They do have two dogs. One yapper & one that could do some real damage if it wanted to. The dogs were in the house upstairs. Nobody knows why they didn't do their job.
They didn't do their job because their job is not to attack intruders, unless they have been trained to do so. Dogs are useful for defense, yes, but that is only with the proper breed of dog and generally only with proper training. Most domesticated dogs will defend their owners as well, but that is because of their pack mentality - when the owner is being attacked, they attack in turn to defend their pack leader. However, when the pack leader is not around, most dogs will not attack a non-aggressive stranger. Think about it - most dogs are actually trained to be very accepting of strange people, are shushed when they bark at visitors, and are encouraged to "be friendly". This establishes a mindset that strange people are friendly.
The dog was upstairs hiding underneath a bed. Hiding, as in, he'd jammed himself as far back into the back corner as he could and was trying to make himself really, really small.
Apparently, some dogs are only brave alert dogs when their human alphas are around.
This is exactly the case. When the pack leader (alpha human) is around, the dog barks and postures to alert the pack leader that something is unusual. When the pack leader is gone, the dog is a completely different animal, as there is no pack leader to take care of them.
Even the biggest, most defensive dogs can generally be calmed with firm (
not aggressive) words and body language. When dogs bark and growl at a new person, they are in most cases not going to attack, they are trying to establish their dominance as pack leader. When this dominance is shut down, they will yield.
A dog's usefulness lies in their ability to be a "first alert" system, and their willingness to defend those in their pack.
I'm speaking very generally, of course. There are always exceptions.
Anyway, your friend got very, very lucky, and hopefully she realizes that. The situation could have turned out horrifically in any number of other circumstances. She is not stupid, however, she is naive and made a bad decision.
