Confused and mixed emotions after strange situation

[chicatropical]

Me and my husband just opened up a pharmacy in a real bad neighborhood. We figured as all the good pharmacies are in other areas, people from here always have to drive and walk a long way to get up there, so since a few days we are open and I am glad that we have more clients every day passes by.

The shop has an office where I am mostly and my husband attends clients up front. I took my rottie with me the other day when I was alone for a few hours and she slept near me practically all the time. People kept on walking in and I attended them. She was laying on the floor in the back office with her head through the door looking at everyone that entered, real calm. In one ocasion she even said "hello" to someone she knew.

At the end of the day I opened the cash register to count the money, she sat next to me this time. Suddenly 4 guys came in and kept on looking around. They seemed kind of strange and had a nervous attitude, kept on asking me for prices when each product had its price tag on and I said that I couldnt go and look at the price cause I was holding a dog. (I held her on the collar just in case). The whole time she growled very low, which they couldnt hear, but I did and told her in german to calm down, which she did. Then suddenly one of the guys almost walked behind the counter and wanted to see which kind of dog she is when my rottie showed him her teeth and growld and barked excessively. I have never seen her like this before and she is a real nice and social dog, so I told him to back off, as there is no reason for him to walk behind the counter where I was standing (with the cash register open). This whole situation was very strange, and with her reaction they bought something real quick and left. A few seconds later a woman came in and she was back to normal and just calm as she used to.

I am not sure what those guys were up to, but the situation was strange from the very beginning and I was shaking for like 20min. after that, cause i was really surprised about her reaction (I never really thought she "had it in her") and of a person wanting to walk behind a pharmacies counter to ask what kind of breed of dog she is - who would do that?

As of now I am confused, should I be proud of her cause maybe she sensed something was wrong? Be worried because she decided to react this way without any apparent danger going on?

How would you react and feel about this whole ocurrence?

[moondog]

I don't see why you would have any mixed emotions over this at all. You have a calm and social dog that recognized an event for the potential threat it presented and responded appropriately. That you were able to hold her by her collar tells me she was putting on an appropriate show for the circumstances and was not overly aggressive. That she settled right back down afterwards and became calm and social again to the next person that entered the store says even more for her.

[observer]

I agree. Sounds like an appropriate reaction to the situation she saw.

[missingmarley]

She sounds like exactly what you need behind the counter. Some people don't agree, but I believe that some dogs - Rotties maybe especially - are highly tuned to things, body language, smells, tension - all that unseen-by-us stuff. She knew - as you apparently did - that something wasn't right, and she acted perfectly appropriately. We've all heard of or experienced dogs who react strongly (badly) to one person, for no apparent reason - no reason WE can see. Once, when my rott acted up when we were on the porch and somebody walked by - people had been walking by all day and not a peep! - my friend said that person must have the devil in them. Who knows? I'd be proud of her. She really sounds like a great dog.

[Jaidann]

Don't be worried. As long as all the other behaviors you've stated are correct, she's fine :). I use to be a bail bondsman. Obviously in that job you meet all kinds. My rottie was with me all the time. There were 2 instances with her where I was going WTH as it was out of character for her. Those 2 clients were the worst of the worst and I honestly and truly believe she read them for exactly what they were. All other people and clients, she was fine with :). I learned to trust her reactions as most times she was smarter than me!

[LORHEL]

I would not worry as the others said. Your dog picked up on your fear as well as interpreting the situation as it was, possibly threatning. Sounds like she did just fine, watching out for her mom.

[tatertot]

Your rottie seems to have the ability to size people up. She may have also been acting on your insecurity with the situation as well. My guy is extra vigilant when his dad is gone at night...maybe he is just feeling that I am a little nervous. He usually only barks at people that even I agree (upon checking out the situation) look a little suspicious. Who knows, she just may have prevented a very bad situation from happening.

[chicatropical]

Thank you all for responding!! I feel a lot relieved as you all agreed that her behavior in this situation was acceptable.

As you hear so many times that your dog should not take desitions on her own I felt like I educated her the wrong way and that she thinks she is incharge now. I guess I really tried hard from the very beginning to socialize her and when I saw her reaction I just froze.

I now understand that she really was protective rather than just aggresive and I thank you so much - I am very relieved after your replies!

[Karyn]

It would appear she knew customers were not allowed behind the counter - she was protecting her territory and her pack. Good for her! She acted within reason.