Do you think... - Page 5

Down here is the Bahamas.

At what age do you expect to see true protective behavior, not a puppy trying to bark like the big dogs. My rott barks AT Sarah when she works the fence. Although when Sarah is inside, or in a different area, Ally will bark until Sarah gets there. Ally is about a year and a half.

My female was protective before a year,  my male is alot slower coming along, it was a bit after a year that he started acting protective in the yard.   He's still a big baby and kinda goofy.   He's a big dog, way beyond standard and very intimidating tho.  I dont think a stranger could get close to him.  He hasn't had as much work and he keeps a distance where my female will get right in your face, she has no fear to speak of.

Man I'd love to be in the Bahamas watsongsd.    Its freezing here!

The sire to one of my dogs WAS stolen!  And (about a week later?) found.  Reno Jipo-Me

watson- I think it all just depends on the individual dogs level of maturity as to when you will start to see some protective behavior, how early you begin training and imprinting.  My young male is a year old and I noticed at around 8 months old he was beginning to change.  One night I opened the back door while it was pitch dark out and he let out some barking like I never heard out of him before.  The tone was even different that if my other dogs weren't inside I would have never believed it was him.  From then on he began on his own from watching the older dogs.  He saw them run to the door barking when the door bell rang so he started doing it.  Then right about the time he was coming up on a year I started noticing his ears go up and focus was on strangers approaching when we'd go out together.  He still has a lot of maturing to do but so far his natural instincts are kicking into gear with little effort.