is this doggie ready for the little men in white coats?

Question
QUESTION: My daughter, who is 30, has a mutt named Gracie. Heather ha had Gracie since Gracie was six weeks old, and Gracie was spayed as soon as they do that sort of thing.Gracie will be two in August.  Ever since she was little, Gracie has always preferred men over women, even over Heather: if there is a man in the room, Gracie will go and sit by or on him, instead of with Heather.  Question one:  How does Gracie make this distinction, and why?
Now, Heather has a steady boyfriend, and they are very serious about each other and their relationship.  True to form, Gracie prefers Don over Heather.  However, for the past several weeks, Gracie has started acting weirdly.  When Don is not around, she will mope, languish in her cage and not come out, even though the door is open.She is lethargic and unhappy.  She alternately will not eat, or throws up what she does eat.  Then, she paces around and around Heather's apartment like a caged tiger.  Until Don arrives.  Gracie can tell the sound of his car when he parks outside on the street, and hears him lock the car door.  Then she flies through the room, jumps up on the back of the couch, facing the door, waiting for Don to come in.  As soon as Don arrives, Gracie is all happy and tail wagging and normal. When Don leaves to take out the garbage or get the mail, Gracie goes to the door and stuffs her nose under the crack of the door sill until he gets back. She acts for all the world like she is in love with him.  When he leaves for the evening, Gracie is just miserable again without him.  Question 2:  Why does she act this way?  Is she truly miserable, or a re we misinterpreting her behavior?  Gracie is small--14 pounds--and very very intelligent.  Though she is a Heinz 57, the dominant gene is Bull Mastiff, tho in appearance she looks like a Chihuahua.  What can Heather do to address Gracie's "issues"?  Should Heather just go ahead and give Don the dog?  Don does not really like dogs, but he does like Gracie--Gracie is very cute and just a loving and adorable little thing. But, Don does not really want to keep a dog.  Can you interpret Gracie behavior, and maybe offer some solutions?  Heather is thinking about having Gracie trained to be a therapy dog when she turns two but do you think Gracie's predilection for men make her a poor candidate for that ministry?  Thank you for any insight you can provide.

ANSWER: Sometimes, dogs do express a preference for gender, but I certainly don't think it's a reason to give away the dog.  Sometimes, dogs bond to the first human they encounter, and Gracie may have been in the company of a man while she was still with her litter.  Your daughter can make herself more valuable to her own dog by learning how to train her using reward-based training, and by not using any of the traditional correction-based techniques to deal with her.  She can also simply enjoy the fact that her dog likes Don.  It's certainly better than if she didn't:-)))

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I am very disappointed in your response, because you did not answer all my questions.  Would it be a terrible inconvenience for you to re read my question and answer ALL of them, or would you prefer I just go ask someone else.  I don't want to take up your valuable time.

Answer
y daughter, who is 30, has a mutt named Gracie. Heather ha had Gracie since Gracie was six weeks old, and Gracie was spayed as soon as they do that sort of thing.Gracie will be two in August.  Ever since she was little, Gracie has always preferred men over women, even over Heather: if there is a man in the room, Gracie will go and sit by or on him, instead of with Heather.  Question one:  How does Gracie make this distinction, and why?

No one really knows why some dogs do this, and, in fact, many dogs prefer women because men seem scarier.  As I said, it could simply be that she formed an early attachment to a male prior to arriving at your daughter's home.

Now, Heather has a steady boyfriend, and they are very serious about each other and their relationship.  True to form, Gracie prefers Don over Heather.  However, for the past several weeks, Gracie has started acting weirdly.  When Don is not around, she will mope, languish in her cage and not come out, even though the door is open.She is lethargic and unhappy.  She alternately will not eat, or throws up what she does eat.  Then, she paces around and around Heather's apartment like a caged tiger.  Until Don arrives.  Gracie can tell the sound of his car when he parks outside on the street, and hears him lock the car door.  Then she flies through the room, jumps up on the back of the couch, facing the door, waiting for Don to come in.  As soon as Don arrives, Gracie is all happy and tail wagging and normal. When Don leaves to take out the garbage or get the mail, Gracie goes to the door and stuffs her nose under the crack of the door sill until he gets back. She acts for all the world like she is in love with him.  When he leaves for the evening, Gracie is just miserable again without him.  Question 2:  Why does she act this way?  

Unfortunately, I would have to be privy to the dog's history to know that, but I would say that it's one of two things.  She has a history that includes a strong attachment to a male, or a history that includes being punished by a female.  Dogs that vomit when their preferred human disappears can be assumed to be very anxious, provided there's no other disease process going on.

Is she truly miserable, or a re we misinterpreting her behavior?  

I don't think you are misinterpreting - clearly she is not as happy when her male friend is absent.
Gracie is small--14 pounds--and very very intelligent.  Though she is a Heinz 57, the dominant gene is Bull Mastiff, tho in appearance she looks like a Chihuahua.

I would be suspect of this dog having any bullmastiff if she is that small, although there are other bully type breeds that would produce that size dog.

What can Heather do to address Gracie's "issues"?  If your daughter trains her dog using traditional "correction" she should stop, and use positive reward-based training instead.

Should Heather just go ahead and give Don the dog?  Don does not really like dogs, but he does like Gracie--Gracie is very cute and just a loving and adorable little thing. But, Don does not really want to keep a dog.  

Why would she have to give him the dog if they are serious and thinking of living together anyway?

Can you interpret Gracie behavior, and maybe offer some solutions?  Heather is thinking about having Gracie trained to be a therapy dog when she turns two but do you think Gracie's predilection for men make her a poor candidate for that ministry?  

Therapy dog work is not a "ministry" unless you only plan to use the dog in a religious setting.  It's "animal assisted activities" or "animal assisted therapy".  I do think the dog would have a hard time as a therapy dog if she is not willing to allow females to pat her and interact with her, but she might be wonderful in a setting with male veterans, for example, provided she is social enough to pass the test with both genders.


Thank you for any insight you can provide.
You're very welcome.  Sorry you thought my first answer was not comprehensive enough, and hope this one is more helpful.