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Heavy barkers vs. Silent Friendly Dogs

2K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  BigHemi45 
#1 · (Edited)
So I've been wondering this. Which of these two is the one more likely to bite? I hear a lot of stories about some dogs who bark like crazy at the sight of people or people coming in but do nothing in dangerous situations. A friend of mine got in a physical fight with his roommate and his heavy barking GSD did nothing.

Then there's the silent friendly type like my dog. Some believe these dogs have no protective ability but I've also heard some stories about how these dogs become absolutely vicious when agitated. A friend of mine has an Aussie who is relatively quiet and friendly but is known to bite and become vicious in bad situations. Also met a police dog who was very loving and a big kisser, also trained in bite work.

So which one of these two would y'all say is the more protective, vicious, and likely to bite?
 
#3 ·
Yes.

My dog is what the OP would call a heavy barker. Big, booming bark and a bone chilling growl. And she normally barks the house down when someone comes to the door. (I let her. I would say 95% of the people knocking on my door are not invited or wanted. I want her to scare them away.)

There have been a few key times when something has been going on outside, and she's fallen absolutely silent and calmly but deliberately placed herself between me and the front door. That's when I know she's serious.
 
#5 ·
In rescue I've found both can bite. In a kennel situation like a shelter, the barking ones were much more likely the biters. They bite out of fear or aggression. The silent ones tended to rarely be biters and would usually give a warning first. In a home situation barkers are more likely to bite if they feel cornered or if they are touched or grabbed.
 
#6 ·
My boy is the barking one but I'm not sure if he would bite or not. We haven't had to test that theory. He thought I trainer was the devil the first time he saw him and launched himself out of our truck as soon as we opened the door and he went for his throat. But other people he barks and growls and backs away when they come too close. Our trainers dogs are the silent ones that watch your every move. I had to warn my husband to be careful how he joked around with our trainer, because as guys are, if he patted the trainer on the back too hard, the dogs went on alert and it was scary enough to have the hair on the back of my neck raising in warning. Sure, some of the loud barkers are biters, but I would be more terrified of the ones that are so silent and watchful.
 
#7 ·
I was in class with Midnite once and the trainer was standing there watching us do whatever we were learning and he kinda patted my arm but went over Midnites head to do it. Midnite did a double take and went towards him, stopped short of him and just looked at him like "was that necessary". I told the trsiner that wasn't a smart move, if it was someone Midnite wasn't familiar with I don't think he would have stopped advancing. It was a split second decision on his part and I would not have let Midnite go any further, but he made the right choice. He did not growl or bark, but he gave him a look.
 
#8 ·
The ones you really have to worry about are the ones that will growl and snarl but do not make direct eye contact. The ones that make direct eye contact are trying to monitor you for a reaction. Is this scaring you? Many times it is a bluff. The ones that aren't looking at you have every intention on following through with the threat.
 
#9 ·
The ones that worry me are the seemingly friendly dogs that approach and sniff and then go "stock still".
 
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