Greg E article on effectiveness of dogs

[blues]

Mine have their dews removed so there's no hope. I've had seven Labs in the last thirty years and one of them probably would have fought for my wife. Two or three might have barked, the rest slept through everything including LE searches outside the house with helos overheard. People do notice 2-3 large dogs in the yard though.

That said I recall reading about a serial rapist in the 1980s who would not select a victim who owned any kind of dog.

My late Weimaraner, "Smoky", (yesterday was the anniversary of our adopting him from rescue in 2005), was very protective of my wife. He earned that "Bobby" helmet in my avatar. Gone but never forgotten.

[Zincwarrior]

If I was single and living in a cabin in the woods composing my manifesto, I'd have a Caucasian Shepard as my companion.

Our mountain dog is part Cauc. He's a tank that has destroyed multiple pits that have charged him, but is a big teddy bear with people. His bark however can shake the house.

Now the wiener dog, he's a killing machine...

[JodyH]

Have you owned one?

No but my crazy mountain man brother has.
Scary loyal dogs only suited for living at the end of the road in a pack of two (you and it).

[JodyH]

Like neighbors, or the mailman, or the old lady using a snowblower a block away... that feature cuts both ways

When I used to live in a barrio neighborhood I made it a point to be on good terms with the elderly widow Abuela across the street. Changing lightbulbs, installing toilet floats, hanging pictures, little handy man stuff.
About once a week I'd get a full rundown of everything that happened on the block, I swear she never slept and for a near blind and deaf lady she saw and heard everything for 1/2 mile radius.

[GuanoLoco]

Attachment 22359

Bring it. Hint, the raw steak is going to get you precisely nowhere.

[Totem Polar]

Like neighbors, or the mailman, or the old lady using a snowblower a block away... that feature cuts both ways

Our neighbors across the street have a sweet, but mildly disfunctional yellow lab. Everytime we come home, the dug barks at us—and we get home at all hours compared to most of our neighbors. All we have to do is softy say "hello bella!" In a singsongy voice under our breath, and she stops every time. That dog has the ears of a fricking fruit bat, but she never learns. Either that, or she just wants us to come over and say hello, and could care less if she wakes mom and dad. But that hearing; we’ve experimentally reduced our volume over time to true sotto voce, and their dog responds every time. Amazing hearing.

[Coyotesfan97]

I look at my dogs as walking alarms for me to get ready for action. I don’t really expect them to defend my on their own.

I’m pretty sure my Chocolate Lab would go after someone coming in uninvited. She’s not a very social dog and she’s unusual for her breed that she doesn’t like people in general. My Dutch Shepherd would definitely bite someone. A burglar/intruder getting bit by him would be in a world of hurt. He’s not coming off. But if I’m not home he’s in his kennel.

My wife did Dachshund rescue. Weiner dogs hear everything and travel in barking packs. It funny watching them run around with their tales straight in the air. I have no need to worry about ninjas or badgers with them on patrol.

[AMC]

I think "effectiveness" is tied to expectations. Four legged alarms is what I consider dogs to be mostly useful for. Absent training...it's iffy if they'll get actively involved in protecting you or your property. We expected nothing more than a family companion when we got our girl, and she's funny about things. Not territorial...doesn't bark at other dogs going by, even when she's in the yard (she'd love the company! Dog-crazy like a 16 year old girl at a Beatles concert in 1964!). She does alert at the door when strangers come by, and gives a formidable sounding bark, but just goes and sits by the door if someone she knows is approaching (hearing, I guess). Not protective of me at all that I've seen, but protective of the wife and kids. Especially my daughter. Firmly believe she would bring a serious whup ass on anyone trying to harm her.

[ranger]

We have a pair of Daschunds - they hear everything and bark at most everything. They are both females and the long hair is a hunter. No doubt they will bark and I suspect the long hair would put a hurting on some ankles.

[KeeFus]

We have a miniature poodle, a miniature yorkie, and a chow/lab mix. They bark at everything that touches our door. I know the yorkie will bite but she weighs about 4 lbs; the poodle is worthless but she will bark. The chow mix acts like a chow and I’m pretty sure she will bite.

All I want out of a dog is fair warning with hopes that they will delay the inevitable long enough for me to get a gun.