Quote: Joy van Veen

I have been asked to start a new thread for my responses to a question on another thread.

Hmmmm, despite a huge, very difficult to read original post here, I didn't see anyone in the previous thread ask for you to start a new thread, could you direct me to that quote, please?
Sorry if I missed it in the previous 6 pages from that thread.
Thanks!

You asked everyone for their opinion, I'm more than happy to share one with mine.

Will they "try" to protect their owners without protection training. I would say yes at first, but it does not mean they have the guts to stay up with the fighting. I have seen many dogs act like they are going to protect their owners, but they run away with their tails under after someone confronted the dog with punches and kicks. Maybe I can see those little nasty chihuahuas going to keep fighting.

In my opinion, protection dogs were taught not to be intimated by anyone who threats with their fits, legs, or objects. I have heard a several amazing stories about police dogs who lost their life from chasing criminals. In San Diego, a police dog jumped down the Coronado Bridge to go after a criminal and lost his life.

http://cbs2.com/local/Stryker.Police.Dog.2.622072.html

So... Now.. Will your dog, regular pets, or any guide dogs going to jump down the bridge to protect their owners if they had to? I'm sorry to say I highly doubt. Many average dogs are just happy with the act and scare someone off.

Hey Rich, in my opinion I just don't believe its a dog "protecting" you, unless it will do it under your direction. That means training. Dogs reacting to an animated conversation? Who knows, Dog doesnt like the mailman? Who knows. Something I found very interesting was how Police Depts train the dogs to react when the handler is on the bottom, losing a fight. I don't know exactly how many, but a good number of the dogs will join the bad guy and bite their own handler.

I think dogs, even the ones we are sure just love the heck out of us, act in their own self interest. Its only the way we train them that gets that self interest to match with ours.

 Quote: Lindsay Janes

Maybe I can see those little nasty chihuahuas going to keep fighting. .... So... Now.. Will your dog, regular pets, or any guide dogs going to jump down the bridge to protect their owners if they had to? I'm sorry to say I highly doubt.

Except possibly a nasty Chihuahua.

One of my favorite posts today.






eta
Now we will hear from the AWCO (American Working Chihuahuas Organization).


Edited by Connie Sutherland (12/23/2009 05:57 PM)
Edit reason: eta

Huh, I always thought Chihuahuas were sleeve happy little prey monsters more suited to sport then real "serious" stuff.

I'm going to post my usual warning, which I post when we are discussing "protection", a serious subject with possibly fatal outcomes:

To everyone that reads this:
There are many posters here of various expertise, ranging from pet owners to professional trainers.
The advice and opinions that you will be given here will range from factual knowledge from people that have trained for this exact subject, to raw beginners. There will often be advice given in tones of great authority from people that have no real knowledge of the subject.
Unfortunately, it is up you *you* to decide what advice to follow. This is a classic case of "Let the buyer beware".

 Quote: ingrid rosenquist

Joy, please use the "quote" ability in your posts when putting an excerpt of someone else's post in your message. It is just too hard to read the messages above and I admittedly gave up.

Sorry for the length and difficulty. I couldn't figure out how to do a quote from one thread to start another. I usually do use the quote function. In case I ever have to do this sort of thing again, can you tell me how do I do that from one thread to a new one?

The first half to three fourths of the post was just the quotes from the old thread. Only toward the end was there any new info.

 Quote: randy allen

Okay Joy,
So the school weeds out all but the smartest most balanced handler sensive dogs, then they train them to negotiate the hazards of the modern human world with as few commands as possible, I got that right so far?


Wait wait.....Lassie just ran into the house.......She's cranking up the phone..thring thring.......She's calling in the paramedics!!!!!!

I guess maybe you should go tell The Seeing Eye that they've been wrong for 80 years. Maybe each dog's actions are either a complicated set of coincidences or they just seem to loyally protect and guide their partner for most of their lives out of fear and self preservstion.

I thought this was a question:

So the school weeds out all but the smartest most balanced handler sensive dogs, then they train them to negotiate the hazards of the modern human world with as few commands as possible, I got that right so far?

I read this as a question:

So the school weeds out all but the smartest most balanced handler sensive dogs, then they train them to negotiate the hazards of the modern human world with as few commands as possible, I got that right so far?