Anyone have experience with guard dogs?

[kerry]

Interested in any experience people have with breeds, training, price, suitability for life in home etc.

[DieselAddict]

I had a female rottweiler for almost 10 years since she was a 4-month-old puppy. One thing I learned about this breed is that you can try to make them as nice and cuddly as possible, but their inherited aggression cannot be completely suppressed. An excellent guard dog with a *****-your-pants, anti-burglar bark (better than an alarm), but not appropriate with small kids. Requires lots of training and can be a big liability if mishandled or not supervised. At least that's my experience/impression.

My other dog and still alive and healthy is an 11-year-old labrador/queensland heeler mix. I got these two dogs at about the same time so they grew up in the same environment and had the same training. This one is much more hyper and playful, better with kids, but obviously a less effective guard dog, though she does bark.

[kerry]

A quick google turned up this:

http://www.globalk9group.com/index.htm

[Mistress]

Originally Posted by kerry

Interested in any experience people have with breeds, training, price, suitability for life in home etc.

Kerry- PM Carleton and TheSwede they both have extensive experience with dogs of all breeds.

[ytr1903]

Kerry,

I am not a dog expert by any stretch of the imagination, but here are my personal observations about German Shepherds. I won't go into the capabilities of GS's because we all know their abilities as police dogs, watch dogs, seeing eye dogs, etc. etc. That said, we have had a number of dogs of this breed over the years along with other breeds. I believe that the GS is a gentle, calm member of one's family as long as it is trained correctly from the time that it is a pup. I raised two kids with GS's and have two grandkids now that our shepherd just loves. Just last night, my 20 month old played catch and wrestled with the dog for hours. They provided us with great entertainment on a cold and rainy evening. I may have just been lucky over the years, but I can't help but think that GS's get a bad wrap from the public because owners don't know how to raise them or train them. By the way, if someone broke into our house, woe be to them. Unless I direct the dog to aggressiveness, or that she senses that our home is being invaded, there isn't a mean bone in her body. They are the most intelligent breed that I have had the pleasure to be around.

Tom

[LUVMBDiesels]

Raw hamburger with sominex crushed in it works like a charm....

[DieselAddict]

German shepherds are probably better with kids than rottweilers, though I would say with any dog and small kids there should always be supervision. GS's are very intelligent, but probably as intelligent as dogs get. I just don't like the thought of genetic diseases due to (in)breeding and GS's have their own share of such conditions. Mixed-breed dogs tend to live noticeably longer.

[ytr1903]

I couldn't agree more about the supervision with kids and I also agree about the genetic problems with inbreeding GS's. One must be vigilant about their choice of puppies. Sometimes it is best to get a full grown dog, behavior problems (in any breed) have usually manifested themselves by then. Hip Dysplasia and degenerative myelopathy are certainly issues that need to taken into consideration when getting a GS.

Tom

[Chad300tdt]

I've read that Mastiffs were used to guard castles.




This dog weighs 286 pounds!

English Mastiffs were indeed used to guard country estates and so forth. Another common guard dog would have been the Bullmastiff.

English Mastiffs are really no longer suitable for guard duty as they've essentially had the aggression bred out of them over the years. They are WONDERFUL dogs - big, fuzzy foot stools, but with their size comes the predictable food intake, vet bills, and *flatulence.* An English Mastiff breaking wind is positively room-clearing!

[DieselAddict]

I always liked the mastiffs because of their hugeness. But they're not very practical dogs. The one on the picture is enormous! Almost looks like Photoshop work though.

[Chad300tdt]

The dog getting rubbed is not a retouched photo. That dog was on the Regis and Kelly show as the Largest Dog in the World. At least that's what the article said: http://dogsinthenews.com/stories/070507a.php

[LUVMBDiesels]

Is this a guard the kids dog or a guard the house dog?

To guard the kids I would get either a Austrailan Sheepdog or a Dobie.

For the house a GS or a Beagle.

My neighbor had an AS when my kids were little. He appointed himself their protector and used to herd them around the backyard. if they went too far from his comfort zone, he would cut them off and guide them back to the play area. It was fun watching him do this and was fun for all the participants! I felt 100% safe knowing that Max was on the job!

I also know Dobie females will lay down their lives for their humans. I love that Doberman look. They remind me of professional athletes. They are supposed to be great with kids if they are brought into a house with kids there already.

For house duty, I have experience with my cousin's GS. He was a yard dog, and Lord help anyone who came through the gate without permission!


My dog growing up was a Beagle/Cocker Spaniel mix. She wasn't too aggressive and would not bite anybody, but she had a bark on her that would wake the neighboorhood. Best burglar alarm in the business!

[kerry]

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

Is this a guard the kids dog or a guard the house dog?

Both plus guarding adults. In reference to my earlier thread, "Predator in the Neighborhood" I've realized that had I owned the German Shepherd mix I owned 35 yrs ago, the guy would never have gotten away the first night.

[Medmech]

My brother has a Belgian Malinois which is a military working dog, although she is trained to kill -in a literal sense- she sleeps with his baby and is a normal house dog, too be honest its kinda eerie that a dog that is trained to be so violent can turn it off a docile pet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfi5FVs63Jo