They might be kind of intimidated by the enthusiasm.

[Keith smiled a little.]

It reminds me of an eager dog, actually... one that likes to jump on people. That can be scary sometimes if people don't know the dog well enough. And this guy's big, and heavy. It just needs to learn that it'll get more good attention if it doesn't try to jump on everyone it sees.

[He remembered having to train that out of Kosmo when the wolf had started jumping at him in excitement.]