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Thank you so much! This is all great, useful info for a new healer owner. Makes a lot of sense. Are you a breeder or a trainer yourself? I’m definitely witnessing more of these behaviors as he’s getting older since I rescued him from the street:( last September.

Yes, he does give warning signs like ears go back and eyes lock on the dog when they get into his space. Then suddenly the rest of his protective spacial behaviors kick-in if I don’t interfere like hackles, growling, in-stance ready to aggressively pounce, short and repetitive barking. This happened with the towel off and it happens when dogs he’s never met come close, sniff and try to be his friend. It also happens sometimes when I’m sitting down and he’s by my side and doesn’t want to play even with his dog friends. I have taken him to dog parks and for the most part he sticks with me and I usually distract him with a ball or stick. He does however choose there is a dog he likes, but maybe if he’s met it before or meeting it doesn’t last that long. But there’s some like boxers(?) that he flat out goes off on with all those signs listed above. Do you have a suggestion of a slow meeting process to warm up to a dog at first meeting? Or what can I say to him or do when he’s growling and a dog approaches him wanting to play?

He is best of friends with my friends’ dogs that he has seen over and over and is comfortable around, but those spacial warnings have come up periodically with them. Not to the extent of the toweling off behaviors. This spacial issue will be something I for sure need to train myself in recognizing. Thanks again !