Jack_E

I guess a lot of the things I want are conflicting. Good with dogs and children is a must, and an off switch is ideal, but I understand I won't necessarily get one. In terms of big breeds(larger the better) what breeds would you say have the best chance of effectively competing in dog sports with ought hurting themselves. Although I agree with you in terms of almost all mastiffs, I have heard a lot about the cane corso being a very reliable protection dog and trainable dog, however if this is wrong I am happy to be corrected. The mastiff breeds are trainable enough, but not suited to active dog sports. And they are not necessarily as good at protection as some of the shepherd working lines. The best breeds for dog sports that involve a lot of twisting and turning at speed tend to be the active herding breeds (GSD, Belgian Shepherds, Australian Shepherds, Kelpies, Koolies etc.etc. and some of the gundogs - Weimeraner, Vizla, all the pointers, the agile spaniels; also poodles, vermin terriers and other odd-bods.) Dog sports that involve pulling (sledding, weight pulls etc.) is a whole different kettle of fish, although GSDs do well along with traditional sledding breeds and some of the cattle working specialist breeds. There are other sports as well, none that immediately come to mind as being great showcases for masitiffs. In Obedience itself, almost any breed can excel if you can find the right motivation for the dog. Good with dogs and children will mainly be up to how well a puppy is socialized , although some of the terrier breeds can go against this trend and be dog aggressive in spite of proper socialization. The other thing that you may not have considered is that all of the giant breeds (includes all mastiffs except the Bernese Mountain Dog) have short life expectancies compared with small, medium and large breeds. Nothing to do with inherited disease, as a rule, it is just that their hearts have more work to do and simply wear out sooner. LOL there is a you tube video doing the rounds which shows a high performance agility dog doing his stuff, followed by a Mastiff doing the same course. I'm thinking that a Dobermann might actually tick most of your boxes - just choose a breeder who is breeding for performance rather than only the show ring. I also saw that video, it was quite funny. Thank you for the info I have looked at weight pulling a little bit however I have read that is unethical as it can cause unnecessary strain and damage to the dogs, is this true? I really appreciate the info. Thanks heaps

Are you not allowed to do protection based training in vic? I'll look into tracking that sounds like it'd be a good activity, and I live in an area that is suited to it. My understanding is you aren't unless you are a security guard. Some info: http://agriculture.v...you-should-know Protection training Protection training is defined as training a dog to attack people or animals and includes the training of a dog to attack a human wearing padded protective clothing for any purpose including sport. It is not considered appropriate for a member of the community who is not a licenced security guard to have access to an attack trained dog and this is reflected in the strict provisions of the Domestic Animals Act. Dogs that have received this type of training will be declared as a dangerous dog by a Council. Licensed security guards Licensed security guards registered under the Private Agents Act 1966 are the only persons eligible to have their dogs trained as Protection Dogs, or to be trained in Protection Training. Proof of Security Licence must be shown to the training establishment prior to commencement of Protection Training. No member of the public may be trained in protection training unless the above pre-requisites are complied with. Eligible dogs The minimum age of a dog before protection training is allowed is 12 months. Only recognised guarding breeds of the large variety and cross breeds of these, are allowed to be trained in protection training. These breeds are: German Shepherd; Rottweiler; Doberman; Other breeds recognised by the VCA as large guarding breeds. Council notification An owner must notify the appropriate municipality immediately when attack training has commenced. Dangerous dogs Dogs that have been trained to attack are dangerous dogs, and owners will be required to adhere to prescribed conditions (contact your council for details). This includes clear identification of the dog and methods of restraint that will protect the community. Well that sucks . Thank you though for informing me. I understood that they almost always needed to be registered as a dangerous dog, however I was unaware of needing to be a body guard in order to take part in this training. Guess I'll have to stick to tracking and agility then.

I never really looked at them as I thought they were essentially just a white variation of the GSD, however I'll give them a look and add them to the list.

My grandma used to have a boxer. But then it got stolen ????. I agree that they are beautiful dogs, however they have never really appealed to me. After owning a bulldog all the slobber and grunting would be nice to avoid with the next dog. I hadn't really considered them though, so thank you loads for the recommendation.

A Rottweiler is definitely very similar to what I'm after and I love the breed, although I knew one quite well a while ago that died really young due to cancer. I know that it's a bit of an irrational fear as it could happen to any dog, but I'm just a tad scared that it'll happen to me to.

Are you not allowed to do protection based training in vic? I'll look into tracking that sounds like it'd be a good activity, and I live in an area that is suited to it.

Yes I do remember talking to you the other day.im glad to here that, whilst I love the look, the sound of the temperament and the lack of health problems I am a little unsure about the train ability. What are they like for dog sports?

Yeah I've looked into that. The dog that I thought to be a northern Inuit seems to be closer to a mutt 'lykoswolfdogs', so I started looking towards tamaskans, and whilst there are 4 dogs in Australia they are all male and someone will need to in port a bitch. I have joined all the tamaskans groups on Facebook in case of any action taking place. There will be :) I think you should jump on the Australian Tamaskan page and maybe the Booma Tamaskan page if you are interested. Yeah I joined them a week or so ago. So far their are no bitches in Australia, however I am waiting for updates.

If I was to do agility it would solely be for building my dogs confidence and trainer-dog bond, however if I was to compete or do trials I think I would be more inclined towards obedience/protection training. Still open to other ideas if you think this is a bad move though.

I guess a lot of the things I want are conflicting. Good with dogs and children is a must, and an off switch is ideal, but I understand I won't necessarily get one. In terms of big breeds(larger the better) what breeds would you say have the best chance of effectively competing in dog sports with ought hurting themselves. Although I agree with you in terms of almost all mastiffs, I have heard a lot about the cane corso being a very reliable protection dog and trainable dog, however if this is wrong I am happy to be corrected.

Ah - I had this conversation at home the other day. Sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants. I think so long as you've done your research there's nothing wrong on basing choices (partly) on looks or possibly more specifically type - eg I'd never own certain breeds as they don't appeal to me. I'm unlikely to ever own a long haired dog, I'm too lazy. I'd love a neo mastiff but couldn't live with the drool. Equally, there are some dogs I adore the look of but wouldn't as they'd be too much for me. I'd love another weimaraner in my life (parents had them when I was a kid) but I'd be a terrible weim mum, I love Mals too - I think they're stunning - but too much dog for me. I think this is a situation that is effecting me. I love Mastiffs, however the slobber and the intelligence aren't really all that I'm after, whereas the mals, I love the thought of them lots, but honestly I think I wouldn't be able to cope with one. I'm glad that you understand what I'm saying and I really appreciate all the advice.

I have considered this, how do you feel about the cane corso in dog sports? I have heard mixed opinions as they are a mastiff many people say they are Thick headed, whereas others say they are highly intelligent. Also, of the breeds on my list, what dogs do you think are best suited to agility training? Not necessarily competition but just as a fun outlet? Thanks, Jack

I haven't looked at the Akita any more than its size and lifespan. I'll be sure to give it a look, thanks. Both the American and the Japanese Akitas have multiple health issues from various auto immune diseases to ACL repairs. They also have a lifespan of 10-13 years. If you are going to look further into Akitas beware they can be dog aggressive and they also won't back down if an arguement was to escalate another thing to note they will become pushy around the 18month mark and how your already established dog will handle it. Also if you are looking for a dog that will be obedient all the time the Akita isn't for you as they run on Akita time. --Lhok I looked them up on dogbreedinfo.com and they said pretty much all that. I like the sound of the Akita, however I the dog aggressive part does put me off. I understand that many of the breeds I like can also be dog aggressive, and that not all Akitas are aggresive, however when both you and a website that I consider to be reputable put that as a big deal I think I'll steer clear of them. Thanks for the info, Jack.

Will do. Thanks!

If I decide they are for me I sure will! I don't want to waste his time by asking him lots of questions before I am absolutely set in all least a shortlist of dogs. Thanks for the info

I thought a gun dog might be a good fit - but also wondered if there was a looks thing going on there? Maybe a (working) labrador would be a good idea? I could see them fitting a few of the boxes. I feel unethical in choosing a dog because of its looks, but i would be lying if I said I didn't prefer the looks of a lot of the guardian and working dogs. To be honest when I very first started looking about 6 months ago I was solely looking at dogs over 40kg, however I have been increasingly broadening my search as I realise that I'm better off choosing a dog that suits my position over its size. I just love big dogs though because there is more of them to love.

I haven't really considered gundogs, they don't appeal to me quite as much, however I'll give them a look in case any of them suit me particularly well. Thanks for the info

I haven't looked at the Akita any more than its size and lifespan. I'll be sure to give it a look, thanks.

Ah yeh - but if he's six now - lets say you take 6 -12 months (min) to find a pup that leaves a 7 year old - well a 7-9 year old medium sized dog to deal with a young, strong puppy. I'll say it again - please don't think I'm saying you've not considered this, or wont, just remember it *may* be a very uneven match. I'm not personally experienced with many of the breeds on the list but there are some better matches for your existing dog on that list than others. You should also think about what kinds of dog sports you might be interested in. It might help you narrow the list down :) (and you can get along to events and see what kinds of dogs are participating in those sports) I also didn't actually mean to say / sound like breeders might be worried if that you "haven't worried about (the) bulldog". Again, you've got a really broad range there and some breeds are easier to handle and even obtain, than others. I think I was trying to say just be prepared for people to potentially knock you back on certain breeds possibly - eg the Tamaskan - *I assume* would have a long waiting list if/when a bitch came into the country and pups would probably go to close friends/acquaintances / homes with experience with that type of dog first - but this is just my opinion - I could be talking complete rubbish :) I really appreciate all the insights. Please don't hold anything back in order not to offend me. I understand what your saying with the age gap and I agree that it could be a bit of a problem. I believe I need to sink some more time into researching the specific dog sports, as like you said that may help me narrow it down. Ideally I would like something that is more to do with how the dog is trained rather than looks. Eg. Shutzhund, however I am still looking into this side of things. I understood that the male and Dutchies would be a lot of work, but I thought that may have led to more intelligence and drive to please, however all the opinions of people on this forum are guiding me more so away from them. If there is any breeds not in the list that seem to fit my situation better I am all ears

As an excel list/matrix maker I get what you're doing there :) Some comments on it: I have been told that Bernese mountain dogs are incredibly prone to cancer, if you want to pop that in your health col. Have you considered other types of Belgian Shepherds? (More than happy to be corrected on this point - but I am sure I have read somewhere some types are more laid back than Mals) But can I say some things which will probably sound negative? I) How old is the bulldog? You'll need to factor him into your choices (obviously - and I assume you have). II) Don't be shocked if someone wont sell you a pup - some of these dogs are a lot of dog - and people may not be willing to sell you a pup. III) You could get a pup and have some horrible disaster happen at any stage ... It's grim but true. In my opinion - for me I don't think life expectancy is that big a driver - it certainly wouldn't be the thing I'd use to pick between a Mal, GSD or Rotty for example. Good luck on the hunt. Love the table :) Very good tips. I really appreciate it. I'll definitely put that on my list. Early on my search I looked at the other Belgian breeds however, I didn't pursue them very far. My bulldog is currently 6, and he is one of the main reasons I want an intelligent dog. Whilst I love him to pieces, I would like my dog to not only be a family member, but I am also thinking that I would like to get into some form of dog sport/training. Other than breeders being worried I haven't worried about my bulldog as he takes animals introduced to him under his wing and protected them until they can be more independent.

Yeah I've looked into that. The dog that I thought to be a northern Inuit seems to be closer to a mutt 'lykoswolfdogs', so I started looking towards tamaskans, and whilst there are 4 dogs in Australia they are all male and someone will need to in port a bitch. I have joined all the tamaskans groups on Facebook in case of any action taking place.

Thank you for the info, and that is a very good point, however I can't bear the thought of shaving a couple of years of my potential canine friends life . Ideally I would like my dog to have a bit of an off switch, by this I mean that I would love him to be playful, protective, loving, affectionate, energetic or many other character traits provided he isn't always barking at every tiny noise at any hour in the night, or biting at my ankles to play 24/7. I currently have an Aussie bulldog, who has a great off switch, however he has had many health problems over his life, is incredibly dumb and is not very good at reading emotions. I don't mind him being like a hummingbird on crack, provided a long walk or some training will make him willing to lie down and sleep in front of the fire.

Thanks you for the info, and I have taken that into account, any dog breed with a N/A in the breeders column means that it is a banned breed in Australia

Thanks kavic, yeah it is a big list, but I love all dogs and i am having a very difficult time deciding so I thought I'd keep it broad in order to fully choose the right breed. The reason I went for the Shiloh and the Eastern European over the GSD, is predominantly health issues, as well as the shilohs temperament seems a little bit better suited to us. I am also having a hard time distinguishing between the legitimate breeders and the backyard breeders. With all the different sites I look at the quality, lifespan and health of GSDs seems to vary so much. I also very much so like the idea of a Rottweiler, with the only downside in my books being the lifespan and health issues. And by the way, on the table every dog with //////// in the breeder column means that I have not been able to locate a breeder in Australia.

Thanks for the info. I have seen that thread, however I was wondering about any new information. At the moment my overall list is incredibly broad as I want to make sure I 100% choose the right dog breed. Ideally I would get an Eastern European shepherd or a Shiloh shepherd, although I'm open to any suggestions on dogs/breeders so long as the dogs are having an average life expectancy of over 12 years, they are not an extremely unhealthy dog breed and are intelligent. I am part way through making a very basic table within which I have many of the dog breeds I liked the sound of when I fist started looking, but for many of them I have not been able to find enough info/breeders to consider worth pursuing. Blank.pdf