Have you become more protective or less?

[JacksonsMom]

I'm bored while babysitting (she's napping lol and I'm taking a slight break from stupid algebra HW)



Has experience made you a more protective dog owner or a less protective one? Do you find yourself learning new risks and taking precautions to prevent them? Or are you easing back after seeing that your dogs are pretty durable and capable?

I ask because I think I HAVE become more protective, overall, than I used to be. I realized that when on Halloween night, while walking my little sister and cousin around trick-or-treating and a loose little dog (<20lbs) came darting out of the fence (I was out in the street while kids were at their door) right towards Jackson. Very briefly, I allowed the 2 dogs to interact, but I wasn't 100% comfortable with the other dogs body language, and decided to 'helicopter' Jackson up into my arms by his harness. I didn't really even wait to see the dog's intentions, I just felt the need to diffuse a possible situation.

My mom looked at me like I was crazy: "That dog didn't even do anything!" but the reason I think I was so quick to yank Jackson up into my arms was from past experiences. I've had at least 10 incidents where I thought the dog was going to be friendly and nice and then quickly changed it's attitude and tries to start a fight. Jackson WILL defend himself if need be (but has never started anything), and I guess it just wasn't something I felt like dealing with. For about 30 seconds after I continued walking, the dog is following me out in the middle of the street and the owner couldn't get him back. He apologized and I just blamed it on my own dog "oh, he can be questionable with other dogs. I didn't want your dog to get hurt".

The last time I saw a little dog charge out of a neighbors house as I was standing in my friends front yard with Jackson on leash, I ended up on the ground because the other dog full-on attacked Jackson (for literally NO reason) and I had to separate them.

In earlier times, I might have ignored the other dog, and even let it approach or let the 2 interact. I used to be very lenient about who I let Jackson meet, on leash and off. But there's just been past incidents that, yes, they do make me slightly nervous to just... allow or put my trust in another dog that I don't know from Adam. I mean, I used to bring Jackson over on the big dog side of the dog park ALL the time and not even think twice about it. Now after seeing too many incidents between big dogs, I can't imagine what would happen to my little 18lb'er if a dog decided they didn't like him.

The examples go on and on. But yeah, these kind of things. Fortunately, I don't think I've gone overboard yet. In general, I'm a lot more laid back than a lot of other yorkies owners I know of, for example.

But I guess certain things I have become more protective over and other things maybe more lenient. But overall I guess I'd say I've become more aware. And I don't just put my faith in other dog owners to do what I think is right or acceptable.

 

[Fran101]

When it comes to interactions with other dogs? MORE. I'm the ultimate helicopter mom now, I scoop at the nearest sign of a problem or stiffness or even just anything lol and I am super careful about off leash play and always keep an eye on him. I just don't want another bad interactions or him to **** another dog off lol

With people? Less Merlin is bombproof when it comes to people and especially when it comes to people dog-sitting, LIVE AND LET LIVE lol I love getting updates from his pet sitter but mostly I'm pretty handoff, I know he's having fun, he's an easy dog to live with so I don't need to talk to her everyday

In general? The best laid plans... lol I am so much less planned than I thought I was going to be. Merlin is happy, I am happy with him, everything else mehhh

 

[Slick]

I have become less protective.

I was very black/white when I first got Leo, partly because he is my first dog so I was more paranoid and less sure of myself.

I had made some rules for myself and the house, that we now do not follow.

For instance, I started off with "No Human Food" but now am absolutely willing to give him a bit of my left-overs or something I don't want to eat (example: he got a bruised strawberry yesterday).

I started off with a "No Off-leash ever unless in a fenced area" rule, but now the main places I let him run around at are not fenced at all.

When I learned the limits of Leo (for instance, that he sticks close by and doesn't bolt), I was able to ease up on some of my rules.

 

[Stingr69]

My pups are just too fragile to let them run loose. Just a breed characteristic. The boy would not normally leave the yard but the baby girl will trot right out of the yard an not recall :yikes: Her favorite game is "chase me" . We have had problems in the neighborhood with loose running aggressive dogs, coyotes, foxes, and vehicles so no, they do not get to play in the front yard off-leash. Back yard has a fenced in area so they do get some outside time to horse around together.

When we are out walking, I don't pick them up unless it is required by the situation. The leash is short so I can get to them immediately if it gets dangerous. They ignore other dogs in general but can be frightened or dash away due to fear of bicycles or other aggressive dogs. I just keep one eye on them at all times because it will be over in a flash if anything starts to happen.

 

[Laurelin]

Ummm both?

I've always been protective over the paps with other dogs. I am much much less worried with Hank and other dogs. Just simply the fact that Hank is just bigger and stronger. Plus he's friendly and enjoys other dogs...

With Hank though I'm not nearly as lax about letting him off leash. He's got so much desire to chase and seems to have a really high prey drive. I can see him bolting off after a squirrel and being GONE in a flash. So he's on a long line when the paps are off leash. The paps and shelties spoiled me because they all were naturals off leash. Hank is just too impulsive right now and too driven. He also doesn't have the nature that checks in the way the paps do. The paps ALWAYS are focused on me inside the house and outside. Hank has 10001 things to do.

He's not a bolter and works well off leash but... just had a couple close calls where I've had him off at my dad's and he doesn't call off the horse or vanishes into the woods after a rabbit for me to be comfortable.

 

[BostonBanker]

More protective for sure. I got into dogs through a college professor who was also a trainer (and I worked for her after college). She was very much of the "let the dogs work it out! They will be fine!" school of thought, and I bought in to it a bit. It sometimes made me uncomfortable, but I also assumed she was right.

And then I got Meg and got involved with other good trainers, and realized the dogs with the best dog skills were the ones who weren't forced to 'work it out' with every dog they met.

 

[Dogdragoness]

Ummm both?

I've always been protective over the paps with other dogs. I am much much less worried with Hank and other dogs. Just simply the fact that Hank is just bigger and stronger. Plus he's friendly and enjoys other dogs...

With Hank though I'm not nearly as lax about letting him off leash. He's got so much desire to chase and seems to have a really high prey drive. I can see him bolting off after a squirrel and being GONE in a flash. So he's on a long line when the paps are off leash. The paps and shelties spoiled me because they all were naturals off leash. Hank is just too impulsive right now and too driven. He also doesn't have the nature that checks in the way the paps do. The paps ALWAYS are focused on me inside the house and outside. Hank has 10001 things to do.

He's not a bolter and works well off leash but... just had a couple close calls where I've had him off at my dad's and he doesn't call off the horse or vanishes into the woods after a rabbit for me to be comfortable.

When mine went after the horses it's an automatic time out. With them I have become more lax in what I Wil and will not allow. I used to be very black and white, no people food, no up on furniture, no tug, and a few other doggy behaviors I can't remember were no no ' s. My dogs were well behaved, but we weren't having nearly as much fun as we do now lol.

 

[HayleyMarie]

Tyler and I are so-so I think. We are defiantly more pro-active then the average dog owner, But I know that both my dogs can handle themselves in situations and I know my dogs. Panzer can defiantly handle his own. Mainly, I am protective in that he does react to rude dogs, he has no issue pinning a dog and correcting it. Although that characteristic of his has come in handy in the past.

I dunno, I honestly find this a hard question to answer for some reason.

 

[JacksonsMom]

Ummm both?

I've always been protective over the paps with other dogs. I am much much less worried with Hank and other dogs. Just simply the fact that Hank is just bigger and stronger. Plus he's friendly and enjoys other dogs...

With Hank though I'm not nearly as lax about letting him off leash. He's got so much desire to chase and seems to have a really high prey drive. I can see him bolting off after a squirrel and being GONE in a flash. So he's on a long line when the paps are off leash. The paps and shelties spoiled me because they all were naturals off leash. Hank is just too impulsive right now and too driven. He also doesn't have the nature that checks in the way the paps do. The paps ALWAYS are focused on me inside the house and outside. Hank has 10001 things to do.

He's not a bolter and works well off leash but... just had a couple close calls where I've had him off at my dad's and he doesn't call off the horse or vanishes into the woods after a rabbit for me to be comfortable.

Sounds similar to Jackson. He's not unreliable per say, and also not a bolter, but he's the same way in that he doesn't have that natural tendency to 'check in' like I see a lot of herders do. I don't mind him off leash in certain environments, but usually I just prefer a long line for peace of mind.

But again, as a pup, or when he was under 1 year old, I look back and can't believe what I used to do. I used to just let him outside, off leash, and stay in the house while it was dark outside, with the 90 acres of unfenced farmland behind us. My step-dad convinced me of it because that's how their dog was, and I am so thankful nothing bad ever happened. I can't believe I used to do that and not think twice.

 

[*blackrose]

I think it really depends. A bit of both, I guess?

I'm never 100% comfortable letting my dogs interact with strange dogs in a public setting, especially when it comes to random nose sniff encounters. I just don't trust other dogs, and I don't trust that bad chemistry isn't going to happen with my own dog that will result in a bad experience. If my dog and your dog can be by each other ignoring one another and be just fine, why do they *need* to sniff noses and interact when we're not going to turn them loose with one another to play?

I don't mind letting them off leash in certain areas, but I'm for sure over protective and would rather have them leashed and safe, than running free and unsafe. That being said, my childhood dogs were left loose outside unsupervised when we were home during the day and I'd probably do much the same again if the situation was similar (rural area, no roads traveled aside from the other few people that lived back in our area, no large predators, dogs that were natural "home bodies" and didn't stray far off the property, etc., etc.). I'd be much more...supervisory than my family was, but I wouldn't worry about having them in a fence at all times or anything like that. But then again, I have dogs that can handle their own. My childhood dogs' job was to keep coyotes and other critters off our property, so them taking off after a coyote or two was like, "Yah, good job dogs!" and not a, "ZOMG, COME BACK YOU WILL BE EATEN!!!!"

I'm much more concerned about health related things, such as heartworm disease, proper vaccine immunity, intestinal parasite health, etc., etc. On the flip side, I'm also more conscious about over vaccinating, drug side effects vs. benefits, etc., etc. LOL And while I've worked at a vet clinic long enough to know that every time your dog vomits it isn't going to die and it isn't an emergency, I'm much more aware of what is a serious sign vs something that can wait to see if it resolves on its own.

And this has nothing to do with being more protective or not, but I'm really more anal about proper grooming now. A clean maintained coat, trimmed nails, clean ears, healthy teeth. lol

 

[meepitsmeagan]

I have become more protective with Harlow as far as leash greetings because reactivity.

I've always pretty much allowed them off leash as much as possible. No human food is still applicable. Stay away from the rear end of horses and don't eat crap food.

I'm not super protective overall outside of the leash greeting stuff, tbh.

I am super anal about who takes care of my crew, though.

 

[Southpaw]

Probably about the same lol I don't think I've changed much, if at all. I'm pretty lax. Only thing I've become more guarded about is their interactions with people and that's just because of Juno's stranger danger. Cajun can be a little wary too. I'm much better about telling people, no, you can't pet them. And/or using body language to send off bad vibes haha. But again that's something I only pay attention to because I need to with these particular dogs. Limiting stranger interaction is not something I would do across the board if I had a social butterfly.

Otherwise everything else is kind of up in the air. I fly by the seat of my pants.

 

[Dogdragoness]

Sounds similar to Jackson. He's not unreliable per say, and also not a bolter, but he's the same way in that he doesn't have that natural tendency to 'check in' like I see a lot of herders do. I don't mind him off leash in certain environments, but usually I just prefer a long line for peace of mind.

But again, as a pup, or when he was under 1 year old, I look back and can't believe what I used to do. I used to just let him outside, off leash, and stay in the house while it was dark outside, with the 90 acres of unfenced farmland behind us. My step-dad convinced me of it because that's how their dog was, and I am so thankful nothing bad ever happened. I can't believe I used to do that and not think twice.

Lol someone forgot to tell Josefina that herders are supposed to be velcro, have a radius and check in ... because off lead I have to keep my eye on her all the time and remind her to do those things. She will, but left to her own devices she will tear off after a critter or be following her nose like a terrier and disappear.heck even in the fenced yard he wears a bell on her collar.

 

[Dizzy]

Nothing has changed. I'm more worried about bodhi narky knickers reacting at strange dogs than other dogs starting things so I'm always hypervigilant to who is around. She's totally fine with other dogs unless they get in close quarters (if they approach her for example) so I see dog coming in our direction, I lead up.

I tend to put Fred on too mainly because I respect other dogs may be reactive and I don't want clutz brain setting them off. He loves other dogs but isn't keen on young males he is threatened by and I can't judge that quickly. It makes me sad though as he normally just wants to play and I feel like killjoy mum.

But nothing has changed I've always been the same. When your dog can be the bitch you tend to be cautious anyway.

They still walk off lead on every walk. We don't live somewhere populated to encounter lots of dogs regularly really. Just the other village dogs now and then or open wide places like the beach where it's not really and issue. Both mine are off lead reliable.

I've never worried about people. Dogs are not interested in people outdoors. At home they're protective and will bark but have no bite.

I'm SUPER vigilant around children to the point of it stresses me when other people aren't vigilant with their own child. I tell people to watch their child and I watch my dogs like hawks. Fred is curious and wants to sniff and play but he's big and clumsy and all paws!!! Bodhi is worried by them but usually OK. But tbh I am on her as I don't see the point in 'testing' a situation.

I'm totally confident they will be fine with our baby. I know my dogs. But still there's no way on this earth I'd leave any dog, not even mine, unsupervised with a small child. Because accidents happen.

 

[monkeys23]

I'm a lot more protective. Or really the better term is probably proactive.

We've had so many experiences with random dogs being unfriendly that I have gotten very good at being highly selective where we walk when in town, I am always on watch for other people/dogs in the environment, and we've worked a lot on about turns, etc. for smooth getaways.

I no longer let strange people/kids come up to Scout in public. If she makes the choice to say hi that is one thing, but normally the people who actively come after us are the "all dogs love me" creeper types that really wig her out. All she really cares about is having a nice walk with me. I've gotten a lot better at subtly handling it by keeping myself between her and random people and with children (she was bitten by toddlers in her second home) we will change course a long ways in advance. She is totally safe with people, but I owe it to her not to put her in a situation that scares the crap out of her.
We have run into some very bizarre people. The weirdest lately was poor Scout was mid-poop and this very odd looking girl stopped and was staring about 15ft away. She shuffled her feet creeping toward us staring really intensely and creepily not saying a word. Then her hand is outstretched and she's still slowly creeping as I'm trying to pick up poop. Almost ready to move on and the GSD has finally had enough with the creepy serial killer creep and gives a WTF?!?! bark. I actually had to say "Dude, you are creeping my dog out, back off!!" It was just so bizarre!! I had Lily with me, she was busy sniffing and marking and clearly did not care. This girl is in college, you would think... apparently not. Really proud of Scout. For a dog with less than stellar nerve, she is so good in odd situations.

Weirdly the very next day I walked them to work on my dinner break because two of my workstudies wanted to visit them again. I'm standing out back of the library on the phone with my bf and the ladies and checking out the squirrel tree. Suddenly Lily freezes, quietly alerting with her eyes on something a couple hundred feet away at the the back of the caf. I thought squirrel, but no it was that same girl coming out the back of the caf with her same friend. I found it very interesting that Lily absorbed that information while seemingly not paying attention and let me know and was ready to keep her sister safe. Scout never even knew she was over there, I just took them inside as soon as Lily let me know and they had a grand time getting attention at the desk.

I do wish people used more common sense with their dogs in public. Especially since 95% of those off leash have no reliable recall and little to no training. I get so excited and happy when I actually run into someone whose dog is well trained. Its ridiculous.

 

[DJEtzel]

I would say both, in different areas of dog living!

Dog interactions I'm 100% proactive about. Dogs are not able to sneak up on us, come out of nowhere, etc. I think that's a cop-out. I pay attention to our surroundings to prevent that from happening, so that my dogs don't get injured. I absolutely do not allow my dogs to meet other dogs unless 1) I know the dog 2) it's a puppy, or 3) we're at a dog park, whether on or off leash.

I regularly pick Recon up to prevent him from getting rushed by loose dogs, platz Patton and kick at dogs to get away, etc. People seem pretty responsive when I say that mine aren't friendly and theirs could get into a lot of trouble, even though their dog is friendly. Mine are friendly in general, but I use it as an excuse to avoid interaction and (attempt to) knock some sense into people.

That said, I let them off leash much more. They're reliable, I'm willing to take a fine. Public parks, rest stops, gas stations... wherever they have to go when we stop!

Medically, I'm much more liberal. I know enough now to know when I should seek medical attention, what is needed, etc. We don't vaccinate much, stay away from antibiotics for some punctures, wait out lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

I'm also very protective at the vet, due to problems I've experienced. My dogs are not restrained by anyone but me if necessary. I'll find a new vet if they require otherwise.

 

[Ozfozz]

I would say both, in different areas of dog living!

Dog interactions I'm 100% proactive about. Dogs are not able to sneak up on us, come out of nowhere, etc. I think that's a cop-out. I pay attention to our surroundings to prevent that from happening, so that my dogs don't get injured. I absolutely do not allow my dogs to meet other dogs unless 1) I know the dog 2) it's a puppy, or 3) we're at a dog park, whether on or off leash.

I regularly pick Recon up to prevent him from getting rushed by loose dogs, platz Patton and kick at dogs to get away, etc. People seem pretty responsive when I say that mine aren't friendly and theirs could get into a lot of trouble, even though their dog is friendly. Mine are friendly in general, but I use it as an excuse to avoid interaction and (attempt to) knock some sense into people.

That said, I let them off leash much more. They're reliable, I'm willing to take a fine. Public parks, rest stops, gas stations... wherever they have to go when we stop!

Medically, I'm much more liberal. I know enough now to know when I should seek medical attention, what is needed, etc. We don't vaccinate much, stay away from antibiotics for some punctures, wait out lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

I'm also very protective at the vet, due to problems I've experienced. My dogs are not restrained by anyone but me if necessary. I'll find a new vet if they require otherwise.

I wrote out a whole response then realized that you summed up just about everything I was going to say quite nicely.

 

[noludoru]

MORE.

He's going blind and deaf and is easily confused and scared now, and he was always a very reactive dog. . . so. . . no. We've had a history of bites and I'm not interested in more.

 

[Sweet72947]

Dog interactions I'm 100% proactive about. Dogs are not able to sneak up on us, come out of nowhere, etc. I think that's a cop-out. I pay attention to our surroundings to prevent that from happening, so that my dogs don't get injured.

Actually, depending on where you live, dogs CAN come out of "nowhere". If you live somewhere with wide open fields then yeah, you can see clearly in every direction. But I live in a townhouse development, with trees and townhouses people can walk between, and parking lots with cars and sometimes there are big moving trucks too. There are lots of things that can obstruct your view where I live. Norris is leash reactive (but not actually DA) so I am vigilant and I always keep an eye out for dogs so I can distract him/move him away and keep him from reacting. But sometimes we're walking along the sidewalk and suddenly somebody comes from in between two townhouses with their dog and I have to run him across the street or wheel him abruptly in a different direction while stuffing treats in his face. I am happy to say that Norris has improved with his reactivity very much.

I wouldn't say that I am very overprotective of Norris, but I am proactive about the situations I put him in. I have quite a bit of veterinary knowledge when it comes to dogs, so I know the signs for the serious things. My biggest worry Norris is that he'll eat something that makes him sick, since he likes to eat All The Things.

 

[DJEtzel]

Sorry, you're not convincing me. I don't think it's an excuse... I either don't put them in the situation or make sure I can keep a look out and be aware.