Dog protecting her puppy?

Question

when my and my mam had our 2 year old retriever out and her 11 week old puppy, we met a guy who had 2 staffies, so she ran towards them and started barking and growling. but the today 2 mutts ran upto the puppy and she didnt do anything. just wondering if she knew that the staffies may have been a threat and the other dogs werent

Answer 1

sounds like it was mothers instinct

Answer 2

Were the Staffordshire Bulls in any way threatening the dogs?  Dogs can sense and tell whether or not a dog is friendly through body language, etc.  The Mutts may have had a more friendlier disposition then the Bulls.  If in both cases the dogs were friendly, no, your retriever doesn't know about dog descrimation and being weary of "bully breeds".

Answer 3

It's all about body language for dogs so yes, she may well have felt that the staffeis were more of a threat to her little one.

Answer 4

she could have maybe she just doesn't like staffies and she likes the mutts