a good way) creatures are doing and saying. She misses nothing. BUT, I do think she does associate grinning with "aggression" as I do think she really doesn't understand human body language. My fault for rushing her in her training, so I will slow down. She does do this beautiful look into my eyes when she is heeling beside me and wants to know if THIS is what I want, so I can capitalize on that. (I don't encourage itfor long, because she does tend to trip over her feet).

Okay. Looking at Lucy is safe, staring is not, so begin marking and treating when looking and gradually increase that. THEN, beginning small grins and mark. Maybe a jackolantern grin somewhere down the road, but for now, slow and easy.

Later, I will have family look and grin and reward, but for now, I want her to learn human "language" from me since we do have to communicate. (Oddly, I am reading her more clearly than ever).

 Quote: Jo Harker

Okay. Looking at Lucy is safe, staring is not, so begin marking and treating when looking and gradually increase that. THEN, beginning small grins and mark. Maybe a jackolantern grin somewhere down the road, but for now, slow and easy.

Yes, and make a pointed effort to soften your features (relaxed facial muscles, upturned mouth) when you are working on this.

PS, I want to say that you have really come a long way with her!

Does she react to billboards? Luc will growl at billboards of people smiling widely (weird!), so maybe you could also use something like that to desensitize her if she reacts similarly?

I'd like to second the softening of the features advice ... very important! Especially keep your eyes soft (mine feel almost unfocused when I'm looking at an insecure dog), shift your focus to other parts of the body/face (as opposed to eyes) momentarily ... and remember to blink

Jennifer, Luc cracks me up

 Quote: kacie hackett

I'd like to second the softening of the features advice ... very important! Especially keep your eyes soft (mine feel almost unfocused when I'm looking at an insecure dog), shift your focus to other parts of the body/face (as opposed to eyes) momentarily ... and remember to blink

Jennifer, Luc cracks me up

Good points!!

And staring is interpreted by many dogs as a challenge -- a threat. I would make a guess that from folks who are not the handler, a stare accompanied by any expression might be a problem, and that a flashed grin that is not accompanied by a stare might be fine. (And maybe not! )

Well, I can testify a grin without a 'stare' does not elicit a charge. Found that out at the vets. Good news! We can work from that. And, I do have to work on my facial expressions and I am interested in finding a billboard...I don't think my town has one!