Here's the background : Star is our 5yo Great Dane we adopted from rescue at Thanksgiving, so we've had her for two months now. We also have Max, a chow-akita mix, so I'm used to dealing with dogs who want to be dominant. We adopted Max from an animal shelter when he was 2yo. He had a few problems with aggression toward other dogs, but we worked through it and he loves all dogs now. He's definitely a "dog park dog."
Star is feeling more confident as a part of the family. When we first got her, she wouldn't let Max play with her. If he came near a toy she thought was hers, she'd growl and Max would back off. After a few weeks, they started carefully playing with each other. Now, either one initiates the play, and they "attack" each other with open mouths and growls. No one has ever gotten hurt. But I know she's not a dog park dog yet, and may never be. But she is a sweetheart to people!
But I thought it would be a good time to take Star to Petsmart to get her used to seeing other dogs, that kind of thing. It was late on a weekday, so I thought it wouldn't be too crowded. And it wasn't. She ignored the couple of other dogs there, snuffled around on the floor, and I got my bag of dogfood (we're switching them from Iams to Eagle Pack but needed a little more Iams).
There was a line (of course) at the checkout, so we waited. As I got up near the front of the line, I put my 30lb bag of dog food on the conveyor. At that moment, a PetSmart employee decided this was a good time to introduce her German Shepard to Star. They approached as I was putting down the bag of food. I never saw anything. All I heard was Star growl and then lunge forward, I pulled her back into a sit by my side, and she then ignored the GS. The employee comes up (on the other side of the line, so the dogs were separated by the counter) and apologizes and says that Star seemed friendly, wagging her tail then attacked.
Now, I know that's probably what happened. Star probably thought the other dog was a good idea, until he came at her, and she growled a warning, and he didn't like it and they went at it. The point is, the owner didn't make eye contact with me, and I was distracted when she chose to approach with her dog. Had I been involved, I could have told her that Star may growl, so she could decide if she could handle her dog.
This was Star's first trip to a pet store. She's still getting used to being a part of a family. She was probably protecting me. No, it's not great dog behavior, but I had Star under control. Star didn't advance, the GS came at her because his owner allowed it. And then it looked like I have this aggressive Great Dane. Interestingly, when we finally got to the front of the line, the guy at the register asked Star to sit and gave her a biscuit without any fear or flinching on his part. So maybe it was clear that Star wasn't the aggressor to the other people in the store.
Anywho, thanks for letting me vent. Guess next time I'll go to PetSmart when I don't need to buy anything so I can keep an eye on the other dogs/owners!