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Woof is dog for "You may test that assumption at your convenience"
(lemmy.dbzer0.com)
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this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2025
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Herd dogs were bred to protect the herd. While many may show a more gentle demeanor most days, when the time comes, they are absolute machines.
Funnily enough, I live close to DeKalb. Great Pyrenees are one of the more common herd dogs around here, and are a great example of gentle giants that will crush throats. They adopt just about anything smaller than they are, treat anything they see as their territory, and are known for tracking coyotes for miles just to exterminate them all for fucking with their stock.
It doesn't end with their herd, either. They can be highly responsive to their owners. You start showing any signs of tension, they will put themselves between you and whatever is bothering you.
Well I can't get one because the fucker would try to wedge itself between my brain and the bottom of my skull
Well, do I have a fun fact for you then: Cheetahs are such anxious and easily stressed animals that zoos consistently failed to set up breeding programs until somebody had a bright idea and paired up a cheetah cub with a golden retriever puppy to be raised together.
Growing up with a lifelong friend in such a chill and loving dog breed allows them to live a lot less anxiously, and has been so successful with keeping cheetahs happy and healthy that the practice has been adopted all over the place.
Dogs are full of love and want to help, even if that's by simply existing in the same space as you.
Cheetahs are just so wonderfully weird. Basically big housecats that are also rocket powered apex predators.
Also, I love The Cheetah Whisperer.
Cheetahs are so weird largely because they're actually not apex predators and are surrounded by so many bigger predators! From lions and leopards to packs of wild dogs or hyenas, there are plenty of animals that can take down a cheetah pretty easily. Especially because they're so overbuilt for that burst of speed that that's basically the one trick that they have. They're super easily bullied out of their meals by other animals, including scavengers. I think this is why they're so chill with people, though. Because if we're not running at them or away from them, then we're not predator or prey, and must be some secret third thing - friend shaped! Kinda like how we're the only other bipedal animal in the Antarctic besides penguins, so penguins largely see us as just weird-looking penguins and will hop into boats with people and stuff.
That's a trick many/most breeds of dog can pull off. It's amazing how well a wet nose, and a slobbery smile shoved in your face can break a bad cycle.
There's a reason they are used as emotional support animals so often. They can guard us from ourselves almost as well as this dog did the sheep from coyotes.
My dog is usually a chaos demon but if you’re feeling particularly down she will grab one of her toys and keep pushing it into your hands until you play with her as a distraction. Dogs are incredibly emotionally sensitive and empathetic and sometimes that wet snuffling nose is the only thing that gets me out of bed
Unless you just gave birth apparently. I guess its common for new mothers to get extremely agitated by their beloved dogs for any noise or sound they make
...It's common for new mothers to get extremely agitated at... Everything
You would be too, caring for a new born is fucking exhausting.
Hell, just giving birth in and of itself is enough to kick off survival instincts of "Scare everything the fuck off before it can even try me right now". It's incredibly taxing on the body, both in energy used and physical damage.
Then you're just kinda thrown into keeping this screaming sack of potatoes that was just violently removed from your body alive quite quickly.
Ohh yeah been there, done that.
My first definitely had a "Wait. I can just leave? Who's going to help me take care of it".
It's often one way or the other. "Get away from me!", or "more babies!" Pregnancy hormones do a complete number on the mother. That's before having a parasite attached to you near 24/7, demanding your attention, day or night!
Interestingly, her pheromones can do a similar job on any males around her (both human and dog). That was an interesting surprise.
"Are you really going to die, to save a sheep?
"Someone is"
That's another terrifying thing about when they're on the hunt. They have been found in near-death states, still fighting.
So sometimes that "someone" is everyone involved.
"It was just a fucking sheep!"
"you can either hand over the perpetrator, or you can die screaming alongside them!"
There is no choice. There is only kill.
I am not kidding when I say they are akin to a Terminator. Their only thought is to eliminate the threat until there is no threat left. Rip and tear, until it is done.
When we watch my sisters dog, my wife has to use a vibrating collar for the dog. He reacts to everything as a potential threat to her, and that ramps up with my kids being there.
If its just me walking him, he tends to just be a roaming doofus. If I add in our (little and much older) dog, he's fine until the moment our dog reacts.
Its actually extremely wild to me just how responsive they are to those around them.
Edit: Forgot to mention, he's a mutt - consisting of like 7 different herding breeds common to the southern US. He's also well over a hundred lbs, and the goodest boy (of the lovable idiot variety).
He also has zero response to my kids, they can lay next to him, on him, whatever, his only interest is looking out for them. And treats.
They're also not deferential or clingy like a lot of dogs (and honestly, why a lot of people want a dog).
Pyrs/Maremmas have a job to do and they don't want to sit around being scratched while staring into your eyes.