Firstly, thank you very much for your time and effort in response to my question(s). I much appreciate it.
Now, I was only asking in general, and from past experiences, and what I might do in future instances.
But I will share an episode I had at my niece's a few years ago. She and her husband had a Rottweiler, his dog. My first exposure tyo this dog was when I arrived at there home. She seemed well behaved that night, allowing me to pet her without out any ado.
Well, next morn my niece and her husband left for work, (I was still asleep in my room), and 'Daisy' was supposed to be put outside. I got up, took a shower and went downstairs. Seated at the computer for only a few minutes I heard something coming down the steps. I turn in my seat and the dog is staring at me. Politely; in a normal tone of voice I say, "Hello, Daisy". At that moment the dog never approached, remaining about 6 ft away, but she started with that low, menacing growl. I stood up, facing her, (wrong action I now realize after reading your posts), and I shouted at her, "get out of here! Feck off!"
This did not produce the result I hoped for. I feinted a step to the side and she began to move, so I stopped. (All this time she never advanced towards me). So, as I was preparing to leave anyway, I got a 'bright' idea. One of Daisy's toys was lying near, so I picked it up, showed it to her and I tossed it across the living room, on the other side of a coffee table. Daisy 'fell for' this and as she ran one way I went out the back door.
Feeling mighty clever, I then realized that my car keys were up in my room, and by this time I could hear Daisy braking wildly on the other side of the door. So I grabbed the door handle and slowly pushed the door open, shutting it promptly after the dog, growling and barking, jumped up to the crack between the door and the door jamb.
needless to say, my niece's husband had to come back home and put the dog at ease whilst I collected my cars keys.
Thanks again for your help. I'll look on at the web site you've provided.
Well, that’s an easy one.
She woke up and found a “stranger” in “her house”.
[who also “smelled different” because of the shower]
Dogs totally live in the moment so she may have “forgotten” you from the night before *but* more likely, everything “changed” when her pack wasn’t there, demonstrating ~their~ complete acceptance of you.
Case in point: our family doctor has known and loved Odin since Odin was but a tiny 8 week old pup.
About 9 months ago when Odin was only a year old and just beginning to “be a man” , we took him with us to see his “Uncle Andy” again and Odin adored him....until his “daddy” went inside, leaving “mommy” alone with this “suddenly strange man”.
He then growled, barked and placed himself firmly against my side and in between me and the doc.
[this is the dog’s job, BTW...guarding me when hubby is not present to do so, himself]
The doc understood completely and harbored no ill will...still loves the dog like crazy.
Last week we tried again [the dog’s behavior has been “polished” since the last meeting] and Odin was well-behaved, properly full of adulation and did all his fancy tricks for the doc, even carefully taking tiny bits of training treats from his fingers without so much as touching flesh.
[he adores little kids and they, him, so his gentleness in snack-taking is paramount]
Daddy went inside again and Odin just wagged his nub at the still-there doc, knowing him now as absolute, trusted friend.
[On the down side, this now gives my doctor free rein to murder me as the dog totally accepts him]....LOL
Tossing her ball was *brilliantly* clever and one of the recommended methods of defusing aggression....leaving your keys inside with her...well, not so much....;-D
I am happy to help in any way I can.
Feel free to contact me any time you want.