Indeed, there’s a Prince Valiant strip where they augment the defenses with geese.
My late, great black lab lived with Ex and I for four years before Ex became a terrible person and Doggie and I moved out. One night the Ex came over to my new digs to stir up some trouble and Doggie placed himself between us and went at her with fangs drawn, ready to kill. He didn’t actually bite, but scared Ex enough that she didn’t ever try that again.
Of my three current dogs, I know that my shepherd mix would defend me to her death; she is attached to me by an invisible heart-string and has, a few times, proven that she thinks her job is to ward off mean dogs and people. The lab probably would if it didn’t disturb one of her scheduled naps; the Border collie . . . she’s quite territorial and scared one of my neighbors who tried to catch her when the little rat escaped from the backyard (growling and some teeth display). Still, I think while she might herd someone threatening, dunno about the kill factor.
Hey! I still have scars.
I love that thread. Comparing a dog’s protective growl to an IRS audit is a hysterical combination.