Why does my dog like everybody except for our pool guy and gardeners?

Question

Whenever they come over, he immediately starts barking and growling the moment he hears them. Once they get into the backyard, he follows them around and tries to bite them. He see's them every week, so they aren't complete strangers to him. He's never hostile towards other strangers either.

Please don't respond with telling me to get him trained and all that other useless stuff.

Answer 1

I've wondered this about our gas man and electric meter reader. I think it is because once these guys enter the property they go directly towards a goal destination. They don't knock at the door and ask permission. They come on your property and head directly to a specific place. I think it's kind of a predator behavior -- go straight for the target. Since dogs are wired to protect their territory from other predators, they go after the offender.

I am not a dog expert, but I have noticed the same behavior with our dogs and think that may be the reason. I think that you would have to convince the pool man, etc., to ask permission at the front door and have you walk with them to the pool/yard. Even then, since the dog already knows these people and their vehicles, you may not win that fight. In the future, you might want to escort "regulars" to their post each time they come. Or, since it would be easier, plan to crate, leash, or otherwise confine your beloved pet until the jobs are done and the pool guy and gardener leave.

Answer 2

I once had an elderly lady for a friend. She had a wonderful little dog. A mix of some sort. She had the dog trained well and it behaved very well. Learn here https://tr.im/SIjnC

She kept an uncovered candy dish on her coffee table with candy in it. The dog was forbidden to eat the candy. When she was in the room observing the dog he did not even appear to notice the candy. One day while she was in her dinning room she happened to look in a mirror and could see her dog in the living room. He did not know he was being watched. For several minutes he was sitting in front of the candy bowl staring at the candy. Finally he reached in and took one. He placed it on the table and stared at it, he woofed at it. He stared some more, licked his chops and PUT IT BACK in the bowl and walked away. Did he want the candy, oh yeah. Did he eat it? Nope. They can be trained that well but most, I'll admit, are not trained that well. When I was a young boy, maybe 5 years old. We had a german shepherd. He was very well trained also. My mom could leave food unattended on the table, no problem. She would open the oven door and set a pan roast beef or roast chicken on the door to cool. No problem. He would not touch it, watched or not. But butter? Whole other story. You leave a stick of butter anywhere he could reach and it was gone. He was a large shepherd so there were not many places he could not reach. Really, I think the number of dogs trained to the point they will leave food alone when not being supervised is very small indeed.
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Now if we are talking obedience training, not food grubbing, that is a different story. Way back when I was first learning obedience training one of the final exercises was to put our dogs in a down/stay and not only leave the room but leave the building for 15 minutes. The only person that stayed was our trainer, not the owners. Most of the dogs in my class did not break their stay, which would be an automatic fail. I'm happy to report my dog was one of the ones that passed.

Answer 3

The workers are invading his territory with strange equipment. Even worse, some of the equipment makes noises. Like growling. All that dog sees is strange men with growling things hanging on all over them.
If you want to try to get him to accept the situation, have the workers put the equipment on the ground for him to sniff. The workers should, at the same time, make friendly with the dog.
This is very common. Once the pool guy came while we were swimming, he wouldn't even come into the yard until we put the dog into the house. He said that most dogs are even more territorial and defensive if they think their families need protection.
That is simply a dog's job.
Good luck

Answer 4

You forgot to mention if you have had this dog his whole life or if you got him from a kennel or breeder.
Chance are one of two things. He has had a bad experience with someone who looks like that person, (or perhaps all males) and is leery if anyone who reminds him of that person.
The other might simply be smell, or color of the uniforms they are wearing.
You can either keep the dog inside, or have one of the workers help you spend some time letting your dog get to know that person. Have them give him treats and pet your dog. Hopefully over time the dog will learn that these are not the people who treated him badly.

Answer 5

I read in a book a while back that dogs will go after anyone in a uniform. And they most likely wear uniforms. Try keeping him inside when the pool guy or gardener comes over. If they come over daily, I don't want to get you mad but then you should get him trained. But they probably don't come over daily so you probably don't have to worry about spending money on useless obedience schools.

Answer 6

all dogs, small and large, are protective of their loved ones and also the home they live in.
their senses tell them to protect their turf. your dog thinks they are intruders so that is why your dog is acting that way. when this happens it is good to praise your dog and let your dog know you hear him.
my dogs have barked alot when someone comes to work outside, and i tell him thank you and good boy, he usually stops barking and just watches them until they leave..... because your dog is outside, it might be a good idea to let your dog meet them on a friendly basis,
take one worker at a time, have your dog sit down and stay, and you take worker's hand with yours and approach your dog, [telling dog it is ok,] come close to the dog and then call your dog to come to you, let the dog sniff the worker's hand [still holding the hand ]and while you are there let the worker pet him and they will be friends from then on,
do this to each worker that you want your dog to be friendly and this should work.
if this does not work, either bring your dog in the house when worker's are there or put him on a brace over his mouth so he won't bite..
if a dog bites someone, they can be taked away from you from spca, it is the law in almost all of the states.

Answer 7

Maybe the pool guys and the gardners don't like him. Dogs can tell that. Even if they say they don't mind him, they are probably afraid of him, or just don't like him.

Tell them to start wearing bacon scented cologne, and maybe the dog would like them better! Actually- he'd probably really want to bite them. Scratch that idea! GOOD LUCK>

Answer 8

Dogs are the best judges of character. If your dogs do not like them. I belIEve there must be a reason. "Watch your back." My dogs watch my back all the time. Also if they have done something harmful to the dog without your knowledge it could cause the dogs to react to them this way. ie. has the pool guy whacked one of the dogs with his skimming net? etc...

Answer 9

Are you a female, at home alone when they come? I agree with some other answers-maybe a bad experience with a man, some dogs seem afraid of men anyway, perhaps because they're bigger or their deeper voice scares them. My dogs are much more protective when I'm home by myself than when my husband is home too.

Answer 10

Often times it's not the person but what they have in their hands. Our dog loves our neighbor but when he is carrying a rake or shovel (once even a coffee can) she freaks out. May be she is scared or threatened by the tools they ae using. dogluvr