Has anyone had their dogs act like this?

[TheUnSaintlySaintClan]

Since I have three kids ages 9-12 of course we have a lot of kids that come over. After the initial greeting, the kids see that they aren't a pack of Cujos and everyone's fine.

My neighbors have one girl about 13 and two boys about 9 and 10. When they come over, Simon is fine with the girl and the 10 year old boy. But if the 9 year old comes over, the hair on Simon's back immediately raises. Simon has even nipped him on the back of the leg. It didn't break skin, but I have never seen him act that way with a child. He is submissive to all of my kids and my husband and I. But if that kid comes around, he totally ignores all of us and heads straight for him. Since the nipping thing, I have told the little boy that he can't come in our yard if the dogs are out (which I don't mind because he's a brat). BTW Heidi doesn't like him either. She just avoids him and goes over by my kids when he comes in the yard.

I just want to know if any of you have had your dogs act this way with a particular person. I haven't seen this boy be mean to the dogs. And I am always out with the dogs if there are kids outside. I'm just perplexed. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Lyn]

Lola does this with my neighbour (hackles raise) but she barks and growls too and he's never done anything to her.

She also picks and chooses when we are out and about with her who is allowed to touch her. Yet if that same person came into our house she'd be like 'love me, cuddle me'. It's odd and I haven't figured it out either.

[schelmischekitty]

i agree with everyone about the kid.  also, i know my dogs sense when i don't care for someone and they take on my attitude towards them.  you should see them when i'm upset with hubby    i do notice also, though, that axle in particular picks people he just doesn't like, for NO particular reason.  like the guy at burger king... axle loves chicken nuggets, but this one man in particular, axle winds up in my lap every time trying to get a hold of him.  we've never met this guy anywhere but in the drive through, so it's very odd!

[specialkdanemom]

I have had this happen with two other dogs.  When I was in Jr. High, we had a GS that was wonderful.  My neighbor and I always took our dogs (her's a collie X) and played in their orchard and up & down the gravel road (we would take them about a mile up the road and tie them to an old motorcycle w/o and engine and tell them to "go home"... what a ride).  This road passed between our properties and lead to other houses.  One day we were hanging out in the orchard w/ the dogs (they never bothered anyone riding or walking by) and one of our neighbors, about our age, came home from school and had to walk up the gravel road to his house.  When Starsky (GS) saw him, he stopped what he was doing and ran straight for him.  The kid started running, but obviously not fast enough... he had no recall, he was on a mission... he caught up with him and bit him in the back of the leg, near the butt, then he stopped and came back... mission accomplished.  Well, when his parents called we made sure to let him know that we've seen him throw sticks and things at Starsky through the fence (borders the gravel road), when they asked him he admitted it.  He obviously did this quite often and I believe that Starsky saw his chance to get the little creep back and did that and nothing more.
I've had Dobies before and love them to death.  My last one was one that I got from Animal Control about three years ago.  We had him about a year before we sadly gave him up to rescue, because of our neighbor's kids (5&6yrs, that were never supervised, always ran the neighborhood).  Any time he heard their voices he went bezerk.  If they came to the door to get our kids, he wanted to attack.  It got to the point that for his safty and the kids (never bothered any other kids) we sent him to rescue, so they could find him another home away from the 2 monsters.  We couldn't deal with what would happen if he got his revenge.  And yes, we found out that they had a habit of teasing him through the fence when we let the dogs out to potty or run & play.  Our dogs stay in the house 95% of the time and never outside when we're not home. 
Sorry, this is sooo long, but just want to let you know that I would take the side of my dog any day when he decides someone's not worth having around.... there's usually a reason and they haven't been wrong yet.  They are all individuals and deal with it differently, as you described w/Heidi.  Sorry, again for the length.

[MagicM3]

I completely agree with Stella,he either did something to your dog or your kids,

I know what I am about to say sounds simplist and naive,but if one of my dogs decides not to like someone,whatever the action he or she tries to take,I trust the dog before that person.Child or adult.

They are rarely wrong.
I am talking here about dogs I have raised and know.

Tricia and the fur kids

[horsepoor21]

It's so funny you bring this up , just last week my husband's aunt and her son ( who is about 6 or 7 years old) came over to our house , they've never been here before , we were all sitting in the living room talking and she asked about my dogs ( I had them out in the laundry room at the time) so I let Moose and Allie in , and they came running in the room tails wagging , etc until they saw her son and both their hackles raised , Allie started barking and I had to quickly catch them both and put them back . He's never been around them before so I know he couldn't have mistreated him . I really don't know the kid too well but he *seems* nice ..... My dogs have NEVER reacted that way , they love everyone , even the mailman ! LOL Just thought it was really weird !

[specialkdanemom]

I also had a couple incidents with Appollos.  He was a lover and he never got upset at anyone except for two times. 
Once was at the vet... a man had come in, talked to the receptionist and sat down.  Appollos watched him and his hackles went up and started growling after the man sat down.
The other time was on a trip to the Grand Canyon.  He did close to the same thing... hackles, growling and then barking.  There were dozens of people walking by with no problem, but he did not like this man for some reason.
Both times, these men appeared to be upset (you could see it in their faces/body ) or was upset prior to us seeing them.  I believe that Appollos (he was deaf) could smell the odor (can't remember the correct word) that these men were putting off when they were angry or ??. 
Just very similar to the kid thing only in regards to my deaf dane and his hightened sense of smell.

[kathryn]

Kaila acted this way with the substitute vet a couple of weeks ago.  I had to take her into get her booster shots and my regular vet was out of town so he had a vet come in and cover his practice.  Anyway, the vet walks in and asked why I was there and I said just to get booster shots and she asked if Kaila was having any problems.  I said no and then she starts talking about me bringing Kaila in for lameness.  Yes, we had been in and she was diagnosed with Pano and a partial ACL tear.  Then she tells me that Kaila would soon be visiting her practice for surgery to repair her ACL.  So I didn't like the vet and Kaila who has never tried to bite anyone tried to bite her.  Then the next time she was at the vet she was cowering under the benches because of all the trauma.  Sorry this is so long but just had to agree that animals can tell a$$ even when we can't.