This morning, I was awake by 5:20am. I listened to the radio for a while (doesn't disturb my snoring husband!) and then I got up to take Jasmine outside. It was still pretty dark out at 5:45 am, so hard to see people outside. Some guy was running down the street and past our house. Jasmine, who was minding her own business, noticed him, moved closer to me and barked just a small bark. Then just watched him run by. There were no hackles or anything and I think the bark was just an acknowledgement that he was there.

She was pretty calm about the whole thing. Our other dog hated having people on "her" sidewalk!

During the day, Jasmine watches people quietly. I think she was more concerned because the guy was running and because it was still pretty dark out.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 05:58 am:

Sounds like a nice dog Dawn. My dogs will freak out over nothing and bark until we let them out to see it is nothing. Then when they should bark they don't bother. Drives DH nuts. LOL But oh well... Glad she is working out so well.

By Cat on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 07:37 am:

That's great! Our dog is a big dog trapped inside a little dog's body. He will bark at and take on (if you let him) anything. We'll go for walks and he goes nuts whenever we go by other people's houses with dogs. Now mind you, Lucky is only about 16lbs and he'll try to go after 150lb dogs! We just hold his leash tight and tell him, "Lucky, you'd be a Scooby snack for that dog!" LOL

By Bellajoe on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 07:42 am:

aww, what a good dog Jasmine is! It's nice that she didn't go crazy, but just went with the warning bark instead. She sounds like a good watch dog.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 07:57 am:

It's a cattledog trait. They are protective of their masters and their master's property.

She barks like crazy for other dogs, but seems to control it for people.

By Rayanne on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 08:59 am:

What a great dog. I want a dog like that oneday. Mine is only 3 pounds and LOVES everyone.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 09:06 am:

We have a fenced yard, and Kali spends a lot of time in the back yard (her choice! LOL). She barks whenever people walk on the sidewalk, even if they are across the street. She won't bark at my neighbors, especially their kids, because they go to the fence and talk to her and pet her and play with her.

And, it's funny to me, but she seems to *recognize* who's knocking on the door. If one of the kid's friends who she *knows* knocks, she's fine with that. But if a *stranger* knocks, she goes ballistic! She's my protector dog!

You can certainly tell the difference in their barks, if they feel threatened, or if they're just barking to say *hello*, can't you??

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 02:53 pm:

Yes, I can tell the difference in her barks. I could with Honey, too.

By Cocoabutter on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 06:10 pm:

My dog is a protector as well. She knows who we trust. She always gets excited when people walk their dogs past our house, and when the dog across the street barks, she always has to go see what's up. (But that dog barks a lot.) And when dh and ds and I horse around, she always gets excited trying to "protect" one of us. She knows we are just playing, but she gets so wound up!