MODS – With the prevalence of “get a dog” comments in S&T for HD I think the below is relevant. Please don’t delete or lock it out of hand, the information (I would hope) will help future folks make smarter choices.
I am sure that we have all noticed a lot of remarks lately about getting a dog as a home security device. The people that live behind me apparently read one of the posts of "get a dog" and got one. Now the pit bull is chained up outside where it is most likely going to live out its life. Beyond being a nuisance (whining, whimpering, barking 24/7) it is never really going to fulfill its function because it hasn't "bonded" with its family, established his home base and hasn't been socialized at all. The dog is going to be one of the dogs that you read about 4 years from now that breaks loose and eats someone.
A few facts for you:
1. 90% of dogs need to be inside with the family (unless it is a bona fide hunting dog or herding dog). Historically most dogs have worked and lived side by side with mankind and that is where the breeds come from. It is especially true for the Molosser breeds. (http://www.moloss.com/001/ptxt/breed.html)
2. ALL DOGS need to know sit / down / stay / heel, if they do it sometimes, that isn't good enough.
3. Don't let them anywhere as a puppy that you do not want them to go as an adult
4. MOST owners think that because there dog is not aggressive, it is useless. It is unlikely that you will ever see the protective side of your dog.
5. Please, do not TRAIN your dog to be aggressive. If you want that in your dog there are professionals who can do it. Something to consider is Watch Dog / Alarm Dog training, takes a weekend and they train the dog to bark when they see people outside.
6. In most breeds the protective instinct doesn’t develop until 10 or so months old. Until that time they need to be sheltered / handled. If you have “scared” or “pranked” your dog, you have most likely ruined his confidence. Prank your dog AFTER he is 1 year old or older.
7. Please don’t get an esoteric breed and expect it to have a good ending. Some friends of ours got an Argentinean mastiff and it bit one of their kids and some of her friends. No surprise to me. I told my wife it would happen. Simple case of not doing their research beforehand, but therein lies the problem with obscure breeds. They might be underbred or mixed or (more likely) a horrible choice but because there isn’t a ton of resources out there on them, how can you reaearch? Goldens, GSD, Labs, Dobermans and others have a breed standard and years of creating and reinforcing that standard to cultivate a general knowledge of which breed will do what in which scenario. A busy house with strangers and kids isn’t the best place for a Cane Corso.
I am sure that we have all noticed a lot of remarks lately about getting a dog as a home security device. The people that live behind me apparently read one of the posts of "get a dog" and got one. Now the pit bull is chained up outside where it is most likely going to live out its life. Beyond being a nuisance (whining, whimpering, barking 24/7) it is never really going to fulfill its function because it hasn't "bonded" with its family, established his home base and hasn't been socialized at all. The dog is going to be one of the dogs that you read about 4 years from now that breaks loose and eats someone.
A few facts for you:
1. 90% of dogs need to be inside with the family (unless it is a bona fide hunting dog or herding dog). Historically most dogs have worked and lived side by side with mankind and that is where the breeds come from. It is especially true for the Molosser breeds. (http://www.moloss.com/001/ptxt/breed.html)
2. ALL DOGS need to know sit / down / stay / heel, if they do it sometimes, that isn't good enough.
3. Don't let them anywhere as a puppy that you do not want them to go as an adult
4. MOST owners think that because there dog is not aggressive, it is useless. It is unlikely that you will ever see the protective side of your dog.
5. Please, do not TRAIN your dog to be aggressive. If you want that in your dog there are professionals who can do it. Something to consider is Watch Dog / Alarm Dog training, takes a weekend and they train the dog to bark when they see people outside.
6. In most breeds the protective instinct doesn’t develop until 10 or so months old. Until that time they need to be sheltered / handled. If you have “scared” or “pranked” your dog, you have most likely ruined his confidence. Prank your dog AFTER he is 1 year old or older.
7. Please don’t get an esoteric breed and expect it to have a good ending. Some friends of ours got an Argentinean mastiff and it bit one of their kids and some of her friends. No surprise to me. I told my wife it would happen. Simple case of not doing their research beforehand, but therein lies the problem with obscure breeds. They might be underbred or mixed or (more likely) a horrible choice but because there isn’t a ton of resources out there on them, how can you reaearch? Goldens, GSD, Labs, Dobermans and others have a breed standard and years of creating and reinforcing that standard to cultivate a general knowledge of which breed will do what in which scenario. A busy house with strangers and kids isn’t the best place for a Cane Corso.