Hunter can be aggressive?? WHAT??

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Hunter has always been very submissive around other dogs. She is always the one to immediately lay down and show her belly with a look in her eyes like "Please, please don't eat me". Even when other dogs are aggressive in play at the dog park Hunter stays sweet and timid. So imagine my surprise when she showed that she had ONE aggressive bone in her body!

Saturday we had another couple over and my DH's cousin and her dog Kito. In the couple there is "Bob". Bob is a TOTAL dog/Hunter lover, whenever they come over Hunter is thrilled because she know's Bob is going to pet her, play with her, cuddle her, etc. He even gave her belly raspberries when she was still little enough to pick up.

Hunter and DH's cousin's dog Kito played great together, neither are aggressive they just play and have a great time. DUM DE DUM DUM UNTIL Kito went over to Bob for some of the attention Hunter was getting. Hunter was NOT going to share "her" Bob. She actually growled and snapped at Kito! Everyone was SHOCKED - nothing happened at all but Kito did back off and left Bob all to Hunter. I guess he wasn't worth it to Kito anymore. After that we did notice that when Kito came over to me or DH Hunter would try to worm her way between us but nothing like she did with Bob.

I have to say I am glad Hunter has a little bit of "muchness" in her - I didn't think she had it at all and I was worried that if she needed it she would be in trouble.

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Ann I think the belly raspberries were the deal breaker! I am glad to hear its more about guarding a "resource" I was worried that it was going to start happening with all other dogs, etc.

[Ann Kendig]

Hunter is such a sweetie, and beautiful too. Bob must be VERY special to Hunter. Must have been the belly raspberries!!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is what goes on at my house every time there is another dog here. Over the weekend, my son's 12-year old Lab mix stayed here, and nobody in the family could show him any affection without Jack flying over to break it up. No growling or overt aggression, just a big obnoxious doodle shoving himself between Rollo and everyone else. Stealing Rollo's bones, too...which were bones Jack had rejected previously.
I still wouldn't expect Hunter to show any aggression at the dog park, unless some other dogs start making a play for you or Uncle Bob. This is more about resource guarding, as Jane said.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Sure sounds like resource guarding, and "Uncle Bob" appears to be a resource valued enough by Hunter that he is NOT going to share him. I actually live with this in my house, and I'm the resource. Guinness will share anything with his brother....but heaven forbid Murph tries to break up a Guinness and Mom "love fest". That's the only time Guinness will react aggressively, and Murphy knows enough to back off. I let them work it out, and then when Guinness and I are "done", it's Murphy's turn.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I know exactly what you mean! Darwin is submissive and gets along with every dog he has met. There have been three aggressive dogs that tried to attack him in the past, but he just ran away, he would ever respond aggressively. I have literally NEVER heard him growl, not even in play. His play teeth baring is the closest I have come to seeing a "mean" Darwin.

Well, half a year ago or so, we were at a dog park and I was trying to get Darwin to sit for me with some treats I had. A Chihuahua jumped up on my leg and snapped at Darwin every time he moved to take the treat from me. I kept pushing the dog down, but he continued jumping on me and snapping at Darwin. Of course, his owner did nothing. Anyways, finally Darwin had enough and let out a string of 5 or 6 deep, loud barks. No growling or anything, just warning barks. That little Chihuahua ran like the wind! I am glad he stood up for himself, but it was pretty shocking. He NEVER barks and it was basically the first time I had heard his real "voice"!