I was surprised the other night I got into a fight in a park which was
quite serious although nobody got hurt thankfully. I had my two female
dogs (GSD and sheepdog) with me and I don't even recall them barking
during the fight. I suppose it's possible that they did but I had
always assumed that the sheepdog would bark frantically (as she tends
to be nervous) and the GSD would weigh in.

In the house the dogs have always been excellent guard dogs in terms of
barking. The GSD has a very sound temperment - not nervous and always
seeing off other dogs who are aggressive to the sheepdog. Never
starting a fight with another dog but always winning when one does
start.

I have read in the past the females tend to be better guard dogs in the
home and males better out in the open.

Anyone have any opinions on this - out of interest more than anything.

David

wrote:

I was surprised the other night I got into a fight in a park which was
quite serious although nobody got hurt thankfully. I had my two female
dogs (GSD and sheepdog) with me and I don't even recall them barking
during the fight. I suppose it's possible that they did but I had
always assumed that the sheepdog would bark frantically (as she tends
to be nervous) and the GSD would weigh in.

In the house the dogs have always been excellent guard dogs in terms of
barking. The GSD has a very sound temperment - not nervous and always
seeing off other dogs who are aggressive to the sheepdog. Never
starting a fight with another dog but always winning when one does
start.

I have read in the past the females tend to be better guard dogs in the
home and males better out in the open.

Anyone have any opinions on this - out of interest more than anything.

My opinion? You need to find a safer place to walk your dogs. And you
should be glad that neither of your dogs jumped into the brawl. No
matter who started it, if your opponent had been bitten there could have
been major consequences for the dog and for you as well.

There's no doubt that the presence of one or more large dogs is an
excellent deterrent to the average would-be assailant. However, YOU are
ultimately responsible for protecting yourself and the dogs, not the
other way around.

Kathleen

"diddy" wrote in message
...


carry pepper spray or a taser in the future.

I wish we could. Over here we'd get arrested for carrying offensive
weapons
Alison

in thread : "Alison"
whittled the following words:

"diddy" wrote in message
...


carry pepper spray or a taser in the future.

I wish we could. Over here we'd get arrested for carrying offensive
weapons
Alison



Those are DEFENSIVE weapons though.

diddy wrote:

in thread : "Alison"
whittled the following words:


"diddy" wrote in message
...

carry pepper spray or a taser in the future.

I wish we could. Over here we'd get arrested for carrying offensive
weapons
Alison




Those are DEFENSIVE weapons though.

This guy wasn't jumped, he "got into a fight". Whipping out and using
pepper spray or a taser to win a fight is likely to result in assault
charges, even in places where those items are legal to carry.

Failing to avoid a dangerous confrontation and his evident
disappointment that his dogs did not go on the offensive on his behalf
make me think that this is not a person who ought to be carrying any
kind of weapon.

Kathleen

"diddy" wrote in message
...
in thread : "Alison"
whittled the following words:

"diddy" wrote in message
...


carry pepper spray or a taser in the future.

I wish we could. Over here we'd get arrested for carrying offensive
weapons
Alison



Those are DEFENSIVE weapons though.

Try telling the judge that They can be used as offensive weapons.
Alison

Kathleen,

This is incredible. I asked a simple question on dog behaviour - this
is a dog group after all. I got into a fight in the park because
someone kicked my dog. I walk in this park every day and I'm not going
to let this happen. The gentleman involved got physical twice before I
did - and I never thought about the dog biting or anything else.

Only afterwards when I thought about it I realised that I hadn't notice
any barking which is surprising to me and I'm sure any dog owner would
be surprised by this. It is possible the dogs were barking - when one
is in a fear state one quite often have no awareness of anything
outside their narrow focus on the immediate threat.

Carrying a weapon is a bad idea in general for anybody in my opinion
-because it can be used against you, you could seriously injure someone
and the person you are defending against could well go to the next
level of aggression when they see the weapon.

No one seems to have any real information on my dog behabiour query
here at rec.pets.dogs.behavior - maybe I'll ask a question on body
strikes at alt.streetfighting and get the information I am interested
in on dogs.

All the best,
David




On Sep 30, 7:57 pm, Kathleen wrote:
diddy wrote:
in :"Alison"
whittled the following words:

"diddy" wrote in message
...

carry pepper spray or a taser in the future.

I wish we could. Over here we'd get arrested for carrying offensive
weapons
Alison

Those are DEFENSIVE weapons though.This guy wasn't jumped, he "got into a fight". Whipping out and using
pepper spray or a taser to win a fight is likely to result in assault
charges, even in places where those items are legal to carry.

Failing to avoid a dangerous confrontation and his evident
disappointment that his dogsdidnotgo on the offensive on his behalf
make me think that this isnota person who ought to be carrying any
kind of weapon.

Kathleen

wrote:
I was surprised the other night I got into a fight in a park which was
quite serious although nobody got hurt thankfully. I had my two female
dogs (GSD and sheepdog) with me and I don't even recall them barking
during the fight. I suppose it's possible that they did but I had
always assumed that the sheepdog would bark frantically (as she tends
to be nervous) and the GSD would weigh in.

In the house the dogs have always been excellent guard dogs in terms of
barking. The GSD has a very sound temperment - not nervous and always
seeing off other dogs who are aggressive to the sheepdog. Never
starting a fight with another dog but always winning when one does
start.

I have read in the past the females tend to be better guard dogs in the
home and males better out in the open.

Anyone have any opinions on this - out of interest more than anything.

David

Most dogs when push comes to shove back down. You seem to want your
dogs to be protection dogs and they aren't, most dogs aren't. You say
you dog doesn't start a fight, but wins when one starts? Do your dogs
get into fights often with other dogs? And was't this fight in the park
between humans? Most dogs really won't go after a human. Barking and
trying to scare off intruders near their own property and getting
involved when two humans fight are very different things. Sounds like
your dogs assumed you were in charge, as they should.