We may have a problem-Sam bit someone

[Kimmers]

There has been a carpenter in my parent's house for the past 2 weeks redoing the bottom floor of their house.
So needless to say-strange man in his yard every day has not made Sam happy.
He has been barking like a mad-man apparently.
He does bark at everyone that comes up the driveway that he doesn't know. And if they approach the house and he doesn't like that, I've said I don't put it past him to protect his house. But we've never had a problem, because someone is usually home if he's outside, and we can show him if the person is OK or not.
Apparently while I was on holidays, Sammy was left outside on his run (tsk tsk) while no one was home. The carpenter came over, Sam barked. The carpenter walked over to Sam who was by the door. Sam bit him.
Not badly, but he did.
This concerns me.
Carpenter said it was no big deal-don't worry about it.
But of course I am. I told them not to leave Sam outside anyways, but he was.
Thoughts? Opinions? Is there anything I can do here? Sam is the most gentle dog in the world. His bark is as far as it ever goes, except now in this case.
What a thing to come home to.

[robinsegg26]

Coal my black lab has never bitten anybody but i know what you mean about protecting the house. We had a hot water heater problem a few yrs ago and the repair guy came to our house. The hair on the back of Coal's neck stood up as soon as he heard the truck come down the driveway. and he started growling really low in his throat... kinda worried me and the guy asked me to lock COal up in another room while he was there... I think if he had been loose in the house the guy would have gotten bitten. Hasnt happened since but it worried me... My dad always told me that he thinks Coal would protect me if somebody broke in the house and after that happened i believed him.

[rottnlabs]

I would like to know what REALLY went on. Was Sam going ballistic so the guy decided to walk up to him and reach out his hand? Did he yell at Sam or approach him aggressively? It's hard to say without knowing EXACTLY what happened.

People can be really stupid some times. Reaching out to a dog that is upset is at the top of my list of stupid things to do. Ignoring them would be better. If that's not possible, avert your eyes, and talk in a soothing voice. Sticking your hand out to them will get you bit as this guy figured out quickly.

Murray is very protective too. I had him in his soft crate at a show and had unzipped the top because I was getting ready to break it down. I turned my back for just a second while I picked up Murray's leash so I could take him out of the crate via the front. This strange guy walks up quickly to the crate and Murray goes nuts barking, growling, lunging. The guy says "oh you think you are a bad dog" and proceeds to try to reach his hand out to Murray. I yelled at the guy to back away. I got Murray on his leash and he was still acting crazy while the guy was standing there. It turns out he knew my friend who was sharing our setup. My friend said "He's a nice guy. He really likes dogs." I told her he won't like them so much when he gets bit by one. :

[imported_zoezoe]

Dog tied on a run; stressed out about a stranger = bite .... Make sure they understand he can't be left alone like that, especially when strangers are around and no one is at home. Sounds like he reacted from fear; not protection.

[JacobAlthea&Tatum]

Any chance the man approached Sam on the wrong side and Samm got spooked?

[Labsrme]

Isn't Sam the one that just lost his eye? Do you know if he is seeing well out of his remaining eye? He may have been fearful because he was being approached by a stranger that he couldn't see well and he was penned up, so was unable to get away.

[AngusFangus]

Ah, very good guess about the wrong side! He is only just getting used to this, right?

oh you think you are a bad dog

Oh good grief. : Now see, the guy would not have pushed it if it had been, say, a Rottweiler. Or a Doberman. Or pick-your-favorite protection breed. Everyone just thinks Lab = Happy happy joy joy. But a pissed off dog is a pissed off dog. People are nuts. There is a guy down the street who Angus doesn't care for. His hackles go up every time he sees this guy. I can tell the guy is not taking him seriously simply because he is a Lab. He just laughs and says something similar to Lydia's encounter. But I tell you what, I can see Angus biting someone before I could Crash, for example. :-\

Anyway, I think Lydia is right...it's just too hard to make a call without having seen the whole thing. I'm sorry, that's not a very fun thing to come home to. But it sounds like, at any rate, it wasn't a terrible bite and the guy is not too upset...? And you know, the guy was in Sam's territory.

[jzgrlduff]

He may have been fearful because he was being approached by a stranger that he couldn't see well and he was penned up, so was unable to get away.

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking. Poor Sam

[Kimmers]

I know it's really hard to judge since I wasn't there to see the whole thing.
I'm just getting what my Dad told me.
Sam was laying in the driveway, and the guy came at him straight on from what I can tell-so Sam should have been able to see him fine. But again, I can't be totally sure. His eyesight in his good eye is fine, we had it checked before I went away.
Sam barks at him every time he comes up the driveway-so maybe he just doesn't like the guy for some reason?
But I do agree that it wasn't smart for him to just walk up to Sam while he's barking like that, and try to say "hello". Not smart in my opinion.
But in my Dad's eyes, the guy has been coming here for 2 weeks so Sam should "be used to him by now". I disagree. What do you think?

zoezoe, oh I've tried to make that clear so many times it's ridiculous. Sam should not be left out like that. But, he "should be fine" is what I get every time I say it. Well, now maybe he'll listen to me? I doubt it. He's very mad about the whole situation.

[Mel]

Kim, I think you should get him a patch if you haven't done it already. He's got such a sweet labby face, his bark might warrant more respect if he had a bit of a 'pirate' look about him. :P