Do you feel safer home alone with your Doodle?

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

 DH is gone for a few days, so I am home alone. I was checking doors and locks last night before bed and I had that insecure feeling of how vunerable I was home alone. Then I looked at Murphy right behind me and I realized I felt so much safer having him with me, because at the very least he would alert me to an intruder.

I then wondered...what would he do if someone really did try to break in? Would he go greet them at the door and lick them like he does with every visitor? Would he go hide under the bed if they scared him leaving me out there to fend for myself?  Would he sense my fright and stay by my side or would he go attack (do doodles ever attack?) the intruder?  I have never heard of any of us having our dog protect us in a scary situation.  I know when I fell and got hurt while walking him once he sat right by my side, leaned into me and whined while I cried. So I think he would just stay near me. Anyone have other experiences with your doodle protecting you? 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

That is one thing...the bark is big and probably bigger than his bite, as I don't know that he would bite anyone.  Not that I ever want to find out for sure. 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

This is one of the reasons I don't over-correct my dogs barking.  When they bark because they hear something or someone outside, I let them do it.  They sound ferocious.  I think the barks could scare off an intruder.  That is what makes me feel safe.

[Melissa]

My hubby works a lot of late nights, sometimes getting home at 1am or after.  I usually am up in bed until he gets home.  Buddy stays with me until his bedtime (10:30pm) and then he is crated.  Over the last few months ( he is 13 months old) we have noticed just in a typical day he is always very aware of sights and sounds around.  We work from home (unless my DH is out gigging) and Buddy will walk around and look out the windows and growl if he sees someone.  Or if he is in bed with me he will even hear the neighbors garage door and think it is my husband coming home.  I do feel safer with him, although I really don't know what he would do if someone were to get in the house.   I guess my feeling is that dogs are very intuitive and take cues from our behavior.  So I think if they sense if we are scared or upset they would probably react accordingly to protect us (I would hope so).  Like when I am upset and am crying, Buddy will come over and cuddle up to me to comfort me.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I think they would feel our concern, just can't imagine what Murphy would do if he needed to protect me. How far he would go. They certainly would bark, I guess I just don't see doodles as aggressive and attacking anyone.

[F, Calla & Luca]

My dogs would definitely bark if they heard something. I have never been in a situation where I didn't welcome the visitor, though. I do wonder what they would do if there were an intruder. I think if I were anxious or yelled they might at least growl and bark.

[Kris & Brinkley]

I think it differs between Doodle crosses , a male Lab or like mine a GS will defiantly rise to the occasion. My lab would prob protect us to the death if need be, though he is super sweet he seems to know he is head of house security esp when hubby is gone.

 

To be point; There are ways to bring out the security dog in most dogs.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I remember reading an article years ago where someone had interviewed prisoners regarding home burglaries. They were asked if they had the choice when entering a home, if they would rather face a dog or a homeowner with a gun. All of the prisoners said they would rather face a homeowner with a gun than a dog. They said that a homeowner with a gun will hesitate but a dog will not.

 

Now obviously there are dogs that WILL hesitate. Tara is probably one of them!! But the point is that from the outside of the house all the person hears is a dog barking. Why would they choose to enter a house where they KNOW there is a dog present when the house next door or down the street has no dog. I know this requires some use of logic that a burglar may not possess but in any case I have not tried to teach Tara not to bark and this is part of my reasoning!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Darwin doesn't bark when people knock on our door, or when there are people outside. And he's never acted aggressively towards anyone so I don't know what he would do if an intruder came in the house. I have been happy and welcoming to everyone that has come in so far, so I do wonder what he would do if I was yelling, or something like that. My guess is he'd just run over to the guy anxiously... I don't know. So, no I don't feel safer with Darwin around. but having him home with me when DH is gone is still a comfort because I'm not alone.

[Buddy & Bentley]

Yes, I know that I'm safer with Buddy around! He has a very intimidating bark. Who wouldn't be afraid of the thought of an 88 pound doodle charging at them. I think intruders would likely think again. Loving that LOUD doodle bark!!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Yes, I agree that the bark "should" scare a resonable person away. But I was thinking if someone actually broke in, regardless of the bark, what would our doodles actually do. I don't think of them as guard dogs at all. I certainly didn't get them for that reason, and I laughed when DH took Murphy camping one time and a lady walking by his camper got very frightened because Murphy was off leash and ran within about 20 feet of her barking. She said he looked like he was going to attack. We both thought :Yeah...he'll attack her with doodlekisses!!!

A gun....we have one, but with children and now grandchildren around, it has always been in 3 different parts and in 3 different places, locked up. So that wouldn't do me much good either.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Plus Greg, I'd be so nervous I'd probably shoot myself first!! 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I think Tara would probably hide behind me if someone actually broke in or would run and greet them enthusiastically!! Even so I still feel better with her here when DH is gone than I did when I was alone. I'm not sure WHY!!

 

As Greg pointed out guns are not the best solution for everyone even if you CAN keep them in one piece! :) It would be interesting to know if a doodle has ever been trained as a protection dog. I have never heard of a poodle, GR, or Lab being used in that line of work. Although I have seen some pretty ferocious acting Labs!