Do you want strangers to fear your dog?

[alan]

Is it cool for strangers to fear your dog? Let's say a stranger walks up on you with the intention of harming you, do you want them to feel intimidated enough ny your dog that they leave you alone or does that set a bad image for your dog?

[rexandbaby]

My GSD is just as nice as someones Golden Retriever, but because he is a GSD, people are intimidated. I don't mind, the people who are important to me, also know my dog.

[DogGoneGood]

I would never WANT a stranger to fear my dog. Fear causes reactions that aren't always pleasent. However, I do feel comfrotable in knowing that if someone were to threaten me and/or my dogs they would protect me. This doesn't mean I'd leave it up to them though, but I do find comfort in knowing if worse came to worse they would deffinatly be there for me. Linkin doesn't exactlly have the instinct in him for it like Coal does, but he was trained for Personal Protection and even though he didn't get very high up in his training because he doesn't have the natural ability in him (moreso because he's so young still, and was even younger when he was trained), just knowing he knows he was trained and knows how to give a good bluff alone is comforting. Coal on the other hand, has the natural instinct in him but no training. I know Coal would protect me with all his might until the end. Even when my boyfriend and I are rough housing and I sream Coal will get his game face on and get between us and not let Jared near me. Once I tell him it's okay, he will stop though and that was never trained into him