Strange Behaviour

[Teresa]

We recently moved to a new home in Évora. We now have 2 new people roomies and one doggie roomie. There have been some major changes to our routine, but they all have been improvements. Both my girls seem hapier and more stable in this new home. We all get along and things have been wonderful... Except yesterday, I went to get a cup of coffee with some friends and left them at home with one of my roomies. When I got home, she told me that at some point, Romã growled and showed her teeth, then, as she told Romã to go to bed, she did and stayed there peacefully as if nothing happened. She told me she did not feel treatened, but found it odd, as Romã had never done such a thing. The entire time, it seems Pitanga was her normal self.

Romã does not have separation anxiety, but she does get a bit melancolic when I leave her with someone else and cries a bit. If left alone, both go to their beds (or to mine) and stay there calmly - I have filmed them several times to ensure it.

I'm having a very hard time believing Romã did such a thing, and that if she did, this was directed to someone she knows and likes, but I also don't want to be the owner who does not see the warning signs of something else. Plus, I can't see why my roomie would make such a story up!

Does anyone ever had a dog with this kind of atitude, or has any advice on how I can get to them bottom of what might have happened?

[Torie Lancaster]

 Something has happened to her somewhere along the line, dogs don't just change their behaviour for no reason.

[Teresa]

Thank you guys for your thoughts.

I'll definetely ask her some more questions. You are right Viv, and I had not thought of that!

She does talk and smile a lot, specially when she wants cuddles, and for what I could understand of the situation, Romã had been asking for cuddles just moments before, so this could be just that. I'm going to try and figure it out.

The reason why this was so odd to me is that it was not the first time they were alone toghether, and it had been smooth all the times before. Both girls are glad to obey Angela, and follow her around the house when she is around. The other thing that makes me wonder is that Romã has been much more secure since we moved to this new home - she even lost her long time fear of children, and now is glad to play around with them!

All in all, she looks much happier here, almost as if she is a new girl. Pitanga is pretty much the same old girl (not her first new home, anyway) except now she also eats better! I just hope Romã is not geting over confident and trying something new, but I'll do as you all suggested and dig in a bit more!

[Fran Griffin]

It could be that she likes your roomie when you are there, but when you are not there this attitude changes. From time to time I look after my friends border collie. When she is over here for a visit, he has no problems with me at all, and will even follow me around the house.  However, if she leaves him here with me, it's as if I suddenly become some kind of sea monster complete with horns and smoke.  He is very afraid of me, and won't come anywhere near me, He has even growled.  I just left him to get on with it. I didn't make any eye contact with him, walked around him rather than towards him, and as time has gone on, he has become more relaxed in my company when his mum isn't here. 

Some dogs think other people in the home are ok when mum/dad are around, but not when they are not around - at least not until they have gained that level of trust and confidence.  Also the new home could have started off some insecurities which are not 100% apparent unless you truly understand they ways dogs display it, or internalize it and that combined with the new roomie means that she is not quite as confident with her - as of yet.

[Teresa]

Hi again!

I've just been endlessly questioning Angela about what hapened between her and Romã. After a lot of questions, it seems Romã was just talking to her, not growling.

Romã was being very needy and begging for love and atention, and after a lot of cudling she suddently showed her teeth and "growled". I managed to reproduce her "smiling and snoring" routine and Angela said it was exactly what she had done to her.

I'm feeling a lot better, but I'm still going to keep a close eye on Romã, just to make sure nothing happens!

Thanks a lot for your sugestions! 

[Fran Griffin]

Haha. I would love to have seen your imitation.  My old Nalle was a smiler.  All the kids locally loved him. A couple of months ago a young lad asked me which one of my current dogs smiled.  I had to tell him that was Nalle and he is no longer with us, I thought he was going to cry!  Daisy (red and white) smiles at very very fat women lol

[Teresa]

It was quite a relief really! Here I was thibking we were making so many wonderful progresses and that now there was this huge new issue! It seems I can resume my door closing training session at peace now!