# Protection - is my dog too nice?



## HankGSD (Oct 28, 2010)

I have worked hard to socialize Hank, who is 9 months old, and always stop and let strangers meet him or pet him on our walks if they ask. He is good at "leave it" when we are walking and if someone not wanting to meet him walks by, or another dog barks from behind a fence, he will not respond.

Today I had a man from somewhere behind me call, "Hey, bitch," three times, and I think he might have been addressing me. He may have been crazy, but I also had just thrown my poop bag into a trash can in the CVS parking lot, so maybe he took exception to that (is that bad manners? It was wrapped up tight and knotted.)

In any case, I ignored this voice and kept walking, and stopped at each crosswalk and waited for Hank to sit at each one like we normally do. 

Here is my question: Hank is very protective in the home and barks very protectively when someone comes to the door or he hears something outside but on walks he is very mellow and has never barked at anyone approaching us. I did not expect him to respond to the "hey, bitch" comment since it was behind us and the guy obviously wasn't brave enough to approach me with a 90-lb. shepherd at my side, but when will he really react to someone who is a threat? Will he react to their body language, their voice, or my reaction to them?


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## Ucdcrush (Mar 22, 2004)

I'm curious to see responses. Based on my dogs own reactions to outside stimuli like dogs, cats, and even people, I think a big part of it can be my own reaction/stress.

If for some reason I wanted my dog to look more alert, or look at people more alertly, I would tighten up on his leash, that would raise the stress level and he would be more likely to consider things in the environment threatening.

Also at 9 months that's still a puppy, so what he does now may not be his reaction when he's 2 or 3.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I don't think anybody can tell you want your dog would do if faced with a real threat. If I were you and truly worried about my safety, I'd get some self-defense training and some mace/pepper spray/tazer/handgun and learn to use it. Honestly your dog's best "protection" function is his physical intimidation and deterrent. A determined criminal can take out a dog no problem and if someone isn't deterred by the dog's presence, he probably has planned a way to eliminate the dog as a factor. 

I don't delegate my protection to anyone.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

At 9 months old, I'd prefer a friendly pup. The dog still is a puppy, so I don't want to see any kind of protective type behaviors yet unless specifically trained that way with a professional.

As for the whole poop in the garbage thing... it's what I always do. Not too sure why anyone would take offence to that. At least you picked it up and threw it away which is more than most people do.


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## rickaz80 (Feb 24, 2008)

My 4 year old female, Ziva has been protective all her life. At a little older than 3 months she growled at a huge highschool kid dressed like a hood. The kid walked up to my wife, which mabe her feel uneasy, and wanted to pet Ziva, she was having none of that. The wife walked away with the tought Ziva may have bit him. To that point Ziva was calm with other people she did not know.
Now I have two others female GSD, and all are protective. No training required.


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

Our six month pup is socialized a lot. He doesn't react to much. He's very calm but today a stranger (to him) cut across our yard to our front door to deliver a payment. He went from lolling on the couch gave three deep barks and he went to the door. He wasn't afraid and he sat peacefully while I got my check. The bark was very different than his play bark, it was scary.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

rickaz80 said:


> My 4 year old female, Ziva has been protective all her life. At a little older than 3 months she growled at a huge highschool kid dressed like a hood. The kid walked up to my wife, which mabe her feel uneasy, and wanted to pet Ziva, she was having none of that. The wife walked away with the tought Ziva may have bit him. To that point Ziva was calm with other people she did not know.
> Now I have two others female GSD, and all are protective. No training required.


At 3 months old, that's definitely not protection. Even at 3 years old, that type of response to a stranger probably isn't protection.



blehmannwa said:


> Our six month pup is socialized a lot. He doesn't react to much. He's very calm but today a stranger (to him) cut across our yard to our front door to deliver a payment. He went from lolling on the couch gave three deep barks and he went to the door. He wasn't afraid and he sat peacefully while I got my check. The bark was very different than his play bark, it was scary.


Nothing wrong with a couple good warning barks for a stranger knocking on the door. Very good response for a young pup, especially after those first couple barks because he was in control. That's the exact type of response I'd like to see from one of my dogs. Good boy.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

some are protective some aren't. test him and find
out what he'll do.


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## HankGSD (Oct 28, 2010)

Thanks for the replies!! 

I don't expect him to "protect" me in the way a handgun, taser, or pepper spray would, but I am wondering if in trying to socialize him and allow others to enjoy him that I have made strangers approaching us on a walk something that he will not perceive as a threat if at some time it really is a threat.

He is entirely different at home, to the point where I am going to have to work with him on his reaction at the front door. He barks a very intimidating and loud bark whenever someone comes to the door, and will not immediately quiet when I tell him to. 

We also came home one time to a friend waiting for me in the yard who Hank had not met before, and he barked very aggressively when we got out of the car but calmed down quickly when I spoke to the person in a friendly manner and commanded Hank to sit to say hello.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

If you're crazy enough to walk up to a stanger with a full grown shepherd by their side with an intent to rob or harm than you're probably going to need more than a barking dog anyway... you know what I mean?

I say keep doing what you're doing as far as socialization goes. As he gets older and more mature, so will his natural protective instinct. At 9 months old, just enjoy him as the puppy he is.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Emoore said:


> I don't think anybody can tell you want your dog would do if faced with a real threat. If I were you and truly worried about my safety, I'd get some self-defense training and some mace/pepper spray/tazer/handgun and learn to use it. Honestly your dog's best "protection" function is his physical intimidation and deterrent. A determined criminal can take out a dog no problem and if someone isn't deterred by the dog's presence, he probably has planned a way to eliminate the dog as a factor.
> I don't delegate my protection to anyone.


Very true about you can't really know for sure what your dog would do in a real incident (anymore than one can tell what you would do unless it happened before!).

But as far as someone taking out a GSD - some certainly could be so capable, but the success of K9's are kind of proof that the dog also wins some of the time.

But 9 mo is a little too young for most dogs to show any real protective instincts, I believe. But their deterrent value certainly is there at that age and size and even just a bark or two will be enough to persuade all but the most determined (or high) perps to find another easier target.


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## Sherush (Jan 12, 2008)

Jesse is now just over three and a half and he is still like your 9 month old pup (and was like that too then). But that is fine by me because my last dog was too overly protective and made life very difficult. I don't think Jesse has a protective bone in his body but just his appearance has deterred some undesirables.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Sherush said:


> Jesse is now just over three and a half and he is still like your 9 month old pup (and was like that too then). But that is fine by me because my last dog was too overly protective and made life very difficult. I don't think Jesse has a protective bone in his body but just his appearance has deterred some undesirables.


Nice post and I completely agree. People want their dogs to be overly protective because it's nice to know they have that security without putting the work in. 

What they don't realize is that a dog that reacts to everything that it's not comfortable with might not be as easy to live with. You can't go everywhere you'd like to go because you don't want your dog to react and make a scene. 

Same goes if the dog has a chance to react, an innocent person gets seriously hurt and you get sued or the dog gets put down. Stuff like this happens.

I'm perfectly happy with my happy and social 70 pound deterrent that I can take everywhere with me.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

codmaster said:


> But as far as someone taking out a GSD - some certainly could be so capable, but the success of K9's are kind of proof that the dog also wins some of the time..


Sorry. Again, I live in rural Texas. Old ladies and teenagers have guns. If I'm planning to rob/rape/murder person X and person X has a GSD, I'll just shoot the dog. Depending on where you live, this may not be the case.


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

Lucy Dog.
Thanks for the kind words, Paul. It was nice to hear.


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## HankGSD (Oct 28, 2010)

Emoore said:


> Sorry. Again, I live in rural Texas. Old ladies and teenagers have guns. If I'm planning to rob/rape/murder person X and person X has a GSD, I'll just shoot the dog. Depending on where you live, this may not be the case.


I hear you on that one! I live in Detroit suburb that is quickly becoming undesirable to live in. I lived without a dog for 41 years, and he is not for protection. He is my best buddy and my reason for getting up in the morning. If anyone harmed him trying to get to me, I would be devastated. 

I agree his best value is his visual deterrence. If you can believe it, I used to be very afraid of German shepherds. We had one that lived across the street from us years ago and he would bark at me when I went out to get the mail. He would be off leash, pacing back and forth at the edge of his driveway, and I was offended that the owners didn't stop him. Now I know how well-trained he must have been, to never leave the edge of his own property. 

The reason I chose a German shepherd is my kids have two of them at their Dad's house, and having had an opportunity to know those dogs for the last 7 years, I knew that was the only breed of dog I wanted when the right time came in my life to have a dog.

I thank everyone for their replies!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

the first step, I've heard many times, is socialize socialize socialize. Get the dog out to meet a million nice normal friendly strangers. Different looks, different clothes, different mannerisms, etc etc. It gives your dog a baseline (so to speak) on normal human behavior. Then, when there is someone who is "not quite right" lurking around, the dog can easily pick up that the person is acting off. 

Rayden loves everyone; sometimes he's more lab than GSD! But he has proven before that he is more than willing to step up and protect his family.


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## HankGSD (Oct 28, 2010)

Dainerra said:


> the first step, I've heard many times, is socialize socialize socialize. Get the dog out to meet a million nice normal friendly strangers. Different looks, different clothes, different mannerisms, etc etc. It gives your dog a baseline (so to speak) on normal human behavior. Then, when there is someone who is "not quite right" lurking around, the dog can easily pick up that the person is acting off.


That is good to hear! I certainly have him very well socialized, so looks like I am on the right track. Thanks!!


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