Those of you with guardy dogs
- Thread starter Kootenay
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Abby will bark at new people. She will also just bark in greeting old friends. If people are comfortable with dogs, I'll just ask them to ignore her. She warms up quickly as long as she's not manhandled or cornered (well, I would imagine, as I just don't let that happen)
I used to be much more uptight about this meeting new people business, but now I'm not so much. It doesn't mean I don't supervise and give clear directions. If people won't follow directions, Abby will be crated. She is not allowed with toddlers and very young kids. Ever. Older kids - say 7+ requires a bit more time, management and precautions, but again she is pretty good. She will always have to be managed to a degree, but she is no where near as bad as I thought she was. I was a highly-strung, neurotic owner unfortunately and this didn't help the situation at all!
Edit - she is not guardy though, just a bit nervous around new people. Doesn't really matter though, the potential is there for her to bite. Not sure what her threshold is, as we haven't ever found it and I'm not intending to allow it!
I used to be much more uptight about this meeting new people business, but now I'm not so much. It doesn't mean I don't supervise and give clear directions. If people won't follow directions, Abby will be crated. She is not allowed with toddlers and very young kids. Ever. Older kids - say 7+ requires a bit more time, management and precautions, but again she is pretty good. She will always have to be managed to a degree, but she is no where near as bad as I thought she was. I was a highly-strung, neurotic owner unfortunately and this didn't help the situation at all!
Edit - she is not guardy though, just a bit nervous around new people. Doesn't really matter though, the potential is there for her to bite. Not sure what her threshold is, as we haven't ever found it and I'm not intending to allow it!
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Jay is fine with people entering the home after the initial alert bark. But he is a no touch dog unless he asks for it. Hes a dog that will growl and snap at you while wagging his tail. Laika barks because he does but you will only be attacked with in your face jumping and kisses... Basically my dogs are assholes.
Indy has only been "guardy" against strange males when I'm home alone. And I do NOT mind that at all.
And I prefer her "gaurdy" over Ozzys. Ozzy will spin like a fool at the door or in his crate or in the back ground machine gun barking, but if he's allowed to greet, he's fine. He'll still bark, he can't help that part, he's half JRT, I think they were bred to be able to bark without taking a breath.
Indy's "guardy" is much more dangerous/civil/real than Ozzys. I would only ever expect Ozzy to bite if you breached the PROPERTY line uninvited. And he's proved that he will guard property at my mothers and at my house, he's bitten in defense of my mothers home a few years ago in the middle of the night. We're still not sure who he got, but he got their calf pretty **** good, I saw him and then I saw the blood in the driveway, and if I had been more awake (it was about 3am) I would have done less screaming at Ozzy and more grabbing of guns
. He won't really guard people per say (like if I was walking him down the street, he's not guardy against people.
Indy on the other hand is silent. She's "guarded" me about three times, all with strange men, and no pattern to what they were wearing or race. Once at a gas station I had a very raggedy man come up and look like he was going to stick his hand in my window while I was sitting there with my gas pumping. She was up, out of the back seat, over my head rest and showing him every one of her teeth. No growling, just the snarl/smile, which is somehow more scary than straight up growling. She wasn't afraid of him, her ears were forward and her eyes were extremely hard. I believe that if he'd pressed me, or hurt me in someway, she would have gone after him, and hard.
The other two times occurred at home. We get packages a lot. DH is always ordering something, so FEDex, USPS, UPS or DHL is at my house AT LEAST once every two weeks delivering things to the door. Usually we have the same driver every time, and he or she is always friendly, but one time it was a sub driver and the same thing happened. She just pulled all her lips back and showed him her teeth. He was wearing shorts too I stepped outside with her in a close heel, he was considerably nervous of her (understandable, but I wasn't going to correct her. It's not normal behavior out of her and I listen to her) and kept asking if she was going to bite him. While I was signing his little pad thingy. All I told him was that she wouldn't as long as he didn't do anything stupid.
Then finally the last time it was a Jehovahs Witness who knocked on the door, I was sick, for some reason Ozzy didn't leave the bedroom (it was some ungodly hour like 830am or something) and just Indy came to the door with me. It was just one guy, in a suit, and he starts his shpeel and Indy just exploded at him. She hit the door and started frothing and barking and just generally acting like she was about to break through the glass and f*cking EAT HIM RIGHT THERE. I grabbed her around the torso that time, threw her back and slammed the door shut. She immediately calmed down, and shook off and then came over to check me out because I was having a miniature heart attack on the floor by the door.
So, I deal with it depending on the situation. I trust Indy enough that I can bring her out, even with a snarl frozen on her face and eyes cold and hard enough to freeze water on a tag collar and tab leash and trust that she will not launch herself unless I am am attacked or harmed in some way.
I'm not sure what set her off about the two visitors to the door, they were both different set-ups and she usually LOVES delivery drivers because they know us at this point and have beef jerky or some sort of treat for her lol. She always comes outside with me to accept packages because she's intimidating looking and she's the only one who's well trained enough to stay put when I tell her too. She especially loves our UPS guy. He loves her too, so I'm not sure what it was about that one guy, and usually for a JW she doesn't even get out of bed, but for some reason she was alerted that morning. She was the only one to get up with me, (the other two are lazy bums) and then she pulled that.
So, in summary, I have no clue lol. She usually is wearing a tab leash if we're expecting someone, and if we're expecting lots of someones they're all crated.
And I prefer her "gaurdy" over Ozzys. Ozzy will spin like a fool at the door or in his crate or in the back ground machine gun barking, but if he's allowed to greet, he's fine. He'll still bark, he can't help that part, he's half JRT, I think they were bred to be able to bark without taking a breath.
Indy's "guardy" is much more dangerous/civil/real than Ozzys. I would only ever expect Ozzy to bite if you breached the PROPERTY line uninvited. And he's proved that he will guard property at my mothers and at my house, he's bitten in defense of my mothers home a few years ago in the middle of the night. We're still not sure who he got, but he got their calf pretty **** good, I saw him and then I saw the blood in the driveway, and if I had been more awake (it was about 3am) I would have done less screaming at Ozzy and more grabbing of guns
. He won't really guard people per say (like if I was walking him down the street, he's not guardy against people. Indy on the other hand is silent. She's "guarded" me about three times, all with strange men, and no pattern to what they were wearing or race. Once at a gas station I had a very raggedy man come up and look like he was going to stick his hand in my window while I was sitting there with my gas pumping. She was up, out of the back seat, over my head rest and showing him every one of her teeth. No growling, just the snarl/smile, which is somehow more scary than straight up growling. She wasn't afraid of him, her ears were forward and her eyes were extremely hard. I believe that if he'd pressed me, or hurt me in someway, she would have gone after him, and hard.
The other two times occurred at home. We get packages a lot. DH is always ordering something, so FEDex, USPS, UPS or DHL is at my house AT LEAST once every two weeks delivering things to the door. Usually we have the same driver every time, and he or she is always friendly, but one time it was a sub driver and the same thing happened. She just pulled all her lips back and showed him her teeth. He was wearing shorts too
I stepped outside with her in a close heel, he was considerably nervous of her (understandable, but I wasn't going to correct her. It's not normal behavior out of her and I listen to her) and kept asking if she was going to bite him. While I was signing his little pad thingy. All I told him was that she wouldn't as long as he didn't do anything stupid. Then finally the last time it was a Jehovahs Witness who knocked on the door, I was sick, for some reason Ozzy didn't leave the bedroom (it was some ungodly hour like 830am or something) and just Indy came to the door with me. It was just one guy, in a suit, and he starts his shpeel and Indy just exploded at him. She hit the door and started frothing and barking and just generally acting like she was about to break through the glass and f*cking EAT HIM RIGHT THERE. I grabbed her around the torso that time, threw her back and slammed the door shut. She immediately calmed down, and shook off and then came over to check me out because I was having a miniature heart attack on the floor by the door.
So, I deal with it depending on the situation. I trust Indy enough that I can bring her out, even with a snarl frozen on her face and eyes cold and hard enough to freeze water on a tag collar and tab leash and trust that she will not launch herself unless I am am attacked or harmed in some way.
I'm not sure what set her off about the two visitors to the door, they were both different set-ups and she usually LOVES delivery drivers because they know us at this point and have beef jerky or some sort of treat for her lol. She always comes outside with me to accept packages because she's intimidating looking and she's the only one who's well trained enough to stay put when I tell her too.
She especially loves our UPS guy. He loves her too, so I'm not sure what it was about that one guy, and usually for a JW she doesn't even get out of bed, but for some reason she was alerted that morning. She was the only one to get up with me, (the other two are lazy bums) and then she pulled that. So, in summary, I have no clue lol. She usually is wearing a tab leash if we're expecting someone, and if we're expecting lots of someones they're all crated.
Gracie loves people she knows, when Grandma (Gracie knows this word) and Papa, my parents come over, she gets over excited. We put her outside until she calms down.
With people she knows but doesn't see very often..she smells them and usually is fine after that.
When she just meets someone we have different criteria
If it's at our house(she's much guardier at home)....I have them come to the gate (she's on a short leash) and I direct the person to ignore Gracie. After a bit I take the person's hand and hold it out to Gracie in my own, telling her "This is Name Here, and she is nice"
For men it's a different story, my husband must be home for her to greet a male.
For example my husband's work buddy came over one day...after a few minutes he could pet her but as soon as my husband walked around to the back of the house, he tried to pet her again and she growled.
If someone is coming over we know first. If it's someone we know she won't meet again, like a cable repairman, I keep her on leash or crate her.
But in town she isn't guardy at all.(She used to be but we've worked through it) I ask people to let her smell them first and then they pet her. We've even been ambushed several times with no warning and no introductions and she's fine.
With people she knows but doesn't see very often..she smells them and usually is fine after that.
When she just meets someone we have different criteria
If it's at our house(she's much guardier at home)....I have them come to the gate (she's on a short leash) and I direct the person to ignore Gracie. After a bit I take the person's hand and hold it out to Gracie in my own, telling her "This is Name Here, and she is nice"
For men it's a different story, my husband must be home for her to greet a male.
For example my husband's work buddy came over one day...after a few minutes he could pet her but as soon as my husband walked around to the back of the house, he tried to pet her again and she growled.
If someone is coming over we know first. If it's someone we know she won't meet again, like a cable repairman, I keep her on leash or crate her.
But in town she isn't guardy at all.(She used to be but we've worked through it) I ask people to let her smell them first and then they pet her. We've even been ambushed several times with no warning and no introductions and she's fine.
Frag and Recon are both good. A little alert barking, but they don't back it up at all.
Sir is crated until things calm down significantly, then is brought out on leash. All of the other dogs have to be away for this or he will just amp himself back up again, and he's a dog that WILL follow through. Roommates sister started walking into the house one day without so much as a knock. I was vaccuuming and couldn't hear much but I heard a ruckus at the door. Turned off the vaccuum and went around the corner to see the front door cracked and Sir throwing a fit. I asked "who's there" before retrieving crazy pants and she announced herself. She's pretty lucky she didn't just walk in despite the barking dog.
Sir is crated until things calm down significantly, then is brought out on leash. All of the other dogs have to be away for this or he will just amp himself back up again, and he's a dog that WILL follow through. Roommates sister started walking into the house one day without so much as a knock. I was vaccuuming and couldn't hear much but I heard a ruckus at the door. Turned off the vaccuum and went around the corner to see the front door cracked and Sir throwing a fit. I asked "who's there" before retrieving crazy pants and she announced herself. She's pretty lucky she didn't just walk in despite the barking dog.
Watson can be like this. He's generally better in the house than out. If someone is on our property who he doesn't know, he starts his deep bark and looks unfriendly, but as soon as he gets up to the person he's all wiggles. The poor oil guy this weekend asked "Does he bite?" because Watson was barking and clearly not happy that the guy just showed up in our yard. I always feel bad having a barking dog approach a person, but once he meets them he just wants to be snuggled. At least he's only 40lbs and doesn't look intimidating. I'm not sure if it's guardy behavior, or if he's just nervous because he doesn't expect to see people on our property and is surprised by them. I think it's the second, but to people who are being barked at he probably appears guardy.
In the house, he almost never barks and just wants to jump on people and get attention.
Most Welsh I've met have been a bit guardy (just barking) and reserved with new people in the house at first, so we'll see if he changes as he matures.
In the house, he almost never barks and just wants to jump on people and get attention.
Most Welsh I've met have been a bit guardy (just barking) and reserved with new people in the house at first, so we'll see if he changes as he matures.
Izze did that what one of those guys when they approached my truck when I was waiting in traffic lol and they came to the passenger side, the window was down because it was a warm day and the truck I had did truck I had didn't have any AC. Needless to say she grabbed the little pamphlet out of his hands and preceded to shred it.
Boy I miss that antisocial bitch
Boy I miss that antisocial bitch
We had a salesman come out one day...younger guy. Between Rose 15 feet away from him with her hackles up and barking in the yard and Chloe going nuts inside, he didn't stick around for too long.
And when we had one salesman come out one day, I answered the door while hanging on to Chloe's collar...she actually didn't react to him as bad as some, so she only sounded like she wanted to kill him versus actually trying to kill him. That conversation didn't last long, either.
And when we had one salesman come out one day, I answered the door while hanging on to Chloe's collar...she actually didn't react to him as bad as some, so she only sounded like she wanted to kill him versus actually trying to kill him. That conversation didn't last long, either.
Had a Jehovah's Witness walk in my frickin house. I was getting ready for work in the morning, dogs were outside (damnit). I saw a car in the drive and saw them on the porch... I was heading towards the front door, and the woman just opens up the door, steps inside, and shuts the door behind her. Standing in my living room. I think she thought it was a multi-family where there is a central hallway...she kept asking if someone lived upstairs ??? which no, it's a single family home. One of those days I WISH I was naked, or the dogs were inside, or something! The next day I had someone come to the house (the side door...) looking for someone that doesn't live here. I was very happy the dogs were inside and made a huge ruckus, we were wondering if someone was trying to 'case' the house.
Anyways...off topic.
Eh, we have one suspicious dog that gets crated or put in a room when company comes. Otherwise they are all friendly, I don't worry about visitors too much.
Standing in my living room. I think she thought it was a multi-family where there is a central hallway...she kept asking if someone lived upstairs ??? which no, it's a single family home. One of those days I WISH I was naked, or the dogs were inside, or something! The next day I had someone come to the house (the side door...) looking for someone that doesn't live here. I was very happy the dogs were inside and made a huge ruckus, we were wondering if someone was trying to 'case' the house. Anyways...off topic
.Eh, we have one suspicious dog that gets crated or put in a room when company comes. Otherwise they are all friendly, I don't worry about visitors too much.
Trent can really bark up a storm when there's someone at the door, and when the Jehovah's Witness people come by, I always slip a collar over Trent's head, hold him by the collar as I open the door, and casually remark "oh, sorry, he doesn't like strangers". That usually sends them off in the other direction LOL Little do they know that really, they're only in danger of getting muzzle punched and possibly trampled in his overexuberance.
Trent is definitely guardy, but not allowed to be over property. We have a lot of people who come in and out of our home, sometimes unannounced, and I've worked a lot with him over the years to teach him that guests are awesome. Unannounced guests will get charged at the door and a loud, barking dog right in their face, but if they walk past him or interact with him they're not in any danger. When we know we're having people over, Trent is sent upstairs if our guest is terrified of dogs. If they are okay with dogs, Trent is allowed to greet them at the door (sometimes on leash if he forgets he ever learned manners). Sometimes he'll end up cozying up to them on the couch and trying to sneak in kisses, but other times he'll just go around doing his own thing. He's definitely not a suspicious dog.
He is more guardy over the front lawn/driveway area but once he sees someone invited into the house he's the enthusiastic, elated host.
Trent is definitely guardy, but not allowed to be over property. We have a lot of people who come in and out of our home, sometimes unannounced, and I've worked a lot with him over the years to teach him that guests are awesome. Unannounced guests will get charged at the door and a loud, barking dog right in their face, but if they walk past him or interact with him they're not in any danger. When we know we're having people over, Trent is sent upstairs if our guest is terrified of dogs. If they are okay with dogs, Trent is allowed to greet them at the door (sometimes on leash if he forgets he ever learned manners). Sometimes he'll end up cozying up to them on the couch and trying to sneak in kisses, but other times he'll just go around doing his own thing. He's definitely not a suspicious dog.
He is more guardy over the front lawn/driveway area but once he sees someone invited into the house he's the enthusiastic, elated host.
When I know somebody is coming over, I usually either put Fleetwood behind a babygate, or on a "park it" where he can see them. Once I've said hello and he sees they're not scary, I invite him to say hello to them too. Although we don't have a ton of strangers that come in, when we do, it takes a few minutes for him to warm up to them. He'll approach them and check them out, but he'll watch them suspiciously for a while LoL. In general though, if I'm okay with somebody, he will be too.
We had two instances where somebody came in uninvited, and both instances he cornered the person and kind of did a 'hold and bark' of sorts. He's not bitten or tried to bite anyone before, I hope that continues to be the case.
We had two instances where somebody came in uninvited, and both instances he cornered the person and kind of did a 'hold and bark' of sorts. He's not bitten or tried to bite anyone before, I hope that continues to be the case.
Mine are not guardy at all, but they will alert bark. Except Jari for whatever reason. They are kept behind a baby gate and away from the door so people can come in without being jumped all over. Once they have settled, they are released and are fine.
Now the only one who has shown any guardy behavior is Kimma. If it's a stranger coming in, sometimes her hackles will be up, but once she's calmed down and allowed to say hi, she's fine. Outside the house, however, she has guarded me once, and I was totally OK with it. We were walking in not the nicest of neighborhoods after dark. She stopped to potty, and a guy kind of came out of nowhere. She kept eyes on him, and he started to cross the street (there are no sidewalks where we were) and asked if he could say hi to her. She put herself in between me and the guy and just let out this low growl. I couldn't tell if she had teeth out as her back was to me. The guy backed up and started walking the other way and Kimma and I continued home. So I will take that any day.
Now the only one who has shown any guardy behavior is Kimma. If it's a stranger coming in, sometimes her hackles will be up, but once she's calmed down and allowed to say hi, she's fine. Outside the house, however, she has guarded me once, and I was totally OK with it. We were walking in not the nicest of neighborhoods after dark. She stopped to potty, and a guy kind of came out of nowhere. She kept eyes on him, and he started to cross the street (there are no sidewalks where we were) and asked if he could say hi to her. She put herself in between me and the guy and just let out this low growl. I couldn't tell if she had teeth out as her back was to me. The guy backed up and started walking the other way and Kimma and I continued home. So I will take that any day.
Oakley is only guardy if he CANT meet you.
So if you are a salesmen knocking on my door, expect to have a dog licking & sniffing you if you wan't to talk to me. If you don't, well then, we aren't talking, cause I choose not to deal with trying to hold him back while he is barking like a maniac...leads to teeth flying & catching my arm at times. Once I let him go though (and of course, only with permission, if the person says they like dogs), he is fine. I usually have to warn that they might get jumped on.
In a perfect world, my parents who used to have Oakley, and then my roommates & their guests wouldn't have completely ignored all of my requests to have him sit & be quiet before getting to meet someone. He did great for the first 3 months when it was just him & I and I didn't have friends yet, ha. That got trained out of him REAL quick though.
If we are within eyesight of my house on a walk...we don't meet people. With some exceptions depending on the person. Too risky.
So if you are a salesmen knocking on my door, expect to have a dog licking & sniffing you if you wan't to talk to me. If you don't, well then, we aren't talking, cause I choose not to deal with trying to hold him back while he is barking like a maniac...leads to teeth flying & catching my arm at times. Once I let him go though (and of course, only with permission, if the person says they like dogs), he is fine. I usually have to warn that they might get jumped on.
In a perfect world, my parents who used to have Oakley, and then my roommates & their guests wouldn't have completely ignored all of my requests to have him sit & be quiet before getting to meet someone. He did great for the first 3 months when it was just him & I and I didn't have friends yet, ha. That got trained out of him REAL quick though.
If we are within eyesight of my house on a walk...we don't meet people. With some exceptions depending on the person. Too risky.