What would you want your dog to do? - Page 1

Say you are training obedience and put your dog in a platz and keep walking. Say you are 35 paces away and a man runs out and harrasses you. Would you want your dog to stay in their platz, obeying your order? Or would you like your dog to get up and intervene?

Well Cleo, I don't know about others but I don't have sport dogs and mine are trained in  handler protection, mine wouldn't be 35 paces away from me in a down stay, but if they were and somebody came "running" at me you wouldn't get within 5 feet of me, and yes I would expect that from them.

He should protect his owner, of course, if you are talking about a German Shepherd whose instincs have not been bred out of the lines.

I would expect my dog to remain in the down and not break the down for someone "harassing" me.  Also a dog that won't let someone get with in 5 feet off it's handler can be a huge liability.  If the handler is physically assaulted the dog should break the down, but not for someone yelling at the handler.  IMO, the dog should not break the down or "intervene" unless there is some aggressive physical contact.  For someone "harassing" the handler the dog should remain calmly in the platz until recalled to the handler or given a specific command. 

The girls say yes, he should break the down/stay, and the guy(s) say no.  I think gender has alot to do with the answer.   Not sure what is meant by harass, but I wouldn't scold my dog for breaking a down/stay if he put his hands on me, that is for sure.

I would expect my dog to break platz at the first sign of trouble, and be within striking distance in case of any aggression. Especially if he/she is for protection.

Jim, as a police k9 I agree, as that would almost be a common scenario for a k9 handler to put into. As far as my dogs they would break command and procede to protect, and not just assist. But saying that I can stop dog in a heart beat. I want mine to come with every intent on taking the guy out only on command stop. It don't do me any good to have a ppd if the guy pops a cap in me, and I'm dead and dog is still in sit position.
Hank

CleoJJ,

I don’t believe that any GSD would stay in their platz if they sensed real threat. It’s different in a sport field when the dog knows that’s “the game” and other in reality. While training dog should stay platz. If I’m not mistaken in PP training the dog should attack only on command.

My girl intervened only on two occasions without me asking for it. I didn’t ever realize that there was a threat until after she was on top of ‘intruder’ – with no warning.… I haven’t been harassed, my girl sensed his intentions and she wasn't wrong.  When I leave my kids at home with babysitter my dog stays home, too. You know when you have a dog you can trust.

In my opinion, the only dog that wouldn’t do anything is the dog that is not naturally protective, prefers to run away than face the danger or doesn’t treat an owner as a pack member. I've seen that happen before. The owner gets harassed and the dog runs away...

Not sure what is meant by harass, but I wouldn't scold my dog for breaking a down/stay if he put his hands on me, that is for sure.

Hands on, the dog should react.  Simply yelling or screaming the dog should remain in place, that is obedience.  I would strongly suggest not letting your dog make the decision of when it is ok to bite someone running towards you or yelling at you.  Joggers and spouses could be in serious jeopardy.  The dog should be under control and not react at what it perceives as aggression.  A physical assault is one thing, a loud argument over a parking space or something else is completely different. 

This should not be a gender issue but a control and training issue.  A dog with a weak temperament may perceive everyone to be a threat.  A strong confident dog will not perceive the same situation as threatening.  I haven't been able to train my dog to intervene on my behalf in a verbal argument.  I really wouldn't leave those decisions up to a dog.  The dog can be trained for handler protection where it reacts to aggressive movements towards the handler, this usually involves simulating a physical assault.  Then and only then the dog can react aggressively with out command.  You have to have a lot of control on the dog before training this.  That is one of the reasons that breaking the down is not acceptable for anything other than an actual physical assault or command from the handler. 

Jim





  

Hank,
Going by what the OP describes as the "scenario" it is someone "harassing" them.  I do not take "harassment" as a physical assault or an armed subject.  Different situations altogether.  If a "guy pops a cap in you" your dog will be of little help.