Shady man at the door

[soccerbabiesmama]

A shady man, looking somewhat like a vagrant knocked on our door yesterday, asking to spray our house number on the curb. As I opened the door, with just a piece of glass between us, he looked down became startled and jumped back. "BIG DOG" he shouted and waited off our porch for my husband to come out. Raven just sat still at the door like a sentry. Very proud momma moment!

 

[Ksullivan]

We had a murder on our road a few years ago, home burglary, of a retired school teacher. Prior to that I had this same young man come to my door, my husband was not home, but my last Newf went to the door with me, I just cracked the door to talk through, and he asked if he could hunt arrowheads in our field. If it had not been for my Newf, I could have been murdered by this sick young man.
While my last newf had to be put to sleep for aggression, Sully (my present Newf) goes to the door and looks like he might attack because he is happy to see someone. They can be a deterent for bad situations.

 

[Leonard and his bud Snuffles]

I know what you mean. It is always a surprise to people when I open the door when they hear a dog bark at the door bell. One time, for lack of a better term a "bag lady" type person at the park by the lake approached my car with Snuffles in the back seat. Now normally Snuffles doesn't bark at people going near or by the car (bikes and runners excluded ). Snuffles let her know she was NOT welcome. And to be honest, I did not scold him for barking either that time.

 

[wrknnwf]

I can't count the number of times that my dogs' mere presence was a deterrent. While they don't go to the door with me, they stand with their front paws on the dining table under the front window and stare at whoever is at the door. LOL. That makes them appear bigger than they really are.

If I decide I don't want to go to the door, but do want them to bark, I just say "hello!" like I'm greeting someone. It sets them off every time. Cracks me up because they are barking at the prospect of someone visiting them. My poor dogs love everyone who comes to the house, so don't tell on us!!!

 

[OurnewfDarwin]

Poor Darwin has learned that the door bell means "In your crate" and pretty much just goes in there and lays down because the UPS man comes almost daily and is absolutely terrified of dogs.

When we are out and about, Darwin is a total love--unless he sees people in hoodies. He does NOT care for people who are dressed somewhat differently. But he definitely is enough to make people walk on the other side of the street.

 

[JerseyGirl]

I had a salesman come to the door. He was being very persistent when suddenly his manner changed. Then I realized that Gunny was sitting on one side of me and Monty on the other. He turned and left. The expression on his face was priceless!!

 

[dbradley]

Once I took Moya out front with me...the minute I opened the door her demeanor changed and she darted across the street (not good). My neighbor's 19 year odl son was mowing his lawn and a man stopped him to ask directions. He was shady looking and what he was asking did not make any sense. Anyway, the kid had never met my dog before and she came running across the street barkiing and growling. This had to be scary for him (100+ pound black dog you've never met before) but she stood next to him and he put his hand on her collar. The whole time she barked and growled at this man until he finally walked away...in the opposite direction of where we told him to go.

What really got me was the fact that she didn't know the neighbor's son but was clearly protecting him.

 

[NessaM]

Love that story about Moya!

 

[newflizzie]

My dogs are gated from the front and garage doors, but if someone comes to the door I do not know (we have side panels so I can see), I always take Liz with me. Which is funny since she most likely will never hurt anyone and it's Indy who would tear them apart. I figure just Liz's presence will deter. My kids are not allowed to open the door except to their friends and after they've told me who it is (we have a glass door as well). We also have an intercom and if the person is scary looking to me I just talk to them through that.

 

[newflizzie]

Once I took Moya out front with me...the minute I opened the door her demeanor changed and she darted across the street (not good). My neighbor's 19 year odl son was mowing his lawn and a man stopped him to ask directions. He was shady looking and what he was asking did not make any sense. Anyway, the kid had never met my dog before and she came running across the street barkiing and growling. This had to be scary for him (100+ pound black dog you've never met before) but she stood next to him and he put his hand on her collar. The whole time she barked and growled at this man until he finally walked away...in the opposite direction of where we told him to go.

What really got me was the fact that she didn't know the neighbor's son but was clearly protecting him.

Dogs have incredible instinct, don't they?

 

[mrs big dogs]

I always bring Belle with me when I answer the door because she is a mommies protector and she does not bark but she places herself between me and who-ever is at the door.

 

[Leonard and his bud Snuffles]

If I decide I don't want to go to the door, but do want them to bark, I just say "hello!" like I'm greeting someone. It sets them off every time.

Hehe, that is like Snuffles hearing the word "bicycle" Just the other day he was tethered on the porch and me sitting there. He must have had his eyes closed and maybe asleep, because a bike came down the street, and no reaction. About 10 minutes later, Mom came out, and I told her using the word "bicycle". Snuffles raised his head, kind of started with small half barks looking around and went to a full bark. That was on and off for the next minute or 3.

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

They are good for scaring the pants off of people sometimes, aren't they?! I've been involved in a home attack before, so I'm a very cautious person. I'm usually home alone with the baby 2 days a week for 12+ hours. During maternity leave, it was 5 days a week, 12 hours a day for 3.5 months. I will say it definitely made me feel a lot better to have her around (that, and the alarms, and the pepper mace too!).

When Mila was a pup and had real issues with overexcitement at the door with guests, I used to have to put her in her room before I could go the door. But as soon as I got that behavior under control, she came up to the door with me. She never barks, but I have trained her to speak on command, so as I come up to the door with her, I'll tell her to speak. Then I make sure she's right next to me as I hold her collar when I open the door.

I haven't had any scary people come up to our door yet, but she did do me a big favor by getting rid of this pair of JWs that used to always come up to my door at all hours of the day and ring the bell. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME, they just happened to come over right after I had put Rowan down for a nap and he would of course wake up screaming. Even when I scolded them for this, they still continued coming back.
You can bet your heiny that as soon as I was able to, I brought her with me to greet these two. Needless to say, they have finally left us alone since then. Go Mila May!

 

[CMDRTED]

I have a Raised Ranch. I have put a gate at the top of the stairs so the MIL can go down without being "run over" by excited ("Gma where are we goin!") Newfs (LOL). They stand on the top of the gate when someone comes looking much taller than they really are, and bark "Hello, come in and Play with Us!", but whomever is at the door does not know that, except the mailman (we've had for years), and the Fed Ex and UPS Guys whom come to the housse often enought and bring enough cookies for them, so now when they see a Fex Ex or UPS Truck anywhere they think it's their "Cookie Pals" and are disappointed when they don't stop for them (LOL). But having 4 at the top of the stairs I hardly get "un-invited" door knockers any more. (YEAH!)

Of course there is an advantage to being a retired Police Officer is, if someone is stupid enough to try and get in the house, it won't be the Newf's they have to worry about, it will be Sig, and it's .45 caliber brothers that they should be wary of.

 

[TerriW]

Neat thread.

I always let Ben come to the door with me, and put my hand on his collar, and of course he pulls to try to go out and greet the people at the door. I make a show of pulling him back and call "I'm not sure how long I can hold him - but what do you want??" Once they tell me they're there to sell something or whatever it is, I tell them, "Sorry - not interested - can't hold this guy any longer!" and shut the door.

 

[soccerbabiesmama]

Of course there is an advantage to being a retired Police Officer is, if someone is stupid enough to try and get in the house, it won't be the Newf's they have to worry about, it will be Sig, and it's .45 caliber brothers that they should be wary of.[/QUOTE]

This cracked me up! Our newf is certainly the deterrent, but my 12 gauge is the equalizer.

The guy asked my husband "Is she friendly," to which Mike responded, "Friendly isn't her job." We leave the head high paw prints on our glass storm door also

I just love hearing everyone's stories!

 

[AngusMcDubhsMom]

]


The guy asked my husband "Is she friendly," to which Mike responded, "Friendly isn't her job." We leave the head high paw prints on our glass storm door also

I just love hearing everyone's stories!

I'm going to use that one, if I may! :lol:

 

[Newfobsessed]

Dogs have incredible instinct, don't they?

I couldn't agree more!! These stories prove it.

I had a man deliver sod and mushroom soil to my house. I went out to meet him, and while we were talking my back was to my house, and he was facing my house. We were going over different prices and all of a sudden he turned pale, backed up and said "Holy s---!"). I looked behind me, and Gabriel had managed to put his head and front legs thru my side window screen, so he was almost hanging out of the window. I ran into the house to let me out to meet the man. Once he did that, he was fine...he just did not like this stranger being so close to his Mom and him not being able to protect me.

Once when I was walking him and my boxer, a man in a pickup had to stop in the middle of the road to look at them and tell me, " No one is breaking into your house." Amen to that!!

 

[mrs big dogs]

When I lived in Ohio and the JW came by I would just open my door and lets my newfies out to go and say Hi ,all it took was one time and they never came by again, I guess they did not like all the slime...............

 

[maggiesmomma]

I love the fact that Maggie Moo has a different bark for different people. If she has had the pleasure of giving them a full on sniffing shake down, she will bark as if to say "Hey, you came to see me! Wanna come in and play? Or, I could walk with you...whatever works best for you!" Now if it is someone she doesnt know, she will deepen and increase the power of her bark. I hear it as,"Get the hell out of here! This is my yard...street...NEIGHBORHOOD! Yeah, thats right, its all MINE! DONT MAKE ME COME OUT THERE!!!!!!" I get a kick out of watching the different reactions. The people who know her, smile, wave and continue their walk. The ones who dont quicken their pace and watch the window the entire time. Pretty sure they are finding religion and praying she doesnt come out to escort them out of the area! Man I love my dog!!!!