We've got a 4 yr old Lhasa mix that we got from a shelter. We've had her for a little over a year and she has been a really great dog. She has one issue that we are not sure how to deal with. If I am just standing around, either in the kitchen or on the edge of the living room, she will start barking at me like I am an intruder or as if I was scaring her. I am usually 4-5 feet away and not looming over her when this happens. She will calm down if I talk to her and come when I call, she does not try to bite or anything like that. It feels like she is having some kind of flashback from an earlier trauma. She does not respond this way to my wife, and Billie (the dog) is otherwise normal. She will come to me when I call or on her own for play or attention.
Is there something we can do to help her get over this?
Thanks
Thank you for your question. Honestly, to me it seems like your dog is simply trying to assert herself with you. When dogs bark at you like that, I find they're mostly trying to say "This is my space; back away!" And if you pet her afterwards, you are reinforcing this behavior. This is something you should probably consult with a trainer about, as there are many methods for removing this behavior. I would do something soon, because domineering behavior like that often starts to slowly leak into other facets of the dog's life - she may start barking at more people, in different situations, etc. So the sooner you resolve it, the better for everyone involved!