Is Your Dog Being Overprotective?

As you’re walking your dog, you may notice that they bark or growl at strangers and/or other dogs. This may leave you wondering if they are being overly protective of you. In fact, this is usually the most common reason for dogs barking at others. But how do you really know for sure?

It’s never easy to pinpoint exactly what a dog’s intentions are with certain behaviors. However, you can look at selective breeding pressures influencing instinct and the consequences that follow this behavior. 

Being “overprotective” is defined as “having or showing a strong wish to keep someone or something safe from harm”. This means that a dog would need to comprehend what a threat is and how to act when that threat comes close. 

Alpha Buddy Dog Training has been helping dogs across South Florida manage their behavior and help them act better around strangers and other dogs. We want to help you see if your dog is truly being overprotective. If you need help training your dog the right way, contact us today so we can get started. 

Is Your Dog Protective or Reactive?

The simplest form of protective behavior is when a dog acts aggressively in order to defend its puppies. These dogs will rarely leave their puppy’s side and will only leave in order to scare off a threat. They may snarl, growl, or bark at potential threats. This makes sense since a mother will always want to defend their puppies. 

Now, we’ll look at a dog walking on the street that lunges at others. While dogs like this will lunge and show teeth, they will rarely place themselves between the owner and the threat. So, is this protective or reactive?

This is considered reactive behavior since they are not trying to protect you, but rather are just scared or upset. This is usually true in big dogs such as German Shepherds. 

Dogs that are protective are aware of their surroundings and can tell what qualifies as a threatening movement. They think what the best position for themselves and will stay between the threat and the handler. They can also act on their own or listen to certain cues. Dogs should be calm and comfortable with strangers and not nervous and jumpy. 

It can be easy to think that a dog is being protective when in reality they’re reactive and scared. 

My Dog Protects Me From Friends and Family

There are some cases where a dog will protect you from loved ones around you. If your dog growls at your partner as they get close to you, get professional help right away! This can be a dangerous situation to handle at home and can result in possible injury. This could also be a case of resource guarding which means the dog is protecting their space or toys. 

Get Professional Dog Training Today

If your dog has been growling, barking, or snarling at strangers or dogs while out on a walk, you need professional dog services now. It can be difficult to solve these issues by yourself, that’s why Alpha Buddy Dog Training is here to help. Visit our contact page today if you need help keeping your dog under control.