Danes As "Modern Day Guard Dogs"

[kresge86]

I've often wondered about this issue. My first dane, Harley, was a very goofy, but also very alpha male dog. I live in the city, and when I would walk Harley, he would occasionally get very protective of me, but it always seemed appropriate to the situation - e.g., Harley would growl and stand in front of me if some man approached me in the woods(perhaps stupid on my part, but I used to walk him in the woods of Golden Gate Park by myself). At 180 lbs., that was enough to intimidate anyone, and I always felt safe with him.

My current dane is sweet as anything, and very submissive. However, I noticed that she will also get very protective in certain situations - especially around our house. When I came home unexpectedly in the middle of the afternoon, I was very surprised to be met by Lola running to the door while growling. Not at all in keeping with my image of her. Of course, she immediately changed her demeanor when she saw it was me. Since then, I've seen this behavior on a few other occasions, but all of them warranted from my perspective.

Of course, it's often enough to simply have big dogs at home. I remember Harley's breeder lived at the edge of a new development. She and her husband were both elderly. One night, they found a couple of young men on their doorstep asking to use their phone, claiming that their car had broken down nearby. Our breeder thought it seemed fishy. Sure enough, as soon as the two young men spotted the large danes in the house, they changed their minds, and left.

[StacyDub]

Thank you all SO much for all your insight, stories, and advice. I think the general consensus of having a big dog being enough to scare off anybody is enough to make my boyfriend and I both settle down. I would never want Crash to be in a situation where she felt the need to even make a choice on attacking or running away.

I think maybe I should look into that mace....

[luvmygurl]

I had a police officer tell me once that a dog, regardless of it's size, makes a very poor witness to a crime. Any criminal with any kind of weapon and brains will know this. Never depend on your dog for protection. Not only may it get you hurt but your very faithful companion, who is depending on YOU, the pack leader, for protection, not to mention, having the brains not to put the two of you in danger!

[andipanda 1]

The size of the dane is a major deterrant. I recall the first time I walked my full grown (over standard) rhodesian ridgeback (much more aggressive/protective than most danes) down the street -- saw a group of older than teenagerish guys walking toward me, dressed in knit hats, and looking very uh, not safe. They noticed me at about the same time. Ridgeback noticed them, his stance turned defensive, all the hair on his body stood out, full alert. The entire gang of men crossed over a crowded street to avoid me.

I do still have some secret enjoyment when this happens with a dane; howeverI think it is more the feeling of having some little tiny bit of power restored from the street to a woman walking alone.

I do not expect my dogs to protect me, I expect me to make the best decisions I can as to our communal safety. Having said that, I do get a kick out of the security sales men who high tail it back down the walkway when they come on sales calls, and tell me from the relative safety of the side walk, that a dog is not a good deterant to crime. Pointing out that THEY were afraid of the big deep bark is usually enough. I figure my neighbor who has no dogs is an easier mark, than mine, where a kanga-dane is springing up for a look over the 6 foot privacy fence.....

[bamababies]

Ellie is also leary of the vacuum and climbs into my lap during thunder storms, but I believe she would "take a bullet" for me. The first time I was sure she knew the difference in being afraid of a stranger and protecting me was when the exterminator walked into the bedroom where I was making the bed and she bucked up, growl/barking as she backed him all the way out the door. The exterminator is my uncle and certainly no stranger to her. But, he was not welcome in the bedroom with me.

Also, she and I were thrown out of a state park once because the ranger (a stranger) was approaching me and she let him know she didn't like it. He didn't like it either and said she couldn't stay.

Strangers may approach me as long as she is between us. I feel very safe with her around.