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break in attempt tonight

Nik

Well-Known Member
Wow! That is super scary. I am super happy your pups were there to be protective and intimidating.

Also love the pictures!
 

teodora

Well-Known Member
So glad your OK and your babies protected you . It is always unreal the first time you see them like that and I'm sure they must reverse it . It's like they know who's to go where in an instant . The first time my 3 did it is was in shock and I'm sure you will be too. My 3 did similar 2 near me budcuss upfront until another one came near gandalf then moved forward amazing now I think again.
Please take care keep them close and be safe.

Yep I was same surprised with my dogs pack dynamics or more surprised than the actual break in. First I thought who would be so stupid to break in a house with Jack, let alone the girls. Secondly, I can't get it how he jumped straight from deep sleep in full attack mode in no time at all. And silently. He didn't make a sound until he reached the glass and knew he can't get to the guy. Also, I didn't expect Jack to come back at my feet when called (he is not good with recall). He did. The neos were statues in place. They do protect the place they have their butt on, and God forgive if anyone trespass it. They didn't make one step towards the guy.

All of them looked two times bigger than they are. Even Sophia!!! I so never saw the mastiff in her - she's a kitty!
Jack looked the most scary one, though, with all the gums and teeth visible and doing all the show. I looked more at him, stunned, than at the actual thief!!!! Like where the heck did this creature from hell came from...

And seconds later, switch back, like nothing happened! Wiggly, wiggly butt, my sweet doggies back home.
 

teodora

Well-Known Member
I spent all night thinking I am an idiot who doesn't know her dogs... honestly. It scared the shit out of ME, let alone the thief. I'm very grateful though - thinking about it, the guys had all the clues there someone home and could probably even see me on the phone, and didn't bother, still got in. That's not the usual "break, take and run" stuff.

Looking at Jack sleeping belly up in the middle of the bed, and very happy with the outcome, I knew they're not gonna be back, but still... It could go SO wrong without them!

Now that I recall details.. it was very sweet that they went to check on Elise in her bedroom after the guys left, and then went to sleep. Just to make sure the pack is all ok...:)
 

teodora

Well-Known Member
Good Dogs!!!

...I'm afraid Denna might sleep through it all.... but, no one's gotten that close, that I know of.

You don't know until you see it...
I also didn't see Sophia join any "trouble", she's the one that gets her feelings hurt when the others are playing rough. If I tell Jack off, Jack won't care and Sophia will be offended and go on her bed. She's a flower. Now my Sophia took the mastiff stance... lol. Never guessed she has it in her.

They basically jumped up from sleep with no clue: I could not hear or feel anything. Not sure they did hear, smell something or just pure instinct...
 

Elana P

Well-Known Member
You don't know until you see it...
I also didn't see Sophia join any "trouble", she's the one that gets her feelings hurt when the others are playing rough. If I tell Jack off, Jack won't care and Sophia will be offended and go on her bed. She's a flower. Now my Sophia took the mastiff stance... lol. Never guessed she has it in her.

They basically jumped up from sleep with no clue: I could not hear or feel anything. Not sure they did hear, smell something or just pure instinct...
 

Elana P

Well-Known Member
Their hearing is so SO much better than ours, and once they hear a sound that shouldn't be, that's when instinct kicks in, and they immediately react.

As people, we wake up, our brain foggy with sleep, then stop and think.... what did we hear, did we hear anything at all, or was it just our imagination? Could it be a danger, or maybe nothing at all.... Should we go see, or just go back to sleep because it's probably nothing at all....

And there lies the difference.

Have you considered some sort of pretty decorative bars for your glass doors?
There are some very attractive options out there.

20170104_000134.jpg 20170104_000134.jpg 20170104_000134.jpg
 

glen

Super Moderator
Staff member
No one knows how there dogs are going to react until it happens, we didn't, I used to think they would get so wound up that they would fight between themselves, I was shocked amazed and proud all at once, when I had chance to sit and think it was like my boys had reversed what to do in the situation. Gandalf stayed near me until 2 came then he went forward with bud cuss. And gollom is a softie but my God he wasn't that day. All 3 did exactly as I said just like yours did. But as Glen as trained me so many times by saying it's the tone of voice lol.but it's true.
Keep letting us know your OK I know I was nervous a while after so I guess you will be on high alert too. And be proud of yourself it's you that's raised those beautiful well balanced fur babies..take care
 

dpenning

Well-Known Member
That looks like a back porch? Glad the pups did their job. My EM put paws up on a glass door once when hubs came to the door wearing a black plastic trash bag because he was out walking the land in the rain. Daisy was not impressed at all but we sure were! He stripped off the bag and she recognized him but they an certainly make a point. Glad it ended well. I agree about notifying the authorities, especially if this is a back porch, no reason for them to be there!
 

PippatheMastiff

Well-Known Member
Pippa's been very aggressive to visitors since 6 months old. She flies to the door, barking, and won't let me near the door until she's figured out who it is. Someone she knows and she starts wiggling around can't wait for door to open. Someone she doesn't know and it takes a few minutes for me to call her off and get near door. Perhaps because I live alone and not a lot of traffic in and out. When we're on a walk, she's very friendly unless she doesn't like the looks then she gets between me and said person and growls low until we're past them, watching all along. I imagine if they tried to touch me, she would attack. Never taught her any of that but it's good. She's not Aggressive at all with other dogs or people. Just once that happened on a walk and the guy gave her an ugly look.


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MastiffMillie

Well-Known Member
Millie still wants to see everyone we walk past at the moment and is not suspicious of anyone yet! On the other hand, Mollie, our late DDB, would huff and puff quietly at people she deemed suspicious (usually male hat wearers) when out walking with me in the dark. She didn't so much with husband. And if we were out with the kids and stopped to talk to people she didn't know, she would always place herself in between the people and the kids, without the people really noticing. Not aggressively, but always in between. We often wondered how she'd react if we had an intruder or attacked when out and laughed that she'd lick them to death as she was a huge softie. But looking back, those protective signs were always there so I think said intruder would certainly have regretted coming into our house!!


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PippatheMastiff

Well-Known Member
Yeah Pippa's not aggressive outside, more like assertive. She sees kids or other dogs and she wants to play! But I would say she's aggressive in the house. Even if someone knocks on door on tv she goes ballistic. She's starting to calm more quickly now though. I say it's ok, good girl, and scratch her back. She settles right down.


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teodora

Well-Known Member
those bars look really nice. Can't have them here as I am renting - I look at having them at my new house, though.
I also thought of having either very thick see through plexiglass or a form of shock resistant glass - my main worry is them jumping on the glass and breaking it and getting hurt.

Jack does go straight to the door when someone's there and bars to call me - but it's not an aggressive bark, it's more like "look, someone's coming!". Then I either tell him C'rate" or I let him sniff the visitors, depending on how fearful they are. I don't let him around them if they're afraid, no need to stress people out. Girls are more reserved. Sophia comes to pet her when called. Luna doesn't get close to new people. She "huffs" sometimes and I tell her it's ok, girl.
I would've expected Luna to be first line of defense: it was Jack. They're all fixed now, so wasn't testosterone or anything.

I can't compare what I saw that night with normal Jack. He wasn't even barking - he was making sounds I've never heard before... There are posts on neighboring groups about recent aggravated burglaries, with thieves coming in the house regardless there owners were at home or not, and some horrific assaults, so I am so glad my pack protected us. It wasn't about the house at the end of the day, I couldn't care less about the house, it was us: my daughter and myself.

Usually, when Jack hears something at night, he sits in bed and listens. I've always found it funny to see how he moves his ears: like redirecting antennas.... Now he sprinted straight from deep sleep. So he must have gotten a really strong clue. Someone told me about mastiffs being lazy: "they don't seep. They WORK when you think they sleep." I couldn't agree more.
 

gilles

Well-Known Member
Yeah Pippa's not aggressive outside, more like assertive. She sees kids or other dogs and she wants to play! But I would say she's aggressive in the house. Even if someone knocks on door on tv she goes ballistic. She's starting to calm more quickly now though. I say it's ok, good girl, and scratch her back. She settles right down.


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that is how the dog should act ...this shows a stable and balanced temperanent
 

PippatheMastiff

Well-Known Member
Doesn't it feel good to know you're safe? Very few would be prepared for a confrontation like these wonderful dogs. Unless someone puts a hit out on me, I feel pretty safe.


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fila4me

Well-Known Member
Wow...so glad you and your daughter are ok. Big hugs to your pups on the good job.
It is amazing when you get to see them doing their job! Years ago when I lived alone and before kids, a guy tried to come in my house around 2am. My door was unlocked, I lived in the country and with 2 Filas, 3 Dogos, 2 springers, a Pit Bull and a Great pyrenees /Akita mix. So I was never nervous or felt the need, I also has a very pretty 45.
It was a warm spring night and I had my windows open. A low growl woke me up, it was my oldest Fila girl laying in the bed next to me with her head resting on the windowsill. Then I noticed my other Fila was in the hallway doing a low rumble. So I got up and one went in front and the other behind me, my youngest female Dogo slid off the bed and followed. They didn't make a sound. When I got to the foyer, all of the other dogs were standing at the door heads cocked and hackles raised. I could see the door knob jingle, it was a difficult door to open. I could hear a man's voice cussing as he tried his key. I slid in the kitchen with a Fila, Dogo and Pit Bull following me and called 911.
They were there in less than 3 mins and the guy was drunk, left the bar down the street and thought he was at his house. The cops knew me and my dogs and kept telling the guy how lucky he was!
It was so cool to watch them work as a team.
He came and apologized the next day and he got to see and hear all the dogs go crazy when I stepped on the porch. They were in the windows barking like crazy. He got very pale when he realized what could have happened if he had gotten in. Funny thing was, his wife was pissed! !
 

teodora

Well-Known Member
lol. I've seen mine - and they are not Filas - I can only imagine how your Filas reacted.... That man was a really stupid drunk.

That's scary, when they just don't make a noise or very low ones. They're clearly "hunting". And they have some unspoken pack rules, it's like each knew exactly their role the team without even looking at each other. It was really amazing, thinking about it.

Probably that's the difference between one dog and a pack: they do have a strategy.
 

fila4me

Well-Known Member
Lol, yes totally stupid!

The Filas are pretty cool and scary.
My current 2 work as a team protecting and patrolling my backyard when my little is out with then. It still amazes me after all these years with the breed.

The pack was very interesting to watch. The oldest Fila and Springer were the leaders and the others followed. They had their own language and signals to each other.
 

teodora

Well-Known Member
That's interesting... Jack is the oldest as well (few months, but still the oldest).
Luna is more of a "no nonsense" kind of dog, she's the biggest one and tough. And less friendly.

If anything, I would've expected her to go first. She did not. She took the same stance as Sophia. Maybe that's a Neo thing... They don't go for it: they wait...
 

al capone

Well-Known Member
Teodora,in New Zeland,if your dogs kill a thieft in your porche or garden.Do the police take you to jail ?