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? 

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

Having enjoyed the company of dogs around my home for most of my life I have learned to listen to them.  I have

often noticed a difference in how their barks sound when they are barking at other animals as compared to barking

when a stranger is around.  A different sound even occurs when the mail is delivered.  It is easy to recognize a

friendly sounding bark as opposed to one that is excited about something out of the ordinary.  Even their behavior

changes.

I had a standard poodle that would visit my neighbor.  One day when she had some workmen over my dog got

between her and one of the workers and growled enough to  alert my neighbor of possible danger.  She understood

the dogs reaction and the worker left without any problems.  My neighbor let me know that the dog may well have

saved her from trouble.  I had never heard my dog growl before or since but it did teach me to trust her instincts.

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

I guess I will have to listen closer now. Murphy does have a little different pitch to sudden noises, or he will have a low growl when he thinks he's heard something and then take off to the door if he senses something. I go with him to have him "show me" and thank him for being a good guard dog, but I hardly ever see or hear what he does. Sometimes it's a neighbor walking by or children on their bikes. So I tend to not pay attention too much to the sound he's making. Good point Sally.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I know that my guys wouldn't react to an intruder (although they would bark if they heard them outside).  We've had situations where our condo maintenance workers have come in when we weren't home, and the Doods were delighted to see them.  My DSIL also stops in occasionally to pick things up, and he just walks right in.  They jump and wag their tails.  There's not a protective bone in their bodies....that just want to PLAY.

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

That's true, people do come in to do work in the house and they don't even bark. Now if you were in distress with them there would they react?  I think they sense our emotions. However, we never play "Go Get him" or "Sic him" with our doodles either so they wouldn't know that command. 

[susan kaput]

I have a feeling that if someone tried to come in WHEN YOU WERE HOME the situation would be very different.  I think your dogs would try to protect you.  Just my opinion.

[cheryl & oliver]

I am comforted by having the two dogs here with me.  My husband doesn't usually travel for work, and he doesn't usually go on vacations without me, but he just left for a week to go up north to Jersey to see his Mom, she is not doing too well, she is 100 yrs old, and I honestly can't remember the last time he was gone for a week, and we are going to be married 40 yrs.  BUT that said, I am thrilled that I have Oliver & Renny with me, I feel better knowing I am not alone in the house.  We have an alarm, which I will use,when I go out, but I have to turn off the extra sensors, because the dogs wander and they will trigger the alarm while walking around while I am out.  But I am glad that they will be with me at night.  We live in a gated community with great security, but u never know, so I am glad they are with me.And Renny taught Oliver to bark at anything that moves outside, so I know that if they are barking, there is someone there, or a cat, or a bird, etc....

[Donna K & Quincy]

Quincy's bark is so loud, deep and growly when he hears someone come to the door, no intruder in his right mind would even think about coming inside. Of course they don't know it only lasts until you are inside the door then it's can I show you  where the good stuff is. Sadly, he only does this when we are at home and never when he is home alone.

[Natasha]

We call Rouser our fraidy-cat. He runs behind me at the drop of a hat so I always thought that he would run and hide (while woofing to alert me) if anything happened. Plus, he is so people friendly.

 

However, one day when he was about 2 I had the back door open and I saw Rouser dart outside and he started to growl and bark ferociously (I had heard his big, bad bark before and it is scary, but this was the first time I heard him growl).  Once outside, I saw Rouser standing with his chest pushed out broadly, his feet firmly planted, head held up stiffly as he bared his teeth at our poor gardener who stood frozen about 15 feet away from Rouser after having just come around the corner into our back yard. I must admit, I took Rouser inside and I gave him a big treat.

 

So, the dog that I would never have thought could protect me, did just that.  Now, do I think he would have attacked? Not sure, but most reasonable people (and I know that not all people breaking into your house are reasonable) would stop once seeing how insistent our dog was at that moment.

 

Also, I pay attention when Rouser woofs or growls at someone when we're out walking. Even if I think the person looks perfectly fine,  I trust Rouser when he alerts me to something he doesn't like.

[Lynda Kamrath]

My dogs will definitely bark if someone comes to the door, but that doesn't happen often where we live.  If I open the door, I have to hold on to Groucho's collar, or he would run outside and lick them to death.  Just seeing a 30-inch dog will put off most people.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I had the dogs in a specialty dog food place yesterday. Calla can be a bit shy but the clerk was pretty persistent with trying to give her a treat, some of which Calla accepted. But once she did back up and growl/snarl. So their judgment isn't always great but Calla didn't want this woman in her face. The woman seemed perfectly OK to me.

[susan kaput]

Yes, I do feel safer.  I am a widow (5 yrs).  My kids suggested I get a dog. He's wonderful ( 35 lb. mini goldendoodle).  At night, if he hears anything, he'll growl.  I have a bit of a hearing impairment, so I do feel he's helpful.  Don't know how much he could protect me, but at least he can hear anything unusual.  He's a wonderful dog.

[Sandy]

I do, but I shouldn't, because Toby is a big chicken and would run from confrontation.  But people who look at my big boy don't KNOW that.  :)