Just had a unplaisent visit from a door to door ex-inmate selling useless stuff to get back on track.
As usual Harley was at the door barking before the guy was able to knock. Dexter could not be bother to move.

Normaly I clip a leash on Harley and making lay down. The sight of that guy kind of side track me so I just grab him by his collar. I had the door open for less the one second and his barking went from Hey vist! to YOU DON'T GET IN!! mad scary agressive bark. Dexter actualy came to sit behind me and produce a very low mean growl.

It never happen before even when I hold Harley by his collar.
Were they just feeding off me being creeped out by that guy?
Are there any chances that it will happen again.

Harley was jumpy for almost half an hour after that. He was also previous to that getting better at the door. He would even stay in his crate if it was a regular visitor (mom or dad).

This is something that happen from time to time (sale rep) How should I react to this behaviour ( at the time I kind of like it I was alone and running a fever)

The Fed Ex guy was here last week and Harley was just so polite about the delivery.

It's hard to say if they sense something or feed off your energy. I've had a similar experience with my normally calm, friendly Dobe. He will always bark when somebody comes to the door, but will stand next to me quietly when I ask him to stop.

When it's been somebody who creeps me out, he continues to watch the person and growl, though he doesn't move from his position. Obviously I don't allow the creepy stranger in so it never goes beyond that, but there is definitely a different reaction from my dog.

My dog is really influenced by how I feel so I suspect he's feeding off my energy more than anything. In any case, I don't mind it if people who creep me out see a watchful, snarling Doberman standing next to me at the door. It discourages them from coming back, and makes them think twice if they are just trying to case the place.

Grabbing his collar could of done it also, especially since it was such a change of routine for him.

And if you were creeped, the dogs were creeped!

I have totally experienced this with a couple of my dogs (two would react and two would run and hide (husky rescues)...LOL).

For example, my Shepherd pup is SUPER social - everyone is a friend. On two occasions I have been either outwardly fearful or just caught off guard and both times she jumped into action.

Once, when she was young, we were walking on a trail behind my friends house. I had my hood up because it was pretty cool out. We were walking normally, when she spun around and was walking in a heel, but moving backwards. It took me a second to be like, "what are you looking at?". When I turned around there was a man DIRECTLY behind me, so close that I couldn't even turn all the way around before being face to face with him. I let out a *gasp* and right away she lit up. Barking (strong, active aggression bark) I quickly stepped off the trail and slipped my finger in her collar and let her keep barking.

The man said "oh, sorry" and then hurried away - it was quite a scary experience for me, so I was glad she helped out.

This has only happened one other time, someone came in my office while I had my back turned and I *gasped* again. She again began to bark. I told her to down, recovered, then introduced her to the co-worker and she readily went over to be petted.

I also like it as long as it is situation appropriate. So when someone who isn't a threat comes to the door and you readily accept them into the home, then the dog should too.

They definitely know when something is up.

When my new housemate first moved in and she let herself in for the first time Tasha tried to eat her.

Luckily she was on a drag line and I stepped on it before she got to the door. But she was fully prepared to make sure the surprise visitor know they were not welcome. Her tail was straight up in the air and she was at a full run down the hallway.

I never thought the reaction would be THAT different. If anyone comes to the house and I let them in she doesn't even bark. A plumber once came in when I was at work and she was crated. I normaly wouldn't have allowed that, but it was an emergency. He told me that she whined a little, barked a few times, wagged her tail and laid down. I used to joke that she is a crappy guard dog. Not anymore!

By the second time the housemate let herself in she was fine. Once she knew the new order of events she was completely cool with it.

This is different from what you guys are talking about, but it definitely shows how different the reactions can be when the order of events changes.

My grandparents had a dog that seemed to be able to read people. He was a newfie/black lab cross (We think) and was usually incredibly calm, sweet and gentle with everyone. He's always been my gold standard for a family dog temperment. They used to travel quite a bit in the summers, and on one occasion they were stopped at a scenic lookout when Blackie began snarling and growling, something he had only ever done in response to a cougar before. A young man was casing my grandparents' truck and 5th wheel trailer, which was behind them. Blackie stayed between my grandparents and the man until he got in his car and drove off. Maybe he didn't have bad intentions, but Blackie certainly thought so.

While walking Sutter along the river in our previous community, he reacted like this to a man who tried to stop and talk with me. Sutter growled and kept himself between me and the man, when he normally completely ignored other people on our walks. Based on a description, the man turned out to be an inmate who was supposed to be doing roadside clean up and had slipped his keepers for a few hours before being recaptured.

 Quote: Becca Fuentes

My grandparents had a dog that seemed to be able to read people. He was a newfie/black lab cross (We think) and was usually incredibly calm, sweet and gentle with everyone. He's always been my gold standard for a family dog temperment.

It's the Newfie. Newfoundlands are also known for using size rather then bark/bite, placing themselves between a scary person and family.