If I mentally “free” Freyja from all expectations of manners/discipline, I will often see her hackle up and stomp around when she sees another animal- when we are outside in the yard or at a park. It makes me wonder sometimes if this protective response is an instinct that goes back to the beginning days of the man/dog. The relationship forged for protection in the wild- man sleeping outside and dog protection from wolves, coyotes, bears, mtn lions, etc… like @jazzies mum in the Aussie Outback.
I most definitely see a more significant reaction to animals vs humans…is this because she is more socialized to humans and does not perceive a threat? But at the same time she has met hundreds of dogs also. We have three cats in house but she absolutely hates other cats outside…
I really never thought she would go primal and fight another dog. But I recently saw the demon come from her. Teeth barred, snarling, jumping high in the air- rolled about three times and pinned another dog. The only other time she unexpectedly surprised me was at Tractor Supply. A young, tall black male came around the corner right at us, 5ft away kinda fast. He had these huge thick dreadlocks. Freyja went off like you see in protection training session. She was loud, ferocious and was doing everything to keep him at distance.
Sometime she tries to tear the door down vs the Amazon person and sometimes she sits and watches with zero interest.
I know the dog fight was probably resource guarding and the defensive reaction to the human was probably a fear response, but still….Freyja went into a ferocious state like I’ve never seen in her and appears very capable.
So I tend to question, to wonder…if I would have never expected her to get into the dog fight, to become highly defensive to the Tractor Supply guy….then I wonder how she would react to a stranger breaking in or someone out on the street doing harm to me?
What are your thoughts? Post your stories also.
I know @JanS and @BG1 have stories to share.
I most definitely see a more significant reaction to animals vs humans…is this because she is more socialized to humans and does not perceive a threat? But at the same time she has met hundreds of dogs also. We have three cats in house but she absolutely hates other cats outside…
I really never thought she would go primal and fight another dog. But I recently saw the demon come from her. Teeth barred, snarling, jumping high in the air- rolled about three times and pinned another dog. The only other time she unexpectedly surprised me was at Tractor Supply. A young, tall black male came around the corner right at us, 5ft away kinda fast. He had these huge thick dreadlocks. Freyja went off like you see in protection training session. She was loud, ferocious and was doing everything to keep him at distance.
Sometime she tries to tear the door down vs the Amazon person and sometimes she sits and watches with zero interest.
I know the dog fight was probably resource guarding and the defensive reaction to the human was probably a fear response, but still….Freyja went into a ferocious state like I’ve never seen in her and appears very capable.
So I tend to question, to wonder…if I would have never expected her to get into the dog fight, to become highly defensive to the Tractor Supply guy….then I wonder how she would react to a stranger breaking in or someone out on the street doing harm to me?
What are your thoughts? Post your stories also.
I know @JanS and @BG1 have stories to share.
Our first dobe was the type that only loved his family, and people who were at our home often. We had a 6ft privacy fence, and our neighbor's kid lost their badmitton birdie over our fence....their dad just let himself into our backyard, and was on his way to the gate when I unknowingly let "Maximus" out....this dog jumped from the step outside the sliding glass door about 100ft and landed right in front of this man, scooped butt, with a ferocious non stop barking - I am pretty sure this neighbor wet himself 
as I yelled to him "Don't move!" and called the dog back to me. Had to give the neighbor a talking to about ringing the doorbell if anything ever goes over the fence again. And after that; any toy that ended up in our yard was not retrieved....and would be tossed over by me. 
