Some years ago I was walking between parked cars in a parking lot, and in a car as I passed, I saw a lone Golden Retriever in a locked car.
I love Goldens. They are the sweetest, most loving dogs around, the world is their friend!
The dog was looking balefully at me as I passed, and I paused for a second, making eye contact, and muttered “What a good dog!”
That Golden Retriever lunged at me, impacting the closed window, teeth bared, snarling!
I was so startled...I had never seen a Golden Retriever do THAT before!
Fear Strike Syndrome is very common in many breeds.
Q: How do I know this?
A: My dad was an obedience trial judge for 30 years.
A dog with ANY symptoms of FSS is immediate ejection.
One of the reasons a judge does a pat down of the dog before starting is checking for FSS.
I’ve had close calls 4 times in my life just walking down the road.
A Rottweiler, a Great Dane and two mop terriers.
One of the terriers ran across a street to attack me.
I told the owner of the Rottweiler if I was packing, their dog would be dead.
So far I’ve never seen a Golden Retriever w FSS