Does your dog protect you?! Or does he look for YOU for protection?!

Max definitely has  the "watch dog" thing backwards. He'd let absolutely anyone in the house or yard as long as they scratched his ears, but if anything unpleasant should occur, it's my job to protect him. That's OK - he's a keeper.

Joyce

Gypsy can and HAS protected me before. She is quite capable and takes the job of guarding VERY seriously.

Kirby will protect me as long as the thing in question is either running away or at least 3 feet away.  He is such a scardy cat and will run right behind me if he thinks anything is actually going to come after him like the duck in our yard that could tell he was all talk.  Definitely a dog who's bark is worse than his bite. >_>

Charlie is only on 'gaurd mode' when Im not there. xP Hammer Head is protective of me to a point where I have to stop him, he feels the need to put hisself between me and every single dog we meet and usualy lets out a low growl. Were still working on that. I know if I was in trouble frankie would definaly come to my aid.

Joe? I dont know, hes pretty mellow. I think he would rather stand aside and bark then help. heh

Penny tries to protect me, for the most part. When I was trying to entice her into the water before she was a swimmer by standing in the lake, she actually ran off, presumably looking for help. She was very agitated. She was all for running off for help when I was making friends with some horses I found in the bush one day, too. Penny hates horses and has a deep mistrust for anything vaguely equine (it was the donkeys that chased her when she was a puppy). A couple of times I've screamed when someone has been tickling me and she's come rushing over to stand over me (somehow, given her height), and she'll do the same if Jill knocks me over and climbs all over me.  

Kobi is protective of me around strange dogs. People, never. He is really good about meeting a new dog unless that dog comes running up to me over excited and starts jumping up. Kobi then puts himself between me and the dog and will growl and even snap if the dog does not back away. I am quite sure he senses my fear. I am not afraid of the dog but I know I tense because I am concerned at Kobi's response. It is something I have to work on. If the dog approachs me calmly, with all 4 paws on the ground it is not an issue.  

Maddie definately would want protection lol. Zack I am unsure about

My old dog we had, Goliath, was 100% protector, he would let no one in the house that he didn't know.  And although he was \absolutely lovable, he would sound very very very mean.  He did protect me when I was a little younger from two men while I was walking him :D 

I hope they would protect me. We haven't really been in that kind of situation. I did have a neighbor that Kaiser didn't like. He acted very out of character whenever i saw this guy. He would pull/lunge, spike his hair, and growl. And this is coming from a dog that will bring any stranger that comes into my house a ball!

I hope mine would protect me also but I think the only one I would put my money on would be Cheyanne. Lillie I'm sure would run away or be so far away from me in the first place that it wouldnt matter. Kujo well just look at her. Who is gonna be afraid of a 2 lb dog? And Ginger she would most likely just want to lick whoever/whatever it is hurting me.

Now when it comes to Samantha I think Lillie would do a better job with her. I noticed the other day when we were visiting a neighbor with a huge pond she was standing next to Samantha as she played in the dirt. Lillie kept coming to me and looking at me when Samantha was getting closer to the pond. I told Samantha to come back up to me so she did and I saw Lillie relax. Even the neighbor noticed how Lillie was worried over Samantha and the pond.

I noticed when we are out walking and a car comes Cheyanne will get between us (Samantha and me) and the car. Even if she is a good distance away she will come running to stand between the car and us when she hears one coming. 

 Now Lillie and Kujo look to me for protection if their not certain about another dog.

Dakota - nope, she wouldn't protect me. She has no guardian instincts. She does look to me for protection against the aussies sometimes. Neiko can get a little persistent with her and if he doesn't listen to her "leave me alone" signals, she comes running to me to get him away from her.

Neiko and Lily both have really good guardian instincts. I have no doubt that they would protect me. They also look to me for reassurance sometimes though too.
 

In my situation, the answer is both. My older dog Buddy for example: When we are on walks, and are approached by a loose dog I am the one who is the protector...I am the one who makes a scene to the approaching dog making it clear he/she is not to get near us.  In that regard, Buddy knows I am protecting.  He stands behind me and lets me take care of the situation.

However, when we are sitting outside relaxing and he sees or hears neighbors working or he hears a noise of some kind, he is the protector...showing signs of great interest, sometimes growling and barking.

Heidi is another story...she is the protector. 

Gracie, my Golden, is a laid back dog; but I believe she would protect me if the situation arose.  My daughter and SIL came to our yard when Gracie and I were all the way in the back.  Gracie went running and barking until she realized who it was.  Gracie never acts like this.  In fact, I pay attention when Gracie barks in the yard. 

I believe my middle Westie, Treasure, would try to protect me.  She just seems as if she is very protective of me when something unusual is happening--she is right there in the middle of it.   Now the two other Westies, Belle and Olivia, would just want to play if it were a person.  Olivia would come running to me for protection.  If it were somehing besides a person, Belle would probably try to protect me also.

    I have one male Beagle that I know would protect me; he's done it before. He's a bit more aloof than most, but is very attached at the apron strongs (lol) to me. This dog waits for me to let him know someone is ok before he'll either accept or ignore them. At one time he was quite outgoing and would throw himself on visitors, but doesn't do that since he's had to protect me. My firs Beagle was like that ... she could be off the walls outgoing and loved to meet new people ... but she had the sense to know when the need arose for protection.
     As for the other hounds - forget it! If another person or dog was threatening me, they'd go off with their tails between their legs, lol. I have one bitch who probably wouldn't take crap from other dogs, but people, no, she's too trusting to be protective. Not sure about the mutt - he's a flake & would probably pee on himself