Pup not reactive in groups--only 1 on 1

[2304ld]

My 11 month old pup is mostly a barrier-related frustrated greeter to other dogs. She has always been totally fine with meeting other dogs though. She has developed some people (mostly men) reactivity. Her situations where she meets people are very managed and she is muzzle trained just in case. The weird part is though if there is more than one person (not including me), she's totally fine. It's just when there is 1 person. It's super bizarre. Any thoughts here? Not sure I'm looking for advice on it, because it's just a situation I know I have to manage with her but I guess if anyone has anything specific to this scenario, that'd be helpful!

 

[dr650adv]

@2304ld I’d have a good R+ trainer observe this because times what looks like “fine” is just being shut down, but it’s possible

 

[2304ld]

@dr650adv Yeah, I've observed her in that mode, but not in this situation. She is playing, going up to people and play bowing. She'll take treats and lay on laps. I wonder if it's potentially because there is less pressure to interact. She know she can go to me or someone else in the 'group' but when there is just 1 person, there could seem to her that there is more pressure to interact. Idk I'm spitballing.

 

[drumsforjesus]

@2304ld Totally possible.

One other potential reason for the reaction that may still mean we're not super comfortable is your dog may be going into "fawn" mode around multiple people. Mine is aggressive reactive to dogs on leash, but if they get close to her off leash and she's on leash, she seems super sweet and gives all the appeasement gestures. She acts the same around close knit groups of dogs. If she doesn't think she can "take them", she tries to keep things cool through appeasement and then initiating play. She's still totally uncomfortable but the approach is completely different.

 

[mikeseven]

@2304ld Just one possibility - when she meets one person, that person is specifically there to see and interact with her. When there's a group, she's more in control of approaching who she wants to approach or tends to be ignored at first as the humans greet each other, giving her a chance to calm down.

A lot of other things could be going on but my reactive dog is particularly sensitive to men approaching him one on one and when in a group where he's allowed to ignore who he wants and be ignored in return, he does much much better.

 

[2304ld]

@mikeseven This definitely could be it. It's very interesting. She is usually totally non-reactive to people outdoors, it's just indoors and when it's one on one. Whenever I intro her to a new person, we got for a walk side-by-side before going indoors. Then the person just ignores her. And my dog generally ignores them. With a group of people, she's going up to them, wiggling between their legs to get attention. It's a very weird juxtaposition. Not something that I really need solved, she's just a weirdo with her triggers. My trainer said she's the strangest dog she's ever trained because she responds so oddly to triggers and to her training.

 

[arbiter]

@2304ld My trainer said my dog might fixate more when it’s just one person, dog around-but when it’s a group there is more distraction. Maybe it’s the same for your dog? Also for one on one maybe it’s the context? More likely to walk in neighborhood alone but do fun stuff in group? Idk just thinking

 

[elyonathan85]

@2304ld I’ve noticed this with my dog too, when we’re in group settings he’ll trot around saying hi to everyone like it’s nothing but in smaller groups or individually he’s wary of strangers. It’s like his brain just switches into a different mode when there’s enough people.