Due to some recent ugly incidents close to the club where I bartend, (i.e., female murdered outside last night)I would like to begin taking my adult bitch to work with me. She would remain in the car while I work, with the idea that should some fruit loop be waiting for me when I walk out in the wee hours, she also would be waiting.
My parking situation is not desirable, (back of building, dark, amongst dumpsters) and I am unescorted.
My bitch has gone after people threatening me before. (no bites) She is very quick to "posture" with her lips pulled back and hair up, and she will let out great big barks. She is very responsive to commands, but has ZERO prey drive, very little food/ball drive. (Chow mix) No one but my mom may come in my house alone without being threatened, but as far as I know, she has never carried through with a bite on anyone but me. My gut feeling is that she'd get scared off by a big yell or strike, but come back to bark again.
What, if anything, can I do right now to
make her a more effective tool in the vehicle to save my tail if I need it? I don't want to make her dangerous, but I do want to make my run to the car safer for me. To encourage some very active and loud behavior in the car when she sees me coming.

I hate to say it, but if she is in the car she isn't going to be of much help. I would look into self defense courses for myself. I worked late in a less than desireable part of town when I lived in NC and leaving was always uncomfortable. Talk to your boss about your concerns and see about having it set up so that everyone leaves in pairs.

If you want to lease a bitch that is really nasty sounding in the car, I have one, but be warned she will scare the sh!t out of you when you least expect it... (driving down the road and she thinks the pedestrian on the crosswalk is too close)

If you are worried about your car being broken into there are things you can do to make your dog bark like a fool if someone goes by and that is usually a pretty good deterrant, but I am not sure how you will teach her to bark when she sees YOU as a deterant and how effective it would be.

I'd love to have a scary bitch in the car! It'd be like a fun house-screaming when you least expect it. But it would mean trading one of mine for yours...Two dog limit where I am.
Times like this I wish I had one of those snaky dobies that could slip through a 3 inch crack.
I'm looking at all my customers that hang around til closing with new and un-friendly thoughts.

If you are in one of the enlightened states with a concealed-carry law, take advantage of it.

Better yet, find someplace else to work where personal safety is not such a concern. Once the bar owners find all their popular staff is leaving, they may squeeze off a few bucks for safe and secure parking for the staff. Don't bet your life on that though.

A barking dog locked in the car will do you little good. In fact, she will probably spend the evening being harrassed by drunks who think it's funny to pound on the car just to set the dog off. What is Plan B?

Alex, this just will not work. First as pointed out the attacker is not going to wait for you to get to your car. Second, and most important, this is not good for your dog. Cars get very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. You could end up leaving work to find a dead dog. Please don't do this!!!!!!!!

Alex

Deanne is right locked in the car your dog or even the best trainbed dog is not much uses, in protecting you leaving the building.

Unless you could bring her in or near the bldg. before night fall or you could leave the window down enough to have her exit the window if she saw or scence that you where threaten. If you have not trained this its probably to late now. As suggested self defense lessons or conceal carry permit maybe even a stun gun. But I wouldn't rely on a untrained dog for protection in a serious situation. She would be a deterent in stopping someone from laying in wait in the back seat of your vehicle or anywhere close. She could bark to let you know Dad he's over there.

I remember the disappointment of the owner of this hughe Ridgeback bicth, he had not trained her and expected a protective response off her property, (apparently very protective of his home and family) she hid between his legs as this group of friends approached. Oh the disappointment, Oh the felled dreams.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Please don't leave your dog unattended in your vehicle where it could be subject to unwanted situations and possibly affect her temperment.

Back in my bartender days, I would have a male member of staff walk out with me. I also did what Charlie suggested. Came in handy on a few occassions. Don't ya just love those boneheads that wait for ya and want a ride home My GSD took care of business at home.

There are lots of options, let your girl take care of her home.

Or you could get one of those really mean 'quick-draw' chihuahuas and keep him in your pocket! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
They can be pretty nasty!

Seriously, I have to agree with most everyone's post. I can't see how she could help you even if she was a perfectly trained police dog. Although I've seen a couple of them in Germany that would have NO problem breaking straight through the windshield of the car if someone threatened their partner.

And of COURSE no dog should stay in a car for so many hours, its just way too dangerous, too many days of the year. Unless you buy her a cell phone and teach her to call the bar if she gets uncomfortable. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I used to tend bar years ago with and was allowed to bring my pp Giant Schnauzer to work with me. This is quite legal in many European countries. It was wonderful for a couple of days until he decided to guard the bar (from people who wanted to come in for a drink!) We definetely lost a few customers that day and I never brought him again, of course. It would have taken just a couple of days to get him "properly aclimated" but the management wouldn't give us the chance (understandibly so). I could have also left him outside to wait all night but I thought that that would be just too mean. I finally did the 'buddy' deal, where friends walk you to your car. It worked just fine. Don't be afraid to admit you're scared to a co-worker, they are too!