Un-easiness around a particular dog

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Enzo is well socialized. She has never met a person or animal she hasn't liked, or at least ,initially, tried to make friends with.
Yesterday was a full day. Car show in the morning...lots of petting and cuddles from various people. Then car shopping, where she couldn't have behaved any better. I was extremely proud of my 11 month old,who stayed in a down stay while people walked all around her. She was all smiles and glowed in all the attention.
We decided to stop for a late lunch at a outdoor cafe we frequent. As Enz and I walked up to a table, there was a couple with an older Husky,lying at their feet. Enzo, immediately started barking, I quieted her, but she continued a very low growl! I have NEVER seen her do this. We sat at the only open table, about 20 feet away from then. I put Enzo in a down stay, which she was reluctant to do. Offered her both food and water( she always takes water), which she refused and just stared at the Husky. This dog, never even gave her a second look! But Enz continued the low growl everytime the dog moved. I have never seen her so on edge! This all continued until the couple left with the dog. Enz watched them leave and almost immediately relaxed! She then drank and ate. Even another couple next to us, remarked how she obviously did not like that dog. Such strange behavior and completely out of the norm for her. But it has to make you wonder, if she sensed something we could see.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Now I can look forward to hopefully living into my 80s! Being allowed to growl, bark and snap at people would make a few aches and pains worth it! 

[Gail and Bailey]

LOL!  If you go live in certain places in south Florida you don't even have to wait until you are in your 80's to growl, bark and snap!  :>)  

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

LOL...something to look forward to in old age!

[Wendy and Myla]

You know, Myla has never done this yet, but our last doodle Zak did that to a person - we were camping and walking around the campground and Zak was happily walking along side us on her leash and happily lapping up attention some of the campers were giving her and all of a sudden she started growling and growling - honestly we had never heard that type of growl from her ever - there was a single guy camping in a tent and minding his own business around his picnic table and Zak would not stop!  We actually took a different route back to our RV so that she wouldn't have to go by his site.  I've often wondered about that guy - maybe he was a serial killer or something??? - my imagination runs wild I know, but I really trust the instincts of my doodles!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

OMG...see the post I just typed below on exactly this type of thing!

[Deborah Brown]

My dogs don't like huskies or Newfies.  I know the Newfies tend to stare which bothers them but no idea about the huskies.  Penny also has issues with border collies, Australian shepherds and other herding dogs that are proned to quick movements.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

hmmm…I wonder if that's what gets Finn into trouble.  He has that Aussie like stare  (usually reserved for our cat) --when he herds her-- or when he's playing with another dog, he'll freeze and stare, which means "double dog dare you to move, or "dare you to chase me"  (at least from what I can tell).  When walking, it's more of a gentle but direct gaze.  More and more though, he'll pass another dog and look the other way.  Maybe he's not really an Australian Labradoodle but an Aussie Labradoodle. OMD! Must have been some funny business going on "down-under!" 

[Deborah Brown]

I think dogs making eye contact when playing is OK because it is a two way thing.  It's a strange dog staring at a distance that is considered bad doggie etiquette.  My pack does the play stare down all the time before the chase.  It's fun to watch.  :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree. The ones that really set JD off are the ones whose heads are turned around staring at him as they walk with their owners a block away. 

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

We were out and about all day today. Another huge carshow on Coranodo Island. LO and behold, the first dog we come upon....a Huskie! What are the odds? But unlike yesterday, she never even gave the dog a passing glance. We probably passed 100+ dogs today and she was fine with each and every one of them. She played with an adorable 5 month old German Shepard for seemed like an hour. Until they were both too pooped to move. The owner of the Shepherd had to carry her away!
So yesterday's incident was not breed specific. The thought did cross my mind...maybe it wasn't the dog, but the humans!
My now past Golden was a Certified Therapy Dog. Early on, we worked in a lockdown unit of a hospital in Northern Ca. One day a young guy...maybe mid 20's, was part of our Group Therapy circle. He came to sit down by me and Chevy started a low guttural growl! Not exactly PC for a Therapy Dog! I admit, the guy sent the hairs on the back of my neck into a tailspin. Since Chevy was still growling ( loudly), I removed to both of us.
Come to find out...and Hospital rules were changed that day...this guy was a Gang Member with a teardrop on his cheek. I find out that means he murdered someone!!!!!!!! WTH? After this incident, The Group we worked with demanded to know full history of each Patient we worked with. And we made the choice for ourselves, if we wanted to work within that particular circle.
So ,like Chevy, maybe Enzo picked something up on the person, not the dog?

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Seems like you could be right about that since the dogs never interacted.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Could be another fear stage. They have a few along the way.  Could be the dog was sending non-verbal dog speak that we humans can not pick up.

I would nip the ' Staring' you speak of in the butt now though.  Staring and dogs is NOT a good sign. It is aggressive.

In class, we learned to stop this if we could. I had a dog who would stare and when she did, she eventually attacked.  We worked hard at changing her focus to us with the commands such as " Look" which meant keep your focus on us, Please