An intruder breaks in...what would your dog do?

[Oh Little Oji]

Has anyone done that old classic thing where you tell a friend: "Hey, take a swing at me and watch, my dog will go after you?" Or "Make like you're attacking me and I bet my dog will be on you."

Never done it myself, but Oji is the Dobe so far that I think is most likely to actually be that way. He is very excited by physicality. I've been working his whole life to keep him calm in most situations; but if I jump around in the house or do something silly physically, he comes right up to me and wants to paw at and mouth at me and jump on me.

 

[Doberman Gang]

Ha. Yes. Good point; though I "joke" that if I were on a hike and encountered a bear, mountain lion or the like, and my attempt at retreat was not working, I'd cut Oji loose to go after the thing and become the sacrificial lamb so I could have a head start out of there!

So yeah, if I'm desperate, it's... ...well, as they say: "a dog's life."

But who runs faster you or Oji? He only has to be faster than you to get away!!!

 

[My2Girls]

My husband’s first Doberman did that. My husband and his buddy were outside practicing lacrosse and his buddy started messing around and swinging the stick at him. Sabrina (his dobie) went through a screen door and took his friend down and bit his arm. Didn’t need stiches but definitely caught him off guard especially since he knew the dog well.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

I'd cut Oji loose to go after the thing

I think I may have quirk in my mental thought process because when something puts fear in me, it also puts anger with it.
I get scared, then I get pissed at what scared me and between the adrenaline from fear and anger I will not back down and would protect my animals, husband, friends or whoever is with me.
I realize this is a combination that is unwise but I can’t help myself.
If someone is hurt or in a dangerous situation, I will be one of the first ones to run to them to help. My body is in motion before I have time to logically think things out. It’s probably not a good or wise reaction but it’s just who I am.
This is why I try to avoid situations because I know my weakness and afterwards I think to myself; you idiot, you could have gotten yourself killed.
So Mr. Bear would have both the dog and me doing battle, provided my dog didn’t turn tuck and run away.
Hopefully if he did run he could act like Lassie and go get help.

 

[MyBuddy]

Has anyone done that old classic thing where you tell a friend: "Hey, take a swing at me and watch, my dog will go after you?" Or "Make like you're attacking me and I bet my dog will be on you."

Yup, with our first Doberman, Duke. We had a whole different relationship with that dog. Our kids were teens and there was a lot more interaction and different interaction at that time. More roughhousing. More physical play. Not as laid back as we are now. I couldn't rough house with Buddy if I tried. I'm too old! I hurt easily. Bud loves to play tug, but man, he's strong! I can't do it. Plus when we first got him (at 7 months) he had some fears to deal with and roughhousing him wouldn't have worked out well. He took a gentler touch and fit in well with us at this time in our lives.

But Duke. Ha. My husband wore scratches and cuts on his hands from puppy teeth like badges of Honor! Didn't bother him at all. Not that Duke did it to anyone else. Just dad. And my son. The boys all loved to roughhouse.

But it was I who that dog was bonded to the most. Buddy is bonded to me in a slightly different way. Duke was like a love affair! He couldn't take his eyes off of me. We were very tight! We would play hide and seek all the time. If we were outside, I would go inside and hide. Then they'd let Duke in the house and I could hear him squealing as he raced through the house, up and down the stairs, until he found me. Usually hiding in a closet.

And now to your question (sorry, needed a backdrop ) We would play hit...my husband hitting me. (tapping. Don't worry ) I would say things like, Bad Daddy. (I know, laugh, its ok ! ) And Duke would playfully go after him. Mouthing his hand and not hurting. Then I would start to say OW. Louder and louder and Duke would start to get louder too! And more excited. And more protective! A couple of times we pushed it and I was convinced that if this continued or it was real, that dog would have eaten him! No lie. I was always the one that stopped it because the more serious we got, so did he! But that play fighting made me confident that if I were ever seriously under attack, he would kill for me. I was sure of it.

Oh, and I always wanted someone to hide in the house while we were gone with Duke to see if he came in and noticed that someone was in the house. Funny, I could never get anyone to volunteer.

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

Personal Protection needs to be instinctive...It becomes a way of life, thought training and repetition...
So, I workout/train with my dog and practice on the gun range...3-4 days a week...
For me it's now instinctual and Grace is coming along at a good pace.

BTW, If you do have a firearm it's good to get your dog into your training as well...you don't want you dog running away from the fight due to the noise...

 

[Tropicalbri's]

BTW, If you do have a firearm it's good to get your dog into your training as well...you don't want you dog running away from the fight due to the noise...

The pups have gone to the indoor range with us, one at a time and we do it when there is just us there. The owner calls my hubs with time slots for the range when no one is scheduled. They don’t have issues with it but we are only using .22s
I need to get pictures the next time we go since I put doggles on them and place in ear plugs.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

Hey, I just noticed we have a wow button.

 

[Brioddy]

A switchblade?? IF by some miracle someone decided to enter a house with an angry 90 lbs dog inside, they'd be met with a shotgun at my house!

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

The pups have gone to the indoor range with us, one at a time and we do it when there is just us there. The owner calls my hubs with time slots for the range when no one is scheduled. They don’t have issues with it but we are only using .22s
I need to get pictures the next time we go since I put doggles on them and place in ear plugs.

I have a range here on the back 80 and we train without ears and eyes....lot's of noise from 22 to 45cal.
Inside might be different though...with the echo.

 

[Doberman Gang]

I have a range here on the back 80 and we train without ears and eyes....lot's of noise from 22 to 45cal.
Inside might be different though...with the echo.

We use .22 cal. During training outside. We do have earplugs available for who ever is firing the gun but don’t think anyone has ever used them.

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

We use .22 cal. During training outside. We do have earplugs available for who ever is firing the gun but don’t think anyone has ever used them.

I'm a big fan of training with fire arms and dogs...it's a great prevent defense when an intruder shows up....(My last house was 25 miles from the police sub station and it took them 30-40 minutes to get to my house) .... I had the twin Labs at the time...One night a car pulls into the drive way and starts up to the house...I opened the door with the pump shot gun and the twins...we walked off the porch, dogs on heal and I fired one over the car to warn them off...neither boy flinched, just kept barking...and our problem was solved as "they" backed out...

 

[Minionmama]

Personal Protection needs to be instinctive...It becomes a way of life, thought training and repetition...
So, I workout/train with my dog and practice on the gun range...3-4 days a week...
For me it's now instinctual and Grace is coming along at a good pace.

BTW, If you do have a firearm it's good to get your dog into your training as well...you don't want you dog running away from the fight due to the noise...

I hadn't thought of that. Where do you go that allows you to bring Grace ?

 

[GOD'S GRACE]

I have the hunting property behind the house to do so...we, have a gun range and training area all nicely dug out after the owner sold the dirt...