[Conservative til I die]

Then why will animals that have been tortured will years later still react to persons who look/smell like those who did the torturing?

On another note, I was throwing a tennis ball off my garage, letting my two dogs chase it back and forth. The little female dog is quite athletic and likes to jump for the balls in all sorts of contorted ways, but always winds up landing on all fours. Her brother, the big meathead dog (90 lb. Boxer/Terrier mix) is much less agile and tried to do some of the same jumps. He couldn't correct himself and wound up landing full force on his ribs. He must have hurt himself good because he ran away into the house for the rest of the day.

That was three months ago and to this day, when he sees me pull out the tennis ball to throw it, he flees in terror from it.

[kaylar]

I once visited my in laws, and I had my little miniature dachshund female with me. She proved to be a less-than-welcome houseguest, as she proceeded to try to establish dominance over everybody. My father in law got tired of her self important barking, and he stomped his feet at her. She got scared, tucked tail, and ran.

Later that morning, we were in another room and my FIL was on the phone. My dachsie couldn't see him, but she heard him, and at the sound of his voice she began to growl deeply and menacingly, slowly 'rolling' the growls in her throat as if she were savoring them. I've never heard her growl like that since.

Needless to say, the visit was cut short. But before we left, my FIL , who felt remorseful over frightening a Small Cute Dog who weighs less than 10lbs, tried to make friends with her. She jerked her head away when he tried to pet her, and she refused to show him any attention at all. She just gazed stonily off into space.

This was in 1996.

In 2001, my inlaws came to see us. When my little dachsie saw there were visitors, she ran out , tail up, ears flopping, excited and happy at the prospect of fresh worshippers to pay her homage.

Then the wind changed direction.

As soon as she realized it was the FIL coming towards her, she slammed on the brakes, barked and growled at him a few times, then turned around and stalked back into the house, where she hid under the bed.

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself : A fat little dog holding a grudge for over 5 years.