[dogsavvy]

My husband left to go play pool. It's Friday night & this is normal. Normally I'd be at the movie theatre but since the pandemic & having to wear a mask in the theatre, I stay home. Since I hurt my ankle, I'm still propping it up & icing it. I had a big thick blanket on & the two Chihuahuas were on my lap. I heard the back door make a sound (our back door is a glass slider & there is a distinct sound it makes when sliding. I thought maybe my husband forgot something but Mr. Layne attacked. He hit the door & I heard an unfamiliar voice say something & I heard our back gate rattle. I struggled to get to my feet but the back door was ever so slightly open (maybe just enough to stick a piece of mail through) & the back gate was wide open. I got to the window in time to see tail lights as a dark vehicle of some kind turned. I am ever so thankful that the dogs were in the house but there is no way this person couldn't see the light on in the living room or the tv on. I took the dogs by the collar & went out to close the gate & secure it. Mr. Layne has been a growly & serious boy until he was absolutely certain the threat was gone.

Called police & a nice officer came to do a premises check & my husband came home to check on me. It's okay boys, I've got this but it's quite unsettling.

This was not a test. I'd feel better if it had been but this was not a training exercise. What kind of moron goes into a home with a fence like we've got in the back yard & all these dogs? What kind of insane person goes into a home with the light & tv going & a car in the drive? I'm glad, thanks to my awesome Mr. Layne, I didn't have to meet this nutball

 

[For Want of Poodle]

Good boy, Mr. Layne! How scary for you, and how bizarre.

 

[Raindrops]

Wow great job Mr. Layne! So glad you were kept safe by his good instincts.

 

[Liz]

Good job, Mr. Layne! Whew, that's an ordeal for a Friday night. Glad you're safe, Savvy. Give Mr. Layne some extra pets from me tonight.

 

[PeggyTheParti]

Good boy, Mr. Layne!! And hugs to you. What a scare.

 

[Dechi]

What a good boy !

 

[Michigan Gal]

Well, they guarded the Kings of France. Just as important as you.

 

[Skylar]

Scary. I know you bought Mr Layne for his guardian behavior and he demonstrated in spades. Good boy.

 

[cowpony]

Freaky! What did your schnauzer have to say about the situation?

 

[dogsavvy]

Thanks everyone.

Mr. Layne has been watching me like a hawk. My Giant was asleep. When I heard the door slide, I sat up & the Giant came to her feet & was in motion. Mr. Layne was closest to the door & leaped to act & the Giant came in behind him but my Poodle was full of fire. My Collie was in it but she was puzzled by the fact that normally the Giant leads the charge but this was Mr. Layne's first time leading the charge. So my big girls have been on me, constant touching since this happened. Mr Layne is still looking for the person. Puffed up & patrolling. I catch him sitting there & he's silent but won't take his eyes off me. When my husband got home it was like 5 dogs sighed. Mr. Layne let me hug him & kiss without his, "awwww Mom, really" with a little tail wag. Tonight he is stoic & Mom can do anything so long as he's certain I'm okay. I've had just a few dogs in my life watch me like that. I am glad that he loves me. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of the door with him.

 

[Retro Chick]

Thanks everyone.

Mr. Layne has been watching me like a hawk. My Giant was asleep. When I heard the door slide, I sat up & the Giant came to her feet & was in motion. Mr. Layne was closest to the door & leaped to act & the Giant came in behind him but my Poodle was full of fire. My Collie was in it but she was puzzled by the fact that normally the Giant leads the charge but this was Mr. Layne's first time leading the charge. So my big girls have been on me, constant touching since this happened. Mr Layne is still looking for the person. Puffed up & patrolling. I catch him sitting there & he's silent but won't take his eyes off me. When my husband got home it was like 5 dogs sighed. Mr. Layne let me hug him & kiss without his, "awwww Mom, really" with a little tail wag. Tonight he is stoic & Mom can do anything so long as he's certain I'm okay. I've had just a few dogs in my life watch me like that. I am glad that he loves me. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of the door with him.

That is really sweet. What a scary situation! I’ve always been thankful that standard poodles have deep barks.

 

[LadyLucy]

Good boy! Get him some treats. Our female rarely barks, when she does its stranger danger. She loves people, but if you are close to the back yard and snooping around she cuts loose. I know the type of bark and it always means someone is around. It may just be a delivery or a meter reader, but I praise her. Now that we have the pup, I’m sure she will mentor him.

 

[ttownjayne]

I'm so grateful you are all okay! That is really scary. Mr Layne earned his keep for sure. They are amazing creatures.

 

[Asta's Mom]

Good job Mr Layne. Asta too has a deep loud bark that is reserved for a danger warning - even if the alert is for the UPS man. Glad that you are safe - frightening situation.

 

[Johanna]

Well done!, Mr. Layne. Yes, a standard poodle is usually a really great and sensible guard dog. I'll never forget coming back to our Volkswagon bus one day to find blood on the front passenger window where someone had tried to reach in and open the door not realizing that there was a big black standard poodle lying between the seats! The dog was in full show trim, so the would-be thief probably thought he had been attacked by a baboon! On a different occasion we found the back door of the VW bus standing open and a smiley, smiley standard poodle sitting just inside. There are not foo-foo dogs!

 

[dogsavvy]

One of my husband's friends stopped by the house today. I noticed the dogs were stone silent but you could almost feel the charge in the air. Not anxiety but like warriors. I called out to my tribe, "It's okay, friend." The little ones finally relaxed a tad, the working dogs not so much. Like a state of readiness. I understand this & I've worked with a lot of dogs who have endured far worse. I just hate it that their peace was messed with but what a peace of mind it brings to know my boy is ready to take his place on the work line. I also pray that's the most "action" he ever sees. He was calm as could be with our visitor but the switch is there & a little touchy right now.

We were talking about it & in hindsight I wonder if it was more than one person. I don't mean at my door. I suspect by the distance they were able to put between our house & the turn in the drive that someone must've been in the car waiting & when the person at the door hauled butt back to the car it's the only way I think they could have gotten so far. If I'm wrong than that is one fast human being. I mean I'm slow but to haul out, get in the car, put it in gear & take off does take a little time.

 

[Countryboy]

It sounds like Mr. Layne is teaching the whole pack a fun, new game.

 

[Fenris-wolf]

I'm glad you're okay. That's really scary. Great job Mr. Layne and everyone else!!

 

[jacqueline]

Thanks for sharing that story, Dogsavvy. Basically, the same thing happened to us! Sophie sleeps in our bedroom, and about 4:00 in the morning she leaped off of the window seat and flew across the room barking. She ran toward the front door and stood there barking using terrible sounds that I've never heard before -- like a german shepherd guard dog. Frightening barks/growls/snarls, very loud and very aggressive. By the time I got to the front door the intruder had gone, and had left the door unlocked. ( A quick retreat!) I only saw the tail lights of the vehicle as it drove away. Sophie was not the same dog for many weeks. Each night she would scout the house (check the rooms) and then sleep right at the front door. I'm sure she would have attacked if the intruder hadn't retreated. Folks, we are SAFE because we have standard poodles. What an experience.

 

[Jilly SummerSunset]

Thanks everyone.

Mr. Layne has been watching me like a hawk. My Giant was asleep. When I heard the door slide, I sat up & the Giant came to her feet & was in motion. Mr. Layne was closest to the door & leaped to act & the Giant came in behind him but my Poodle was full of fire. My Collie was in it but she was puzzled by the fact that normally the Giant leads the charge but this was Mr. Layne's first time leading the charge. So my big girls have been on me, constant touching since this happened. Mr Layne is still looking for the person. Puffed up & patrolling. I catch him sitting there & he's silent but won't take his eyes off me. When my husband got home it was like 5 dogs sighed. Mr. Layne let me hug him & kiss without his, "awwww Mom, really" with a little tail wag. Tonight he is stoic & Mom can do anything so long as he's certain I'm okay. I've had just a few dogs in my life watch me like that. I am glad that he loves me. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of the door with him.

Savvy, jeepers! 🐩🐾🐾. I told ya SPOOs are under-rated at certain tasks. When I went on a girls weekend with my mother-in-law and her Chihuahua and myself and my Beanie (she was about 8 mos. at the time) to Maine for 4 days, I saw what is available for traits in the SPOO. I was asleep and Beanie was sleeping wrapped over my head sharing my pillow. I woke to her growling. I heard my motger-in-law talk to her. She said, "I'm not going to hurt mommy, but I need to tell her that she needs to get up." I sat up and my mother-in-law was just standing in the doorway to the room. My mother-in-law said to me, "oh, she's protective of you!" ❤🐩❤ They bark like a "big" dog too and people respect their reserved, cautious with strangers, mattitudes 😁.