Dog protects his owner without a sound after spotting a ‘suspicious’ stranger walking towards them
Stephanie Fallon loves morning hikes on untrodden trails. However, she does it safely only with the protection of her working dog. The lady walks a steep and undeveloped path proudly with her pet Boerboel. Fallon, who goes by @fallon_boerboels on TikTok, shared a video of her dog protecting her after spotting a ‘suspicious’ stranger in the woods. Fallon uses her popular channel with over 50,000 followers to share dog training tips and practical advice, while documenting her life with her four dogs - Steph, Gronk, GrooGrux, and Sushi.
Working dogs like Fallon's are predisposed to heavy training. During one of her routine morning walks, Fallon and her dog realized that they were moving on parallel paths with a stranger. The man in a blue hoodie looked especially suspicious. The dog, keeping his calm, first checked with his owner and then assessed the stranger’s body language for any forthcoming trouble. He repeated his movement, waited for his owner to nod and affirm, and then again looked at the stranger walking on the other side. Fallon later shared that her dog was alarmed as they had hardly ever met anyone on this path.
The pet canine stayed composed but cautious. “A real protection dog isn’t looking for a fight. He’s looking to do his job,” read the overlay text in the video. The man, likely on his own morning walk, greeted Fallon as their paths crossed and continued on his way. While everything else seemed normal, the dog’s vigilance during potentially dangerous moments faced by his owner truly stood out.
Having had a rough childhood, Fallon invariably wanted a companion who could protect her at any cost. She finally found the perfect choice in a working dog. The video received comments from hundreds of people. “A lady passed me on the local running trail with 5 off-leash wolf breeds. She jogged with confidence as they had her in the center of them. It was awesome to see that,” shared @doodlepups0921. “Being a female, this made me edgy and nervous. The man didn't do anything wrong, but I wonder why females feel this way?” asked @melissasmith5405.
@fallon_boerboels Watch how my protection dog behaves when he notices a man on the trail (wearing a hood makes him look even more suspicious). We rarely see people on this trail, especially early in the mornings. Notice how he watches the man, but also checks in with me. Watching, assessing, and waiting for my cue—protection is about control, not chaos. As a woman who hikes alone, it’s important to me that my protection dog is aware of the situation, ready to go if I need him to to protect, but not out of control. #personalprotectiondog #protectiondog #boerboel #hiking #hikingwithdogs #hiker #safety #womensafety #protection #awareness #situationalawareness #staysafe #gooddog #goodboy #ilovemydog #southafricanboerboel ♬ Oppenheimer (Beat) - Dih
A study by Science Direct hypothesized that working and rescue dogs are more attached to their handlers than pet companions to their owners. Researchers attribute this to the relationship between a handler and a working dog, which is more intense as they not only share daily activities, but their lives are intertwined. All working dogs, despite their breeds, are trained before being sent to their forever homes. They show the same level of compatibility, sociability, stamina, and protective instincts towards their owners. These traits shine through in Fallon’s dog, who has supported her healing and inspired her to embrace the world her way.
You can follow @fallon_boerboels on TikTok for more such videos.