Looking for a gaurd dog???

[Kowsrule30]

We are looking into getting a large breed dog.... Starting as a pup... It will be an outside dog mainly to keep an eye on things when I'm gone and for night alerts.... We have been dealing with a lot of theft and small time vandalism on our property..... Someone broke into my garage and stole a bunch of baby clothes my wife had set up for single parents.... Left the thousands of $$$$ worth of hunting/fishing/camping stuff alone....     Tearing down and even cutting wires on decorations around the yard..... Stealling scrap... Well at least trying to.... I caught someone midsummer and chased him down with some relatives to loose him in the sticker bushes.... And the final straw... I heard something about 12:30 am Thursday night... Grabbed the Glock... Went outside and did a perimeter check... Nothing... But my neighbor's dogs were going crazy.... Again at 1:30 am... I have to work at 5 am... In the am on my way to work I'm on E... The gas light is on... *censored*s siphoned my tank... Over $80 in gas gone... I filled up right after work on my way home and stayed home... I walked right by them as they were tucked in the bushes with cans full of my gas... Truck didn't move... I was wanting and preferring a hunting breed..... You all know why.... But after a little thought I know it wouldn't be fair to the dog for it to live it's life without the hunt..... And really what's the point of having the alarm of a dog for my wife and kids if I take it hunting a long weekend.... So I was wondering what you all would recommend... A dog that's loyal... Doesn't stray if trained properly... Aggressive enough to keep strangers at bay but also family and friends and small children shouldn't worry... And be able to spend the long cold nights outside.... The dog will have a nice comfy bed in our mudroom with unrestricted access outside... Again I feel I need to raise it as a pup so we all have that connection of family and foe.... So any advice or knowledge is greatly appreciated... Or if anyone knows of some type of pups in the Kitsap area that I might be able to take a look at... The internet and papers don't have much for this area... A bunch of pitbulls.... But that's out of the question...

[Kowsrule30]

Thanks for the couple pms I've gotten... Wife really like German Shepards all of a sudden..... I'm leaning more toward a Dorbermen and Rot...... Or both.... Maybe one of each....     

[sebek556]

grew up with a rot, if we were home and you were introduced to him no problems, if were we not home and you showed up he was a different dog. One day I came home to find my cousin pined to the front door. He was coming over to go hunting that weekend so my dad just told him to come in, he had been there before and the rot stayed in the house when we were gone. Never bit him just would not let him move. 

[krism83]

Just out of curiousity why are pits out of the question??

[runamuk]

dobes need tons of attention and with the really short coat arent ideal for full time outdoor living.....also check with homeowners insurance all 3 breeds are banned by many insurance companies and they will not cover anything if they find out you have them...I know allstate has a long breed ban list

out german shepherd and our neighbors liked to wander when they got out of the fence
good fences are needed....and be careful WA has some screwy laws with regards to posting guard dog signs its taken as an admission of owning a dangerous dog and can set you up liability wise.....I only heard this havent found any case law to back it up....
you might look into the livestock guard breeds like anatolian, kuvas, or great Pyrenees they are all bred to guard flocks of sheep and live outdoor year round...they do learn to guard what is theirs especially anatolians those can be scary ass dogs if they think you dont belong....again you will need good fences so they dont take up guarding the entire neighborhood....good luck have fun and take your time to research

[GT]

Sebek556.  I had the same experience when I was stationed in Hawaii although my dog at that time was a white German Shepherd.  I came home one day and found some solicitor firmly planted against my front door with Duke in his face.  Guy said he’d been there about an hour too scared to move. 

Krism83.  We currently have a 3 year old female Pit Bull that we adopted.  They’re great family dogs and companions; they want to please everybody and get as much affection as possible.  They take to training pretty easily but if you give them an inch they’ll push for more.  They’re not much of a guard dog however due to the “want to please” nature about them.  Case in point: we had some preventive maintenance work done on our furnace yesterday.  The tech had never been here before.  When he got here, Zoe (our Pit Bull) went bananas nearly peeing all over herself with her tail wagging in ultra high speed boogie mode to get to the guy so she could get petted and lick his hands.  She never barked once.   I think those Pit Bulls that are mistreated somewhere in their past or left to their own accord without training and companionship are the ones that demonstrate unpredictable behaviors that give them their reputation.

German Shepherds are great dogs; intelligent, easy to train, great companions and wonderful guard dogs in my opinion.  There’s a reason police departments and military police use them almost exclusively as K9 Cops.

[Special T]

Is your yard fenced? That might be my determining factor for a rot or a German Shepard...   I have a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. He doesn't have the intimidation factor that the other breeds have, however he is fairly protective and he really like to hunt. I think any of the breeds you described will work just form the deterrence factor...

[CAMPMEAT]

These work very well. They are underfed and hungry for meat, especially tresspassers. 

[krism83]

Krism83.  We currently have a 3 year old female Pit Bull that we adopted.  They’re great family dogs and companions; they want to please everybody and get as much affection as possible.  They take to training pretty easily but if you give them an inch they’ll push for more.  They’re not much of a guard dog however due to the “want to please” nature about them.  Case in point: we had some preventive maintenance work done on our furnace yesterday.  The tech had never been here before.  When he got here, Zoe (our Pit Bull) went bananas nearly peeing all over herself with her tail wagging in ultra high speed boogie mode to get to the guy so she could get petted and lick his hands.  She never barked once.   I think those Pit Bulls that are mistreated somewhere in their past or left to their own accord without training and companionship are the ones that demonstrate unpredictable behaviors that give them their reputation.

[/quote

GT I currently also have a 7 year old Pit, and you are absolutely right....she just wants everyone to love her and play with her. Her tail is wagging constantly, and the only time I have heard her bark or growl in an aggresive manner is at the Racoons that like to get up on the porch at night. The only reason I asked is because A LOT of people have this bad mental image of them and it drives me nuts. They do require a lot of attention and can be "brats" at times but I love her to death.

[sisu]

Owned labs, pit and Rotts.

Our labs are explosive on the vocals at night so that is a good one as long as neighbors don't complain. And I know they will step in and get aggressive IF someone is going to get all weird and pushy. From the aspect that you can hunt with the lab or Chesapeake I'd go with a bird dog.

Rotts are the best dog I have ever owned as far as intelligence, manners, good with kids IF raised with kids and they even if not aggressive are intimidating just don't tell your insurance company you own a Rottweiler. I got dropped in the Lower 48 when I moved here by State Farm, All State etc. Farmers was the only one not to complain. They naturally want to be involved with the family, be the watch dog of things in and around YOUR property (car, truck, boat, house, yard etc).

Pits, our pit was a wonderful family member and if a bad guy would of shown up she would of been good help IF the guy never had a gun. If a gun would of appeared the last thing you'd of seen was her ass end disappearing into the distance. BUT if no gun and you lay a hand on one of the family members she would of nailed you. Our friends that stayed at our house on hunting trips were considered family. She'd hop on the couch and go to sleep in their laps, want to go outside with them etc.

For insurance reasons I'll never own another Rott or pit, but labs and Chesapeake are good deterrents and dual use. BTW any terrier breed is a good guard dog no matter how small as they are aggressive and usually the smaller ones are yappers

[Kowsrule30]

I've just had some very bad episodes with pitbulls..... So have a few friends..... I know some weren't raised very well... But my wife said anything but a Pit.... I know if we raised it right as a pup it would be different...... But it is what it is..... We are leaning more toward a German Shepherd After a little research.... But we found a lady who is selling drooless, Long haired St. Bernards for $100.... Both parents are pappered.... Our yard is partially fenced.... I have the materials to fully fence it but got side tracked..... I don't have the gates as of yet.... Hunting and cars took over....

[JimmyHoffa]

Some folks I used to work with had english mastiffs and they made pretty good gaurd dogs.  They had a male and a female, the male was something like 240 lbs.  They were calm and gentle even around their kids. It was actually kind of funny to visit them because the guy was like 5' and the wife was 4' something and then these huge dogs running around. 

[CementFinisher]

Look into american bull dogs, there are two types the scott type and johnson type. I personally like the scott type, more athletic, the breed has been tampered with less, i thing better looking. The johnson type is heavier and more bully looking.

[furbearer365]

I have heard that the best all around dog for what you are looking for is an Akita.  They are beautiful and smart dogs but are extremely territorial.  They are also built for the outdoors as well as indoors.  Somewhat like a husky or malimute only with more of a guard dog temperament. 

[Kowsrule30]

I really like bulldogs as well..... We have a Boxer/Boston Terrier that is a little on the crazy side..... But is worthless in the defense prowler alert.... Cause he's under the covers asleep with mom....    Plus he's barely bigger then a Boston...

And a friend of mine also mentioned about an Akita, and we looked into a Husky..... But haven't been able to dig up anything within our price range local enough..... One of the Husky's was so beautiful I was sold on the pic.....    I was planning on driving over to Renton from Port Orchard Weds before Turkey Day after work...... Well I was informed I was laid off as of 3 pm Weds..... So as of right now the $100 St Bernard is looking great..... But knowing how much they eat..... Don't know if I should as of yet with the lack of income before Christmas......

[HntnFsh]

If you decide on german shepherds.Let me know.I can steer you to a breeder in Lacy that has some fantastic dogs.She has several from her kennels that are in law enforcement,search and rescue,compaion etc.

We have a male and female from her that get compliments any where we take them.

Our male is 115 lbs.But hes pretty easy going.Really a great laid back dog. Our female is about 75 lbs. And I wouldnt want her pissed at me.She is pretty hyper and protective of us.But also a great family dog.

We sold a litter of 6 last winter to the first 6 people that looked at them.

[wraithen]

My mastiff eats 4 cups a day of the petsmart brand dog food. Costco dog food is actually really healthy too. Cheaper food requires more to be fed. FWIW my mastiff is a petite female at only 155lbs. Horrible guard dog if I'm home. Won't even get off her bed. If I'm not home tho she will kill anything for momma. 

[longknife]

Some folks I used to work with had english mastiffs and they made pretty good gaurd dogs.  They had a male and a female, the male was something like 240 lbs.  They were calm and gentle even around their kids. It was actually kind of funny to visit them because the guy was like 5' and the wife was 4' something and then these huge dogs running around.

Have a 200# english mastiff, scares the s#@t out of the UPS guy, or anyone at the door when we are not home! Very protective twards kids, they want to be at your side at all times, or in your lap.LOL

[wraithen]

Our UPS guy ruined ours. He always tells her she's pretty and gives her treats.

[Stickerbush]

I have heard that chessies are pretty good as they were bread to be somewhat of a guard dog for the commercial fowlers. I have a female black lab and she is pretty vocal good alarm dog. 2 for 1 if you bird hunt, some relatives have an american bulldog very loyal and protective too

[Stilly bay]

If you decide on german shepherds.Let me know.I can steer you to a breeder in Lacy that has some fantastic dogs.She has several from her kennels that are in law enforcement,search and rescue,compaion etc.

  her dogs are top notch and very impressive looking.

my dad bred German shepherds and trained them as attack dogs for schutzhund and home defense. he used german commands. in my book there is nothing more intimidating than a properly trained attack dog.  one minute they are calm and happy looking, then their master shouts " ACHTUNG ANSCHLAG!!!" and they switch to a 100lb-30mph- fur bomb with teeth.

[Sumpnneedskillin]

When I was stationed in San Diego had a new neighbor move in.  Was in the back yard one afternoon taking care of the lawn.  Got close to the fence and thought the neighbor had a barking horse.  It was an Anatolian Shepard.  That dog was freaking HUGE!.

My mom's stepdad had a Rotti.  He was an impressive dog too.  His head was about the size of 20lb turkey.  Rob had gotten Inar a test bowling ball to play with.  That dog could get the right combo of finger holes and pick that 12lb bowling ball up.  He'd walk over and drop it next to your foot.

My brother had an Australian Cattle dog.  That dog knew me and he'd still scare the crap out of me when I'd visit.  He made you think twice about getting out of the car.  My brother said that the UPS guy wouldn't deliver if the dog was out.  He could pop a wheelbarrow tire with his teeth.

[akirkland]

I love German Shepherds for this type of situation. The problem with the Shepherd is its hips. They out live this hip failure and it causes lots of grief for everyone involved. There will be lots of vet bills and the poor dogs quality of life will be shor lived. Great dogs though. I am a big fan of this breed. However, I am a bigger fan of the Belgian  Malinois. Look them up if you are unfamiliar with them. They have taken the place of the German Shepherd little by little over the last 20 years or so. They look very much like the GS but tend to be a bit smaller. Definately much more agile and they dont have the hip problem. Very fine watch dog. All of our police, sherriff, DEA, FBI and other agencies utilize this breed to its fullest potential. I have two Labs. They are both inside the house. My male is very protective. If i were in your shoes i would have a Belgian pup right now! good luck!

[HntnFsh]

We have had a few german shepherds and fortunately never a hip problem in them.Our last male lived to 14 years and never had a problem with his hips.

[akirkland]

We have had a few german shepherds and fortunately never a hip problem in them.Our last male lived to 14 years and never had a problem with his hips.

         Thats great! They are amazing dogs! 

[stillhunter]

You might consider the Heelers, Blue red or silver they are a herding dog and are protective by nature but we have had several and they are great family dogs as well as watch dogs, and they scare the crap out of any one who comes to the house when we aren't home.

[bigdave]

I have a lab/heeler mix and he is a very smart, family oriented medium sized dog.  He is a fabulous judge of character. (I know this sounds weird...but) We had construction guys at our house last summer doing remodeling for about 3 weeks and he was OK with everyone after the first day except for this one guy. He was reading some kinda body language off this guy cause he would watch him all day and follow him around. All the other guys could pet my dog but not this guy, the hackles would go up if this guy tried to come with in 5 or 6 feet of my dog. Later the foreman admitted to me that this guy was an excon and that he had let him go a couple of weeks after they did our job. Coincidence? Maybe.

Also, he was not the most agressive in his litter. The best word to describe his behavior when we looked at the whole litter is circumspect. He was quiet, cautious (but not fearful), Friendly, (but not overly so). He was not the first to run over and lick you to death, but was not the smallest or most timid in the litter either. The only problem is he doesn't have a thick enough coat to be an outside dog in our E.Wash winters.

Good luck with your search.

bigdave

[rtspring]

I would add another vote for the Chessy,

I had one and at the age of 5 she had whupped every dog that came into the yard. My buddies would not bring thier big male dogs over just because they knew the Bitch would put them down and they would have to swallow their pride.

She was absolutely my best friend. Would not let anyone in the yard unless I said it was ok. She would turn in a minute from nice dog to get the hell out of here dog..

I will have another one some day..  By the way she was black lab and chessy mix..... great hunting dog....

[HntnFsh]

Ive seen this behavior in a couple of the small dogs we had. I think that dogs are very instinctive.

I have a lab/heeler mix and he is a very smart, family oriented medium sized dog.  He is a fabulous judge of character. (I know this sounds weird...but) We had construction guys at our house last summer doing remodeling for about 3 weeks and he was OK with everyone after the first day except for this one guy. He was reading some kinda body language off this guy cause he would watch him all day and follow him around. All the other guys could pet my dog but not this guy, the hackles would go up if this guy tried to come with in 5 or 6 feet of my dog. Later the foreman admitted to me that this guy was an excon and that he had let him go a couple of weeks after they did our job. Coincidence? Maybe.

Also, he was not the most agressive in his litter. The best word to describe his behavior when we looked at the whole litter is circumspect. He was quiet, cautious (but not fearful), Friendly, (but not overly so). He was not the first to run over and lick you to death, but was not the smallest or most timid in the litter either. The only problem is he doesn't have a thick enough coat to be an outside dog in our E.Wash winters.

Good luck with your search.

bigdave

[Kowsrule30]

Thanks everyone.... Love the input!!!!   Just a lot more research to do.... My wife said she almost came home with one from Albertsons last night..... For $50.... I asked her what kind of dog it was and she said....... Cute.....    Not exactly what we're looking for I told her..... 

[twistiron]

x 1000 on american bull dog they are very smart loyal and strong. no one comes through our door when ours is in charge. he is on the small side only about 90# but its pure muscle and stopping power with out the hip displasia of shepperds. he only likes dogs he is comfortable with. i had to socialize him alot to get people safe but only around people he knew strangers are out as far as he is concerned. i have a 7 and 1 year old daughters and they climb all over him and pull on his ears to no end he has never once so much a growled, he walks to the door when he is done playing. i have the scotts type but i have seen great results from both. they need excersize. good luck.