Dogs are loyal creatures that become more than just our pets, they’re part of our families. You can rely on them for snuggles, kisses, and to come running at mealtime. But ask yourself, do you think your four-legged friend would actually protect you from a home intruder?
Many people undoubtedly believe their dog would defend them if ever someone were to break in and be on the attack – yet, would that really happen?
Inside Edition decided to test several pooches to see how they’d react if their owners were being assaulted by a stranger. What they discovered is quite interesting, and the footage is too!
The internet is flooded with stories of hero canines that have come to the rescue in dangerous situations. Yet, home security cameras have also captured scenes of dogs acting, well, not so brave.
In Minneapolis, a robber kicked in the front door of one home that had two huge dogs. But instead of going into protection mode, they quickly fled. A similar situation occurred in Philadelphia for a smaller dog, yet, it didn’t bolt until a glass plate was thrown.
Three different pet owners wanted to know if their dogs would step in during a violent attack. With the help of Inside Edition, a fake intruder experiment was set up in each of their homes.
Michelle Kellaher from Irvington, New York owns a yellow Lab named Perry. While they have a loving relationship, she wasn’t quite sure if Perry would be her rescuer if needed.
Experts Michael D’Abruzzo and Nate Bonilla from K9-1 Specialized Dog Training were brought in for the test. As Michelle sat on the couch, Bonilla burst through the door wearing all black and went into “attack-mode.”
Michelle screamed out for Perry while trying to “defend herself” from the assailant. So, did the pooch jump in to save her?
No. Perry tucked her tail and went heading for the front door! D’Abruzzo explained that it’s a reaction called ‘flight’ – so in other words – she did not ‘fight.’
Kevin Peterson from Cortland Manor wanted the same experiment conducted in his home. Only instead of a Labrador, he owns a pit bull/Lab mix named Ruby.
The pet owner felt pretty confident that Ruby would jump in and bite if a violent scenario were to arise. But still, he was curious to find out for sure.
Kevin too was sitting on his couch when Bonilla came in and pretended to assault him. Despite having some pit bull in her – Ruby’s reaction wasn’t what some might predict. She ran up close to the pair, but instead of biting, she then took off into the other room.
D’Abruzzo had some news to break to Kevin. He explained:
“Ruby was curious; she was worried about you, but she was not willing to take on the attacker. Sorry, Kevin. Ruby is a wimp.”
Ellen Eikamp from Scarsdale was the final person to be part of Inside Edition’s investigation. She owned two smaller dogs, Frodo and Dobby.
During Ellen’s staged attack, she too screamed out pretending that she was terrified. That’s when the duo of canines came running in to save the day.
Frodo immediately tried to get in between the burglar and Ellen. Once he did, he then practiced a technique referred to as “splitting,” where he worked to back the bad guy out of the room. Surprisingly, the little Chihuahua didn’t flee either.
Hopefully, you’ll never have to find out whether or not your dog would protect you during a home invasion. The experiment goes to show though, that you probably shouldn’t 100% rely on the idea. Simply enjoy them for all their other amazing qualities instead!
Watch the video below to see the entire fascinating experiment for yourself. Frodo and Dobby deserve some extra treats, that’s for sure!
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