How do you feel about this?

Just wondering if anyone would allow or encourage this...

I had a group of friends over, we were sitting on my bedroom floor. Milo was hanging out with us. My friend was laying on the floor and her boyfriend was sitting next to her. He grabbed her and tickled her and she squealed.

Milo ran over to them, stared her boyfriend in the face, and growled.

He clearly thought James was hurting her and was telling him off. I told him "it's okay" in a serious voice and took him out of the room. I didn't reprimand him or anything, because quite frankly, I want him to make a racket if someone is actually hurting me or a friend.

What would you do in this situation?

I think that was probably the appropriate thing to do. He thought he was protecting her, and he growled, he didn't bite. As a general rule, I don't think reprimanding dogs for growling is a good idea anyway.

Since it was NOT the right thing to do, I wouldn't praise him, but I would not punish him either.

We've praised Sarama for going bonkers when the mailman opened the door without invitation, but in that case she was going exactly what we want . . . barking like a crazy thing when a stranger opened the door. I think this is probably not something you want to encourage, but his heart was in the right place.

Pretty much the same as what you did. I also would make sure that everyone in the house understands that the dog won't allow roughhousing.

Nyx almost went at me once because I was playing like that with a friend who she likes. All I did was immediately stop what I was doing and all was calm again.

Dog and BF would have gotten a curt "KNOCK IT OFF", and I would have put the dog away.

Buster has doen the same sort of thing. He's always accepted my female friends pretty well but always has to be glued to my side if a new guy is around.
We were out the back one day, and a friends boyfriend tried to push my friend in the pool, she was squealing and stuff. And Buster was over there straight away with this "omg... I'm gonna have to bite this guy if he doesn't stop in a second" look on his face. He came back when I called though.

We have praised the dogs in the past for not allowing people just to stroll in aswell. As long as they call off when they are told, its exactly how we like them.

Mac doesn't even stand for me or my mum playing rough with my sister (mac's "mum") as soon as Grace squeals the growls start. I don't think she'd ever really go all out at one of us but a stranger had better look out. Bloody little terrier in a lot of ways she is.

that's a sticky situation for us... roofus is extremely protective and he barks, growls, etc when my SO hugs me or gets too close. I tell him NO firmly, but that's about it, because both my SO and I want him to have that behavior if I truly am in danger since we don't live in the best part of town.

Sounds to me like you made a good call

ITs still a no. YOu were in the room and did not see a problem the dog should have looked to you first. But that is just my opinion. My mom use to have to lock up my little dog to give me a spanking. Some dogs are just like that.

I had a cat that used to protect me from spankings as kid what a great friend she was.

I would have done the exact same thing. I too don't reprimand for growling. I never want the dog to think they shouldn't warn (and then just lunge/bite). I have rules in this house about things because of the dogs.

Yes, reassure the dog that every thing's OK and remove .