MY PET WORLD Q and A: LHASA APSO COLD TO MOM-IN-LAW
By Steve Dale | 26 June 2009

Q: Boris, our Lhasa Apso, is the friendliest dog in the world -- with our small children, our neighbor's kids, friends -- everyone except my mother-in-law. How can I get Boris to like my mother-in-law? She's actually not so bad.

A: "I'll tell ya, my mother-in-law is a dog. No, wait a moment, I don't want to insult the dog," — Rodney Dangerfield

"What's going on with your mother-in-law?" wonders Darlene Arden, a dog behavior consultant. "Is she hollering at the dog without meaning to? (Sometimes older people with hearing loss speak loudly.) Does she walk in a manner that the dog isn't accustomed to? Maybe there's a piece of equipment to assist her, such as a cane or walker, that's frightening Boris. Does she pay too much attention (to Boris)? Being over-solicitous can be frightening to some dogs."

Arden, author of Rover, Get Off Her Leg,  suggests a training exercise: "Grandma should walk in the door, then ignore the dog, except to sit down and toss special treats to him each time she visits. If Grandma is able, she can also feed the dog when she visits and take him for walks. In other words, the dog will associate Grandma with fun."

Arden makes one more point: "This isn't an excuse for mother-in-law jokes. As far as I'm concerned, mothers-in-law are great. After all, without a mother-in-law, you wouldn't have your spouse."

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