That would be another test they should do. Have an intruder come in when you're home with pooch. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the results were a little different.Quote:
Originally Posted by C.A. in TO
Printable View
That would be another test they should do. Have an intruder come in when you're home with pooch. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the results were a little different.Quote:
Originally Posted by C.A. in TO
Don't think the labs would but we had a long legged jack russel as kids. If anyone raised a hand to my mom that dog had him. My mom was a character and one day she and a friend of my brother's got in a tomato fight. He ran in the house and locked the door. My brother had to go in through a basement window, Patches had his friend cornered on the kitchen table and wouldn't let him down. That
dog fought with anything on four legs and when we didn't heed don't tease the dog we all got bit at least once. He lived to be 20.
Its nice to see there are a good number of people here that do understand dog behavior and why it happens. Sadly I met too many when I was working with dogs that did bite work that didn't. And that is scary!
Yup my Springer is very protective to the point he will likely help you load my gear .;) . He makes noise if someone or something is out and about though and he is inside . Mean SOB he is cause he's not much for giving kisses but sure likes to be petted . :D
TD
All true.
Before I knew better , I bought a GSP from a pet store. She had spent 4 + months in the window/crate - had never seen the outdoors. Did my best, but had to put her down at age 3. I figure I gave her 2 1/2 years of the great out of doors that she would never have had.
defend?.. not the setters. Not bred for that. The JRT though would put up a heck of a fight. :)
I grew up with a female Chow. She wasn't very big - maybe 55 lbs but she was a fierce guard dog.
Our 2 Irish Setters (1 male, 1 female) and our girl Bouvier were completely useless as guard dogs. The Male setter (110 lbs) might have scared off a burglar by sticking his nose in the thief's crotch, the female setter (90 lbs) would have checked him out to see if he had cookies and would have brought her leash to him to see if he wanted to take her "walkies". The girl Bouvier (100 lbs) would have rolled over on her back in case he wanted to rub her belly.
I have a 22 pound Bichon at home that I'm still trying to figure out after 10 years. If women and children visit he is docile as a lamb but if
you are a man he will challenge and disallow entry onto the property until he is reassured by my commands and body language that all is well. It can be very embarrassing at times greeting people.
However, the way I look at it is this. Dogs are a tool and service animal. I appreciate and understand their warnings but as such I should be ultimately the only one responsible to take action if a perceived threat is warranted or not. I do not trust an animal to take on that responsibility and injuring someone by accident. In my opinion it is best that they remain docile if they are large in nature with potential to inflict severe damage over and above a nip on the pant leg.
Our first two labs were very protective of their stuff -- their house, their people, etc. When we would go fishing, we'd tie up and go for lunch and leave the one dog in the boat to watch the gear. We'd choose a restaurant with a patio that overlooked the water so we could watch the boat. It was interesting to see people walk down by the water's edge, and when they got close to our boat they'd leave a wide birth between them and the boat. She took her job seriously: she wouldn't budge, she would be in a down, but made it clear (with what was probably a low growl) that the gear was hers to be protected.
The other one to watch was, believe it or not, my cat. I was horsing around with the boy dog the one day, play wrestling, and out of nowhere the cat jumped on him and bit him. I mentioned it to my dad, so we tested the theory -- he playfully grabbed me around the neck and shoulders and instructed me to yell out like I was being beaten. Sure enough, the cat ran over, jumped on my dad and bit him. Attack cat Tubby, he was a bada$s.
My Brittany would love any intruder to death, probably lick him into a coma. And then jump into the getaway car and ride shotgun. what he did do though which kind of surprised me is fend off a doberman that was twice his size. My young daughter was walking through a local park with the dog when a doberman came flying out of one of the connecting yards all snarly and barking at my daughter. The Brittany wouldn't let it near her and stayed between her and the doberman and fended him off until the owner came running to break it up. Little bugger could have been killed but he never backed down. I really think he realized my daughter was in danger and he stepped up.
My Pudelpointer will physically place himself between my kids and anyone that comes onto our property, and let out a deep, low growl. Nobody has been bold enough to see if he'd escalate it. My shorthair won't let anyone in the door unless we are there.