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Original poster

How would your dog deal with an intruder?

122 replies

BarrelOfOtters · 26/07/2023 14:55

Ours might not wake up from wherever she's lying with her feet in the air snoring gently.

She could well stand at the top of the stairs barking but will have one eye on her box of toys to decide which present they are worthy of.

OP posts:
MakkaPakkasMuvva · 26/07/2023 18:37

Bark like crazy while they were breaking in, then whimper pathetically while wagging his tail so hard he falls over. Once the introductions are over, he'll go at sit beside the treat cupboard and stare expectantly at the robbers until they give him a meaty roll.

FOJN · 26/07/2023 18:39

I could have a prowler but not an intruder. My dog would wake the neighbourhood if someone so much as put a foot on the gravel drive and I think it unlikely they would try to break in after that.

If I opened the front door and let them in my dog would then think they were a friend and stop barking.

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 26/07/2023 18:40

We have shared custody of our dog with DS and his partner. They were subject to a mistaken address police raid a couple of years ago - apparently he ran around barking and then ran out of the room and hid. Which was a good job really.

LizaTarbuckForQueen · 26/07/2023 18:41

She’d bark very loudly and she’s got a big, deep voice. She barks at night if a hedgehog crosses the garden / drive.

However, if they got in an had sausages, chicken or ham, she would love them long time.

cocksstrideintheevening · 26/07/2023 18:43

Deaf as a post so would sleep through it. If he resided someone was there he'd roll over
For a belly rub.

HerAvatar · 26/07/2023 18:46

He would bark ferociously while they were breaking in but I'm honestly not sure what he'd do if they were brave enough to come in anyway. We actually were burgled when he was 6 months old and found him jammed headfirst in the tiny gap up the side of the tumble dryer (😢) afterwards so his instinct then was obviously to run and hide. Not sure how he'd be now, and definitely don't want to find out.

CatchItDerry · 26/07/2023 18:48

Dog 1 would bark and hide.
Dog 3 would invite them in and show them where the best stuff is, whilst wiggling.
Dog 2 would either die of shock on the spot or would rip them to shreds.

PimpMyFridge · 26/07/2023 18:50

My first dog was a gorgeous lab cross (best guess) rescued as a pup in a box by the canal with her litter mates.
She would let anyone in the house if we welcomed them, so no guarding issues.
No one ever tried to break in, but she did alert us to the presence of strangers and that meant she chased off some car thieves a couple of times.
A man sneaked up on my dad late one night while he was giving her the last late walk, he was within touching distance when with a hideous snarl she floored him, my dad whipped round to find this guy with a heavy stick in his hand flat on his back with her stood on him snarling in his face, didn't bite though, and came off him when dad called her away.
I also had a guy hiding under the railway bridge step out and try to block my path when I was out walking her, she came and stood between us and gave him blood curdling snarls, hackles up until I was past and then trotted after me. She was a random mongrel, no training to do this and soft as butter on any other occasion (including to rabbits, hamsters, budgies and guinea pigs,).
I always felt really safe with her and she accompanied teen me on my paper round, all my customers loved her.

SirChenjins · 26/07/2023 18:51

He would bark loudly and might take a nip out of their ankles, but at 1.5 foot high and 10.5kgs I doubt they’d be deterred much.

Moonflower12 · 26/07/2023 18:51

We live in the middle of bleeding nowhere. Our Sprocker who has the run of the house at night, would bark the place down especially if it was just my DD and I home. She is very protective of us.
If DH was home, I'm not sure?
She sleeps downstairs when it's just DD and I:Upstairs if DH is home.

hiredandsqueak · 26/07/2023 18:53

She would go bonkers if she heard or saw anything outside, once they got in though she'd welcome them like a best friend and be happy to follow them round looking for a fuss. Her guarding duties end once they set foot inside.

uncomfortablydumb53 · 26/07/2023 18:54

Mine would probably say " come in, have you got any treats?" Westie who loves people

MargaretThursday · 26/07/2023 18:58

You don't know until it happens.

My grandparents had a golden retriever. They always said that if someone broke in then she'd roll over, ask for a belly rub and show them round the house.
One day they woke to hear her barking. Went downstairs and found her standing staring at a small window that was minorly open. Rolled their eyes and shut the window.

In the morning they found a not insignificant amount of blood on and round the window sill and the next door neighbour had had burglars.

Nellieinthebarn · 26/07/2023 19:05

He's a German Shepherd so he has a terrifying bark, really loud and vicious sounding. I guess that's why the police use them. However, if the burglar was brave enough to enter the house, said terrifying German Shepherd would roll over for a tummy rub. He's no loss to the force.

TheCountessofLocksley · 26/07/2023 19:05

FOJN · 26/07/2023 18:39

I could have a prowler but not an intruder. My dog would wake the neighbourhood if someone so much as put a foot on the gravel drive and I think it unlikely they would try to break in after that.

If I opened the front door and let them in my dog would then think they were a friend and stop barking.

Snap. My two are like an early warning system. We have a burglar alarm, but you wouldn't here over the barking.

If someone did get in, I reckon smallest dog would have them over in seconds as she would run around them barking and growling (not because she's brave, the very opposite).

Big dog would remain safely behind smallest dog, doing his big WOOF.

StnNurse · 26/07/2023 19:08

Sleep peacefully through the whole break in……she’s a Doberman! She only started barking once the police were present 🤦🏼‍♀️

Beargrumps22 · 27/07/2023 07:32

my tiny one would bark his brains out until burglar get within100 feet then he wild run back into his igloo bed to hide. the other dog will howl always does when the tiny one barks then dive into our bed under the covers great help i would be more scared of the cat if he is hungry she bites!

Original poster
BarrelOfOtters · 27/07/2023 08:21

I think tbh many dogs can tell when someone has evil intent. I’d worry more about mine getting a kick if she got in between me and someone with bad vibes….

OP posts:
RafaistheKingofClay · 27/07/2023 08:25

Our old (clearly nervous and reactive in the very limited circumstances of an intruder or someone untoward when out walking) GSD - hackles would go up, growl and bark and generally frighten them off before they got near the house. They went and burgled a few doors down instead.

goldie - no guarding instincts whatsoever. Quite happy to let people up the drive and through the open back door into the house without a sound while you are upstairs. Probably will bring you one of his favorite possessions if you give him a belly rub. Postman regularly lets himself in and leaves parcels in the kitchen.

RafaistheKingofClay · 27/07/2023 08:26

BarrelOfOtters · 27/07/2023 08:21

I think tbh many dogs can tell when someone has evil intent. I’d worry more about mine getting a kick if she got in between me and someone with bad vibes….

This.

Mrsjayy · 27/07/2023 08:28

Wiggle his butt whilst awooing A guard dog he is not 🙄

vodkaredbullgirl · 27/07/2023 08:28

My 2 labs would bark like mad and jump up.

Megifer · 27/07/2023 08:33

If I was up shouting/upset DDog would be going for them, can't say for certain if she'd actually bite as she never has, but a stranger upsetting me in that situation....yea she'd probably take their hand off 😬

squirelnutkin11 · 27/07/2023 08:35

current dog would greet enthusiastically and then roll over for a belly rub...Cocker spaniel.

Previous dog would plant herself in front, go rigid and growl, if man moved forward she would jump up, grab an arm and hold on. Weimaraner, excellent at assessing dangerous/harmless individuals...once would not let a washing machine repair man over the threshold...just planted herself in front of me and could not be moved as l opened the door, hackles raised, first time in 8 years she had ever had an issue......found out later he was not the repair guy, who turned up 20 minutes later as was welcomed in by Ddog.

I enjoyed many a late night London wander with her by my side and never felt less than safe.

Changer123 · 27/07/2023 08:58

I wasn't sure about my dogs until a couple of months ago a bag of old toys I'd sorted ready for the charity shop fell over in the hall one night. I jumped out of my skin & both the dogs barked and growled and ran straight towards the noise only calming down once I put the light on.

They also bark when people walk past, and bark the place down if anyone comes in. Unfortunately they are sausage dogs so can't anything but alert me but the thought is there I guess 😅