# Friendly dogs make poor guard dogs?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friendly-dogs-make-poor-guard-dogs/486564>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 19, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friendly-dogs-make-poor-guard-dogs/486564 "2009-02-19T16:49:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\
**Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friendly-dogs-make-poor-guard-dogs/486564/21 "2009-02-20T22:49:19Z")

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Yep. Outside = Bad. If we let someone in = OK. But if we don’t open the door all the way or let them in through the garage, he doesn’t like it.

Except for when the cops came over with the swat team. He HATED that! Cops wouldn’t come in the door till he was locked up. TIGHT.

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/friendly-dogs-make-poor-guard-dogs/486564/22 "2009-02-21T16:10:35Z")

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> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#):
>
> If this pup would bark if anyone tried to break in, then that would wake you and be warning. Plus you never know what a dog is going to do if someone starts to rough up someone the dog loves

True.

I was down on all fours one day play-wrestling with one of my labs. My other lab who was laying on the couch watching all this go down; jumps up, barks and nips the other dog in the snout. I guess she thought she was protecting me.  
In my experience, German shepherds and labs have always been a good balance between guard dog and good with kids.

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