How would your dog protect you?

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maryd523
maryd523 Posts: 661 Member
in Chit-Chat
I have a 4-year-old Boxer who is incredibly sweet and gentle. Anyone can take anything from him and he never bats an eye. However, everyone always tells me that "Cooper would protect me" if anyone ever tried to attack me or something.

I'm just not sure. Yes, he is definitely protective of me, but I just can't see him actually attacking or biting someone. Obviously, there is no way to test it, and I wouldn't want to.

So does anyone have stories about their dogs physically protecting them from a real danger?
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Replies

  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
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    I've had a lot of dogs on my life, but none of them ever did anything heroic. The closest was probably when I was driving and stopped at a light, and a homeless guy came over to try to panhandle. My dog (Isabella, a Sloughi) barked her big-dog bark at him, which was unusual because she was shy and scared of strangers. He backed off.

    I also had a foster dog once (a Rhodesian Ridgeback) who snapped at a Jehovah's Witness when he tried to give me a pamphlet. It was fine while he was on the porch just talking but something about him reaching through the door with his hand set the dog off. I'm glad a had a good hold of his collar.
  • SwitzEngine
    SwitzEngine Posts: 3,418 Member
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    I have a 70kg St Bernhard. I'm not sure how she would protect me but her size is impressive and that's already protection. I'm 6.0 but she's taller than me. When she jumps on you, you are better prepared.
  • shellsies93
    shellsies93 Posts: 88
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    dogs can sense when you are stressed out and unhappy, or afraid. they can tell the difference between different situations, so if someone was honestly hurting you, they would understand that and would try to protect you. every dog is different, however most dogs were bread to please their owners and a part of pleasing their owners is protecting and defending their owners. If you were in trouble, your dog would probably do anything to help you out.
  • LMick1986
    LMick1986 Posts: 431
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    One time, this guy was approaching my dog (standing in front of me, growling). Even with the growling, the guy kept coming and saying "hi pup" and blah blah. When the guy reached him, my dog peed all over my feet.
    Another time, on a walk, we approached another lady and her dog. He went crazy....barking, growling, and pulling. He slipped out of the collar. As soon as the collar came off, he stopped everything and just looked up at me. I put the collar back on and he went back to his shenanigans.
  • SadFaerie
    SadFaerie Posts: 243 Member
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    My German Shepherd protected me with his looks alone. He was the biggest gentlest cuddlebear on the planet, but was huge (over 100lbs of a dog! -- long coat GSDs are much bigger than regular, and with all that fur they look even bigger) and looked damn intimidating, so no stranger would approach me when I was with him.

    q91h.jpg
    My GSD keeping my butt safe when I'm browsing internets. Always on duty!

    (Miss you, fleabag...)
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    Not sure if my dog would bite anyone since she's so gentle around us but you gets jealous when husband comes near me and gets in between us :laugh:
  • JamieG8991
    JamieG8991 Posts: 1,203 Member
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    She probably wouldn't. She's scared of everything!! :laugh:
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Unless your dog is specifically trained in protection work, chances are nothing.

    Dogs have two reactions - fight or flight. They'll try one and resort to the other if needed. When they are growling at a stranger in the bushes, that would be fight. If the threat continues, and your dog has the option, there's a good chance they'll opt for flight.


    What people view as a dog being "protective" is often more of a weak temperament or possessiveness than it is protection.
  • danger2oneself2
    danger2oneself2 Posts: 340 Member
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    Dude your dog attacked me last time I was stalking you....I just didn't want to tell ya :wink:
  • danger2oneself2
    danger2oneself2 Posts: 340 Member
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    Cute fuking dog btw....I won't hold it against him
  • zombieyoshi
    zombieyoshi Posts: 58
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    When I was little we had lab mix, my brothers and I were playing in the backyard and a man came in our yard for god knows what, as soon as he got into the back our dog attacked him, protecting us. For the dogs I have now, one is a sweetheart and too nice, but out other dog, an American foxhound, is super protective if I'm alone with him. I'll be out walking him, and he doesn't care if he sees people, but if a man walks up to me he absolutely loses it, and acts like he is going to rip their face off. He's given a couple people warning snips when the come inside, just to let them no what's up if they try anything sketchy.
  • HeyImMarcus
    HeyImMarcus Posts: 169
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    My dog is the most sweetest/smartest/playful dog I know but when a stranger tries to come into my lawn he growls and gets protective until I assure him it's a friend or what ever..

    Man's best friend :drinker:
    full.jpg

    You can't see the end of the pic, but his paw is in my hand giving me dat bro shake.
  • benjib84
    benjib84 Posts: 125
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    I have a boxer who is the same - protection wise though they are terrible. I was mugged at machette point by a gang and she just tried to lick them - not even a growl....
    I have a 4-year-old Boxer who is incredibly sweet and gentle. Anyone can take anything from him and he never bats an eye. However, everyone always tells me that "Cooper would protect me" if anyone ever tried to attack me or something.

    I'm just not sure. Yes, he is definitely protective of me, but I just can't see him actually attacking or biting someone. Obviously, there is no way to test it, and I wouldn't want to.

    So does anyone have stories about their dogs physically protecting them from a real danger?
  • Kyledrums
    Kyledrums Posts: 56 Member
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    I think my dog would lick an attacker to death. She does have a bark some people find scary to start with but it never lasts long
  • BamaBreezeNSaltAire
    BamaBreezeNSaltAire Posts: 966 Member
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    My dog is the most sweetest/smartest/playful dog I know but when a stranger tries to come into my lawn he growls and gets protective until I assure him it's a friend or what ever..

    Man's best friend :drinker:
    full.jpg

    You can't see the end of the pic, but his paw is in my hand giving me dat bro shake.

    Love me some Border Collies! ~~~ have 2 of them. Worthless in the protection department. Now if my chocolate lab were still alive, any ****er that DARED to cross me would be minus a few limbs and he'd fight until his death. Don't believe me, just find and ask the *kitten* that tried to attack me in college ;-)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    When I was little we had lab mix, my brothers and I were playing in the backyard and a man came in our yard for god knows what, as soon as he got into the back our dog attacked him, protecting us. For the dogs I have now, one is a sweetheart and too nice, but out other dog, an American foxhound, is super protective if I'm alone with him. I'll be out walking him, and he doesn't care if he sees people, but if a man walks up to me he absolutely loses it, and acts like he is going to rip their face off. He's given a couple people warning snips when the come inside, just to let them no what's up if they try anything sketchy.

    Do you really think it ok that your dog gives people "warning nips" for no reason? Or goes crazy for no other reason than ther person approaching is a male? He is not protective, he is fearful.
  • jesusHchris
    jesusHchris Posts: 1,405 Member
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    Sometimes I drop food on the floor. My dog will run and eat it just to make sure I don't accidentally step on it, slip, and fall. She's very protective like that.
  • GTAFrank
    GTAFrank Posts: 730 Member
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    Unless your dog is specifically trained in protection work, chances are nothing.

    Dogs have two reactions - fight or flight. They'll try one and resort to the other if needed. When they are growling at a stranger in the bushes, that would be fight. If the threat continues, and your dog has the option, there's a good chance they'll opt for flight.


    What people view as a dog being "protective" is often more of a weak temperament or possessiveness than it is protection.

    Not sure about this. I have had 3 German Shepherds, none trained in protection. Two of which stepped in to protect myself and family members. They had sound temperaments and no resource guarding tendencies.

    Some dogs/breeds are more naturally protective than others.
  • GTAFrank
    GTAFrank Posts: 730 Member
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    My German Shepherd protected me with his looks alone. He was the biggest gentlest cuddlebear on the planet, but was huge (over 100lbs of a dog! -- long coat GSDs are much bigger than regular, and with all that fur they look even bigger) and looked damn intimidating, so no stranger would approach me when I was with him.

    q91h.jpg
    My GSD keeping my butt safe when I'm browsing internets. Always on duty!

    (Miss you, fleabag...)

    Beautiful dog. My last GSD was a "coatie" and my next one will be as well :)
  • danger2oneself2
    danger2oneself2 Posts: 340 Member
    Options
    When I was little we had lab mix, my brothers and I were playing in the backyard and a man came in our yard for god knows what, as soon as he got into the back our dog attacked him, protecting us. For the dogs I have now, one is a sweetheart and too nice, but out other dog, an American foxhound, is super protective if I'm alone with him. I'll be out walking him, and he doesn't care if he sees people, but if a man walks up to me he absolutely loses it, and acts like he is going to rip their face off. He's given a couple people warning snips when the come inside, just to let them no what's up if they try anything sketchy.

    Do you really think it ok that your dog gives people "warning nips" for no reason? Or goes crazy for no other reason than ther person approaching is a male? He is not protective, he is fearful.

    Do you really think your being a fun member of this forum? Butthurt much? Sorry to overwhelm you with questions I love meeting new people~!

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