Do you think dogs can tell if someone is not to be trusted?

Question

Do you think dogs can sense if someone is good or bad?
All dogs love me, I think that is because they know I am a nice human being.
But some people are just disliked by all dogs. Is that because the dog knows they are evil or were an evil person in a past life, or are dogs just crazy?

I think dogs know all sorts of things us mere humans could never understand.
Never trust anyone who is snarled at by a dog.

Answer 1

tog definitely have a 6th sense that enables them to detect things about people that people cannot. I have seen and had it happen many times and I DO pay close attention to my little dogs instints. You can trust them.

Perhaps humans put out a different sense when they are at peace and a different one when they are not at peace. Whatever it is, watch your dog's reaction.

I had some carpet put in. There was two men that put it in. My Chihuaua stayed on one of the men's heels ALL DAY. Never bothered the other one. I caught the one my dog didn't like in my master bedroom bathroom a couple of times, supposely washing a knife cut. When he/they left I was missing a whole bottle of pain medicine. There have been other instances. I TRUST my dog. Pops

Answer 2

I think it's their survival instinct mainly. If someone is a little sheepish around them it can make the dog wonder whether this person is friend or foe. My dog was so wary with one vet that we went to because the vet used to shake and get un-nerved around him (he's a big softee lab). I couldn't believe there was a vet who was scared of dogs! But that's another story.

I don't think dogs can be trusted to sniff out people's good and bad intentions generally. I think it might depend on the breed. My dog is far too trusting generally of other people and dogs which has gotten him bitten on the nose once (by a dog not a person I should add).

Answer 3

I think if you know the dog, you should trust the dogs impression of a person. However, dogs also have spirits, and their spirit could have been damaged by a cruel abusive human leaving him mistrusting of all of us, and thus snarling at everyone. so yes I do listen to what dogs say, but I also try to "sense" them right back and decide if their impression of all humans has been jaded or not.

Answer 4

It depends does your dog think it is the Alpha? if it does than your dog is making it's own judgment call. If your dog thinks you are Alpha than it is taking its cues from you. Humans are conditioned in this society to ignore instinct, but our dogs can detect a rise in Adrenalin, or body temperature, or even tensing up our muscles, all of that would make the dog snarl at some one else if they are good or bad, just because they know what you won't admit ,you don't trust that person.

Answer 5

I think dogs have a sixth sense about people. I know that if my dog (who barks at all strangers coming into my house) doesn't settle down and jump on the lap of my visitor within 5 minutes, they should be kept at a distance. My dog has proven my theory time and time again. I now trust her instincts 100%.

Answer 6

Firstly, with no disprespect to you-I am a dog trainer, have been for nearly 12 years, and I can "assure" you of several things-There is no such thing as an "evil person" from a "past life"-Nobody comes back from the dead as a "good" or "bad" individual. There are MANY sources that can back up that truthful theory (Like The Bible for instance, for one to "believe that they can communicate with the dead, is a blasphemer, and it is the "prince of lies", the "devil" who put THAT belief into to any person. Here, again I am not being desprespectul to "those people that believe that they are genuinely communicating with dead people, with their spirits, etc., Many sceptics would and have asked HOW could this person know all these" personal details that ONLY the deceased could know, and not any other person could ever know??!!!-...Again, it is sad that certain "people" not only charge a fortune to "QUOTE:Communicate with the deceased person that they innocently and obviously are so heartbroken to have lost their loved ones, that they WILL AND MANY DO go to these so called "clairvoyants" with the hope of "knowing for SURE that the deceased is OK, and also to have few more minutes or seconds with their dearly beloved-THAT IS SAD, SAD, SAD AND IT IS NO OTHER WORK THAN THE DEVIL!!! (Logically, HOW else in this God-Forsaken world could a "stranger"-a.k.a."gifted clairvoyant", know such intimate details, even change to the personality of the deceased at times during their "$$$Session"?????-These people do the devil's work, and play on the heartbroken, FACT!)-Secondly, you said ALL DOGS like you, and you believe it is due to you just being a "nice human being" (and I'm sure you are)But, I too have a fantastic "knack" with the majority of many animals, dogs/cats/birds, etc myself, and let me tell you: "Get rid of the notion/belief that ALL DOGS LOVE you, because you WILL end up in a situation one day that could "Very much disprove your belief"-I know this to be true, you could possibly end up in "grave danger" with your beliefs and feelings. I agree on one thing you said, and strongly so=which is dogs "sometimes" can recognize a person with a REAL bad energy about them, and a dog likes to sniff a persons hand first, before the personal makes any moves towards the animal at all-You are Not an exception to any ways of the canine personality/nature, etc.-I've dealt with many a K-9 dogs who has had the "training" to be able to decipher "good from bad" intentioned people. No, dogs are not crazy., in fact it is the people that go out and buy dogs, like going out and buying a Mini, and stuffing the tiny dog into a big purse with mesh to breath on the side-WHAT A FASHION STATEMENT!!!-Just writing about it makes me want to rush out to my local pet shop and buy the smallest and most annoying "little" dog, and the kit that is necessary to go with the dog, such as the designer (Gucci/YSL, etc.) thousand or two dollar bad and WHALLA-I'm in with the upper style and will fit in with ALL the crowds!!!
NO THANKS-I do also believe that dogs know sort of things that us humans can not understand, such as: knowing when a storm is on it's way, when their owner is 5 blocks away from coming home-THESE, I have seen to be true-Most of it comes down to the dogs keen sense of smell!!!-Peace

Answer 7

Yes, I believe that dogs can sense "good or bad" people. My dog is so sweet, but I know that if someone broke into my house that she would jump on them. She always knows to be gentle when I am sick. Even if you don't like dogs that doesn't mean that dogs don't like you. They can sense fear, anger, and a whole range of emotions. They can probably smell the hormones we give off.

Answer 8

I think dogs can tell who can be trusted, but I think they base it on a number of factors.
My German Shepherd really keys off of my emotions, so if we are introduced to a person that I don't think should be trusted, my dog acts likewise.
Sometimes though, he has growled at someone that I thought was ok, and later I found out was kind of shady.
I'm married now, but when I was dating, I never dated someone my dog didn't like :-)

Answer 9

I think It depends. Dogs wont like anyone in a uniform generally because they feel threatened by them or they feel their owner is threatened. But I also know that animals run on instinct. If there instincts (sp?) are constantly telling them that there is something wrong about a person then you should pay attention. I never trust people that don't like animals.

Answer 10

My chihuahua GROWLS majorly at my ex every time he is around to pick up the kids, and that was my joke actually, that it must be true that animals can sense evil. I think it's by their voice and tone, and how they carry themselves and their mannerisms around your dog that lets the dog know if he should be on the look out for your safety or not.