Ooops, Always remember to invite someone in.

Since Storm and Jake attacked a burglar a few years ago they always untrusted veiw of anyone in the house or garden If not been invited, cos of this Star as picked it up and Skye to. The two labs would not bite but do have a bark that would scare the most hardend robber.

So today I hear a knock at the door and its the old woman(80s) from a few doors down wanting some teabags as she had run out, so I say i will get them, she says she will wait inside the door because of the rain, notice how I have not invited her, yes so did the dogs (2 anyway) So when in the kitchen I hear both labs going mental, The old woman had come from where she was waiting into the living room to be met by Star and Skye, Jake the one who if you asked me would be worse I would have said him was the best.

She just said to them shut up I am going, and when she had they went back to their beds where they were to begin with like nothing had happend.

Now i have mixed feelings about this, on the plus side I know they will protect the house when I am not here, they are quick to calm down and Jake knew she was not a threat. On the minus side Star and Skye did not guess she was not a threat, annoyed at myself for forgeting to invite her in and most of all its the first time I have seen them "nasty" looking and I did not like it one little bit. I am just glad the the woman is fine with my dogs and said her old dog was worse than mine and she had 3 different coal men stop coming to her old house.

Phil, My own opinion is that I would not be worried, in fact I think you can be very pleased with your dogs.
Why should Star & Skye 'know' she wasn't a threat?
It's like when you go out the door, they have no way of knowing when you'll return.
They didn't actually attack the lady did they!
Like you i would have been annoyed with myself for 'forgeting' the formal invite to come in (but these things happen sometimes).
In these times it seems to me crime is a bigger problem than it used to be (OK I acknowledge there's always been burglars etc.) so having dogs like yours should be a huge satisfaction and means you don't have to worry when you're not there.

Personnely i like a dog to bark ,and gemma has an excellent bark,as you've discribed things i would'nt be worried ,as you say no one was hurt ,jake knew (wise dog )that this lady was'nt a threat ,and i reckon the others did too ,otherwise surly it would have taken them longer o re settle,i dont know how gemma ,would react to a burgler,but going by her reaction to children climbing the tree that over looks our garden i would say rather noisily ,at least she would raise the alarm ,even if she only licked them to death ,once they were in

They say that the only dog you need to worry about is the silent one so if they're making a lot of noise they probably wouldn't actually do much harm to a dog or person if that's what you are worried about.

I agree with you Olly although if anyone broke into ours they might get knocked out by a solid head connecting quickly to their bottom jaw before the licking to death commenced

I agree with elmac. My JR never used to bark but he would attack anyone who came in through the door or garden without being introduced. It's always the quiet ones!

Well mine are the opposite, they will bark at strangers outside, as soon as they enter the house they are all over them, tob butt slams them for a rub.
If a dog was quite when i entered an house, without showing anything i would be more worried.

OO i miss being protected by my dog, Meg who passed away six weeks ago would just have to give the look and that was often enough for some people, but i always felt so very safe with her around....my Lab would lick an intruder to death and the collie would hide under the bed .

china just rolls over or starts licking them to death!!

Only Maddy really barks at visitors, but then again, she does make up for the other 2 when she does.

Charlie will bark sometimes at complete strangers but usually just wants fusses when he realises they are not a threat so it's usually very shortlived.

I like her to bark at strangers but not so much friends and family, although if it isn't someone she 'knows' well (my brother, my mum, e.t.c) she will go mad. She will bark at EVERYONE until she has seen who it is, and if someone she deems ok she will shut up. If not she will bark for the duration. I do, however, like to know i'd be protected in the event of an intruder, and I have no doubts about that.