If the situation called for it...

[kirstyhen]

Do you think your dog would protect you?

Because I really think, given the choice, mine would leg it!

After last night's shenanigans, I am feeling rather jumpy (over active imagination!) and starting to wish we had bought something large and shouty with lots of teeth, rather than my cute, little, wimpy Springer

In all the time we have had him, he has barked once through over-excitment and scared himself doing it, he never growls (at people anyway!) and has perfect a cute bum wiggle dance that he likes to perform for perfect strangers at every oppurtunity!

Ah well, there's a chance any intruders might trip over him I guess

 

[GinaB]

Beastie and Tina, yes I truly believe they would as for Midget, no. She'd probably try and lick them to death

 

[Oneofthepack]

I thought not until I told a neighbour who was coming to fix my back door to come straight round to the back garden as I was mowing the lawn and wouldn't hear him knock. I got to the end of the garden and turned to mow back to find my neighbour pinned to the wall by my snarling collie cross

I really didn't think he had it in him at all and of course I apologised but was secretly pleased!

 

[CorvusCorax]

I never thought any of my dogs, fierce as they look, would ever have truly protected me.
They have mostly surprised me.

1) A family friend picked me up when I was about 12 and pretended to throw me into the sea. Dexy ran over growling and barking, so he put me down again.

2) Was walking along with my ex and he put his arm around me. Nanci, soft as butter, most gentle GSD ever, stopped, turned round and gave him a 'look' - she didn't take her eyes off him until he removed the arm. She was a good judge of character.

3) I was chatting to some pals when a new member of our club picked up a long oblong kong toy (I call it a sausage) that I had left on the ground and came up very suddenly behind me holding it upright with his arm stretched towards me.
The first thing I knew about it was B on his hind legs stretched up to his full height and grumbling deep in his throat

I was quite upset about it but my trainer had seen it all and said it was only natural behaviour, due to the way that the man had approached me.

I have to say that he is actually a really sweet dog and was having a great time being fussed over yesterday by his breeder's grandchildren, but I know he has my back if I need him to.

 

[MurphysMinder]

My old GSD yes, cliche as it is I honestly think she would have protected my children and I with her life. I have also had similar experiences to H-H with dogs who I wouldn't have thought would guard me but have proved me wrong. Of my current ones, I honestly doubt if Buffy would, Saffy possibly but she is a bit past it, and Evie seems to love everyone, but she has a strong temperament so probably would if we really were threatened.

 

[SilverSkye]

Not sure she makes the right noises and not many people push there luck however a while ago we had one of the youth offenders selling expensive tea towels and dusters out a big bag come to the front door, i answered it and Keela was going wild barking and grumbling ( as she does when ever some one comes to the door) i trapped her between my knes to stop her getting to him but she was growling and snarling.

She is a big dog and looks the part and people always back off when ever she does this, however this lad bent towards her before i could say no and said 'now then dont be silly' and patted the snarling beast who then procceded to wee all over the floor and go all pathetic and wiggly while cowering and making a very strange crying noise.

Up till this point i would always have said yes but now i am not so sure, but she looks the part and makes the right noises, unless you actually touch her then she falls to pieces bless her!

 

[Blue-bear]

I do believe my lab would protect me and OH until his last breath if need be, we live on our livery yard and he makes it known he is about and i can tell by his bark if its someone he knows or someone who shouldnt be here. We also have a lot of kids that hang around our ponies in the far field, hes very good at shouting loudly at them, he looks very aggresive when he wants too, if i didnt know him i would definatly not mess. Hes funny with men anyway but if hes with me on my own he is even more so, especially if they approach in a certain way that he thinks i would feel threatened. I love it that hes like it, it makes me feel safe and i also like that fact that people have a pre concieved idea that a chocolate lab would be a big softie. he most certainly is not unless he knows you well. He has proved to be a very good judge of character!
On the other hand i would like to see what my collie would do if she was pushed to it, id like to think she would stick around and have something to say if we got in trouble, but she is a bit of a wimp and hates loud noises (gun shots, thunder). She is pretty good at shouting when she needs to tho, although she generally just walks up to anyone and licks them to death.
My JRT is partially blind so he cant really be blamed for not being able to protect me, saying that his hearing is extra sensitive i believe due to his lack of sight and this often means he is the first to bark.

 

[Booboos]

Our GSD who never barks at anyone, loves children and is a total softy, run right in front of us and barked/growled at a herd of bullocks that were cornering us in a field. It was the only time we needed protection and he really rose to the challenge!

 

[Scranny_Ann]

Kensa, the Lab is very protective over me. If anyone shouts or waves arms around me she will get her teeth out

has been known down on the shoot .. travelling in the beaters trailor and driver went around corner too fast, bloke opposite slid off his seat towards me at rather high speed and she snapped ... naughty girl

Nice to know really. Funny cos she's not at all snappy/snarly ...she's a real lovely soppy airhead!! Just loves her mummy

 

[ljpinkhorse]

I like to think Poppy would !
But actually if they had a tennis ball or a treat in their hand it would be a different story

 

[MarleyandDarcy]

My spaniel is always the one that barks at people if they seem out of place ie. a loan man walking in the woods which is a regular dog walking spot, he also used to bark at the army training when one of our walks used to go across the ranges. Others used to blindly run past and not even notice the trees were moving!
He is the one I think that would protect me, the vicious collies would run a mile I should imagine!! And as for the daft flatcoat x - if he happened to have been within a mile of us on a walk and we got attacked there is a possibility he might of gallumphed over to see if said attacker had any food!

 

[Spudlet]

Henry - hmmm not sure about that one. I think he might if push came to shove, but wouldn't like to try it!

Barney did once - a nasty dog had just sent Barney off yelping because it didn't want to share the bit of stream it was playing in, then it came running at me - Barney turned around and sent it packing with its tail between its legs.

 

[PucciNPoni]

Okay, the wee old girl has enough sense to get her self out of trouble first and foremost. The Border Terrier is far too much of a pussy cat to protect *me* against a person or other animal, but he's just dog aggro enough to have a snap at another dog, but after seeing him with the poodle, I know that it really is all talk and doesn't really have much fight in him.

However, the poodle, even though he is a mini, and even though he has only been with me for a month - is soooooo attached to me that I think that little booger would die before he'd let harm come to me. He is friendly to people and to other dogs, he is not aggressive in nature. He just dotes on my every move and I think he would have a right good go at someone that might try to harm me. But poodles can be like that...

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Hmmmm....well Sweep when he was younger would certainly have made a noise but I'm not sure about defending me. My old Cocker without a doubt would have though - she was rock hard!!

Following a unnerving incident like yours Henmeister I have now acquired the lovely Max. Well he is big and shouty but I'm not sure he has been here long enough to 'protect' me. All our other labs - and especially my sisters - would without a doubt defend you. Our old Irish Setter would have done to - as a builder who jumped over my parents garden wall and a couple of dustmen found out......

 

[kirstyhen]

When I was younger we had a Lab (we don't like to talk about it though, in case people get the wrong idea

) and he was very protective, he once jumped up and pushed my friend away when we were play fighting. Not nasty, but just "Oi, watch it".

My Mum's IWS would definately protect her, and he sounds very scary when he is woofing, but he does look a bit ridiculous with his curly hairdo

If I we ever bought a secluded house I think I would have to invest in something large and intimidating as well as my Spaniels!!

 

[Charmaine18]

I'm not entirely sure about Leah, but I think she would probably protect me.

An old man was walking along the road towards us once and he lifted the hand that was holding his walking stick in greeting. Leah does not like sticks, so she gave a little growl and barked quite fiercely (for her). I don't know if that was in defence of me or herself though! Poppy barks like crazy every time someone approaches our house, but once they're inside she goes all soppy and rolls over to have her belly rubbed. Also, it's quite obvious from her yappy little bark that she is a tiny dog, so I don't think it would put off a determined burglar.

 

[merlinsquest]

Errrrrr, in a word...... NOPE

They see everybody as nice and would not know what to do.

That said a boxer I had would have eaten anyone who even looked at me in the wrong way.

I could walk the streets of Aldershot with her, safe in the knowledge that if anyone dared to walk on the same piece of footpath as me, she would growl till they crossed the road

Now that is what I would call protective

 

[Puppy]

[ QUOTE ]
If I we ever bought a secluded house I think I would have to invest in something large and intimidating as well as my Spaniels!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hen wants a GSD

In reply to the OP, Popple actually has a little bit of a bark on her, a rather feisty side, and some super sharp teeth

but I wouldn't count on it, she's so little, and I daren't walk her late at night etc..

Puppy, when she was alive, oh yes. I always felt safe with Puppy around and she would have done anything to protect me. I miss her

 

[severnmiles]

Without a doubt the wolfdogs and GSD would, I have seen it when 'play fighting' with my ex.

I'm not sure about the grey, I don't think she would, but I can't go anywhere or get in the car without her and she can be a bit jealous, I think she'd possibly just bark.

Meg definitely would too, she's a very jealous poochy and was jealous of the ex and funny with him, I definitely think she'd throw a few nips here and there.

My sis's lab would run a mile!!!

 

[severnmiles]

Oh...I am sad to read that you've lost her

 

[CAYLA]

Yep....my rotti would eat someone for raising a hand to me.......she does not like OH even play fighting with me, my akita would too, they are my night shift body guards

 

[Puppy]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh...I am sad to read that you've lost her

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup. We lost her in March:

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/4135052/page/0/fpart/all/vc/1

I miss her terribly, as I'm sure you can imagine.

It's been an awful year. Not just with losing Puppy, but Be's trouble and Ops last December, followed by my massive accident (I don't know if you know about that??

It's on-going...

) and now Be is probably heading for LOU

It's very nice to see you back here though.

I hope you will be back around more often. Is all well with you and yours?

xxx

 

[Wigglypigs]

Hmm i dont think so - both are noisy enough and have different barks for different things. Being JRT's they tend to have a bark if the woman 6 doors down happens to open her back door

but the other night i was in the bathroom and I heard them barking in a totally different way. I knew it must have been someone at back gate and sure enough there was a young boy (age 8 ish) with his hand on my garden gate. My back gate only leads to a path that is a dead end at my neighbours to allow us to get the bins out so there is no reason for anyone other than neighbours to use path. No idea who boy was but he was gone by the time i got down stairs. I dont think for a minute they would ever have nipped him even if he had opened gate and come in to garden. Piglet would have licked him to death but Pumpkin would have retreated into the house,shes still only 9 months and can be unsure at times.
Piglet gets jealous is me and OH are having a hug but she just wants to join in not split us up lol

 

[Mosh]

I think my first 2 dogs (one a border collie and one a collie cross) would have defended me to the end.
The collie cross did go for someone who was drunk and staggered towards my dad, just her being protective and no one to blame or hurt.
The border collie I think, really would have pretcted me. If i was walking her in the dark, she'd stay close to my side and not leave it.
My greyhound...I'm not sure, he's loyal but I don't know if he would. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't wake up to be honest!

 

[Tinkerbee]

Yes and No..

Both of mine are wee terriers, so not much of a deterrent. Although ironically I think it would be EvilDougal who would be the most use. He doesn't really like anyone apart from family to start with and if you start raising your voice he does start to attack random things

so he may be helpful.

Tinker however, would wee, then do her badgerwaddle as fast as possible, away from me. Useless

That said, we did have someone come round to sort the house alarm and he was banging on windows and doors etc and Tink was out the house and attaching her self to his leg quicker than I could catch her.

 

[littlemisslauren]

QR
Without a doubt yes for both of my dogs. They are 11 and 13 so have pretty much grown up with me and my little brother and are protective. The RR is incredibly protective of the entire family and i always feel safe with her (and she is lovely and big and noisy ). My border terrier and I have been inseperable since i was 8, my boyfriends have to be approved by the dog rather than my dad! He is not quite so protective with other family members though - just his mummy

A couple of weeks ago i fainted whilst alone in the house (with the pooches) and i must have ben unconcious (sp) for some time. My mum was greeted by my little border barking his head off when she came home, she told me he then ran to me and started licking my face and barking. Bless his little cotton socks.

My dogs make me feel very safe

 

[catembi]

This is something I've often wondered about my doggy. He is a large rescue Rottie and is very attached to me, but he's also very gentle & friendly, and loves visitors. He also hyperventilates at passers-by rather than barking & in fact virtually never barks.

But then something happened out walking a few weeks ago. I normally keep a look out for other people / dogs so I can put him on the lead, but I didn't realise that a mountain biker had come up behind us. The first I knew about it was when he barked & growled, & when I looked round, he was holding the cyclist at bay & not letting him any nearer to me.

TBH, I kind of hope he'd intervene if I was ever in real danger, but I also hope I never have to find out. I'd imagine that he could be quite scarey if he really felt like it.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Nope, but if I wanted a dog which would protect me then I would have chosen a guarding breed not a greyhound

TBH I dont seem to worry about situations like other people do - I spent a year living in an isolated farmhouse at the end of a track, and was regularly on my own when the owners went away/were out for the evening - didnt bother me at all

In fact I was the one who would happily walk my dogs at 1am without bothering with a torch

Having said that I am sure Talisker would have protected me if the need had ever arisen, he was very protective of me

, but I couldnt see Flick and Islay protecting me against anything - oh, except perhaps a hedgehog

 

[Spudlet]

You have to watch those hedgehogs, they can turn in seconds you know!

I do think I might be slightly more effective in protecting Henry than the other way around

 

[FestiveSpirit]

[ QUOTE ]
You have to watch those hedgehogs, they can turn in seconds you know!

I do think I might be slightly more effective in protecting Henry than the other way around

[/ QUOTE ]

Tell me about it Hanandhen - I had to pick it up out of my garden last night and rehome it to next door - it was HUGE

I wrapped a Tescos bag around it to avoid getting prickled