That's what my security system's for :) - Page 1

This little episode just amused me from this morning and I thought I'd share.

For those of you who haven't read any of my comments or posts, I have two working line GSDs a male and a female both altered.  The female is all Czech and the male is all West German and I work both in Schutzhund.  They both have BHs and I am currently working my female towards her Sch I, hopefully this year and I have a great deal of fun on the field because both of them have keen drives and my female is a lovely balance of keenness yet clear headedness in protection.

This pair live as part of my family.  They have a 1/3 of an acre fenced yard they call their own, two hay stuffed dog loos to get into in inclimate weather and they come into the house to hang out with us for a few hours in the evenings.  We take them on vacations and for trips around town where dogs are welcome. 

They are both, especially the female, calm and confident dogs who have never met a person they did not give the benefit of the doubt.  My male can be a little aloof at first while my female always has her tail up, meeting all new situations with an attitude of 'this is interesting, what's next??'

I have often looked down my leash to find my female at the bottom of a pile of children who seem to find hugging and hanging on her a fun past time. (Before anyone goes there, no I do not allow children to just run up to her, this usually happens after everyone has been introduced and I'm talking to other parents while the kids play around our feet.)

They are NOT guard dogs.

Bless their little furry hearts, they will go to town if they hear a rabbit on their property -let alone another dog- and when in the house, my female will very calmly alert -stand and face the entrances- if she hears a noise but as for when they are out in their yard ... UPS drives up, not a peep. 

This morning the cable guy swung by to do some work.  I know this only because he left a note in my screen door explaining they were doing upgrades and he would need to contact me because he needs to get into the dog's yard.  He noted on his note "You're pups are very nice."

I had to chuckle to myself.  They didn't set up a riot act ... they made friends, which is what my dogs do.  I know a lot of people want their dogs to be more house defensive and I understand that.  For myself, I'm happy with mine just the way they are.  There are a lot of children in my sparse little neighborhood and I would rather be confident that my dogs aren't walking potential liabilities and let my security system do it's job for the rest.

I like people to be able to approach my dogs too... and they can, any age.  LOL But I really would be surprised if they let anyone in the house or garden!  Josh loves having a good bark at some poor unsuspecting passerby!

Mine have never made the first sound at a human being.

Except the decoy in protection work, him they go off on, especially when he's put the sleeve aside and is moving on them in a threatening manner.

Now, no one's ever moved on mine in a threatening or strange or drunken manner in real life, that might make for a different scenario but I'm not really in a hurry to test that.

I would personally be concerned with anyone in my yard with my dogs. With the sue happy society we live in, if even one of your dogs jumped up to say hi and scratched the person or if they were rough housing with them and they got a nick or scratch watch out home owners insurance! I just don't trust anyone if I am not personally there to see what they are doing with my dogs.  I had a friend a few years back that had a doggy door her dog was a Boxer, registered TDI dog etc he was out in the yard when the PPL guy came in, the dog got sprayed with mace and they were sued saying the dog jumped on him etc. Homeowners covered it but who knows what really happened??  Personally I think this guy saw an easy way to make a few bucks. He had no cuts/scratches on him and still won.

Just the world we live in now I guess.

Amy

Having spent years having to be careful where my horse was paddocked due to the exact same sort of stupidity I know what you mean about the world we live in.

Makes me glad we found the house and the location we did.   You'd really have to work to get anywhere near our house or yard.