While some women consider their dogs their adopted children, others see them more as personal bodyguards. On social media, these women, who fear harassment or ending up in the crime section of newspapers, can rely on their dogs to clear a path for them through hostile streets. Whether they have large dogs the size of a young adult or a pocket-sized lapdog, they feel safer with a leash in their hands.
Dogs, guardian angels of women in public spaces
The dog, man's best friend since the dawn of Homo sapiens, holds a special place in homes and hearts. And on walks, it inspires widespread affection. Beyond being a bundle of love, the dog is also a highly effective guardian. While dogs often attract unwanted attention from passersby, when they growl, bark, or behave aggressively, they can send suspicious individuals back several meters.
With a dog at the forefront, women no longer cross the street or turn around in the dark. This canine presence is enough to deter predators, persistent suitors, and professional catcallers. On social media, women who are tired of going out with their heads down and faces covered are training their dogs to attack on command.
Content creator @celinetails shared some clips from this self-defense session involving a backbite. Her dog, already quite large, revealed the full extent of its ferocity. It latched onto the instructor's padded arm and jumped on him with such force that he nearly fell backward. There are hundreds of bullying videos like this on TikTok, and @sydmckae offered some clarification. "He's a personal protection dog! He doesn't bite or attack anyone unless ordered to," she explained, with her Belgian Malinois at her feet. She expressed her gratitude to her dog, trained to handle danger and educated to reverse fear. "Thanks to my dog, I feel confident leaving my house again," she added.
@celinetails POV: you actually have scary dog privilege😈 #dogtrainingroutine #scarydogprivilege #dogtraining #personalprotectiondog ♬ Happy by Kanye West and Future - beabadoobeelover6969
An illustration of a collective female anxiety
While those fluent in irony might ridicule this "trend" with miniature breeds that appear harmless and whose cries are barely audible, they all share the same sentiment. In a society where women keep to themselves, see their perfume as a substitute for tear gas, feign a phone call at the slightest suspicious noise, and form a knuckle duster with their keys, the dog resembles a walking radar, a canine shield.
From the very beginning, their knight in shining armor has never been human, but rather endowed with paws, fur, and a lolling tongue. According to an Ifop poll covering 20 countries, 75% of women have experienced sexual harassment in public spaces at least once in their lives. And instead of addressing the root of the problem, we design girly self-defense accessories , SOS apps , and encourage women to take up combat sports. The dog, renowned for its loyalty and devotion, then represents a privilege: the privilege of going out without fearing for one's life.
These videos, staged like action movies or captured by surveillance cameras, all support the same idea: dogs can prevent many sexist tragedies. However, using a dog for personal gain, like a taser, is not universally accepted among animal lovers.
@sydmckae He is a personal PROTECTION DOG! He does not bite or attack people unless he's instructed too. I wish every girl who's been in that situation had the same opportunity as me. My dog has made it so I'm comfortable to leave my house again. I'm forever grateful for this dog. (He was trained by a professional I did not train him myself) #protectiondog #belgianmalinoisofiktok #SA #runlikeagirl ♬ original sound - •Lynoverlays•
The dangers of adopting a dog just for "protection"
Beneath these videos, which show Rottweilers, pit bulls, and Belgian Malinois in action with their congested bodies and sharpened teeth, comments praise this protective tactic. “Seriously, this should be covered by health insurance given how dangerous we are outside,” suggests one user. Others compare it to their own dogs, who only target slippers and cushions or tuck their tails and whine as soon as they sense our discomfort.
Adopting a dog simply to give it commands and train it like a special forces dog is tantamount to treating it as a "slave to our well-being." We don't treat it as our equal, but as our subordinate. And we develop high expectations of it. If it doesn't respond to our commands in a critical situation, we might resent it or, worse, get rid of it. Reducing it to the role of a permanent bodyguard risks prioritizing its mission over its well-being. And as long as public spaces aren't safe, women will continue to walk with their dogs as scouts.
Ultimately, these videos don't just show that dogs can act as predator deterrents. They primarily reveal a more troubling reality: if so many women feel reassured with an animal by their side, it's because they don't feel safe enough on their own. The dog then becomes a symbol of protection rather than simply a companion. But however loyal it may be, it should never have to compensate for what public spaces still struggle to guarantee: the right to walk without fear.
