Watch dog age

I wouldn't worry so much. I think these guys just have a good judge of character and great timing! Chi hardly ever barks when somebody knocks on the door - Petri, the Chihuahua barks enough for both of them! But, not too long ago, I had the chain on the front door but must have forgotten the deadbolt, somebody tried to open the door. I wasn't able to sleep and was walking down the stairs around 3 in the am, the front door was right in front of us at the bottom of the stairs. Chi was beside me (like every good and true Dobe, she is my constant shadow). The door opened a crack, she flew past me screaming and hit the door hard. Whoever it was took off, I grabbed her collar and opened the door but it was dark and I didn't see anybody. She was on guard and paced for about 30 min but then was fine and crashed out beside me on the sofa.
I live right across the street from the base NCO club, pretty much all of my neighbors have stories about one drunk guy or another stumbling into their house thinking they were home. Heaven help me if I ever forget to put the chain on or lock the door and some poor drunk schmuck thinks to stumble in here!

Listen if someone is bearing food, Java will lead them to the family jewels! She startled me with her 'big guard dog' bark when she was about 8 mos old - until then she didn't really react to the FedEx guy, but then suddenly out came this low growl and a warning bark, the hackles even stood up on her shoulders. I was so proud! (hehehehe)

The charcter judgement is dead on - as long as we give the 'stranger' approval, then they are welcomed into 'her' pack. I think if she sensed that I was nervous or upset or threatened in any way, then heaven help them!

This past August she cornered a cricket in the corner of the family room - ears were up and the low growl was following by several short barks. She was on high alert - didn't matter that the 'intruder' was just an insect. She wanted me to know that the perimeter had been breached. Good to know that when she reacts this way that there is a reason for it and she's not just barking out of boredom. And isn't that the reason I chose this breed in the first place??

Watch dog is the term I like best, because they seem to watch everything. My little delicate flower started showing signs of this about a year old, but they really did not become apparent until she was 2 years old. She is really territorial around the house, inside and out. She needs to be checking out things on a regular basis. She doen't bark at the door bell unless we aren't coming fast enough to see who it is. It like she needs to tells us someone is at the door. When we go to the door, she just doing her circling around until we open it.

At around a year old, a friend off mine came over and walked into my basement door without being let in by me. Even though Nikita knew him, prior they were best of buds thing, she went into intruder alert and stopped him a few feet in the doorway. The growling, snarling, showing him her pearly whites, sorta of thing. I had to get him to go back out and I let him back in and Nikita was fine with this. She greeted him with a wiggly butt and showering him with kisses. She knew who was supposed to be in the house and who should not be. Not to say, he was a little unnervered by the whole ordeal.

They will turn it on when needed, other wise they are the goofy, bouncy bundle of joy we come to expect. I did a really stupid test about a few months ago, just to see how far my girl will take it. Lets say I came to terms that I might have to go to the hospital after this test. With the help of Mrs Kratty, even though she thought I was so stupid to do this, She took Nikita out for a regular out trip one evening. I was hiding in a darkened part of the yard as they came out. Once I started to make my way to them, while still in the darkened area, Nikita caught noticed and immediately went into intruder alert. Growling, barking and snarling, she honned in on me. Now the really stupid part, I had Mrs Kratty drop the leash. Nikita immediately ran at me, like the dobermans we see in the movies. She got to about 6 feet from me and just stopped and continued to bark and growl. Each time I moved, she postioned herself between me and Mrs Kratty and continued to warn me not to come any closer. Now that was intense. After a few minutes of pressing my luck, we stopped this once I called out her name and she recognized me. So the guard dog tag fits very nicely to me. She didn't attack immediately, but gave me a very intense warning in this situation.

I really think this guys will rise to the situation was necessary and when the need presents itself. Its like having two dobermans in my family, the goofy affectionate one that loves to cuddle with me on the floor and my guard dog. Watch for the subtle signs of the protectiveness they exhibit, its there. Just because there aren't signs of the guard dog present at all times, doesn't mean its not going to happen. They seem to knew when they need to turn it on.