As someone who’s had a dog, I can’t say I’ve ever been in a moment where I saw my pup trying to protect me from a threat.
It wasn’t that my dog was fearful or anything like that, but those situations just never came up. I never really needed him to be in protector mode.
Still, I imagine it would be an experience to remember. Some dogs are just more alert and tuned in, and they’ll do whatever they can to keep their owner out of harm’s way.
This particular dog owner has a pup who fits that description. Shona was always a loving dog who stayed close to her human, even when there wasn’t a clear need to. And today, that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about.
What Caught Your Attention, Shona?
When Amber Palmer set out to hike a new trail deep in the woods of Washington, she brought along her dog, Shona.
They got everything ready and drove to the area to begin their adventure. But right as they were getting out, Shona began acting up.
She started growling from inside the car, trying to alert Amber, but when she glanced outside, she couldn’t see anything unusual.
Amber didn’t understand what had upset her, but Shona wouldn’t calm down. She kept growling at something Amber couldn’t detect.
Amber decided to trust the warning and switched their plans, choosing a different hiking location instead.
This wasn’t the first time Shona had shown this kind of sharp awareness. Amber had noticed she often pointed toward animals at a distance, even though she had never been trained to do so.
Once, when Amber jumped on her cardio machine for a quick workout, Shona totally lost it.
She didn’t understand what the machine was and believed it might hurt Amber. In her mind, that strange equipment was threatening the person she loved.
She’s A Smart Pup
The woman from Washington was caught off guard by her pup’s reaction to whatever was in the woods, so she shared the moment on TikTok to get some feedback.
And the responses came in quickly, with many people commenting to share their own insights.
One person commented: “My uncle had a dog that never barked or growled. Until one day, dog wouldn’t get out of the truck and was growling like crazy. Mountain lion came running by. They know when something is up.”
So it’s totally possible that Shona picked up on something Amber just couldn’t. She definitely wasn’t wrong to follow her dog’s instincts.
Another person said: “Ridgebacks were bred to hunt lions originally. Definitely listen to her. She isn’t playing around.”
I didn’t know that, but clearly, she has a powerful nose, and whatever she sensed was serious enough to keep her planted in the car.
Lastly, somebody commented: “It’s something I’d take especially seriously if it’s out of character for your dog. They have senses well beyond ours.. they know and notice so much.”
It makes you wonder what might have been out there in the trees that made her so unsettled. We’ll likely never know, but a mountain lion seems like a reasonable guess.
In any case, Amber’s story is a reminder of how important it is to listen when our dogs are trying to alert us.
Maybe it’s something harmless, like a workout machine, or maybe it’s something real. Either way, it’s worth paying attention to what they’re trying to say.