Either way I'm greatful and still a bit shaken...though I'd like to know if this is something I'll need to watch in the future...

During our nightly walk Ryuk and I got a bit detoured by nighttime construction and ended up on a much more out of the way route. Ryuk does not have protection training in the slightest, he's a house pet with only some basic groundwork in agility, frisbee, carting, and obedience. Ryuk alerted to someone/something approaching us on the street which is normal on walks since we're in an area with a lot of coyotes, deer, nighttime walkers, etc. However for the first time after even figuring out what was approaching every hair on his back stayed up and he let out the most intimidating growl I've ever heard. I'm used a warning yip, which usually means our local alpha male coyote is wandering around. I pulled him over off the sidewalk and told him to stop and lay down, which he did without hesitation. His eyes never left the guy as he came closer. The guy slows down as he approaches us and asks if my dog's on a leash, I tell him he is and he starts to go by. However he circled back at the end of the road and started to come back, matching pace with us about 30 feet back. At this point I'm getting nervous and Ryuk is glued to my leg with his eyes on this guy. We're back tracking to the construction site where there would be more people. The guy asks if me if my dog is friendly. Ryuk is a sweetheart normally, even with new people, but I tell him no so he doesn't get the idea he can come closer. The guy takes a step forward and instantly Ryuk is in front of me (not lunging or pulling in the slightest) dancing back and forth barking fiercely. The guy retreats down the road and takes off, I tell Ryuk to quiet, which he does immediately and returns to the leg gluing heel. We hung out with the construction crew for a bit and talked to the officer there, it seems there had been a guy being a bit inappropriate with women in the area recently (yet there were no reports on the news about this? hmmm) and he was fine with all the men there as well as the road work tools.

I'd like to think this was a protection behavior of a healthy kind (it's nice to know my dog is willing to at least put on an impressive show to get people like this away from me)...rather than him seeing me as a lower pack member that belongs to him (which came up in a few threads and articles I was reading....) but I figured I'd at least like to know if it was the "bad kind" now so I can nip it in the butt or figure out how to focus it into something more constructive. I was pretty confident I had control over him (he was listening to all commands, not lunging or pulling to get at the guy, just putting on one really scary show) and he's always been wonderful meeting people and does well with everything from small children who play with his ears to older people hobbling around on canes and in wheelchairs.

Some dogs are excellent judges of the character of a human.

I trust you called the cops.

Good Dog!!

I think that in a dog who is well socialized, generally happy, friendly, and good with new people a reaction like that is certainly a fair bet that something was not quite right in the situation.

That mans actions seemed weird even to me, the casual reader.

Nico has put on a similar show a couple times in her life, and each time I was shocked and a little taken aback by it.

But I had no problem trusting her judgement and telling them to back off.

So hard to tell by reading a post.

I'm not a protection dog trainer. Not even a good trainer period. Take this FWIW.

It could've been a rapist or robber, prowling the streets for the next victim. Or it could've been someone out walking that was going to turn around regardless of your being there. Ends of roads are common places to turn around on walks.

I'd just be leary of looking at this for more than was on the surface. Without years of knowledge of protection work I would think it could be very easy to make a dog that thinks everybody is a threat and always makes the first move before the bad guy does.

I don't know the logistics of having a dog that perceives its own human threats, though. I've been perceived as a threat by "protective" dogs for trying to return mis-delivered mail to the rightful owner, mowing yards next to "protective" dog's houses, or while walking/riding by their houses.

Your dog sounded very obedient in the post, though. Good training for distraction on your part.

For a definite answer I think a knowledgeable protection trainer would've had to been there, or maybe have your dog evaluated by one.

I have had three similar situations with my GSD, Grace. This is a dog with tons of socialization, completely well-trained, can take her anywhere, is a sweetheart, etc. Bottom line is that I trust her judgment!

 Quote: mike arnold

Some dogs are excellent judges of the character of a human.

Absolutely right.

True story:

Some years ago, on a beautiful spring day, when I worked as a paramedic in Atlanta, we had a call for an "assault and an animal bite." One or the other wouldn't have been so odd, but combined, it perked my interest.

It seems that a young lady pulled into the parking lot of her insurance agent, ducked in to drop off some papers or something, and an opportunistic would-be thief noticed through the open car window her purse sitting on the passenger seat. Being of the type to never let this sort of chance pass him by, he reached in to grab the purse.

How he failed to notice the Rottweiler in the back seat is beyond me, but he certainly noticed when said Rottie clamped down on his arm, just firmly enough to keep the feller in place. Thief tried to pull back, Rover bit down a little harder. Never broke skin, just made sure the crook remained in a "Down-stay," so to speak.

Young lass came out of the building, grabbed her purse back, and proceeded to beat the snot out of the thief with it before calling the cops.

The cops were laughing so hard, they were in tears when we arrived.

Some dogs just know a bad dude when they see one, ya dig?

my dog LOVES people. but interestingly, when we are walking around some of the not as nice areas at night (i don't live in the best area), she has growled at a couple seemingly shady people. they weren't necessarily doing anything, but i wonder if she maybe just sensed my anxiety about them and reacted that way, or if she had some sense of them that i didn't. i don't consider it a problem at all, because she is VERY friendly to all people. it's not like i need to go converse with those people she seemed uptight about.