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Original poster

Would your dog defend you on a walk? If so what breed is it?

281 replies

MontezumasPuma · 13/09/2023 17:51

I love my Springer to bits but if I was attacked while walking she’d either wet herself or throw herself at them for a fuss. I work and walk in remote locations and could do with a dog that would stand up for me. We have 5 year old DS and 19 month DD so the breed needs to be family friendly.

OP posts:
Robotalkingrubbish · 13/09/2023 18:50

nebulae · 13/09/2023 18:48

Mine would but in all likelihood he'll never need to because he looks the part. Not many people would be stupid enough to attack me when my dog is with me.

Are you my friend?

Comeoncarol · 13/09/2023 18:50

I have a 6 year old working cocker. He is crazy but so loveable and had him since he was 12 weeks old.
I would of definitely said No until three months ago when I was walking in the fields near my home and out of no where this guy appeared and started following me. I am very confident where I walk but he made me feel very uncomfortable and un-easy. My dog was running infront of me and instantly came back, stood by me and starting gowling and barking and the guy turned round a walked in the other direction. I knew my dog would protect me. We have walked this way nearly every day for nearly 6 years and walked past people I know or I have never seen before. Not once has my dog had a reaction like he did with this guy and also I knew something wasn't right as my little pooch isn't a barker. Very strange but I feel safe with him.

1daughterand3sons · 13/09/2023 18:54

I had a Rottweiler they was no way he would defend me if I was attacked.
When I was growing up I had a cross bread Jack Russell and he was put down because a man was following me In a dark alley and the dog turned and bite him.

abbey44 · 13/09/2023 18:54

I’ve got a 7-year-old Weimaraner who’s very gentle natured and thinks people were put on this earth to make a fuss of her, but once we were approached on an after-dark walk by a drunk man with his hand raised and she surprised me. Put herself between me and him, hackles up and barked really loudly at him (and she has an impressive bark). He backed off but I’ve no doubt that if he’d come any closer or tried to hurt me she would have gone for him.

nebulae · 13/09/2023 18:59

Robotalkingrubbish · 13/09/2023 18:50

Are you my friend?

Show quote history

Possibly.. what type of dog does your friend have?

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 13/09/2023 19:01

Dogs don’t have perfect judgment- their idea of a situation in which you need standing up for might be very different from yours.
This is very true. I sooted a sticker on DD's bum earlier and when I went to take it off the DDog gave me a warning for touching DD.

The DC are teens so it's fairly easy to deal with. I would t want a DDog that "protects" us so much around young DC. What happens if the DC fight?

BarelyLiterate · 13/09/2023 19:04

Only if I was attacked by a rabbit. My lurchers hate the fluffy little buggers, and love nothing better than dispatching a few, but they would certainly want to make friends with a human assailant.

Leonberger · 13/09/2023 19:11

I believe the Leo’s would probably stand looking confused. My big male did growl at someone once who looked like he was on drugs and went to grab him, but he did so while running away at the same time…

My GSD would, I hope. She protected my Leo’s from a dog attack so perhaps. She’s my right hand woman!

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 13/09/2023 19:15

Saltyswee · 13/09/2023 18:24

No, unless the attacker looked like a squirrel.

That's genuinely made me lol. My DDog would throw me under the nearest bus if it meant she could get her teeth into a squirrel aka her nemesis Grin

tabulahrasa · 13/09/2023 19:16

One of mine would, it’s not a huge plus point tbh as he also “defends” (resource guards) me from anyone he doesn’t know, inside the house and on walks.

He’s a mongrel...

something2say · 13/09/2023 19:18

Sorry to interrupt but....you're all doggie people, check this out.

So I'm working in London and supporting a customer in court. I'm late and hassled and I've hot footed it to near the court and need to do lipstick, tidy hair etc before I go in, so I put my handbag down on the wall of a pub and start sorting myself out. Its maybe 10.30am. Pub is shut. I've taken my jacket off, everything is on the wall, handbag open, rummaging around completely in my own world when suddenly I realise there are about TEN rottweilers sitting in the pub garden all looking at me with their ears up!!!! My response was to say 'Animales!!! Hello!!' and while no tails wagged, no one ate me either.

Why so many were there I'll never know and why they didn't do anything, I'll also never know. So many all at once, mere feet from me, and I didn't even realise.

justasking111 · 13/09/2023 19:19

Our sprocker went for a German shepherd recently became he was protecting our grandson from a perceived threat. BUT he's not keen on other dogs or strangers when out on walks.

Whyohwhyohwhy123 · 13/09/2023 19:21

I used to have a lab and jrt together they were a fearsome team when it came to defending me. The lab (yellow working strain bitch)would have fought to the death to protect me. The JRT was always up for fight! Neither dog ever made the first move
Current lab would just lick them

99redballoons123 · 13/09/2023 19:23

My completely soft as butter and lazy lurcher did once, a unknown man slightly drunk approached my son when we were out walking one evening. She moved in front of him and went all teeth bared, growling - like something out of a horror movie. She didn't do anything more but she looked damn scary and didn't relax until he was gone. Never did it again but she clearly felt something wasn't right.

AnnieSnap · 13/09/2023 19:25

InBedByTen · 13/09/2023 17:58

You said you want a dog that will stand up for you.

Dogs don’t have perfect judgment- their idea of a situation in which you need standing up for might be very different from yours. But crack on, I hear American bullies are popular.

Show quote history

You are being unreasonable and provocative, not to mention unpleasant and ill informed (no doubt you’ll return full of arrogant certainty). When my children were small, until they were older teens, we had a Rottweiler bitch. She was a wonderful dog, calm and gentle with the children (when we were out, she would do a wide circle of them, keeping them under her loving, watchful eye). She was also very gentle with kittens, lying with them when mother cat left to eat, toilet etc. Despite her relaxed, loving nature, during her life, she made it clear on a couple of occasions that a strange man needed to stay right where he was until/unless I said he could move!

Yerroblemom1923 · 13/09/2023 19:27

Working male lab and I would never have thought he'd be any use until recently when he clearly got a "vibe" from an approaching male while on our last walk of the day, so getting dark, stopped and proper growled at him and the man gave us a very wide berth. I don't know what it was tbh but I suddenly felt v reassured that I was safe than I'd previously felt! Usually he'll approach any random stranger with a waggy tail.

FrogInTheFog · 13/09/2023 19:29

Without a doubt he would. He's soft and soppy and just a cuddly teddy bear but he's also a chow chow!

BippityBobbityBoo · 13/09/2023 19:31

Another German shepherd and yes she would. I also feel protected that she’s a deterrent as well

WinchSparkle80 · 13/09/2023 19:32

My German Shepherd would have, totally soft, never aggressive, loved everyone - let people just walk into our house (never locked during day).…… but if she needed to defend me, she would have… 100%

alpinia · 13/09/2023 19:34

I will add to the voices of working line labs. Not necessarily going to defend you in an aggressive dog kind of way. But, especially the large black ones, seem very off putting to dubious types. I think people don't recognise them as labradors, being used to the fat, show types instead. They tend to be quite lean and athletic looking, and have a loud bark. I was approached by a group of not very friendly looking youths as a teenager, on spotting the alert looking large black lab I was walking they scarpered. I could hear one of them saying to the rest 'that's one of them attack security dogs, a doberman thing, not worth it mate'.

Other benefits are they are generally the usual labradorness family dog character and fabulously trainable.

Bostonbullsmumma · 13/09/2023 19:34

I have a staffy and a Frenchie. Even though the staffy looks scary, I think he’d hide behind me! More chance of the Frenchie protecting me!! Hopefully the fact the staffy looks scary would help me in the first place (he’s a fantastic dog by the way!!)

Iamclearlyamug · 13/09/2023 19:35

I don't think my staffy would attack for me - though he might bark a bit.

My 11yo DD on the other hand, she's the only person in the world I think he would protect at any cost

Crimblecrumble1990 · 13/09/2023 19:37

Yes my beagle would. He can be pretty vocal and I find is just the right size to be big enough to deter someone. He's not particularly interested in other people so if anyone tried to snatch him, he'd be most confused and protest. If anyone tried to grab me, he'd make a hell of a noise.

(Unless they had a nice juicy cat shit for him to eat obvs.)

ohsuzannah · 13/09/2023 19:37

I had a red setter. Everyone knows how soppy they are, and so did I before she saved me from an attack by a drunk when I was out alone with her. She went mad, barking and snarling!
He ran away!

Miragelifeguard · 13/09/2023 19:37

Yes, Golden Retrievers. One already has from another dog and I don’t doubt they would defend me against a human… just like I shout at/block nasty dogs who try to attack them.
People saying no I think you might be surprised if it actually happened

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