# My dog barks at the elderly!



## tiasmom (Aug 11, 2012)

Hi all,

My usually very friendly dog has a (horrifying) tendency to bark, haunches up, at elderly women (she's never done this with men). She's done this on several occasions now. She's great with babies, kids, men, women, friends, strangers, pretty much everyone, except gray and white-haired sweet old ladies. She's never snapped at or bitten anyone.

Has anyone ever experienced this? Any advice? This may sound like I'm rationalizing, but I really don't get the feeling she's being aggressive in these situations, it's almost like she's sounding some kind of warning or something.

Any feedback would be appreciated!


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## Zisso (Mar 20, 2009)

No advice here. My two are actually the opppsite and favor the elderly. Hope you get it worked out soon!


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## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

My daughter's GSD has always barked at the elderly including the two family great grandmothers  We think she is sensitive to how people walk/move and the elderly can be slow, tentative, stooped over etc. She is never aggressive but the barking is annoying and not a happy experience for the grandmothers. We deal with it by giving the grandmas a handful of yummy treats to reward her when she approaches them quietly. The dog goes through this every time she encounters the grandmothers and she is 5 now, so some things are not going to change. She does settle after a while. Both ladies have come to accept this quirk and are not threatened, just find the noise a nuisance.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Oh my gosh, Niko does this too!!! He is terrified of little old ladies. He thinks they are terrorists or something. Elderly men he is fine with. It is HIGHLY embarrassing to me too. He likes to bark at them and I always feel bad, especially if the lady is smiling at him and then he starts up.

Niko always barks at my Grandma when he sees her but after he gives her a good sniff-over, he ignores her for the most part. Once or twice he has sat down next to her and she petted his head and he was fine with it.

But elderly ladies that he doesn't know, yeah... 

I would just work on creating some positive associations with the "scary grandmas" just like you would any other thing that your dog might be wary of. Although it is hard to get volunteers for this sort of thing!


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