Choosing A Breed

[TikaAkita]

All the breed ideas have been great! Theres so many beautiful breeds to consider. I'm going to try to meet several of the suggested breeds, talk to some owners in person and possibly make a decision from there :)

I think my list has been revised to

Tibetan Mastiff

Anatolian Shepherd

Akita

Rottweiler

[Allerzeit]

Have you considered a Rottweiler?

I'm not sure on the drooling, but everything else fits your bill.

Look intimidating to people, but most are big softies.

I used to be quite afraid by them, but OH loves them and on further reading they sound great.

In the wrong hands they could still be a handful, but compared to the LGDs you mentioned I think you'd have an easier time.

A well bred rottweiler isn't a drooly dog, they should have nice tight lips and flews :)

[TikaAkita]

Your rottweilers have such goregous faces, they're all smiling!

[Allerzeit]

Thanks! They smile a lot :) They're a very cheeky and happy breed :D

Given what you've said, they certainly sound suitable for you - particularly with your interest and willingness to do training. Very intelligent, they thrive on training (and other mental activities). They love to be with their people and bond very strongly. Absolutely not a breed to stick in the backyard and ignore - that's when you get a problem dog - but a well bred dog that is included as a part of the family, and trained responsibly is just wonderful :)

[raineth]

yeah I think something like a Rott or an Akita could be really good :)

Also it doesn't mean you'll never get a Tibetan Mastiff, it just means that you'll have more knowledge and experience when you own one one day :)

[Guest donatella]

A nicely built Rotti is :heart: :heart:

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Some comments on Irish Wolfhounds.

Compared to other sighthounds they do have a drool factor but it's cleaner drool than many, if that makes sense to anyone.

They are great with kids.

When I walk around our property at night with him I feel safer than I do with any of the other dogs. Having seen him lope out of the pines at top speed at dusk, if I were trespassing on our place, it would give me a jolly good scare. We have had a couple of unexpected visitors come up to our gates and when they see him, you can see them take a very respectful step backwards.

They are a hound, with the associated training requirements - not aggro, but can be stubborn. On the upside, they also have a lot of natural "downtime" being a hunting hound.

They are attractive to pigging dog breeders, and so there is a need to be careful about what you say and to whom about where you live etc.

[grumpette]

Thanks! They smile a lot :) They're a very cheeky and happy breed :D

Given what you've said, they certainly sound suitable for you - particularly with your interest and willingness to do training. Very intelligent, they thrive on training (and other mental activities). They love to be with their people and bond very strongly. Absolutely not a breed to stick in the backyard and ignore - that's when you get a problem dog - but a well bred dog that is included as a part of the family, and trained responsibly is just wonderful :)

Allerzeit is right, they are not a breed to be stuck in the backyard and left, especially when they know that you are home. They will follow you from room to room, so if they are left in the backyard they will go from window to window and door to door in an effort to get your attention and be let in. If you do get a Rottweiler you may need to re-think your idea of only bringing them inside at night and during bad weather.

Another concern that I have is that you mentioned that you would be following the Delta Dog Society training methods. A Rottweiler needs clear leadership and well defined boundaries. This means discipline and rewards/encouragement. They are a strong dog that sometimes needs correction and clear guidance about acceptable behaviour. They do not do well with the confusion of Delta training.

A Rottweiler is a working breed that is extremely intelligent and is happiest when given a job to do. My dogs do competition obedience, herding, tracking, Rally-O (Gawd help us) and public relations work like the Responsible Pet Ownership program and Pets as Therapy. They are happiest after they have done some training for the day and been on a 5 km walk. Then they will settle and allow me to work.

With regard the fencing, Rottweilers have a very strong prey drive and they will chase anything, including horses and rabbits. We have ring lock fencing, because three or four strand farm fencing will not hold them once in prey drive. Our dogs have run through barbed wire fences after rabbits and kangaroos without slowing or hesitating. They also can jump your standard 1.2 m high farm fencing, as I found out after the fires when our then 7 month old dog jumped the standard 1.2m high fence and tracked me down in the middle of town. We now have 2m high fences.

[TikaAkita]

Wow! Just heard that a girl walking home from the high school I attended only last year, heading down the street only two away from where my grandparents live and where I used to live a few years ago, was almost abducted. A guy pulled over and yelled at her to get in his car, chased her to her house and tryed to bang the door down. She was walking the same route my cousin walks home from the school, the same one I used to walk even. Police were there pretty quick as the girl was able to call them and her own dad at the same time on two seperate phones. Such a lucky girl. The police knew this guy was in town as he was just out of prison for doing the same thing previously!!

If i had any doubts, I am now absolutely convinced I want a dog that would protect me in such a situation. Too close to home this one! Too many horrible people exist!

EDT: oh and the guy ran off, leaving his car behind. Im pretty sure they havent caught him yet.

Edited May 3, 2012 by Emma93

[felix]

If I was looking for a large breed, I would go for Russian Black Terrier. They are big and can look very intimidating. They used to be army dogs, I would expect them to be relatively easy to train.

Edited May 3, 2012 by felix

[Alkhe]

If I was looking for a large breed, I would go for Russian Black Terrier. They are big and can look very intimidating. They used to be army dogs, I would expect them to be relatively easy to train.

My understanding is that they are very headstrong dogs that require strong (and I'd say experienced) leadership. So probably not good for a first time or relatively inexperienced owner..

I've only met one in real life though, my understanding is based on picking up tidbits and reading on the internet (story of my life!).

[Purdie]

Another breed to consider,if you like training and going for walks is the Dobermann.My daughter's housemates have one.She feels safe with him.There was a man in the front yard near her car when she was home alone one night.She went out quietly and the dog went ahead and stood in front of her .The intruder turned around to a growling dog.

The guy claimed he had the wrong house and backed off and left quick smart.

[grumpette]

Wow! Just heard that a girl walking home from the high school I attended only last year, heading down the street only two away from where my grandparents live and where I used to live a few years ago, was almost abducted. A guy pulled over and yelled at her to get in his car, chased her to her house and tryed to bang the door down. She was walking the same route my cousin walks home from the school, the same one I used to walk even. Police were there pretty quick as the girl was able to call them and her own dad at the same time on two seperate phones. Such a lucky girl. The police knew this guy was in town as he was just out of prison for doing the same thing previously!!

If i had any doubts, I am now absolutely convinced I want a dog that would protect me in such a situation. Too close to home this one! Too many horrible people exist!

EDT: oh and the guy ran off, leaving his car behind. Im pretty sure they havent caught him yet.

There is no guarantee that a pet dog will protect you should you both come under threat. None. The only way is to have a protection trained dog, which comes with its own set of serious responsibilities with respect to containing the dog, as the dog is in fact a declared dangerous dog according to law, especially in Victoria.

It sounds like the guy and girl were known to each other, and that it was not a random abduction attempt.

[persephone]

I used to live in a big bad city ..but was never afraid when walking my dog at 5 am , or 10 pm ... I could doze away a Sunday afternoon in city parks, or in my car on long trips - and felt protected . Maybe I was dreaming, but I FELT fine :) My dog would alert me to anyone approaching - he would growl , and he would also bail folks up at home if they got as far as through the big gates ,and into the backyard... (he never bit anyone)..but would keep them flat against a fence .

What was my protector?

An 18 kg Cocker spaniel X bordercollie , who I obtained as a young adult .

A dog does not have to be huge and potentially uncontrollable to be effective.

If i had any doubts, I am now absolutely convinced I want a dog that would protect me in such a situation. Too close to home this one! Too many horrible people exist!

..and unfortunately, unless you have a recognised condition, you can not have your dog (especially a 50 kg one) with you at all times.

from the high school I attended only last year

So, you are fresh out of school?

Young people often move house/go on holidays/ need to rent / get partners ... what provision have you made for the care of a VERY large, possibly protective/aggressive dog in some of these situations?

It's all fantastic if you are physically and psychologically able to train/handle a large breed/guardian- but consider housemates/family/friends . Will they be able , or even want, to have that responsibility?

[karly101]

I'd just be sure to be aware of costs of owning a giant breed - we had 2 tibetan mastiffs at my old work place (vet clinic) beautiful dogs, the owner was very firm with them in regards to training. Whenever they got sick though or required pain medications often the cost of one medication alone would be $100 due to the large dose required. Not to mention the cost of any surgeries which are priced according to the dogs weight.

Then worming/flea control - the tibetan mastiff needed 2 packets so double the cost compared to a large breed which fits within the weight range.

I've had a german shepherd and now have a smooth collie - the german shepherd was actually the biggest wuss in the world but both I felt quite safe walking on my own. From what you've written with costs etc perhaps its not quite the right time for you to own a giant breed and a large breed may suit you a lot better.

[TikaAkita]

Everyone is very right that dogs cannot be garunteed to act a certain way in any situation, and that a dog that is trained to attack is too dangerous and not something I could personally own safely. I was pretty shocked last night and this morning realised that some people will probably think i'm being very reactive.

I just want to assure everyone that I will not be getting a dog and encouraging or training it to go crazy and be violent or anything. As with any breed I would be aiming to raise a happy, well adjusted dog. Not one who wants to bite everything it sees.

My parents JRT would do anything to protect a family member, but a good kick and he would be down, you know? Where as their Goldie, shes very timid and although she gives warning barks, she would be likely to run away looking for mum or dad to protect her! But because of her size, if she had a more protective nature I'm pretty sure she would discourage anyone from entering the house or the likes. Its completely true, to me at least, that any dog of decent size barking and growling at a stranger should be off putting enough. I would just like it if the dog also looked a bit scary also, doesnt mean it has to have an aggressive nature.

Again, I dont actually EXPECT something bad to happen to me, as much as it might sound that way. I just figure that if I can find a breed I like who has some of these characteristics and would also make a good family pet, then I should.

Yes I'm just out of school. I've already taken care of the OH bit :) Something I've been thinking about is how to raise a dog of the mentioned breeds that would be well adjusted enough to cope with either family members visiting each day to feed/give attention, or to live with them for a week or two if we holiday.

As a matter of curiousity, what do people here think their dog would do if you were walking them and for example, someone tried to steal your money or phone, and you started yelling or screaming at them or acting distressed?

Maybe you think you wouldnt be approached in the first place because of your dog? Any response would be of interest to me :)

*Considering that the girl was 13, I've got no idea how or why she could have known the guy who tried to abduct her. However as I dont know the girl, I could be wrong.

[Purdie]

When some people say they want a dog for protection,what they realy mean is a dog that will bark and alert them to strangers and make them feel safer by having a dog with them.for company.It's about bluff.My friends have a Golden Retriever who is friendly and has a deep bark when you come to the gate.I would not go in the gate by myself as i don't know the dog .Most intruders would be wary of any dog for the same reason.You also need to consider if you have the strength to control a large dog out in public.

What if the dog chased a cat and dragged you over.Or another dog wanted to have a go at your dog,what would you do?

Perhaps put on hold the idea of a very big guarding breed untill you have done more research and have spent a bit of time around them.Start with a breed that you can more easily train and manage.What ever breed you get be sure to socialise them well and do plenty of training.

[TikaAkita]

I'd just be sure to be aware of costs of owning a giant breed - we had 2 tibetan mastiffs at my old work place (vet clinic) beautiful dogs, the owner was very firm with them in regards to training. Whenever they got sick though or required pain medications often the cost of one medication alone would be $100 due to the large dose required. Not to mention the cost of any surgeries which are priced according to the dogs weight.

Then worming/flea control - the tibetan mastiff needed 2 packets so double the cost compared to a large breed which fits within the weight range.

I've had a german shepherd and now have a smooth collie - the german shepherd was actually the biggest wuss in the world but both I felt quite safe walking on my own. From what you've written with costs etc perhaps its not quite the right time for you to own a giant breed and a large breed may suit you a lot better.

Thank you for that :) I thought it must cost more for surgery on large dog because of the extra medicines required, but I wasnt positive. Cost wise we are probably looking at next year for actually getting a dog. Depends how OH goes getting the job he's after. Either way it seems that we'll have to have a decent amount of money sitting in a dog fund :laugh: Owning a large breed is turing out to be a similar cost to owning my horse! With around 600kgs difference ;p

[Dame Aussie]

I doubt anyone would approach us while walking our Anatolian. Most people avoid us at all costs. I do believe he would freak out if anyone came towards us acting aggressively, but I don't depend on that and I could be totally wrong. You will never know if a dog will ctually do anything until it does, or doesnt....

I don't think a TM (or similar guarding breed) would cope well with people visiting the house while you are away at all, so be very aware of that.

To be honest, a lot of people are scared/wary of any breed bigger than a Lab in my experience. To them a giant dog is giant yes, but a big dog can do damage so I don't think the dog has to be giant to be a good protector, a lot of people are terrified of GSD's and Rotti's for example.

[Alkhe]

I used to live in a big bad city ..but was never afraid when walking my dog at 5 am , or 10 pm ... I could doze away a Sunday afternoon in city parks, or in my car on long trips - and felt protected . Maybe I was dreaming, but I FELT fine :) My dog would alert me to anyone approaching - he would growl , and he would also bail folks up at home if they got as far as through the big gates ,and into the backyard... (he never bit anyone)..but would keep them flat against a fence .

What was my protector?

An 18 kg Cocker spaniel X bordercollie , who I obtained as a young adult .

A dog does not have to be huge and potentially uncontrollable to be effective.

If i had any doubts, I am now absolutely convinced I want a dog that would protect me in such a situation. Too close to home this one! Too many horrible people exist!

..and unfortunately, unless you have a recognised condition, you can not have your dog (especially a 50 kg one) with you at all times.

from the high school I attended only last year

So, you are fresh out of school?

Young people often move house/go on holidays/ need to rent / get partners ... what provision have you made for the care of a VERY large, possibly protective/aggressive dog in some of these situations?

It's all fantastic if you are physically and psychologically able to train/handle a large breed/guardian- but consider housemates/family/friends . Will they be able , or even want, to have that responsibility?

I actually agree with this - I'm 25, and while I am often annoyed by people judging my capacity and ability to do things based on that, in some cases it's just a fact of life. I left my little dog at home when I moved out at 18, and waited 7 years before getting a dog again. As much as living without a dog was awful and I used to lurk at parks near me, wishing I could be there with my dog too, I forced myself to wait until I was certain that I could make sure that I could get a dog and keep him/her without worrying about rentals and money etc.

I ended up getting her a year ago when I was still renting, but was in a position that I could be choosy with where I went, and had backup plans in case anything fell through and I couldnt find a pet friendly one. I ended up going overseas every year between 18-25, and while studying full time and working part time, I wouldn't have been able to be as dedicated and responsible an owner as I am able to be now. I'm so glad I waited, because it can be REALLY hard to find a pet friendly rental, even when you have a 4kg non-shedding dog with references..