What is the most effective guard dog?

[islandphish]

sgknives, I think that you may be walking a very dangerous line with your dogs. If your dane/mastiff was an attacker , your rat terrier is a biter, and you own two pits. I don't know your area or situation but I wouldn't be able to live with that. Especially out of the terrier b/c there is no reason I can think of to allow that kind of behavior in an ineffectual guard dog. I could see allowing it in the others but only in some few circumstances. regardless, I like your style. rat terrier are awesome and I've met a ton of great pits.

stogiegila, I think you may have answered the question in your story. prized show dog. in other words, high strung, bred for looks, paris hilton acting biter. A good solid working temperament dog probably wouldn't have acted that way. kind of a Gilligan's Island Mary Anne type. Sheesh, metaphors!

but seriously, show dogs can be high strung. my dad had a HUGE show rottie attack him when he was let in to his friend's house. probably because of the cowboy hat. whatever the reason he certainly wasnt a discriminating trained dog, he was a menace.

 

[loandr.]

Island...been swamped around here today BUT havent forgotten you sir!...BB's Training details to come shortly, just to in depth for a quick post....I can say I agree with the above 100% though and thats from a BIGGG breed LOVER.

 

[Kestrel]

Cosmoline,

I agree. I never understood the mentality of the AKC breeders and judges, to desire a GSD that looks like a MUTANT. That sloping rear end makes them look like a genetic trainwreck. What a treatment of such a fine heritage in dogs.

 

[sgknives]

Island,
The dane mastiff is dead. And the rat is just hell on wheels, once she likes you, she likes you, but if not its the ankles.

 

[islandphish]

sgknives,

Sorry about you dane, I did read that. however I was talking about the pattern i see in your dogs. for instance, your reply that the rat is just "hell on wheels" is, to me, you making excuses for your dog. I just would not accept that behavior. Do you discipline your dog when it starts with the biting? like i said before there is no reason at all for that dog to have aggression issues. small biting dogs are not cute, they are boot target practice.

and as i said before i really have no idea your situation, but if you have area attack dogs you could be endangering people. I dont want my dogs to blindly attack anyone who steps in the yard, but i do want them to make a lot of noise and put themselves in a position where the perp will see that it is a bad choice to keep coming. what happens if a dumb kid chases a ball into your yard?

just be careful, especially with those big tough ones like the pits.

 

[sgknives]

Island,
The pits are obedient. We live in a rural area so no chance of kids in the yard. Our son was home alone 3 years ago (before pits) when BGs tired to break in by raising the garage door. He was alerted by the dane in the backyard, but he did not think about letting him in with him. He just grab his 12ga and blasted one of the guys with bird shot and that sent all of them running. In my neck of the woods if I am not home (or if I am) and its dark you don't belong in my backyard or around any of my barns. Horses theives were on a rampage around here about 3 years ago too. I expect my dogs to bite first and I will ask the questions later.

 

[Sgt Stevo]

Wow, great thread, but a little heated. I fight dogs all day. And the 60lbs pits and little rottt females give as well as the big guys. But, size does matter.

we have a 100lbs shep from over seas. See our breeding dogs. He pulled out my shoulder last sat. I am not doing bite work until next week.

The big masty dogs not only bite hard, they throw you aroud. But a mal will take down most men. And be able to be called off at the right time. As well as not scare the crap out of the Public. If these are not a concern. They are fine. BB dogs and Dogos are more then fine.

They are man stopping full backs. But a mal is more of a jack of all trades. Like tracking, bomb and drug dog and can handle a BG. I would sujest, looking at the positive of sides of different breeds. People get pissed.

I always say, " your dog is lover not a fighter, so bite work is not for him."

Instead of your dogs a pussy. I send people away with positive feelings toward there dog and us. . Any dog in that is bred for show , not work, sheps, labs, etc. Is a crime. Labs hunt ducks, sheps work. And they do look like freaks. LOok at our working line sheps. then find a show kennel.

why they did that to sheps is beyond me. And dobies are ruined. They are also not stable. I love the interest here. Gun guys who dig dogs. MY people.......

 

[loandr.]

"I fight dogs all day."

Sarge? usually Dogs arent that quick to resort to fist a cuffs Have you ever tried JUST talking to one???? I mean did you like call their mother, a "Bitch" or something??? OK OK you know Im just teasing sir, for I have nothing but 100% respect for you and what you do...BUT in all seriousness I must bow out of this thread gracefully at this point, "Island" Ill follwup with BB details via PM. While perhaps little problem for the trained such as yourself sir NO doubt, and while I just find BB's the ideal breed for various reasons for I, BB's are NOT for everyone(or most!)...I wont promote the breed here in the US...not only would the AKC destroy them but ANY negligent ownership would lead to immediate Banning of the breed. I can only imagine the ramifications if these breeds were ever fought in large scale....THEY cannot be handled successfully in an aggressive fashion by anything Other than those that do so for a living and then ??? IMO (Ex. Train 10, to get 3 well schooled, reliable, Family loving man stoppers!....NOW what happens to the other 7? They become MONSTERS literally on the streets so to speak, and IMAGINE that in the wrong hands OR no hands at all, not an acceptable risk IMO) Sorry have to protect the "Kids" first ........Great info here and I look forward more

 

[Kestrel]

Anyone here have any experience with Rhodesian Ridgebacks? What kind of family dog do they make?

How hard are they to train (standard obedience, not attack).

Thanks.

 

[Ivy Mike]

Lots of good info in this thread and lots of misinfo too.

As an owner of a bully breed (APBT) I'd like to point out that they make good alarm dogs and might even scare someone off out of reputation alone. They are NOT guard dogs unless they are raised poorly. A good APBT may be animal aggressive, but should never be human aggressive. Also, the reports of pit bull bite strength is largely overblown. First off, there is no way to accurately determine dog bite strength. You can't command a dog to bite as hard as possible. From some tests, they've determined that a pit bull does bite harder than other dogs its size, but no harder than a GSD or Rottweiler. Their jaws do not lock or act like scissors.

Finally, the idea that a dog must be large to wreck a person's day is almost comical. It should have some size to it, but an angry 50lb pit bull will have little trouble defeating a man 5 times its weight. I'm 5'11" and near 200lbs and can handle myself in a fight, but when my 45lbs bully starts playing too rough, I'm quick to let her know because it hurts...and thats just playing. I'd never want to get on her bad side. The athleticism is quite remarkable too. A determined pit is perfectly capable of clearing a 6ft wall. I know all too well as I watched my dog do it not long ago. She was in my father's backyard, caught sight of a cat in the yard, gave chase and when the kitty hopped the wall and thought it was safe, my Sara followed her right over.

so, in closing, pit bull probably isn't a good choice as a guard, but they make excellent alarms and even better pets.

 

[FilJos]

The best guard dog is the one who barks loud and long and then retreats once he knows that you know something is wrong.

He shouldn't be getting involved in taking down the BG. It just makes it hard for you to take a clean shot.

My mutts are smart and only bark at what they know is "wrong." They leave the paper boy alone when he comes by early in the morning, but get mighty upset at anyone else who crosses the border after sundown.

 

[golani13]

best dog

there is only one known breed of dogs that was produced to attack people and that´s the Dobermann and that is fact. my Dobermann of 108lbs is a massive dog that don´t let anybody in, either in our yard or in our house unless someone in the family introduce them to the dog. he has never had any kind of training but has great instincts. one night my wife was walking the dog in the city and there was 2 drunken guys that was aproching my wife and as son as she felt anxious the dog placed himself between her and the guys and showed them clearly that they shouldn´t come any closer. and let me tell you he his repectful looking. i´m sorry to say that the average Doberman in our country is a lot smaller than the european due to breeding. but we have noticed a new trend in that of americans buying european dobermanns for breeding, hopefully it will start to show on your dogs soon

 

[Nursie]

Bullmastiff

Once owned a beautiful bullmastiff, great deterent factor and most people kept their distance.
Whilst out walking one afternoon i came round a corner to see a lad ( toerag, skel etc) sitting on the corner of the path sunning himself.
He had looked over and seen me walking closely followed by my wife and baby daughter in a pushchair ( I think you call them strollers)
His demeanour and attitude was "hey they can go round me!"
Unfortunately his vision of the lower three feet was obscured by a wall until I got within 2 feet of him.
He then came face to face (literally!) with Mick, a well muscled 3 year old Bullmastiff.
He stood up, got the hell out of the way and exclaimed to a mate " Damn I nearly f**king s**t meself"
My wife and I still laugh some years 6+ years on
If he had only known that Mick was softer than most spaniels
Still he always managed to do the job and be safe around kids
One vote for Bullmastiffs for sure
Graham

 

[Steve H]

I might as well throw my .02 in. About 15 years ago I was involved with the training of police dogs in Southern California for a few of the citites there. The one breed that impressed me the most was Bouvier des Flandres. Do some research on the web. Be prepared this is a VERY large breed. Also they make GREAT pets.

 

[Sgt Stevo]

Dobermans were developed by a mail man in Germany. Louis L Doberman. Rotts, weimer type dogs and an old breed called a white terrier. Also greyhounds were in the mix. I have not seen a good one in years. Not for the work we do.

It is sad. as a boy, my first bite dog. I was fifteen, was a hot dobie.

My boss had some really hot ones years ago. Now, they are a mess. Most. I have been looking for a good working line. No luck. So I stick to malinois and sheps from good working lines. I would also like to say, Rotts were bred in centuriys past to be war dogs. As were some mastiffs. The russian terrier is bred to do bite work, and many other. this is what I do. And I know my stuff. Another guy who thinks his dog is best.

This is not a bad thing..........Stevo

 

[poilu]

belgian malinois

looks a leaner german shepard except more atheletic. i believe they equal the german shepard in intelligence and loyalty.

 

[Piedmont Plinker]

A wolf. I f you get and train one

 

[jonsidneyb]

Has the full nature of the guard duty been established. It still does depend and have we forgotten the Black Russian Terrier for individual protection and the Komondor for are protection. Neither may be the best all purpose guard dog but they are both very good at certain roles.

 

[jonsidneyb]

Man...I killed another thread.

Rhodesian Ridgebacks by the way are fantastic dogs.

Dogbreedinfo.com is a great place to learn about a wide variety of dogs then move on to more specific info.

Right now I only have 4 dogs. I wish I had a dozen and I would want them to be all different.

 

[islandphish]

if you've gone through this whole thread you can see that I am a pretty big fan of the Belgian Malinois. However, after living with this dog, a 3 year old male, and now having spent the last few months living with a female German Shepherd I'm starting to see things differently.

For work, like military, police and others the mals are probably superior. But for keeping at home I would lean towards a German Shepherd Dog. The GSD's tend to be much calmer than the Mals and tend to be more of the kind of dog that will stick around and hang out off leash.

My mal loves to just take off and run, he is normally not gone long(10-15min) but it would be better for a dog to just stick with you without constant attention. That would help the average person looking to have a dog as a deterrent/pet/defender.