Holly's Evolution As A Watch Dog

[Richard Crowe]

We just had two Direct TV technicians come to our house to troubleshoot our TV picture, they worked until well after dark. We kept Holly and her Maltese buddies in my office so that they wouldn't bother the repair guys and to enable the techs to leave the bedroom door open (we live in Southern California and it isn't cold) so they easily could walk in and out of the house.

Holly was O.K. in the office until a technician placed a ladder outside the bay window of the office and climbed to the roof. Holly jumped to the window started barking and let the guy know in no uncertain terms that she didn't appreciate anyone invading our property.

I am sure that Holly would never have bitten anyone, but she looked pretty ferocious and no longer looked like a "teddy-bear" dog. That is, IMO, a perfect combination. A large dog who will bark at an intruder with no worries about the dog attacking. This is especially true when the dogs breed may not be readily identified. People often confuse Holly with a Wheaton Terrier. And, I would not want to tangle with an angry Wheaton.

She has done this once before, when a cleaning crew who had worked after dark, knocked at the bedroom door to let us know they were leaving.

I don't know why, but her bark and body language is entirely different after dark than it is when a stranger is in our yard during the day.

I don't expect or want her to be a guard dog but, she is developing into a dandy watch dog.

[Lynn & Sadie in WI]

I agree with you, that is the perfect combination of watch dog. Alert that someone is there and let them know that she knows they are there, but not agressive. My Sadie acts the same way.

My mailbox is on my front porch and she will bark at the mailman each morning, but when he turns to leave she wags her tail and whines that he didn't come in.. LOL Gotta love these doodles!

[Richard Crowe]

If we introduce a person when that person comes into the house, Holly is perfectly calm. Additionally, when a stranger comes into the yard whemn Holly is out there, she will bark at the stranger but, do nothing else. It is only at night when the stranger is outside the house that Holly becomes a watch dog.

[Jojo]

Wow! I wish my pups were like that. When someone they don't know comes throught the door are medium sized girl Jasper will just trot around through the house usually trying to find a toy to show this person and Jedi are big boy teddy bear licks the person and snuggles up against them. GREAT guard dogs.