# Will your dog protect you? I want to know your opinions?



## Sigridclabaugh (May 11, 2011)

I think a dog that is not trained can, but its not likely. A lot of people will automatically think they dogs will protect them and in most cases a dog wont. A lot of times what people think is protecting really isn't. However there are exceptions of course and many stories of people who have had there dog protect them.


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## lisak_87 (Mar 23, 2011)

I know mine won't. He's a big baby.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Lots of previous discussions about this.

The consensus opinion seems to be that most won't and, by the time you find out, it's too late.

My own opinion is that it's my job to protect my dogs, not the other way around.

It would probably be nice if you explain why you're asking.


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

My dog? No, Ne, Ikke, Geen, Ei, Non, Nein...etc.

He's too trusting of humans to be of any use as a protector. If someone were trying to beat me to death with a chicken leg, he might disarm him, but not otherwise protective.


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## RoughCollie (Mar 7, 2011)

I do not expect my Wheaten Terrier to grow up to be a protective dog, unless he licks someone to death.


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## lisak_87 (Mar 23, 2011)

RoughCollie said:


> I do not expect my Wheaten Terrier to grow up to be a protective dog, unless he licks someone to death.


Is that a threat O.O


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## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

Marsh Muppet said:


> If someone were trying to beat me to death with a chicken leg, he might disarm him, but not otherwise protective.


lol love it



lisak_87 said:


> Is that a threat O.O


Clearly this RoughCollie character is one that bears watching


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## SpiderGirl (Dec 27, 2009)

If I were attacked by a horde of angry kittens, I know Pete would take care of me.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

Despite the weapons at her disposal, I'm not even sure Esther would protect Molly. She nurtures her, guides her and (sometimes most difficult of all) tolerates her, but I would not count on her protecting Molly, despite their obvious bond.

The only "naturally-protective" dog I've ever had was Cubby the oversize black lab. I'll tell a couple of stories to illustrate. (I'm sure I've told them before, but we're into summer reruns now.)

My daughter was nine when we got Cubby. The wisdom of allowing a nine-year-old to walk a 115-pound dog escapes me now, but it made sense at the time. Sometimes I would watch from a distance and I noticed that anytime another walker would approach Sarah and Cubby, from either side, Cubby would keep himself physically between the walker and Sarah. His maneuvering was so subtle, I doubt the other walker would even notice, and there was nothing threatening in his demeanor, but it was very clear to me what he was doing. I saw this many times over the years, though he never did this when I was walking him.

In another incident, I was walking with Cubby and my two children. Sarah had the leash, which was alway loose. My son, about 12, was pouting about something and was trailing about 50-75 yards behind us. At one point, the dog turned, clearly agitated, and I saw four much older boys (old-enough to know better) pelting my son with ice chunks. I yelled and got no response, so I reached down and unclipped Cubby's leash. (Again, it seemed like a good idea at the time.) I ran after him, knowing he'd get there long before I would.

The boys started running and actually got about a half-block away when Cubby caught up with them. When I finally caught up, he had the four of them pinned up against a very high chain link fence around a municipal pool. He never touched them but, any time one would move, he let loose one of his rare and thunderous barks. In between, he entertained them with low growls.

After I caught my own breath, we had a candid discussion about the folly and cowardice of picking on young boys and we walked back to rejoin Sarah. I noticed none of those boys moved for a very long time.

My point is, Cubby did exactly what I would have hoped with no training at all. It could have gone very badly and, fortunately for both of us, it did not. This was a rescue dog with a history of extreme abuse, yet he exercised exactly the kind of restraint I would hope for in a highly-trained dog. 

I believe he was literally exceptional.


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

If by protection you mean providing an intimidating presence that makes some humans rethink their decision to approach us (always done silently which seems to make him more intimidating than if he were snarling and lunging) or placing his body between me (and/or my children) and a someone/something he views as a potential threat...almost daily. If, on the other hand, you mean the aggressive, snarling, lunging "Im gonna rip your face off if you get close!"...I have never seen that sort of display from him (and I hope I never do). 

The most danger the average person approaching is in is being drowned in drool.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Pip would bark and it would sound ferocious, but it would be all bluster. Although... I have noticed him do the "insert myself between you and another person" thing that you described with Cubby and your daughter, RonE. 

Maisy and Squash would be quite hopeless, I'm sure, although Maisy's bad habit of jumping might come in handy for once. But honestly I don't see it as their job to "protect" me as much as to be a physically/ visually/ noisy deterrent to anyone with less than noble intentions to make me seem not worth the effort. I don't expect them to actually do anything protective.


The only really creepy protective moment I've ever had with a dog was with my old dog, Roxy. She was a rott/GSD mix, and a really sweet dog and also very sensible and level-headed. She just loved everyone. Once I was walking her and she kept pausing and looking behind us. Like, really staring, not just glancing. I didn't think much of it at first but she kept doing it and doing it and finally I noticed was a big guy walking behind us and gaining. I mean, he wasn't doing anything visibly weird to me, just walking faster than us. Finally, she stopped, sat down between me and him and would NOT move. She never made a peep, not even a growl, just kept her body between us and watched him the whole time he came up, passed, and went ahead of us. Uncharacteristically for her, she didn't try to greet him. Then when he was out of sight, she got up and we continued on our walk as if nothing had happened. In some ways it was such a non-event but it REALLY gave me the creeps and I was glad she was with me.


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## Tolak (Sep 11, 2008)

RonE said:


> My own opinion is that it's my job to protect my dogs, not the other way around.


Hear hear! Alarm system, sure. Alert me to something I may not be aware of, great. As far as protecting, they don't have the intelligence to make that sort of call in countless situations, humans make a poor call on this often enough.


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## ladyshadowhollyjc (Oct 28, 2008)

My dogs that currently live with me all weigh under 10lbs, so I doubt there's a whole lot of protection that they could provide that I couldn't already provide for myself.

Last night JC and I went for a walk on the beach after it had gotten dark. I stopped at the end of our road to head back, but I decided to spend a few more minutes down there. JC sat down on the towel next me and we just sat in silence enjoying the ocean smells and breeze (ahhh it was beautiful... I cannot wait to do it again tonight). Anyways, after a couple of minutes I heard this growl from JC. He *never* growls, and this one sounded like a bear had possessed my sweet little papillon. He is by far the most passive dog I've ever met. A minute or so later I realized he was growling at a group of people behind us walking down the beach towards our direction (tourists, looking for turtles probably). 
I appreciate his warning growl. I really do. I know that he'd never go any further than that though... but I am very thankful for that. I consider a dog that will warn me of possible dangers that I may or may not be aware of extremely protective (especially if all he does is warn me).
I do not expect my dogs to always warn me to possible danger though... it's my job as their owner to protect them.


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## Eskira (May 30, 2011)

RoughCollie said:


> I do not expect my Wheaten Terrier to grow up to be a protective dog, unless he licks someone to death.


lool I'm afraid!


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## MusherChic (Nov 6, 2010)

I like to think that Ellie would protect me....but I've never really been in a situation with her where I have needed any protection though so I don't know. Since Ellie is a German Shepherd I highly doubt anybody would give me any trouble anyway.  

There was one incident when my brother took Ellie over to a friend's house. My brother and his friend were standing outside talking and my brother's friend took a knife out of his pocket to show my brother. Ellie started growling at my brother's friend and would not stop no matter what my brother did. 

I doubt the sled dogs would do anything.....unless the attacker was a rabbit....


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## Lindbert (Dec 12, 2010)

My shepherds probably wouldn't do anything. Hudson definitely wouldn't as he is a very people-oriented dog (a lab in a GSD disguise), Morgan is my husband's dog and he MIGHT protect my husband but not so much me. Hunter is still young and not very aloof to strangers so I think he'd sell me to the highest bidder :lol

Brody on the other hand makes me feel VERY secure. When we are out at night, he will freeze and bark to alert me to people "hanging out" in the shadows (my neighborhood isn't the best.) Based on his body language, demeanor, and overall infatuation with me, I don't doubt that he would protect me if the need arose.


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## Irishman (May 13, 2011)

Of my three dogs, one might, one probably would, and one would eat the attacker. None of my dogs has received any kind of guardian training. I would actually prefer that my dogs *not *protect me. I can protect myself pretty well, and don't want them to get injured. My biggest dog is a 'might'. He's the strongest of my three, but just doesn't have a fighting mentality. The smallest of my dogs probably would. He misinterpreted some play between me and another person in my house, and I had to step between them to block his attack rush. I'm not sure that he'd sustain an attack, though. He'd probably nip and run. My dog in the middle size-wise (55-60 lbs) would tear someone limb from limb. He's a very sociable puppy-like 3 year old, and loves people when I've introduced them. But if there's a perceived threat, it's like a switch gets thrown in his head. I've had to restrain him a few times. When wrestling with one of the other dogs, if they started growling (totally normal during play) he'd shoot out from wherever he was and attack them, and it wasn't a playful attack. Luckily, this started when he was just a pup, and we were able to teach him that this wasn't a threat. If someone approaches me too quickly on a walk, he becomes VERY alert, but doesn't go right to the attack. If someone ran out and hit me, he'd go berserk.


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

My dog alerted me to the presence of a predator (in this case, just the smell - there was no real danger) and tried to get me outta there. Based on that response, it seemed relatively innate - I'm sure she'd do it again if the same threat presented itself again.

As for human threats, unless someone was physically harming me and I was protesting very enthusiastically, I doubt that my dog would do anything.


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## Britt & Bello (Apr 14, 2011)

Brittany barks at the majority of people who get near me so even though she is only about 15 pounds, she normally deters people. Bello on the other hand is a sweet heart and jumps to greet people. I do think he would bite someone if they were trying to hurt me, but it wouldn't be hard enough to break skin (just cause welts). And he would only think they were playing. Because he doesn't really know the meaning of mean (unless he sees my neighbor's GSD then he suddenly thinks he's a killer.)


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## debpass (Oct 13, 2009)

Casey, our old girl was VERY protective in her day. Several years ago a neighbor came up the driveway, and my husband was in the garage with the door open, and didn't hear her. Casey did, flew out of the garage and backed her up against the house till Bob got there. Rick will get between me and anyone who approaches. He really doesn't have to do anything but stand there. Not many people will challange a Rottweiler. He has on occasion growled. He is very protective of the house, will charge the door like he'll eat you, but when your invited in, he will lick and slime you to death. He is my big baby. Ziva, is still a puppy. She just turned a year, but surprised me a couple of months ago at the dog park. Rick was attacked by a dog, and Bob quickly pulled him back. I was trying to back the other dog off, (his owners were afraid of him), and out of no where comes Ziva. She jumped on the dog's back and grabbed him by the back of the neck. I was quick to get to her for fear of her getting hurt. Thank goodness nobody was hurt. Our baby was a little over 10 months old at the time. I am still amazed at her. Rick is very protective of her as well. He is always watching her at the park. They are so cute together.


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## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

The only thing I want my dog to protect is her sweet little butt high-tailing it out of there if danger approaches. If someone caused her harm my next df post would be from jail.


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## CandJHarris (Apr 29, 2010)

Between my Chihuahua and Great Dane, Taco would be the one to defend me. Tyson would be hiding behind me peeking with his head between my legs.

The only dog that I've ever really seen that was a natural protector was my sister's Australian Shepherd. My sister lives across the street from my parents (dead end with no real traffic) and we were all sitting out in my mom and dad's yard. My nephew, who was about three at the time, decided that he needed to get something from his house and started in a dead run for the street. My sis's Aussie, Sandy, jumped up and started after my nephew. As Sandy got to him my nephew tripped and would have face planted into the pavement, but Sandy scooped his head under my nephew and broke his fall. When my nephew got back to his feet Sandy wouldn't let him move until my sister came and got him.


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## mom24doggies (Mar 25, 2011)

One of mine would, the rest would probably just bark. Sammie can be very protective of us. One day a dog aggressive Dane charged us on our walk; this dog has attacked Pepper before, putting puncture marks in her butt and sending her to the vet with a back injury...several weeks and some Rimadyl (sp?) later she's fine, thank goodness!! Anyway, so I heard the Dane charging down her driveway, looked over my shoulder, got one glance at the look in her eye and turned around and charged back with a roar...haha, maybe not the smartest thing to do when you have two of your little dogs on a leash with you, but it worked. She stopped, confused, and just in time...right then Sammie shot past me and went for her. Thankfully, Sam listens well and stopped when I told her to, but that Dane was destined to be hamburger in Sam's mind. That hasn't been the only time she's done that...usually it takes me being defensive for her to try to protect though. So I don't think that all dogs have to be trained to protect...some come by it naturally. Honestly, I'd rather they not...what if someone attacked me and had a knife or a gun and Sam went for them? She'd be dead...and I'd feel horrible. 

And to all you dog aggressive Danes: first of all, your owners need to keep you behind a fence and spay you; secondly, do not try to eat my babies...I turn into a Dane-eating monster at that point. 



> The only dog that I've ever really seen that was a natural protector was my sister's Australian Shepherd. My sister lives across the street from my parents (dead end with no real traffic) and we were all sitting out in my mom and dad's yard. My nephew, who was about three at the time, decided that he needed to get something from his house and started in a dead run for the street. My sis's Aussie, Sandy, jumped up and started after my nephew. As Sandy got to him my nephew tripped and would have face planted into the pavement, but Sandy scooped his head under my nephew and broke his fall. When my nephew got back to his feet Sandy wouldn't let him move until my sister came and got him.


 Awwww, that's sweet!! Smart pup.


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## Tofu_pup (Dec 8, 2008)

Kaki has already shown that she will protect her charges.

Though like most here, I'd rather the need not arise. I can't imagine what a nightmare it'd be if the city deemed her "vicious".


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## RoughCollie (Mar 7, 2011)

I just remembered one time, years ago, when our Collie (who died of cancer on February 19) protected the kids and me. We were staying in a secluded cabin in the mountains in a state park. It was around 11 pm, and we'd just come back from bear hunting. (Driving around, hoping to see bears. Usually there were a bunch of them at the dumpsters, and we'd park outside the gate and shine the headlights on them and watch them for an hour or so. Sometimes we saw them crossing the roads.)

A man came off the porch of our cabin, and walked over to us. He was an employee, and he had left me a gift of kindling. Teddy barked (deep bark which means danger is present) and growled, and stood between us and the man. The situation was very odd and the man was strange, too. It turned out that he was the one who kept leaving gifts for me when the kids, dog and I were gone. That night, he asked me out in front of the kids (I am married), and told me that he had been watching me. The man left when I told him that Teddy was in attack mode and was too strong for me to control. (That was a lie ... Teddy, AFAIK, didn't have an attack mode.)

The next day, I reported it to the assistant director. Female campers and employees showed up at the cabin to tell me their stories about the man. He was a peeping Tom (who had a history of entering people's tents and hanging around their cabins) who was friends with the director, who in turn refused to believe the reports and do something about this.

I reported the guy, the State sent someone out to talk to me (a 3-hour drive, so they were taking it seriously). The man ended up being fired, which ended his several year reign of nasty, threatening behavior at the park. I think it helped a lot that I am a lawyer (although I didn't threaten to do anything) and I had several victims of this guy at my cabin to tell their story to the State's rep, so we were taken seriously.

Teddy was a big Collie, 100 lbs., not overweight, and looked bigger because of all that fur. I don't know whether he would have attacked the guy, but that was the only time in 8 years that he was ever alarmed and on full alert like that.

However, since Teddy had seen a lot of bears since he was a small puppy, he was not alarmed by them. A black bear once bellied up to a picnic table that was occupied by my kids and an adult friend of ours. One of my sons was waving around a stick full of marshmallows, proclaiming himself to be King of the Marshmallows (he had the most), and the bear showed up, and just stood there like he was one of them. The dog was right there, and did nothing. The kids and our friend literally leaped onto the porch (3' high) and were in the house lickety-split. 

The dog was on a chain, and they left him out there. I went out immediately to get him and the bear was gone. The screaming scared him off, as it is wont to do. 

Moral: Never take a puppy bear hunting, especially when you bought him when you did for the purpose of scaring away bears. People at this park had fed the bears so often that they were a real problem. We went there for many years and always saw a lot of bears around the camping area. The park had a guy with "bear dogs" come in often to chase the bears back into the mountains.

We stopped going there a few years ago because they quit allowing dogs in the cabins. That made it too dangerous for me, since we couldn't walk around with rifles strapped on to protect ourselves. I figured if a bear did anything besides stand around, Teddy would go into attack mode and scare it off. Black Bears (unless they are aggressive or protecting their cubs) will not mess with a snarling dog.

The cabin had bear-proof screens on the windows and screen door, and the bears were never aggressive at all. One did have to be shot once because of aggression in the tent camping area, in all those years, so the danger was real IMO. One time, a lab puppy became a snarling bundle of fur and treed a black bear in the tent area. He was a 6 mos old love bug, and his owner and the rest of us were amazed that he had done that.


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