Perhaps she caught scent of him.

Lisa,

I think that is exactly what happened.

But what I can't fathom is why this particular dog would raise her suspicion level so much. We sometimes encounter quite a few dogs (some new, some not).

Could it be that there was no "Human" smell along with this dog (ie: no owner with it?).

Something to be said for working dogs. Our house has been broken into or robbed every year we have lived here...maybe we should move? This year with Ivan, our working GSD, he alterted to burglers and something funny, someone sneaking OUT of the house, (little brat). So be thankful you have good dogs.

I don't know if both of your dog's are females or not, (responding to 1st post) but females tend to look at things a little different than most males. I can take my bitch out for walks and we can run into strangers and 95% of the time she will be outgoing and friendly and go right up to them. She has only alerted a couple of times without command on the street on her own when she was startled. It's a different thing when she's at home or in a vehicle. Her behavior is 100% different. If a stranger comes into the yard and she is off lead she will approach with hackles up (on the shoulderblades) and wait for a "friends" or an "aus" from me. If they are on the street out front or passing by she will just sit and watch them but if they approach the property line she will alert. If she's in a vehicle and anyone approaches she will go wild, she's in an enclosed area and that is her truck and you better stay away. I have had males before who have either been totally laid back and would let a stranger in and show them the door key or who would alert immediately either on the street or at the house. Maybe I'm full of it (wouldn't be the first time) but my female is more "maternally protective" of her turf whether it be a vehicle she is riding in or her property. I enjoy the mix, I don't have to worry about her charging a stranger off lead when I'm out and about (other famale dog's excepted <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> ) but at home or in the vehicle she will take care of business without me watching her constantly.

-eesch!!!

Accidently posted twice for some reason now I can't figure out how to delete so I'm typing this in so I don't look like a complete idiot. I'll accept partial idiot. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Alex - I agree but I disagree
Dogs, reaction to most threatening situations are taught reactions just like a Military man, Fireman or a Policeman. You do it so long that even retired when you hear the sirens/alarms or see a crime/threat you want to react.

But again I do think that dogs can sense things we do not, particailly because they can hear and smell better, but theres something else there. Like the Rottie that started pulling to get back home, before its owner had an heart attack, then the dog brought the phone to the guy so he could call 911?

Or the dog that awoke a family to lead them out of the house being filled with gas, they all could have died in their sleep?

Now alot of this is because they can hear and smell better then we do. It is thought that the Rottie heard the change in the guys heart and started pulling to go home. Of course the other dog smelt the gas filling the house.

But there are occassions where the dog just knows
like when I was in a radiator shop and this guy kept tauting my dog in the down, he growled and barked, usually he pays no attention to a person while on leash in a similar situation unless I alert him. I took him outside and we stayed in the car until this guy left, when I came back in I apologized to the owner and told him I don't know why my dog reacted so negatively to this stranger. The owner told me that the dog did good, this guys didn't care much for me. He asked could he give my dog a dog buscuit, he was so proud of him. There is no reasoning for him to alert on this guy, usually Pissing noise from a person mouth he ignores?

In my recent case I feel it was because the guy was trying to enter our Jeep, he only alerted on him after he touched the door handle and my back was turned to the Jeep, opening the front door of my house.

But the high ground is that he (the ex-com) is aware that he has to get past these guys in order to get into my house. Big Detterant in his mind it seems now.

Douglas - One is a Male GSD and the other is a Female Rottie/Pit mix, she looks Rottie.

I think at least some dogs are psychic. I had a male Bouvier and had two very interesting occurrences.
He came up to me one day when I was watching TV and wanted to be pet. During this I commented to him that he had bad breath. A while later he came up again, same thing. A third time, he came up and I told him he had really bad breath and he left. A minute later, he came back in and was chewing on a tube of toothpaste that I had thrown away. Sure, he may have been trying to tell me something (he had a tooth infection) but the association and the tube of toothpaste is a little spooky.

Now the second story is harder to explain away. I was visiting my dad and we were eating ice cream. Jake went up to him wanting some. My dad told him in conversational tones "If you want some, you'll have to trade me for it." Jake left, came back with a squeaky toy and gave it to my dad. It was not his favorite toy, it was one he didn't like much. Of course, my dad had to give him some ice cream. To top it off, Jake would not take the toy back even though it was sitting up on the chair arm. My dad did eventually give it back. Maybe he wasn't psychic and just understood perfect English. He paid a lot of attention to what people said but which is easier to believe - psychic or understanding the English language?

Based on a reply well in the middle of the board.......now I know why my house smells like dog poop when the friends come over.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I argee with Alex 100% as to dogs not being able to tell good guys from bad. I do a lot of quarantines and investigate bite situations,,,,most all dog bites are suffered by nice, innocent people, who because of the dog owner's lack of care or ignorance, ended up injured. Don't let your dog decide,,,, they usually pick the wrong person and you'll end up with the bill. During these times of anti-breed legislation, it's not worth the risk. I'm going to have to give my friends the poop smell test!!! That was a good one!!!Susan

Susan I agree that a dog shouldn't decided most times who to go after. But there has been sometimes that if my dogs had not reacted I'd been in a pickle or worst. A couple of times (and I feel like a broken record here) while camping most of the time when my backs turned setting up our campsite or distracted. That a stranger has approached me from behind, without warning.

The time that stood out was this guy with a long heavy stick. This guy looked like a bag person or hitchhiker, (he had no campsite or vehicle) in the nearby area. Anyway he didn't see my dogs down under a shade tree. I don't know what he had planned to do, he didn't try to address me, maybe he was just trying to scare me.

But in the wood hundreds a miles from anyone you know, I was happy they where there.

Yes it scared sh%$ out of him, but it was either him or me. Dropped the stick and everything!! He still didn't say what he wanted,
something about being hungry, I gave him a MRE and I threw him back his stick and he moved on.
I didn't feel bad about this alert either I preferred for him to be startled then anything he had planned even if was just an unanounced greeting.

There have been several times when this has occurred and it been, in my mind good calls/ warning sometimes breaking up nearly phyiscal conflicts.

Should I stop fishing/hiking/camping to stay out situations like this, then what is life without its challenges.

I'm glad they are watching my back the older I get the more secure I feel having them around.
Maybe I should feel bad about it but I don't.
Do I have a false scene of security, no I have a CC permit.

I don't think its a good idea to approach campsite or bedroom windows without warning. I usually greet fellow campers with a loud greeting and eye contact, just to be safe. You can tell from there eyes if they are friendly. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

This too Douglas comparing Male and Female, after I called them back in the house, I opened the Jeep door so the Con could get in. To take him home. (Leaving him in the Jeep by himself, was I worried, Its the dogs/camping vehicle it not really a privilege to ride in it. Theres nothing to steal in it.) Back to my point I went back to lock my front door, the Male GSD was in a down looking out the screen door this entire time. The female was back to chewing on her treat filled kong in the back bedroom.

Point being made is this the male GSD was still checking this guy out, the female had gone about her business. By the way with one paw they can open the screen door themselve. We train that in a stay as I go get the mail and then a recall to the mail box to a sit. They love it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />