This is Steve.
We have trained Buddy well to go #1 and #2 on a designated spot on the untraveled side of the yard. Every night we go out and signal him to go over, unload what he needs to, and then come back in for bed time. Tonight Suzanne brought him out and he played fetch a little, then patrolled a little, then did his business.
Earlier today I had purchased a barbeque and put it on the side of the yard--an area that is enclosed from the front yard by an iron fence. Well Buddy did not know that the barbeque was put there this afternoon.
Then the action happened. When he was ready to come inside, he took one last look around the yard an noticed a hunched over, dark shape on the side yard that he did not recognize. His normally playful tail went stiff. The waddle in his step straightened up. And his normally droopy mouth closed tight as his eyes fixed on that dark object.
We have never heard Buddy bark or growl at anything. But in that moment he barked out several deep, bellowing howls and barks at the mysterious barbeque. He went silent for a second, then he braced into attack formation and growled nastily at the barbeque.
This all frightened Suzanne quite a bit. She went inside our back yard door, which was behind our mighty protector. Buddy normally comes to the door excitedly, anxious to get inside. But Buddy didn't let the barbeque see him blink. Suzanne went out into the garage from inside, and opened the side door by the area that had startled Buddy. That door opens and turns on a set of very bright prison flood lights, so the target got illuminated. When Suzanne saw the barbeque, she called Buddy over. He determined that it wasn't really a threat, but only after a good 60 second sniffing and stare down.
I heard all this from inside, and I'm sure glad to have a strong protector like that for my family for when I can't always be around.
--Steve
