The People He Likes...and Doesn't

Tai is such a cool, calm, collected guy. If he were human, he'd be described as a people person. So I guess that means he's a dog's dog.

He loves to greet everyone as they come into the restaurant and checks on them occasionally as they enjoy their coffee or a meal. Well, everyone isn't exactly correct. For whatever reason, Tai will take an immediate dislike to someone, usually a man, as soon as that person walks through the door. It is the only time Tai will growl. We can't figure out what it is about the person that he doesn't like, but it is very obvious that Tai doesn't like him.

When we took Tai on the train a couple of years ago, he was sitting with us as pets are allowed to do in third class. People were moving up and down the aisle... the ticket collectors, food vendors, passengers. Tai's reaction to everyone was merely curiosity. That is, until one particular man came up the aisle. That was the first time ever that we had heard Tai growl. Ever. The man did nothing to provoke the reaction. Perhaps just Tai's sixth sense. Since then, it is only rarely that he will growl at someone.

Tai is great with kids. Well, actually, it just means he's enormously tolerant of their poking and patting and prodding and pulling. Once he's had enough, he sneeks away to some hiding spot to snooze till those pint-sized humans go away. For some kids, he'll bring out his ball. He wants to play. But with others, it's a hasty retreat.