Looks can be deceiving..........IS YOURS???????
By cjgrooms
@cjgrooms (4456)
United States
October 30, 2008 2:40pm CST
Are people afraid of your dogs? We have two outside dogs,I say outside dogs but it has been in the 30s here the last few nights and i have been bringing them inside. And on the nights my husband works nights i generally bring Tomi inside and Maxi keeps watch outside. Tomi comes inside because I'm not sure if she would actually bite someone if they tried to break in but if they actually invaded the house i think she would, because she is very protective, but i think Maxi probably would go for them if she didn't know them and they tried to get into the house. I actually think no one would be stupid enough to try to break in after seeing either of them, they are both big babies but they are half Black Lab and half Red-Nosed Pit Bull. Tomi looks like a black Lab, but Maxi is Tan with the light brown eyes and the reddish colored nose and she is fierce looking, so as long as they haven't seen her letting the grandkids pull her around by the tail and using her for a pillow, just her looks alone should keep anyone out.They are both the best watch dogs you could ask for, on the nights Tomi is in my room, if a car stops on either road by our house she comes out of a dead sleep, stands up on the foot of the bed and stares straight toward whichever road the car is on and if someone actually gets out of the car she starts growling and the hair on the back of her neck stands up- but as soon as the car moves on she lays back down and goes back to sleep. Maxi on the other hand barks and growls like a loon until the car goes on.
I am ambivalent about people being afraid of them, on one hand i am glad that they are, but on the other hand i wish that they weren't. And since they are watch dogs that attitude makes no sense whatsoever!LOL
So, tell me about your dog, are people afraid of them just because of their looks? And if they are, doesn't that just irritate you to no end?
2 people like this
12 responses
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
31 Oct 08
I don't have a watch dog...but I have a watch CAT!! She will run to the door if she hears anyone around the apt. She meows really loud until I come and check it out. She also follows anyone that comes in around to make sure they do what they need to do and leave...like the bug guy. She's also pretty big so ppl tend to keep an eye on her when they see her.
[b]~~MY OWN PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF** [/b]
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
3 Nov 08
Morgana is a great watchcat!! I found a picture of the ultimate watch cat though...it came through Hubby's email this morning. It's called a Liger...it's a rare breed of a lion and a tiger. I'm including a pic. Could you imagine bumping into that while trying to rob someone's home? LOL BTW, it weighs 1000 Lbs.!!
[b]~~MY OWN PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF**[/b]
1 person likes this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
31 Oct 08
A cat can watch as good as a dog. I knew a lady that had a cat (his name was Nicky) that was about 40lbs. I swear he looked more like a lion than a cat except he was solid black. She said that anytime someone that he didn't know came into her yard he would stalk them and would actually pounce if she didn't call him off.
@busyB4 (874)
• United States
30 Oct 08
We have one dog, hes an Anatolian Shepherd and is about 102 pounds. I think big dogs tend to scare people who are not familiar with them. His wagging tail doesn't even convience some! ha! You can definately tell people who have large dogs and are not scared of them!
@sidyboy (284)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Not too many people even know what an Anatolian Shepherd is- which makes them even more intimidating to some people lol I've only met one, and that was at a dog show- they're not a real common breed to really see around the neighborhoods here yet.
1 person likes this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
30 Oct 08
We actually have three inside dogs -one Poodle (my 13y/o sons) and then a brother (my mom's) and sister (my 12y/o sons) that are dachshund-yorkie mix (these two came to us because the man that had them was going to kill them because they weren't pure breeds). Tomi and Maxi are the guard dogs and they belong to my sons also. I have never been around dogs and i admit that big dogs make me nervous until i know they won't bite. Actually, i don't really even like dogs and am still confused as to how my house got taken over by them!
@sidyboy (284)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Back when I had "Homer" (now passed away) I had this problem. He was a 140 pound Rottweiler/Doberman mix. When I'd walk him through the neighborhood, people would see him coming and move to the other side of the street.
Then one weekend afternoon I took Homer to work with me. We were closed for business, and I just had to go back to take care of the dogs (it's a dog kennel). I was up front in the lobby area and Homer was playing with his pink piggy (stuffed squeeky toy). I didn't have the door locked since I was going in and out and we're in a pretty remote location so it's not like people come in often without an appointment. Anyway, I heard the door open and a woman take a very deep breath- Homer had run up to her carrying his pink piggy for her, and she flipped out. The woman was a neighbor who came in to ask the groomer something (groomer wasn't there), but she thought that Homer was going to attack her. I laughed and said he wouldn't take the chance of dropping his piggy to bite you, but she was still freaked out. The interesting thing is, that woman owned a Chow who had a habit of getting loose and had bitten some of the people I worked with when they were trying to get him in the kennel so he wouldn't get hit by a car.
Homer was never the type to be aggressive with anyone. It was very rare when Homer met someone he wasn't crazy about, and anyone Homer didn't like, I didn't get near. I even took him on a couple dates with me so that HE could judge the guy- if Homer didn't like them, they didn't get a second date lol
The dogs that I have now are mostly little dogs (Miniature Schnauzers). My big dog is a Weimaraner, and most people think he's a Labrador Retriever since so many people are dog-clueless- they call him a Lab and ask why his tail is short..so I have to tell them he's a Weimaraner, and then I get the "weimer what?"...
1 person likes this
@sidyboy (284)
• United States
31 Oct 08
I've worked with dogs for many years, and pretty much all of the big dogs are very easy to deal with. I have more problems with breeds such as the Chihuahua, Cocker Spaniel, Chinese Crested, Miniature Pinscher, Toy Poodle and Pomeranian. Those are breeds that I take extra time with when I'm handling them since they tend to be quicker to bite. A great deal of it is fear biting- they're not used to other people handling them and get scared and bite.
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Maxi and Tomi will be a year old around Thanksgiving so i hope they won't get much bigger. I think perception makes most people afraid of big dogs, i am nervous of big dogs simply because i have never been around dogs (big or small). I saw a Weimaraner on "The Dog Whisperer" which i watch faithfully because i am clueless about dogs and am trying to learn what to do with them.
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
11 Nov 08
People who know my dog and who she knows are not afraid of my dog. But look out. If you get too close to any member of HER family..Surprise! It's like instant CUJO. She has even surprised me a time or two. My dog doesn't look scary. Medium in size and weight. She is a mix whippet and black lab. Sweet faced angel most of the time.
1 person likes this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
12 Nov 08
My sons dogs are Red nosed pit and Lab. My oldest sons (Maxi) is brown with the pink nose and if you are very far from her her eyes look red She is definitely scary looking if she starts growling at someone she doesn't know intruding in her boy's space. My youngest son has Maxi's sister Tomi she looks like her Mother(Lab)but i promise she can look as intimidating as her sister if she sees someone she doesn't know get too close to our yard. I saw a show the other night with Whippets on it. I think it was Dogs 101. They are cute alright.
@mercuryman3a (2477)
• India
31 Oct 08
I do not have a dog at home. I rely on God to protect me and my family so i really donot need a dog. What is tehr eto be afraid of really? it is important to be careful,keep the doors latched and locked, keep the curtains drawn at night when the lights are on inside, so that no one can peep inside and watch your movements. Do not open the doors without checking who is ther outsife either through the eyelet or by havign the chain secured. You can dispense with the dog. One person 9rather animal) less in the house.
1 person likes this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
31 Oct 08
That is good, but there are people all over the United States that do all those things and someone STILL breaks in their homes and robs, rapes and murders them! As for God protecting us, yes i to depend on him but i also believe in "God helps those that help themselves" and i guess that God was watching over me because he lets me live in the country on the same piece of land that my Grandmother lived on and not in an apartment in the middle of a city. There is no real crime out here, in the last 33years there have only been 2 incidence and both of them were dumb kid stuff. The dogs are more for pets than anything but since my husband works nights it is nice to have them around.
@eaforeman6 (8979)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Our dogs are little.They are small but sound very ferocious and they will bark alot at strangers. They are house trained and I dont ever let them stay in the cold.They are treated like royality.They will let me know anytime , anyone gets anywhere near a door or a window.If you were to reach down as a stranger to touch them, they will be bite. They are scared when they dont know someone. I have two rat terriers and a chihuahua.
@tyc415 (5706)
• United States
30 Oct 08
People are not scared of my dog by his looks but he sure can bark mean and growl if a stranger comes to the door. Someone ask me one day if he bites and I let them know that he never has but that don't mean he might not bite. My dog is small, he is an italian greyhound. My daughter has a boxer and people are scared of him, he does have a mean bark and he is such a sweetheart.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
30 Oct 08
When I had my dog he was a push over for the most part...but there were a few that were scared of him.....my son had a bully that was bothering him.....one day the bully comes to the door...my dog was tied to the back as we have a law about it...I was very irritated and the kid was on his bike by the back step...Reggie took a look at me after I told the kid to get lost.....then looked at the kid....then back at me and ripped the beegeevers out of the kids' new pant!!!! He took off and didn't bother my son again....but usually he was not a dog people were afraid of....he was a Cocker spaniel....with a little springer in him...he had the biggest heart!
1 person likes this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
30 Oct 08
My four year old niece will give Tomi doggie treats and her entire hand will go into her mouth but she has never once bit the kid (i swear i don't know how she avoids it). Maxi on the other hand waits until Madaline lays it on the ground before she picks it up. But i have no doubt that if someone was dumb enough to try to hurt one of us either dog would put them on the run.
@thebeaddoodler (4262)
• Lubbock, Texas
30 Oct 08
Any discerning person would know that just because Maxi is patient with children is no sign she's won't fiercely protect her territory!
I don't have a dog now, but when I was living with my Dad he had a dog that was half Weimereiner (sp) and half German Shepherd. EVERYBODY in the valley was afraid of her, except my parents' best friends. People all over the valley had batteries stolen off their tractors or gas stolen out of their tanks, but not my parents! Nobody came on the property without being announced by Duchess. It was a bit of a chore to get her to shut up when someone came onto the property unless my Dad was where he could talk to her. She obeyed him at one spoken word. I never objected to her protectiveness. I felt very safe.
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
30 Oct 08
When i have Tomi or Maxi tied by the front door everybody except family just sits in their car and blows the horn! Last week I had Tomi inside with me and at about 3;30a.m. she put in for me to take her out, when i wouldn't she actually grabbed hold of my gown to make me get out of bed. It hadn't been 15mins. since i had taken her out and it was cold so i didn't want to go back out but Maxi was barking and having a fit so i decided to go ahead and take Tomi out and see what was wrong with Maxi when i opened the front door she nearly pulled my arm out of the socket trying to get to my husbands boat, i heard what i thought was tools bumping against each other so i asked her if she wanted to go get them, then i heard feet running off down the road. she and Maxi settled right down except a growl or two. We thought they were trying to get the motor off my husbands boat but realized the next day that they were stealing the gas out of my husbands truck. Now we have Maxi out by the driveway at night and Tomi closer to the house. Except the last couple of nights when it has been in the low 30s and they have both been inside.
@lisa0502 (1724)
• Canada
30 Oct 08
I have a shepherd/husky cross that is outside unless it gets really really cold out. He does not like comming in the house. He is a full fledged guard dog. We have a pen for him and have him on a chain. I have no doubt in my mind that he would attack especially if me and the kids are home alone. He can get pretty scary.
1 person likes this
