Would your dog protect you?
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Jet would growl and raise helll, but if someone came into our home/yard and tried to hurt us I am almost 99% sure she would defend us.
Bear, he is already showing his protective side. When people knock on the door or yell at me, he barks like mad and tries to bite whoever it was doing so.
Peanut, yes the kitty, is protective, believe it or not.
He is a great judge of character, he just started warming up to Charla and my dad, and he defends me from the dogs and bugs if need be.
I am like most people here, I will defend/protect my pets like its nobodys business.
Bear, he is already showing his protective side. When people knock on the door or yell at me, he barks like mad and tries to bite whoever it was doing so.
Peanut, yes the kitty, is protective, believe it or not.
He is a great judge of character, he just started warming up to Charla and my dad, and he defends me from the dogs and bugs if need be.
I am like most people here, I will defend/protect my pets like its nobodys business.
S
Interesting thread.
I agree with Dan here. Dogs will put up a d@mn good show, but most wont fallow through. They'll tuck tail and jump back once you come at them in an aggressive manner, end of story.
Reggin? Not sure. There is no doubt that he would be full a fear. I am sure he would get some good bites in though. As far as holding a guy down and really tearing him a new one... doubtful.
Reggin is starting to show some protective qualities as he gets older. APBTs are not human aggressive, but I am not underestimating their ability to protect if they see fit, especially after the other day....
I was out for a walk with my fiance, Reggin, and chihuahua. A stumbling drunken man approached us. Mummbling while fallowing us down the road. He reached out to pet my chihuahua. Reggin quickly lunged forward to the mans face, growling... thankfully Brandon caught it and Reggin hit the end of the leash. He didn't like that man from the get go. Extremely unusual in an APBT.
I agree with Dan here. Dogs will put up a d@mn good show, but most wont fallow through. They'll tuck tail and jump back once you come at them in an aggressive manner, end of story.
Reggin? Not sure. There is no doubt that he would be full a fear. I am sure he would get some good bites in though. As far as holding a guy down and really tearing him a new one... doubtful.
Reggin is starting to show some protective qualities as he gets older. APBTs are not human aggressive, but I am not underestimating their ability to protect if they see fit, especially after the other day....
I was out for a walk with my fiance, Reggin, and chihuahua. A stumbling drunken man approached us. Mummbling while fallowing us down the road. He reached out to pet my chihuahua. Reggin quickly lunged forward to the mans face, growling... thankfully Brandon caught it and Reggin hit the end of the leash. He didn't like that man from the get go. Extremely unusual in an APBT.
Anything Rah did would likely be out of fear I think - most of the time when really pressured he will back off of a person and I've never seen him really pissed. He's worked in defense and been pushed there and it's not pretty, but it's more from fear. Though as he ages, he becomes more confident, so who knows. I wouldn't DEPEND On him for that,but that is not why I have him.
Tyler, RIP - would likely have protected me in the right situation but he was too sharp to begin with and very defensive. physically he would have never managed it, I only had him in his senior years.
Bowie, RIP - well, the dog had live bites defending what he thought was his and didn't like many people, so that dog absolutely.
Willow, RIP - never
Mercury - not a chance in hell.
Berlin - she's only 10 months old, so it's hard to say, but I think she probably would. She won't back off people as is right now, and she's not doing anything out of fear. She's young and hasn't seen any sort of pressure, though. She's also of the extra-sharp variety.
I agree with Red and Dan though - most people think their dogs will, and have no actual clue. I wouldn't be surprised to see all my dogs hiding in another room, and I think a LOT of people confuse a dogs FEAR reaction with actual protective instincts. My dog going "come one step closer and I will kick your ass - push me, I dare you " is a lot different than going "stay there, I don't want to have to be forced to bite you".
Tyler, RIP - would likely have protected me in the right situation but he was too sharp to begin with and very defensive. physically he would have never managed it, I only had him in his senior years.
Bowie, RIP - well, the dog had live bites defending what he thought was his and didn't like many people, so that dog absolutely.
Willow, RIP - never
Mercury - not a chance in hell.
Berlin - she's only 10 months old, so it's hard to say, but I think she probably would. She won't back off people as is right now, and she's not doing anything out of fear. She's young and hasn't seen any sort of pressure, though. She's also of the extra-sharp variety.
I agree with Red and Dan though - most people think their dogs will, and have no actual clue. I wouldn't be surprised to see all my dogs hiding in another room, and I think a LOT of people confuse a dogs FEAR reaction with actual protective instincts. My dog going "come one step closer and I will kick your ass - push me, I dare you " is a lot different than going "stay there, I don't want to have to be forced to bite you".
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Don't sell her short, Dan. I know people think our big goofy danes have lost all their guardian abilities, and are all fluff now, but unfortunately (how DO I get in these situations!) I've had the chance to see what most of my danes are really made of.
My very first dane was a huge suprise. He was a registered therapy dog, and went EVERYWHERE with me (socialized to the hilt). One day I was vacuming downstairs and my boyfriend's cousin Alan walked in the house uninvited. I didn't hear him because of the vacume. I was just vacuming away in one room, and Hootch (the dane) was in the next room. All of the sudden I see a blur and then a tussell. Hooth "grabbed" Allen by the elbow (full mouthed bite as judged by the sleeve of his leather jacket) and knocked him against the wall. He then proceeded to hold him there against the wall until I came into the room and told him it was okay.
I was very shocked that my big marshmallow could be that guardy. Each dane I've had since has also proved their worth in some way or another, with the exception of my deafies who loved everyone and the one harle who came out of the womb with fear/aggro issues and no self confidence.
My very first dane was a huge suprise. He was a registered therapy dog, and went EVERYWHERE with me (socialized to the hilt). One day I was vacuming downstairs and my boyfriend's cousin Alan walked in the house uninvited. I didn't hear him because of the vacume. I was just vacuming away in one room, and Hootch (the dane) was in the next room. All of the sudden I see a blur and then a tussell. Hooth "grabbed" Allen by the elbow (full mouthed bite as judged by the sleeve of his leather jacket) and knocked him against the wall. He then proceeded to hold him there against the wall until I came into the room and told him it was okay.
I was very shocked that my big marshmallow could be that guardy. Each dane I've had since has also proved their worth in some way or another, with the exception of my deafies who loved everyone and the one harle who came out of the womb with fear/aggro issues and no self confidence.
Daisy did put on a pretty good display a few months ago, 2 guys came to do service on our water conditioner. She didn't let them in and I had to physically restrain her. It was more of a "who are these strangers coming into my house" than "I'm going to bite these guys who are coming in my house". It was territorial though, that's for sure. Gunnar was easy, he'll let anyone in if he sees me being calm with the person, but he won't take his eyes off them. I had to keep him from going down in the basement to watch the repair guys, because I was working and didn't have time to sit down there with him. Another time a few of my son's friends were over doing some recording in my little basement studio, and a few other friends showed up. Gunnar went downstairs and laid by the door, watching them the entire time, because he didn't know them.
Doberkim, "come one step closer and I'll kick your ass" is a type of avoidance by the dog. Some people will see their dog back up on the training field, and think "he's luring them closer so he can bite" when really, they are showing a degree of avoidance. That dog should be out at the end of the leash, straining to get to the decoy if that is the exercise. The dog should be acting like, I don't care where you are, I'm coming at you and I'm going to kick your ass. I can have Gunnar in a down, not barking and being very calm, but not taking his eyes off the decoy, the decoy can be jumping around and making noise, agitating him, and as soon as I give him a "pas auf" (watch), he leaps up and hits the end of the leash, with an aggressive bark, trying to get to the decoy.
Your comment about people who don't understand what protection is, confusing a fear based reaction- growling, barking, hackles up, showing teeth, with protection, is completely correct. It's all a bluff but if it works, then the dog did his job.
Recently my trainer had 2 dogs dropped off at his house, a divorce/no home to keep the dogs situation. One was a 2 year old GSD, fairly well trained, good with kids, and in general a good pet. He wanted to test the dog's protection ability before he placed him in another home- thinking that if he was good, he'd keep him and train him. The way you test the dog is to back tie him, and then agitate, and watch the reaction. You start out far away, making noises like cracking a whip, shouting, and watch the dog. A dog that is interested will come out to the end of the line, bark, but not show teeth, raise hackles, or turn their back. You work in closer, not confronting the dog- avoiding eye contact, moving side to side and not straight in which puts the dog in a defensive posture, and keep testing. This dog went straight into fear and avoidance- he wouldn't look at the decoy, he paced around looking for an escape but he couldn't because he was back tied. When pressure was put on him- whip cracking at his feet, he raised his hackles, bared his teeth, growled and barked but would not come any closer to the decoy. Eventually he jumped over a 6' fence to get away from the threat. His reaction was typical of a dog that didn't want a confrontation and showed everything he had to avoid it. Most people would see the teeth, hair, and sounds as protection, but the dog really was showing fear and avoidance.
Doberkim, "come one step closer and I'll kick your ass" is a type of avoidance by the dog. Some people will see their dog back up on the training field, and think "he's luring them closer so he can bite" when really, they are showing a degree of avoidance. That dog should be out at the end of the leash, straining to get to the decoy if that is the exercise. The dog should be acting like, I don't care where you are, I'm coming at you and I'm going to kick your ass. I can have Gunnar in a down, not barking and being very calm, but not taking his eyes off the decoy, the decoy can be jumping around and making noise, agitating him, and as soon as I give him a "pas auf" (watch), he leaps up and hits the end of the leash, with an aggressive bark, trying to get to the decoy.
Your comment about people who don't understand what protection is, confusing a fear based reaction- growling, barking, hackles up, showing teeth, with protection, is completely correct. It's all a bluff but if it works, then the dog did his job.
Recently my trainer had 2 dogs dropped off at his house, a divorce/no home to keep the dogs situation. One was a 2 year old GSD, fairly well trained, good with kids, and in general a good pet. He wanted to test the dog's protection ability before he placed him in another home- thinking that if he was good, he'd keep him and train him. The way you test the dog is to back tie him, and then agitate, and watch the reaction. You start out far away, making noises like cracking a whip, shouting, and watch the dog. A dog that is interested will come out to the end of the line, bark, but not show teeth, raise hackles, or turn their back. You work in closer, not confronting the dog- avoiding eye contact, moving side to side and not straight in which puts the dog in a defensive posture, and keep testing. This dog went straight into fear and avoidance- he wouldn't look at the decoy, he paced around looking for an escape but he couldn't because he was back tied. When pressure was put on him- whip cracking at his feet, he raised his hackles, bared his teeth, growled and barked but would not come any closer to the decoy. Eventually he jumped over a 6' fence to get away from the threat. His reaction was typical of a dog that didn't want a confrontation and showed everything he had to avoid it. Most people would see the teeth, hair, and sounds as protection, but the dog really was showing fear and avoidance.
Bamm is extremely protective over me. I know he would protect me and I feel as though he already has. I live in a not so great area and there's been multiple times where strange men would try and walk up to me. Bamm usually stands in between us and growls at the strange guys and the guys turn around and walk away. Good boy Bamm *click/treat*
Nope, I'm left to fend myself..lol
Going by what they do when my husband and I play fight;
Boomer just runs and gets his toy, I think it's his way of trying to distract us.
Tilly just watches.
Kassie is the only one who'll give us a show by growling and barking at hubby but that's about all she'll do. My brave little 3 pounder.
Going by what they do when my husband and I play fight;
Boomer just runs and gets his toy, I think it's his way of trying to distract us.
Tilly just watches.
Kassie is the only one who'll give us a show by growling and barking at hubby but that's about all she'll do. My brave little 3 pounder.
gotcha, Red . . . .
Kharma amuses me with her bag of tricks. We like to walk late at night when it's cool and there have been a couple of incidents, as well as the prowler in the back yard, and the occasional cop harrassment. She rarely does the same thing twice in a row, and seems to derive great amusement from the whole process. Even the times when she's been supremely angry, I've never seen her act in any way that wasn't completely calculated.
She cracks me up sometimes. She'll look up at me and raise one eyebrow, and when I raise mine and give my head a slight tilt, it's a 'go.'
I couldn't do that if I didn't have complete confidence in her ability to discern and use good judgement about exactly how far it's necessary to go, and THAT has its roots not only in her vast intelligence and common sense, but in all the hours we put in doing exactly what the Fila nutters tell me is wrong . . . getting her out and meeting people, learning about life in the real world. We work as a team.
Kharma amuses me with her bag of tricks. We like to walk late at night when it's cool and there have been a couple of incidents, as well as the prowler in the back yard, and the occasional cop harrassment. She rarely does the same thing twice in a row, and seems to derive great amusement from the whole process. Even the times when she's been supremely angry, I've never seen her act in any way that wasn't completely calculated.
She cracks me up sometimes. She'll look up at me and raise one eyebrow, and when I raise mine and give my head a slight tilt, it's a 'go.'
I couldn't do that if I didn't have complete confidence in her ability to discern and use good judgement about exactly how far it's necessary to go, and THAT has its roots not only in her vast intelligence and common sense, but in all the hours we put in doing exactly what the Fila nutters tell me is wrong . . . getting her out and meeting people, learning about life in the real world. We work as a team.
Oh yes, she has showed signs that she would before but has never had to - thank god. She tends to watch people like a Hawk, which I suppose is Cattle Dog nature. She has her warning signs though, such as when I was being pushed around by a friend of mine and my cousin (on two separate occasions - both in play). I was yelling at them to stop and she simply stiffened up, her hackles raising, and glared, moving forward. The scary thing with her is, she's silent - which I suppose is Cattle Dog nature as well.
Pepperoni, I think she would. She loves people and is all kinds of jumpy and happy, but I have seen it before that there are people that she does NOT like, and without a doubt I think if that person did anything to harm me she would protect me.
Buddy (who I consider to partly my dog), without a doubt would protect me. Of any of the dogs I have known in the family I know that he would protect me without a doubt. Well, if I am with him in the first place I am not too sure if people would try to do something to me in the firstplace...because if you don't know him...he looks frightening sometimes.
He protects me already...he is always there when I am in the pool, watching, so if I drown I know he will be there.
Buddy (who I consider to partly my dog), without a doubt would protect me. Of any of the dogs I have known in the family I know that he would protect me without a doubt. Well, if I am with him in the first place I am not too sure if people would try to do something to me in the firstplace...because if you don't know him...he looks frightening sometimes.
He protects me already...he is always there when I am in the pool, watching, so if I drown I know he will be there.
I can't say for sure, but my guess is that if Boo was truly startled, she'd raise quite a racket out of fear. Barking, growling... but wouldn't get too close and should it really come down to it, she would be in the next room over. If she wasn't startled, but someone just came inside during the day, she'd probably say hello and then go lay down somewhere. If they came in at night, but she wasn't startled, she might bark for a while, but would settle down soon.
If we weren't home at all and it was just her in the house, she'd probably let nayone who wasn't threatening her in with a wag of her tail.
So no... but hopefully a big black dog with pointy ears barking and growling would be enough of a deterrent to make someone think twice.
If we weren't home at all and it was just her in the house, she'd probably let nayone who wasn't threatening her in with a wag of her tail.
So no... but hopefully a big black dog with pointy ears barking and growling would be enough of a deterrent to make someone think twice.
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Well, Sarama deals with uninvited strangers in the house by planting her feet, raising her hackles and barking like a demon. What that means when push comes to shove, I'm not sure.
She will try to protect me from other animals. She's stepped between me and and a buck, and me and some smaller creature (a coon or a possum I think) and growled quite seriously. She leapt forward will a full blown snarl when she thought another dog was threatening me.
But a human? I don't know. It doesn't really matter too much as long as people THINK she'll defend me
She will try to protect me from other animals. She's stepped between me and and a buck, and me and some smaller creature (a coon or a possum I think) and growled quite seriously. She leapt forward will a full blown snarl when she thought another dog was threatening me.
But a human? I don't know. It doesn't really matter too much as long as people THINK she'll defend me