# do dogs become more protective with age?



## BoxerRoxy (Aug 12, 2010)

just wondering if dogs become more protective or wary with age.. my dog has been well socialised as a pup and i definatly didnt get her a guard dog. but i dont think shed bark or anything if someone tried to break in while i was in bed... just wondering if things like being more wary etc come with age and maturity (if a boxer can be mature that is)lol 
shes nearly 2years old (nov) so i know shes still only a baby really.


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

BoxerRoxy said:


> just wondering if dogs become more protective or wary with age..
> my dog has been well socialised as a pup and i definatly didnt get her a guard dog.
> but i dont think shed bark or anything if someone tried to break in while i was in bed...
> just wondering if things like being more wary etc come with age and maturity (if a boxer can be mature that is) lol
> shes nearly 2years old (nov) so i know shes still only a baby really.


hey, br! :--)

actually at rising 2-YO she is approaching social-adulthood.

most pups discover their bark just about the time that puppy-license runs out - 
around 4-MO to 5-MO, when puberty sets in; that's when all strangers are no longer friends 
not met yet, when *territorial aggression* begins to show, when pups find their bark, etc.

this begins earlier in guarding breeds, who begin to be leery of strangers as young as 10 to 12-WO, 
depending on breed, their dam's modeled behavior to strangers, and so on.

for companion breeds, gundogs, hounds and other non-guarding types, about 4 to 5-MO 
is the beginning of stranger suspicion, territorial aggro and *owning* items - 
defending non-food with distance-increasing signals [freeze, growl, bark, hard eyes, etc] - 
it is normal for dogs to defend food from other dogs, and without teaching the pup that humans 
are givers, not takers, they will also defend items [including themselves and personal space] 
from humans.

if she never or rarely barks, i would not be concerned - that does not mean she would be silent 
in a threatening situation, only that she rarely feels threatened - which is good!  
confident dogs are not usually vocal - dogs bark in uncertainty; an old saying is still true, 
'the frightened dog barks most often'. confident dogs may only bark once or twice, 
but if a dog that rarely barks finds their tongue, we *know* it's unlikely to be a false-alarm.

i would be glad she is a happy, relaxed dog with few anxieties! :thumbup: 
good on U... 
- terry


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## BoxerRoxy (Aug 12, 2010)

yes i suppose your right, she is a happy little soul and i can say to her 'tell em lass' and she will bark in the garden sometimes get he to bark if i think someone may be hanging about with me being on my own as husband works nights etc
so she can be voacal sometimes... never growls mind you. 
i suppose we will never see untill we are out in the situation (hopefully never but u never know) 
maybe it comes with time, having a strong bond etc and all the things that come with it :thumbup:


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## SarahAvon (Aug 7, 2010)

That's cleared it up for me too then =D Roxy will chase cats out of the garden and occasionally huff if knobs are making a racket close to the house outside. She just tends to look at me, then look towards the noise, then look at me again.

Strangers are apparently very fun indeed though, especially if they have kids or shopping! :lol:


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Luna is just over a year old now and has been been protective of me for a few months. Sky on the other hand is 3 months off being 2 and has never been protective.


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## BoxerRoxy (Aug 12, 2010)

this just must be a boxer thing i think as they sound very similar. lol:lol:
i dont know if boxers ever become mature as alot of people say they are puppies forever. 
she can do all the sit down stays etc etc but when shes excited that is it..... no talking to her... lol. 
glad i taught her ' tell em' though quite useful when you need a bark out of her.


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## SarahAvon (Aug 7, 2010)

Saying that, when hubby and I playfight she does run over and bark at us, so at least I know if I was attacked she'd deafen them =D That's the only time she does bark, unless the yappy thing next door starts a riot and winds her up, but that's playing.


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## SEVEN_PETS (Aug 11, 2009)

I thought I socialised Ollie quite well when he was young, we carried him around on walks before he had his vaccs, and he went to puppy classes and agility, so met tons of dogs and people, but now he's 2 years old, he's protective of me, the house, the garden and he occasionally growls at other dogs if they are too bouncy for him and some men he avoids and won't allow any strange man in the house. We manage him well enough i think, and he's not allowed to harm anyone or anything, but he's got more difficult with age I think.


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