what signals guarding instinct

[anglian]

Just wondering if anyone knows at what age boxers start to show their guarding instinct in terms of protecting family or house.
My neighbour got broken into the other day so now I am just wondering if a boxer will instinctively protect its house even if family arent around or if he will lick them to death.
What kind of behaviour would suggest a boxer is developing healthy guarding instinct.
I have a 7 month old fawn boy called Kaiser, and at present I think he would greet a stranger with a football then alert anyone or scare them away.

 

[Kisaq]

You know... I'm glad my boy is friendly with strangers.

But let me tell you... I have no fear at all that if it came down to a dangerous situation where I or my husband was being threatened, Kisaq would be Johny-on-the-spot with his protection instinct.

I think most healthy happy boxers have an innate sense of when there is real danger and when not. Perhaps the reason your neighbors and not you got broken into, was because Kaiser put up a stink when they were prowling around your place.

 

[LILYLARUE]

The great trait about boxers is that they are friendly.......until they are aware of danger, then look out!!! They are very good at instinctually figuring out what they need to react to and what they don't. And you will find out soon enough that they are very good at protecting the house from a fly away plastic baggy that flies past in the front yard! Or a leaf, or a stick that wasn't there yesterday...........let alone a person that enters the yard that shouldn't be there.

All my dogs are vicious towards anyone that is outside the house, on the property or walking by until they enter and see that I welcome them into the home. Then the wiggles, woo woos and licky loos are on full force. But have someone try to come in that I don't know or isn't welcome and trust me, all four will be on them like white on rice! No holds barred and blood will be shed.

 

[TysonCheeto]

I always wondered the same thing Tyson I always wondered how he would react because he LOVED people. When the neighbors walked the subdivision he would sit in the window and do his "boxer huff" as I call it, when they do those little noises like their clearing their nose before they bark. But he never would bark , we lost him young so I never got to see how it turned out, but Arabella funny girl, when the doorbell rings, she's starts running the house in complete circles barking and going nuts, but the second the door opens, she's all wiggle butt...or if she doesn't know them or remember them....She gets scared and hides ....So my hope is if ever there is somebody on the other side that shouldn't be there, they will hear her bark and go away .

 

[Stellababe]

I'm glad the question came up, I too wonder what she will do. My Stella is 7 months old, will huff and walkers by and has begun to bark and scratch her feet when the neighbor was tapping the cat can and calling for the cat. But the Fed-ex guy, police man and a pizza delivery guy all came up on the porch and she nearly wiggled her way out of her skin with delight each and every time. Those leaves blowing in the wind and the snow clumps falling from the tree limbs above better watch out though.

 

[anglian]

Thanks for all your replies guys, its nice to hear about your stories of how your dogs react with people coming to y8ur house etc. When we have been out for walks over the past few days iv noticed he is very aware of who is around, I keep him on a short leash right by my side and he walks lovely, but now he is aware of people walking behind and doesnt seem to like it, he sits and waits for them to walk past then he is happy to carry on his merry way. I think this is a good trait and it makes Feel safe, but a pain in the asse as he has really good hearing and can hear people behind from quite far away so lots of waiting for them to pass

 

[TwoDogs]

I think this is a good trait and it makes Feel safe, but a pain in the asse as he has really good hearing and can hear people behind from quite far away so lots of waiting for them to pass

He is 7 months old and he is entering his second fear imprint phase. This is NOT guarding instinct. This is a time that all dogs go through to a greater or lesser degree. There is a big difference between a dog being anxious, fearful, or freaked out by people or things and exhibiting fear aggressive behaviors (or the indicators of future fear aggressive behaviors) and a dog that is confidently guarding its territory. I recommend you pair the sight of people on walks with fun, games, and treats from you. Don't make him greet them, just have lots of fun while they pass by. Eventually, he will not be concerned about them anymore.

Frankly, I wouldn't want my dogs to guard at all. When I called my neighbor and had her "break into" my house to find my extra car keys and bring them to me, I didn't want my dogs to attack her. When my son's friends come over and invite themselves into the yard unannounced, I don't want the dogs to attack them. I don't even want the dogs to bark at them. I want my dogs to greet every and all people as friends. I keep dogs as companions, period. If their presence deters would be thieves then great but I'll rely on good locks and a security system to protect my home and belongings, including my dogs.

 

[Gunther]

Struddell always looked out our front window watching the neigborhood and only made a sound if someone was coming to the door.

One night around 10:00 or 11:00 pm, she went off like a fire cracker! I was tired and shouted for her to be quite! So she put her head back on the couch and continued to look out into the darkness,

The next morning I go out to the cars and both doors are open and... both radios are gone! Apparently that was what Struddell was barking about!

Filed a police report and later I asked Struddell; if she could ID the perps but she never said a word! Guess she was kinda PO'd at me!

 

[Kisaq]

He is 7 months old and he is entering his second fear imprint phase. This is NOT guarding instinct. ... I recommend you pair the sight of people on walks with fun, games, and treats from you. Don't make him greet them, just have lots of fun while they pass by. Eventually, he will not be concerned about them anymore.

Frankly, I wouldn't want my dogs to guard at all.

ABSOLUTELY agree.
Unless it is a life or death situation, my dog should look to me for protection not the other way around. Just way too much liability in that.

And sorry, but someone breaking into my house to steal my stuff is not life or death. It sucks, sure. But it's not life or death.

Now, if I was asleep and in the bedroom and someone came into the bedroom... that might be another story depending on their intent - and I have a handgun for that kind of thing and hopefully, Kisaq would give me some warning in a case like that. But he should not feel like he needs to choose when and who to attack.

I said before, I really do believe my dog would do his best to protect me if I needed it.
But I sure don't want him biting the postman, or someone coming in to feed him when I'm away. Or even the desperate idiot who want's my 10 year old computer or the six pack of beer in the fridge. All I want my dog to do in that case is stay on his bed and not leave the house.

 

[TysonCheeto]

Frankly, I wouldn't want my dogs to guard at all. When I called my neighbor and had her "break into" my house to find my extra car keys and bring them to me, I didn't want my dogs to attack her. When my son's friends come over and invite themselves into the yard unannounced, I don't want the dogs to attack them. I don't even want the dogs to bark at them. I want my dogs to greet every and all people as friends. I keep dogs as companions, period. If their presence deters would be thieves then great but I'll rely on good locks and a security system to protect my home and belongings, including my dogs.[/QUOTE]


I have great respect for your knowledge so I'm Definitely not trying to sound argumentative, my dog is my baby too, she's our 4th kid , and if anybody broke into our house when we were away, she would be our main concern. Having 3 skin kids for 10 years of my life, it actually feels weird to me to leave her alone at home. I wouldn't leave a baby home alone so I think I'm just still in that baby mode! Lol. She's still young too, so that may be it.

But I would prefer her to let me know when someone is out there. Friends or not. I guess I think of our family in the sense we all have a role, and the family wouldn't be complete without each person and their place, and what they do best. Moma takes care of the home, daddy goes to work, we have 3 kids, and although young they each have something the family wouldn't be complete without. One is the compassionate one, makes sure the other siblings are doing ok, always a caring spirit. one of the kids , tells it like it is, and is real about everything, even if it woulda been best to keep it to themself . And another one shakes it up. Never a quiet moment with that one!! Even if they do drive us nuts the house wouldn't be the same without what they bring. Although those are not the only things they bring, it's one of the things we . Love about them. I think arabella the same. She's a loved member of our family, brings us total joy, but.One of the things she does is let us know "hey fyi ...there's somebody out there!" I guess it's just a part of who she is that we like. It would have been fine if she wasn't a dog to alert us, we didn't want her for that purpose, it's just (imo) a plus that she brings to the family.

I might not have been making any sense and just gone off on left field, . Hope I wasn't too confusing