Cindy (or Ed), I am not trying to rehash that crazy thread from a few days ago but there is a reason that I want to reference it.

The whole hairy thread (and its predecessor) originated because I was frustrated with my dog having what seemed like no discrimination abilities whatsoever - everybody was my dog's best friend. Enough said.

Last night an event occured which completely floored me and put paid to any thoughts I had that I knew my dog (or that he'd kiss the burglar).

So while I will share what happened, the other purpose of my thread is to learn from all of you how confident you feel in your assessment of your dog and your ability to predict what your dog would do in unknown, new, unsettling circumstances?

This is surely an easier task for owners of working dogs and yes, I think you guys could still respond because my question pertains to "unknown, new, unsettling circumstances" to your dog.

But I wonder for all the others especially, how comfortable would you feel predicting your dogs behavior if the circumstance was "unknown, new and unsettling" to your dog.

I failed miserably in my prediction. Now thankfully it's not that someone broke in my house and Gunnar took him down, so to speak. But what Gunnar did was far different from what I would have ever predicted.

And what happened to Gunnar --- the police were looking in every window and checking every door while Gunnar was home alone ---was unknown, new and unsettling to him, I'm quite sure.

Last night no one was home at my house (except Gunnar). When my son came home he thought he saw someone in our kitchen so he flew out of the house, drove away and called me. I was unable to get home immediately so I called the police, told them the story and added that I have a GSD in the house and an alarm which we activated upon leaving but which has not been set off. They went to my house to check it out. They checked the exterior only - all doors and windows, etc. and there was no forced entry.

Just as they were done my son comes back home and asks if they'll go inside with him because he thought someone was INSIDE our home.

They refused. They said, "We'll wait out here while you check." They said, "I'm sorry but we're not going anywhere near that dog of yours. He was barking his head off at us and was going berserk." Jesse told them, "It's OK, I'll hold my dog." but they still refused. The one officer said, "I like dogs but I'm not going near him and there's no way anyone is in your house with that dog."

Well, Jesse accepted that and started to walk into the house alone but the one officer must have not felt right about it so he finally reluctantly agreed to go in after Jesse repeatedly reassured him about Gunnar. The second officer refused to come in.

So, for my sweet dog to scare two officers like that, well, I am just flat out stupefied! It's good to know my dog defended his territory, even from the good guys. I'm guessing a burglar wouldn't stand a chance of getting in!

Good boy, Gunnar! Good boy!

I think I got lost.

What was the question here?

My dogs are the same way. If I am home alone and someone knocks on the door they go apesh*t, even the ones in their crates.

If Doug and I are home, or Doug is home, they do not.

Family, Employees and "strangers" (people we know but do not stop often usually) have commented on the noise coming out of the house when they knock on the door.

So, I am confident that my dogs will bark when I am alone or no one is home.

Doug's son tried to go into the house when we were not home and decided against it. Even with the dogs in crates. He knows they are in crates but he was concerned about one of them busting out just because of how they were acting.

I am also confident that my dogs will go forward and bark or growl at someone strange approaching me. It has already happened.

So, now you have a good idea of what Gunnar will do when you are not home. I almost bet he would be the same if he were outside and you were gone as well.

Some dogs are completely different when alone and things like that happen.

How accurately do you think you'd be in predicting your dog's behavior in a circumstance that is new, unknown or unsettling to him/her?

This board is made up of people who know dogs better than what, 90% of the population probably. So I wondered how accurate anyone thinks they could be.

I tried to edit my original post to add that he doesn't bark at anyone, even people ringing our doorbell. Strangers, delivery guys, it doesn't matter. He won't bark at them. He wags his tail waiting for me to open the door to the stranger!

I've never had any way to know what he'd do if he were alone.

So if I have this right, if he's home alone, no one gets in. If I'm with him, he'll let the burglar in?

Bad dog, Gunnar. Bad dog! .

Anyway, could you state your predictions with comfort regarding any of your dogs if they were faced with something unknown to them?

Unknown is a HUGE area to cover....

I never know from day to day what we will encounter in training. Maybe far off gunshots, a wild animal, someone riding through on horseback or an ATV, someone creepy, cattle, cars, sirens, thunder, ....ect

I guess I am not sure what to say since each scenario is different and each dog is different. I will say that my dogs are pretty stable and look to me for direction. None of them run and hide or advance on anything really (except Em since she does not know what is right and wrong as far the above scenarios) but she is sharp so I will really have to watch her as she grows and learns so I can be aware of what she will "want" to do as far as an "unknown" happening.

I don't know very much about dogs or dog behaviour etc - total newbie, but from reading this forum and watching Ed's dvd's something jumps out at me.

Is it possible that Gunnar thinks when you're around everything will be ok because you are his pack leader, so he doesn't need to protect his territory - you will do it.
But when you aren't there he becomes the "leader in charge" so to speak and in that situation it's his job to do the protecting.

Isn't this what we want from our dogs? To be so much aware of the fact that we are their pack leaders that they don't even try to do our job? But when pack leader is not around they are free to step up if it's needed.
Just a thought - feel free to ignore me if I'm wrong.

Rhonda, I was thinking the same thing.

well, you asked so I'll answer *waving hand wildly*

I am confident that
if its and object sound or any other threat:

Gypsy(Lab)= run and hide somewhere dark
Buster(Pit)=scitter away while barking and hackling
Lady=check it out/bark or otherwise keep it at bay

if its a person
Gypsy & Buster= will maul it--jumping and licking like no tomorrow
Lady=probably bark if its on her turf. otherwise she'll ignore "it"

I think that I know Lady's responses, I think GSD's are police of the dog world, she's always alert and making sure that "all is right" anything thats not must be firmly and authoritativly put in its place (such a teachers pet, really)

Buster is pretty unpredictable, I dont think I know him yet.

After 11 years I think I know what Gypsy will do; it usually includes fleeing.

Out of my three dogs I think I can fairly well predict their given reactions.
If we are out and about during daylight and someone aproaches me and I am calm and friendly my two hounds will also be friendly and eager to love them to death.

Nico (11 yr old dominant intact 110 lb female Mostly Black and Tan coonhound/some great dane/some lab) has proven that if I am aproached at night when alone by someone who seems off she will not hesitate to advance and bark/growl and even try to bight a shoe. Nightime walks in the neighborhood or at the lake she is more alert than daytime but if I am relaxed about the person she is too.

She will also readily go after raccoons, and any other unknown wild critter that she feels might be a threat. Other dogs are fine and she will happily meet new dogs and play or hang out as long as it is not another dominant intact female, that is trouble waiting to happen and something I knowingly avoid.

She will bark at the doorbell and run to the door. Once the main door is open and she can see the person her reaction varies from total slathering excitement to alert mode depending on if she knows you. If we let somone in they are automatically friends and she loves them.

IF someone she doesnt know walks in without me opening the door or if Im not home..they arent too bright.

Loki, (2 1/2 yr old unnuetered black and tan/black mouth cur mix)...He is a complicated dog, not too bright and a typical hound in many ways, but also tough due to his breeding.
He demands order and routine or he becomes all sorts of unsettled. rearranging the furniture in the living room caused days of pacing and whining and unsureness. If there is a person or dog in his territory which includes the street he goes into full alarm mode either barking through the front window or running outside to do it through the fence if he is able.
If the gate to the kitchen is down this must be rectified god forbid one of the other dogs should be in the kitchen..that is a serious offense and must be solved. Cat stuck outside crying at the window..code blue!

But he is ridiculously submissive and gentle to everyone, is somewhat easily spooked and is overall the sweetest most gentle trustworthy dog with people I have ever met. He is also incredibly sensitive to being in trouble or even thinking he is in trouble.
I'm not sure the if the barking at people outside is excitement or resource guarding or both..either way it is obnoxious

He is protective though, if my husband and son are wrestling or tickling each other he will stand over my son..same with my husband and me, He will not try to protect my husband though as he sees him as Uber-Alpha.

If Nico and the pup get to playing overly rough he will stand in the middle and try to calm it down.
If my son or I is upset he does his best to fix it or at least stay nearby until all is well. I dropped hot lasagna all over my hand and the kitchen a few nights ago and got upset as well as burned, he did not leave my side for the rest of the night and kept trying to clean/groom/comfort my hand
So as sweet as he is, and as much as he ADORES other people he might well protect his pack if there was true danger, I would never count on it though.

The pup is shy, and has nipped once out of fear, he nipped the air though and it was an obvious deliberate miss and honestly well founded. He is a scrappy little thing though and not soft at all with us or the other dogs. Right now he is at the bottom of the pack but with age will most likely be the dominant of the three without much resistance as nico is getting older.
He would likely bite or attack out of fear if there was a confrontation to either our family or him, but given time and more socialization may end up being a very protective and reliable dog as he is deeply bonded to me.

So while I wouldnt depend on any of them to defend me in an emergency or attacker type situation they do offer me a lot of comfort and feelings of safety. Anyone who didnt know them well and came busting into our house would be an idiot. Anyone who was targeting houses for a break in would more than likely pass over ours simply because of them being here. Just as anyone thinking to attack or hurt me would surely think twice simply due to the two hounds size and intimidating looks and posturing.

Even if someone did decide to break in all of the jumping and slobber and chaos would likely make them think they were being attacked and would also knock them over