Yesterday I was given something to think about. At garden club, there was a man with a papillion dog. The dog was wearing a service vest, so I presumed the owner had some sort of disability, but I couldn't discern anything. When various members came up and offered a polite knuckle for the dog he was holding to sniff, the dog growled and even lunged at one person.
So, my first reaction is the the dog is jealous and doesn't want interference with its master. I've seen horses react this way.
A member who appeared to have some authority in dog behavior said "dogs are not jealous". She and the dog owner then had a conversation, but I went into the meeting and did not hear it.
Having had a "jealous" dog, I could hardly believe that animals cannot be jealous, but the more I think of it, the more I am thinking it is more a herd/pack dynamic and the "jealous" behavior is the result of weak leadership.
I've been around horses that appeared to exhibit jealous behavior, and I guess I was anthromorphizing them, giving them human emotions.
It's hard not to give human characteristics to animals, when one sees them react/interact in human-like manners. Any trainers who can shed some light on this issue?
(Is it possible for someone weathy and influential to get a Service Dog certificate for an animal, just so he can have the pleasure of taking the animal everywhere with him?)
So, my first reaction is the the dog is jealous and doesn't want interference with its master. I've seen horses react this way.
A member who appeared to have some authority in dog behavior said "dogs are not jealous". She and the dog owner then had a conversation, but I went into the meeting and did not hear it.
Having had a "jealous" dog, I could hardly believe that animals cannot be jealous, but the more I think of it, the more I am thinking it is more a herd/pack dynamic and the "jealous" behavior is the result of weak leadership.
I've been around horses that appeared to exhibit jealous behavior, and I guess I was anthromorphizing them, giving them human emotions.
It's hard not to give human characteristics to animals, when one sees them react/interact in human-like manners. Any trainers who can shed some light on this issue?
(Is it possible for someone weathy and influential to get a Service Dog certificate for an animal, just so he can have the pleasure of taking the animal everywhere with him?)