Question: I own a Shiba Inu-mix, spayed dog. She has been with me and my young daughter for about six years now. Next year, we will be moving in with my significant other.
The two have met and there are no signs of aggression by the dog, however, she is displaying a weird behavior. Whenever my boyfriend and I are in close proximity to one another, the dog will sit and stare at him. She will not move or get distracted by anything until one of us moves away from the other. It’s almost freakish.
My boyfriend does not live close by, so meetings between the two are infrequent. What is causing her to sit and stare so intently at him like that, and should I be worried? Up until now, the dog has not had any behavioral issues with guests or visitors. She is well socialized and obedient and has never shown aggression toward people. Should I be worried? ? Brenda
Answer: I would not be worried about your girl. As you mentioned, she is not used to this type of interaction. I am sure that she is worried about what will happen to you, or sometimes the dogs are worried about what will happen to them. This is especially true if the dog is sitting next to you when your significant other comes to sit next to you. She has not shown aggression to anyone before so I wouldn’t suspect that she would at this time.
To make sure that their relationship is positive, ask him to do some simple, treat or toy-based obedience exercises when he is with you. As many times a day as possible, your significant other should ask her to do something simple like, “sit” and then hand her a tasty treat or toss a toy. This will help them build a strong relationship.
Whenever you are in close proximity to your significant other, toss a treat to your dog. This will help change her emotional reaction to the situation from worry to excitement. Soon, she will love your significant other and she will think that closeness means treats!
Dr. Radosta
Lisa Radosta DVM, Diplomate ACVB
Florida Veterinary Behavior Service
PO Box 210636
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33421-0636
561-795-9398
www.flvetbehavior.com
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