Would your untrained family dog protect you or your family from an intruder?

[Flammenwerfer]

Bear44 actually is a dog expert. Literally.

As far as the way my dog would act if someone aggressively came in the house, I only say that I'm confident in what he would do because I have seen it first hand and it caught me by surprise.

My big boy has proven himself as well, knocking the neighbor off of his four wheeler and trying to tear his throat out when my wife was outside gardening by herself.

 

[Azznik]

After my dog completed obedience training I saw a similar video and wondered this very thing. I had an idea my dog would protect us because my dog trainer had passed my dog on a schutzhund assessment. This assessment evaluates the attributes for a dog to be a successful protection dog. My trainer said this was unusual because my dog is a lab mix.

I tested my dog by putting on a very thick jacket, gloves, and ski mask. I ran into the room and grabbed my girl from behind. About the time she screamed my 75 lb lab mix hit me so hard it about knocked me down. She was on me biting and snapping at me driving me away from my girl. I don't have to wonder any longer. It was all I could do to get the mask off so she could see it was me. Scary but satisfied my curiosity.

 

[Stuckon22]

Whether it is being territorial, protecting the pack, or just not liking a stranger, it really does not matter to the one getting his a$$ chewed off. The protective behavior shown by my lab-aussie is quite intimidating. My kids or wife seem in distress, his aggressiveness goes into overdrive, I do not care what motivates him just as. Long as he keeps it up, just ask the persistent and foolish Jehovah's witness that came in the gate without permission. Most folks will not bodily threate someone with a large canine at their side or in close proximity. If you have a "trained " attack dog you better tell your insurance company and try to sell it to PD. Lastly I hope this is never tested for my family and the dog's sake. We do have calibered contingencies...

 

[olchevy]

One of mine would and has, the other would bark and run behind me (little bitty dog and still a puppy). When I was little the neighbor had this huge black wolf hybrid, I mean it made malamutes look like cocker spaniels, it was huge.... Anyways when I used to walk around the neighbor hood and in the near by woods this dog always stayed by my side and would protect me from any other stray dogs or anyone that tried to get close to me.

Never understood exactly why but that dog loved me, didn't care for any of the other kids the same age as me, or any adults, not even sure he liked his owner. The dog used to get out of his pen all the time at night and his owner would always find him in the same spot curled up in the bushes right outside my bedroom window. It got so common for him to get out at night that to see a flashlight and a guy walking by my window at 1,2 or 3am didn't even phase me cause I knew that meant my buddy was out there.....now you got me wanting my other avatar back, time to change it.

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

In 2010 and 2011 I worked in Bonaire at a salvage yard. After it got hit for aluminum wheels and radiators one night the new owner decided to get a "Guard Dog". He met an Army couple about to move and adopted an American Bull named Tank. Tank was at least 100 lbs and acted real tough. But once you fed him a piece of pizza he was your buddy. I told this guy not to let customers pet Tank and get familiar with him but he didn't listen to me. And eventually the yard got hit again. And I'm quite sure that whoever did it was a customer. They came over the fence and when Tank started barking/growling they just looked at him and said " Shut up,Tank" and then petted him and went about their stealing. Point is guard dogs can't meet or be friendly with other people. It may seem cruel but guard dogs need to be kept away from everyone but the people they're guarding. It's just like a service dog. They have a job to do and we don't need to interfere with that.
I miss Tank. I used to keep him when the owner was out of town racing. The first time I took him home my wife was not happy. I kept a hammer nearby in case he got sideways. But it turned out he was a big teddy bear. Now he's lost a leg to cancer. I hope they took him home and let him retire.

 

[Fatal_Bert]

I have a 10yo 60lb American Pit Bull (FatAlbert). If someone broke into my house while I was gone they would undoubtedly be greeted by there new best friend. If I was home I'm not sure how he would react. I don't see my dog as being here to protect me, its me that's here to protect him. He's a big baby and my best friend. we've been through a lot of **** together. I do know that any gunfire and his ass is gone lol.

 

[Lazarus]

My dog don't play and she's 120lb Rottweiler.

 

[captdave77]

My puppy would make enough noise and an alarm is all I need.

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

Yeah, the thing is that people tend to expect too much from dogs and confuse them in the process. It's like I said before dogs can't be friends with all your friends and extended family and still be guard dogs.
Back in 2011 I took in a beautiful Siberian Husky. Named her Roxy after my favorite pills. Anyway, she was NOT a guard dog. She was a hunter. No matter what it was if she could get her mouth around it's neck it was all over with.I really wanted a German Shepherd but couldn't pay what people want for them. Well Siberians and Alaskans are NOT a substitute for Shepherds. And their fur is so thick that this southern climate is hard on them in the summer. I guess it's a good example of we get what we pay for.

 

[Sagan]

My 150 lb bull mastiff mix would bark and growl (real good at the "stay away" bark) while they were outside. If they actually got in the house, not so sure.

Pretty sure he would protect my wife, but... if they had cookies, it might be a toss up.