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

[MontezumasPuma]

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.

DDog is 14 and a Belgian Shepherd Laekenois mix.

He's afraid of lamps, squeaky toys, and applause and moves like an elderly gent – we take regular breaks on walks.

He's the gentlest boy you'll ever meet, and I'd never have thought he'd have 'protected' me in a tricky situation – until he got between me and a man trying to mug me at knifepoint, and roared like a lion.

You never know.

Nope! But my dog defended my cat being beaten up from two other cats. They're best friends. He's a Frenchie

Ermmm, he's supposed to by nature but I don't think he knows it. He's an Akita. He's been attacked by 4 labs on 3 separate occasions (one time there were 2 I was batting away while the owner ran across the field) and once he came off worse, the other times I protected him. I don't like labs...

If you get one of the many rescues from Eastern European countries there are a lot of guardian / shepherd breeds who do a lot of barking to alert you to anything strange. Great when it's a drunk shouty guy... Not as great when faced with a lawn mower!but pretty useful if you want a dog with a lot of front!

But to your point, I would never recommend an Akita. Pain in the arse and only for an experienced hand.

Collie and yes but reckon she would also defend her sheep😔🐑🐑🐑

No, I would have to defend my soppy dog he would hide behind me, so I would be the one growling.

Yes, golden retriever, very friendly but has been known to bark “aggresively” at a lone man or female should they approach

I have wolfhounds and at the first sign of trouble they hide behind me. I would much much rather have big dogs react like that than “defend” me and hurt someone or get hurt. Total wusses.

If the attacker was wearing headphones or on rollerblades my labradoodle would stand and bark at them like a dog possessed (he has a surprisingly loud bark when he wants to) any other attacker he would probably go and look for fuss and roll over for a belly rub 🤦‍♀️

Mine would I think, she'd certainly bark, she's a Carpathian Shepherd so is a guardian dog, she barked when the neighbours had a bbq and she saw the smoke, soft as anything with us and loves kids, not aggressive at all but it feels like she looks after us

Pointer. Definitely

Another one for Irish setter. Was as soft as grease but there were a few times when he obviously sensed something wasn’t quite right and stood right by me with a low growl. Pretty incredible really, as he was usually about half a mile in front of me running like a maniac when we were on a walk!

I've got 2 Lhasa Apso dogs. They were bred to guard Chinese palaces. They bark a lot at strangers. When people come to our house they go mad. If someone comes in they bark continually and growl if the stranger tries to pet them. I have to shut them in the kitchen. I think if anyone tried to attack me on a walk they'd bark a lot, growl and if someone hit me or pushed me over I think they'd possibly attack them. They are medium sized dogs but have big personalities. I feel safe when I take them out.

I don't know the answer but you tell a great story!

I walk alone in woods with my spaniels and always thought they would at least bark a lot but today I was lying in the path taking a photo of them and a man and his dog were suddenly right next to me, not a murmur from any of my dogs. Having said that I felt no fear, he was very apologetic and obviously friendly. Hopefully if he had been a threat the dogs would have responded.

I have a GR and I think he would try his best to. However, that would mean him getting between me and an aggressor as a barrier or barking and jumping up trying to form a barrier.

I know this because of how he has reacted when I have been on my own with him and approached by people - always men of large build. He will sit in front of me and remain calm but if they move too close(say to stroke him) he becomes more alert and if I don’t give the permission/reassurance to him - he will bark loudly.

Being a GR I’m unsure whether this would make a difference to any potential threat.

One of them would and the other would welcome them into the family.

She's never been put to the test.

I think she'd growl and bark and she's a GSD cross so does look impressively scary.

I very much doubt she'd actually attack/bite though as although I'm her favourite person she's a real scaredy cat.

I do feel a bit safer having a GSD type though as I think it would make someone think twice.

There are lots of YouTube videos about this where they stage a fake robbery or attack and see what the dogs do and 95% of the time it's either nothing or barking and then running.

I grew up with a GSD who was great with me as a kid but bit my (psychopath) father when he tried to break in to the house where me and DM had moved to after escaping him.

Have loved GSDs ever since 💗

Scottish Deerhound, surprisingly yes despite being a very chill, mild mannered dog generally. Some teenage lads were hassling me on a walk once, throwing things, just being generally dickish and she came thundering out of the trees hackles up looking very vicious and snarling like a wolf at them. I've literally never seen her snarl before. They made off pretty sharpish. She walked right next to me the rest of the way home.

Borzoi absolutely not, she's a complete wet wipe in all situations.

Cocker and probably not physically but she’s make a massive racket.

Probably not. To be honest my dogs, various types, would have protected my dc when they were little, but because they know now the human family members are in charge they would look for us to protect them, rather than the other way around! If your dog sees you as vulnerable they will protect you, but if they see you as strong, then they look to you for protection.

I had a border collie that would growl at strangers, wasn't planned but knew he would protect me if ever needed