Fun Poll--What would your dog do? - Page 6

Spook101, I was agreeing with Get Real. Perhaps some people can not read?

The sarcasim was for someone else hodie. I can see you agreed with GARD you did however say "The fact of the matter is that most dogs when given the scenario that started all this silly discussion would bark and/or run away." Im disagreeing that it is silly to discuss this is all. I can read just fine. Someone else is just stiring the shit as usual.

Can you say paranoid schizophrenic?

Just read 'Get a real dog' opener to this thread, not read any of the other comments yet as I prefered to give my own instinctive response first. Given that my dogs travel in cages in the car this senario would never come to pass, but for the purpose of this excersise we will pretend it could. I can catagorically say that if I was attacked as Get a real dog described, I most certainly would not have needed to CALL my Dog !! Because My Dog would have been out of the window and onto my attackers arm the second the guy got hold of me from behind. A real, intellegent GSD would instinctively know when his owner is under threat and act accordingly, under these circumstances no real dog would wait for instuction / permission to defend surely?!! Regards Sue b

I am confused....again. My first dog was a mutt, a pound puppy from the local shelter. A mixed beagle totally untrained. Very social, liked everyone until the day she literally ripped the shirt off a strange man who tried to mug me on the city street. He didn't get my purse and the dog got half of his shirt. Am I now to understand that your average GSD would not defend its owner in a similar situation in a like manner? Gawd, I hope Blitz doesn't read this................

Have now completed reading the whole thread and can understand and appreciate the instinctive canine behaviour described by Get a real dog. But the senario of dog possibly attacking owner could only apply if owner was (as we are led to understand) the one underneath. Problem I have is that I cant invisage the senario where I end up at the bottom, as I cannot imagine my dog allowing anyone to get close enough to ambush me from behind in the first place! Nevertheless, take your point on board and would indeed be intriqued to know precisely what would happen should I ever find myself underneath my aggressor as my dog pounced!? Definately food for thought!! Regards SueB

Blitzen, Yes, as you say "your average GSD would not defend its owner in a similar situation in a like manner" is, indeed absolutely the case, but it is also the case with most dogs of any breed. It is simply a fallacy to think otherwise. Again, the most important lesson to learn here is to not put yourself in situations where there is danger. For example, I have always been a confident, strong and capable woman. In my life I have worked in a lot of scenarios in a lot of jobs and some were quite dangerous. When I was younger and stupid, I rarely thought about consequences and fortunately was able to get out of all the situations I put myself in without being injured. I was not really reckless, but had the situation turned just a bit, in several instances I could have been seriously injured, including being shot. Among other things, I was a paramedic for a long time (I was also in law enforcement as well as having done many other things including teaching in universities and colleges). Once several years ago I was leaving a concert on a university campus and had to walk a distance to a parking lot. It was relatively late at night and near my vehicle was a grass area where there was someone laying prone on the ground. I called out to ask if this person was ok and received no response. My first instinct, having worked as a paramedic, was to go see if the individual was ok. But a second later I realized that this was a stupid thing to do late at night, all alone. So instead I got in my vehicle, locked the doors and used a cell phone to call 911. I waited until the police and ambulance arrived. The person turned out to be a transient who was drunk. He probably would not have hurt me, but if he wanted to, I would have been in trouble. All one needs to see is a dog where pressure is put on the dog. Most people do not know how to do this, nor do they know how to read a dog when such pressure is applied. Yes, there are some dogs who will do what you say Blitzen that your pound puppy did. But most dogs would not and almost all people who say their dog would do thus and so do not have a clue and are simply expressing "wishful thinking". As for being on the ground underneath an aggressor, unless you are very strong and very big, don't discount the possibility. None the less, this is not my main point. My main point is that most people who think their dog would defend them are incorrect. And Blitzen, let me know what Blitz says after he reads this (or you read it to him LOL)

Hodie, Blitz is lying on his couch eating bon-bons. He said I should go buy a gun if I want to walk around in town. He's staying home where it's safe. Guess I'll have to go to the SPCA and get me another beagle mix LOLOL.

Bon Bons? What a spoiled fellow he must be!!! Send some my way. No don't, I am too fat already! But don't waste money on a gun either. Just use your head and all that good common sense you have! Another storm tomorrow for me. Ugh! Got to go run dogs. regards!

I am in complete agreement about not putting myself or my dog in a dangerous situation. I too kind of really don't believe our dogs are going to come to our rescue. Having said that, I pitty the fool who would lay a bad hand on my dog, it would be me they would have to worry about. What's the old saying - screw the dog, bdeware of owner!