Share stories of protection

[Hayden]

So this happened 2 weeks ago during my spring break. I live on the 1st floor of an apartment complex with our balcony facing the street. In Lubbock, we've got a real problem with homeless people and I guess this guy thought I was gone for the break. During the night he had broken in through the balcony door and was sleeping on my couch in the living room while I was asleep in my room with Odin.
When I woke up in the morning to let Odin out he immediately saw the guy and attacked him. Odin pulled him off the couch by his leg and kept biting him until I pulled him off. The dude took off through the balcony door and I dialed 911 after. The police found him a couple blocks away with a chunk missing out of his calf. Apparently he's broken into quite a few apartments before but I was just glad Odin wasn't hurt!!

 

[Kobe123]

Excellent topic for discussion, thanks.

I wish I had (well, actually glad I don't have) accounts of my Dobe intervening in direct physical attacks; but none come to mind at the moment.

It is hard, though, to know just how many attacks or dangerous situations have been prevented by the presence of our Dobermans!

With my first Dobe, I lived in a number of different locations and several different apartment buildings/complexes. We would walk a lot – including in some not-so-nice neighborhoods. I know over the years, Magnum's presence prevented some trouble. Even though Magnum is a once-in-a-lifetime Dobe, I always believed he would back down if bad guy fought back much. I also believed he would "protect" me only because he would be protecting himself. I figured I'd reap the benefit of that in most situations.

During the last few years of Magnum's life, I started to live in safer situations so there were not many close calls of which to speak after that.

With my subsequent two Dobermans, I still can't think of any actual physical intervention. I guess this speaks to the deterrent power of a Doberman!

I can tell you, however, that there have been many times I have had my Dobe alert on someone – to focus in on them and start barking and lunging at them if I say so.

Just this past weekend there was an aggressive confrontation between me and someone who was in a motor vehicle. I was perfectly willing to take care of business myself, but as the idiot postured at me from across the street, I put Oji on alert and he started barking aggressively which I know sent a powerful message that over here he would be dealing with a guy like me, and with his even nuttier dog on his leash.

The first thought that hit me after that was: With me thinking of straying to another breed like Bullmastiff, I am pretty certain I would not receive the type of hyper-alert and defensive behavior I have always gotten out of my Doberman Pinschers.

I have a 5 month old dobie and he is friendly and puppy like as can be .. I actually joke with my wife that he is not tough as I thought he should be ..

but the last week or so he has been really alert and barking around the house .

however this afternoon a lady did not have control of her dog and he came in aggressive way towards me and my 5 month old european Doberman And boy did my boy make me proud lol

he growled very meanly and lunges toward the dog and the lady dog retreated instantly..

I don’t want a mean dog and he isn’t but glad he is a confident pup

 

[crypticintent]

Story 1 - My Lab, Zeta, 13 or 14 years ago

I was in an apartment complex it a so-so part of town. I was playing games on my computer and Zeta was laying at my feet. Suddenly, she gets up and moves into the hallway (completely dark section)

A couple seconds later I hear my door open behind me and Zeta sprinted by my in a flash, jumping and knocking a rather inebriated woman onto the ground. She put her jaw around the neck and just waited for me to come get her.

I started being a lot better about locking my door after that.

 

[crypticintent]

Story 2: Ezri - About 2 months ago

My wife was getting ready for work and had a knock on our door. Cue bat guano crazy mode there (no one knocks at the front door that is a known friend)

Turns out the natural gas company was doing work on the meter and needed to shut off the gas lines to the house, do the work then turn back on the lines and check the house to ensure pilot lights got turned on etc.

This was a no notice situation, but at least reasonable as they have been laying new lines and already tore up both our front and back yards.

Melissa had Ezri calm by this point, and Ezri watched the entire interaction and approved and let the worker pet her for a bit. My wife did state that she was about to have to leave for work, so we may have to call back for the gas to get turned on.

Well the gas worker got done a bit sooner and told my wife this, so she said she’ll stay long enough to get everything turned on and tested.

Gas worker then turned back and accidentally put his but into a mud puddle (that they were responsible for) all over the top of the boot (yay trench foot!)

Well that made him a little grumpy, also our mud has a high clay content so as he turns to tell my wife he’s ready, he’s attempting to stomp off all the mud on his boot before coming into the house.

Ezri did not like that at all. Completely lunges at the gas worker, growling, snarling, on back paws only trying to claw at and get this guy that was coming at momma in a threatening manner.

My wife latched her to the belt and just smiled while the worker did what he needed in the house.

 

[crypticintent]

Story 3: Ezri, last week a couple days before Christmas.

My wife and I travel to the Little Rock area every Christmas, and there are a couple of nice dog parks in the area (5 days in a hotel room is not good for little dobergirls)

We were at this dog park working on focus, climbing rocks and fetch. Then we let her out for free run. Well this Corgi comes up and is the cutest little fluff butt you would know. He and Ezri were really interested in playing with each other.

The corgi however, was an absolute ball lover, just throw the dang ball and I’ll be your friend forever and ever and ever. So my wife and I were playing fetch with this corgi and Ezri at the same time, and letting Ezri climb rocks and run hardcore while continuing to play fetch with the corgi.
Another dog came in, maybe 10 lbs lighter than Ezri, but much larger than this corgi. Damn dog pins the corgi down with his chest and starts nipping at the corgi’s face.

Ezri comes running from across the dog park, stops next to it and starts snarling, growling and barking at the new dog. It’s the first time I’ve seen my little girl show teeth.

The other dog continues to nip and bite at the corgi, ignoring Ezri. Ezri grabs the dog by the scruff of the neck and pushes it off the corgi. She put herself between the dog and the corgi and kept the snarl and growl until I put her in a sit and the other dog backed away.

 

[jazzies mum]

I'm loving these stories! Amazing that Ezri leaped in on behalf of her new dog friend!

Jazz has shown protection tendencies but none as yet where I feel the threat she reacted to was serious or aimed at me personally.

Too many years ago to mention I had a young whippet mix dog that was the biggest wimp imaginable. A beautiful, intelligent dog, but a real sight hound and therefore best at chasing things into the far distance. She would scream and quake if she felt threatened, especially by anyone male. I had been to a 21st birthday party and was so hung over that groaning in bed with a couple of cats and a whippet all parked alongside was all I was good for and I hadn't locked the back door. A couple of friends came to see how I fared and just opened up the door to come in. That scaredy little whippet raced off the bed and down the hall roaring, barking and baying and sent the intruders straight back out the door! They didn't try again either. And that was the only time she ever did anything like it so I guess it was because I was so sick!

 

[MyBuddy]

My first Doberman was very protective of me. Very different from Buddy and our family Dynamics were different. We had teenagers in the house and my son especially was very playful with him. We played tug a lot and hide and go seek and a lot of pretend fighting. My husband would pretend to hit me and Duke would pretend to bite him back. I, of course, was whining and saying, He's a bad man! There was always a point that it started to escalate and I would tell them they have to stop. LOL I had no doubt in my mind that he would protect me if the need arose.

We had a friend of ours who commented one time that Duke was probably a wimp. And that he was not afraid of him. Oh, don't dare me! LOL I figured the next time he came over I'd see just how brave he was. Our attached garage had a screen door into the house. It was just one of those of wooden spring doors that didn't actually latch. You can only latch it from the inside.

Well, I knew this guy was coming over and I left the door unlatched. When Duke heard him coming into the garage, he went flying to the door, barking his fool head off, like a protection dog cornering its prey! I was hiding out of sight and I heard the wood door slam! I knew he was on the other side holding the door closed! Who's the chicken now, eh???!


I always remember another time with Duke when I had a black man come to the door. I can't remember what the man was there for. I think it was just a solicitor. I can't remember. Because all I can remember was that guy standing there yelling, Don't let that dog out! Don't let that dog out! I just had to laugh.

And then there's always the time while we were living here and we had Jehovah Witness come to the door. ( way out here here in the middle of nowhere! )

I was out in the barn but I can hear Buddy barking. By the time I came up to the house they were running for their car. I didn't stop them LOL

 

[Kaiser2016]

Well, I knew this guy was coming over and I left the door unlatched. When Duke heard him coming into the garage, he went flying to the door, barking his fool head off, like a protection dog cornering its prey! I was hiding out of sight and I heard the wood door slam! I knew he was on the other side holding the door closed! Who's the chicken now, eh???!

I knew you would circle back to this guy, he had it coming!

 

[MyBuddy]

I knew you would circle back to this guy, he had it coming!

You betcha!

 

[Skatchkeb]

My favorite puppy moment was when tank went through a drive thru for the first time. It was the first time I heard his "doberman" bark. I was so happy. I treated him, made him lay down and shush, continued on with the transaction. But that was the first time I knew my boy had my back.