““He then saw the dog come around between the train and my mom and take the hit of the train.”
This is called “blocking”.
In dog body language, the dog attempts to present itself as a intermediary between bickering pack members.
It works very well with other dogs; trains, not so much.
Some dogs naturally defensively “block” their owners from perceived threats and if the threat goes away, all is well.
If the threat persists, the dog goes to the next level which is the offense.
This story, though it had a happy ending for the woman, makes me sad because the woman’s addictions cost the loyal dog her leg.
As usual, the dog pays for the owner’s “sins”, whether it be this case or owners not properly socializing/training them which results in inappropriate aggression or attacks.
This, as was explained to me later, is likely what Sam did for me during the bear encounter.
During those few intense moments, I recall being baffled by his behavior.
He was being completely non-aggressive, just standing broadside to the bear, passively blocking its path.
He kept the stance, allowing the bear to approach him, and didn't go on offense until the bear struck.
It's funny in that my first reaction to the presence of the bear was to put myself between the bear and Sam.
Once the bear had circled us the roles were reversed.
I love dogs. What a wonderful gift our Creator has given us.
Sad as it is...I’m left with the thought, that it is regrettable the dog can not chose a different owner.