Protection/family dog

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High Planes Drifter

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I know this isnt gun related, but I saw a post not long ago regarding a Belgian Malinois so I figure the mods wouldnt mind a question about a home protection/family dog. I really didnt know where else to ask these questions. Heres my circumstance:

For about 2 mo.'s I have been reading/studying dog breeds; I am in the market for a puppy for my son who's almost 4. I was/am leaning towards a Boxer as it seems like a fairly happy breed with children, yet can be protective. My mind was pretty much set until last week. My brother is a contractor and worked on a mans' house who owns a pair of American Bulldogs. The female just dropped puppies. He offered him (brother) a puppy f.o.c. My brother, knowing I was looking for a puppy, is offering this pick to me. I did alot of research on the AB, and know the basics. The mans' dogs are of the Johnson line, and seem to be of very good temperment. I would like suggestions from folks who have more experience with this breed. What can I expect from an AB? Would it be a good choice for a home with a 4 y.o.?
I know individual dogs vary, but in general please tell me more about this breed. Would I be better off sticking with my original choice, and buying a Boxer? Thanks in advance.
 
I would advise a Great Pyrenees. They are supposed to be great family dogs as long as you don't have other animals or plan on having strangers at home when you aren't.

I've never had one but I did have a Chow-Lab mix that was a perfect friend. But god help you if you tried to steal her food.:eek:
 
I would go with the boxer. Boxers have a great reputation with children. The american bulldog is also supposed to be good with children also but alot of breeders will tell you to be wary of any dog that was originally bred for bull baiting around children.

It is hard to overcome generations of breeding and control that bite and clamp resonse that can severly injure a small child. Some rough hugging can sometimes trigger their fight response. Boxers were bred primary as hunting dogs so do not have the same close quarter fighting instincts.

Buying a dog for a small child is difficult. It has to be sturdy enough to withstand the child but tolerant enough to not bite. the main thing is to realize it is the child that needs the most education on how to deal with the dog and not vice versa. Any dog will bite if abused. But I have met a whole lot of bad kids and seldom a bad dog.
 
Real Dog Information

Try AKC.org. That site really gives you all the basic facts on purebreds. The problem with Bull Dogs is they have skin problems.
 
I would go with the AB. I have owned and been around many of both. I have not seen the Boxers be very good guard dogs at all, as a matter of fact, never even seen one boxer that was a good guard dog. Not saying they dont exist, but your percentages are much higher with an AB. The size and appearance of an AB alone will make a lot of people decide to stay in their car, this is speaking from personal experience.

I dont really think the AB would be any better with kids, but I dont really think it would be any worse either. Whole lot more upside with the intelligence and protectiveness with an AB IMO.
 
i own a AB and you would be shocked when you own them from a pup they are very good with children it is like any other dog my boston terrier is meanier to the kids then the pit bull. also very protective.
 
I have to agree with Kevin Quinlan on this one, get a dog as an early warning sytem, possible bad guy deterrent ( easier to move on to a house with no dog ), possible protection for your child against another dog. There are too many ways for your dog to be incapacitated and variables in a self defense situation to place the onus on the dog to protect, especially if you don't go into the specific training required for a " guard/attack dog ". When I had a dog I counted on him to let me know when someone was around who shouldn't be, which he did perfectly, it was then up to me to meet the threat which was a perfectly acceptable trade off for the love and affection a dog provides.

Please note I am not saying that dogs can't protect, guard, kill...what I am saying is in your situation this may not be the route you want to take.
 
BEST INVESTMENT FOR US: DOGUE DE BORDEAUX/HOOCH/FRENCH MASTIFF

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Monique, my four and a half year old female DDB (Dogue de Bordeaux) has been an excellent companion, protector, and all-around alarm system. She is great with children and other pets. Extremely protective of my wife and infant son.

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She has travelled with me extensively for business and has been an extremely quick learner. She has also been our flower girl and ringbeaer in our wedding ceremony, she's that well behaved.

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Great all around dogs these Bordeaux are!
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Very good at visual dissuasion with other wildlife and two-legged folks on the periphery of our property too.

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I can definitely recommend a good specimen of this breed. When Monique goes to the big field in the sky, I am getting another Bordeaux, no questions or hesitation.

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I trust my family to her as a first line of defense.

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The only downside is the occassional snoring and flatulence, plus some drool.

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We chose a molosser also, in our case a New World breed- the Fila Brasileiro, or Brazilian Mastiff. Filas are known for their protectiveness, for tolerance of any behavior from thir family members, and their instinctive dislike of strangers. However, this breed is not suited to every owner and every situation. Filas have not lost the natural protectiveness for which they were originally bred, and some lifestyles simply do not mesh with owning a Fila. See:

http://www.eanlo.com/index_files/Page308.htm

http://www.southlandfarms.com/html/are_you_ready_for_a_fila_.html

lpl/nc
 
ah, another bully breed. :D

http://www.bulldogbreeds.com/americanbulldog.html

Seems that like most bully breeds, they are quite good with people. Their tenacity and fearlessness combined with an enormous sense of devotion to family makes for an excellent dog. The American Bulldog is one of the largest bully breeds though, so make sure you've got the room for one. Also, when people say a tired bully is a happy bully, they mean it. I don't know why we still use coal or nuclear power plants...my pit mix could easily power a small New England town.

As with ANY dog, you should never leave it unsupervised with a child. Just as with guns and children, dogs and children require supervision and education. If you do pick up the pup, make sure you get some training for it. Socializing is important, but I would avoid dog parks. Also, make sure said dog is legal in your area. The Breed Specific Legislation crowd (I hold them on the same level as anti-gunners) has been hard at work in various areas trying to keep us safe from their ignorance. :fire:
Also, check with your homeowners insurance company. Some of them do not allow bully breeds (or other "dangerous" breeds)

I wouldn't count on a dog for protection though. To be quite honest, of my two dogs (a pit mix and a beagle) the beagle is probably the better watch dog. Anyway, just want you to be aware that while the bully breeds are some of the best dogs around, they do require extra care and caution from their owners. Some of it is to keep your dog safe and happy and some of it is to keep you out of a tight spot. If the dog ever gets into a scrap, it will probably be blamed for it. Many people are automatically scared of bully dogs simply because of something they heard on the news.
Great dogs though.
 
I appreciate everyones responses and thoughtfull recomendations. Allow me clarify a few things I didnt in my original post. I have no intention of having the dog protection/attack trained. I do have experience with other large breeds. I have owned German Shepards in the past; I would consider one now but my wife has made it clear she does not want a long haired dog in the house. I 100% agree with others in that when I am home the dog's purpose is to alert to me that someone is there, then its my responsibility. Basicaly, I just want the dog for the reasons many of you have said; to be a companion to my son, bark to alert me someone is coming, act as a deterent to would be robbers/threats, and keep the place safe when I am not home. Should (God forbid) the need arise I would want the dog to be able to become agressive to protect my family when I am not home.
 
You were probably reading my Belgian thread. If you wanted something similar to a GSD the Malinois would be a pretty good fit. Mine just gave me a big hug and kiss. I'm in the computer chair and he'll come stand up put his paws on both shoulders, put his head on one shoulder and kiss my ear. Its a pretty weird feeling. Mine is very territorial but is great with dogs he knows. A stray got in the yard yesterday and was lucky to get out.

The Great Pyrneeses mentioned earlier are great dogs. My brother had one as did a boss of mine. My brother swore his would be a great kid dog Only problem is they are long haired.
 
Our pit bull is a great watch dog. She barks like crazy whenever someone comes to the door. It's because she can't wait to lick their faces. She MIGHT growl at a burglar, but maybe not. She's a burglar ALARM, but not a guard dog.

A breed-standard APBT is completely non-human-aggressive and generally VERY human-friendly. I think that our dog would help protect us, but I wouldn't bet my life on it. She's pretty typical of a breed-standard dog.

If a "pit bull" shows any human aggression, the dog is automatically DQ'ed from breed listing as an APBT. This has a very important implication: a dog that is human-aggressive is probably messed-up and can be highly unpredictable. I'm not afraid to rescue a dog and see what we can do with it, but we don't have any little kids around.

American Bulldogs can have more "guard dog" behaviors than real APBT's which tend to be overly human-friendly even if they are very animal-aggressive, but they're pretty playful generally. Individual dogs can vary, of course, but AB's do tend to be a bit more aloof than APBT's. That's not saying too much, really, since APBT's tend to be overly gregarious.

I say "tend to" because every dog is an individual. Breeds are not models of cars off an assembly line. Any assessment has to be done on an individual dog; breeds are just a generalization.

Boxers generally are more interested in goofing around and looking for attention than anything. I love them, but they're no more of a guard dog than an APBT.

If you want a short-haired dog that will be a guard dog, a Rottweiler is a great choice. It has to be a good one, but I've seen several who are VERY good with kids, playful yet gentle, but turn into an instant guard dog when they perceive any threat to the kids. It's a total transformation.

Downsides?

With a Boxer or Bully breed, you have to be prepared to give the dog serious exercise almost every single day. Don't get it unless you have the time and initiative, and plan to give the dog what it needs. To do otherwise is cruel, and it's irresponsible because a bored dog can be a dangerous dog.

With a Rottweiler, Mastiff, etc., you'd better learn about dog training. You have to know how to be gentle but unwaveringly firm, and so does your spouse. Nearly all of these dogs are born to be Alpha dogs. They can be the sweetest things in the world, but if they aren't shown who's boss, they figure they are. Rottweilers are famous for challenging their owners' dominance, sometimes constantly. You have to be patient and consistent, and not take it personally.

You know about Shepherds. They're great for your purpose. Maybe you can get one with short hair... Malinois are amazing dogs. They need good owners and trainers, and they need a lot of physical and mental stimulation, but they're really incredible dogs.

Here's a good piece to read if you're thinking about an American Bulldog: http://www.americanbulldogrescue.org/own.php?page=1

You may find that it's a LOT different from a Shepherd!
 
From the little I've read, an American Bulldog from good breeding should be fine. Socialize it well and train your kids not to antagonize it as a puppy and it should be a good companion. IME, many dogs will not protect your stuff while you're not there unless they're specifically trained to protect property. I'm not sure a dog trained like that would make a good family pet.

Spent this past Sunday with about 20 GSD's available from a rescue group -- great dogs. All those dogs and very little aggression even among the unaltered males. I don't think the GSD issue is so much long hair as it is the shedding. Brushing and combing mitigates this, but shedding is a GSD trait. Doesn't help you because you're acquainted with the breed, but a GSD would be my first choice -- second would be a Golden Retriever. Same rules, comb out the dead hair and don't worry about the rest.
 
Good post ArmedBear. *gives big thumbs up*
I agree wholeheartedly and am glad to see yet another responsible bully owner.

As far as the long haired dog thing, I'd almost prefer one with a longer coat. Both my dogs are short haired breeds (beagle and pit-mix) and it almost seems like they are constantly dropping dog hair. While they do shed normally, it seems like more of a year round process.

Anyway, count me as another vote for a bully breed.
 
Get a couple of Dobermans they are great dogs.If you raise them right they will protect you but also be friendly to kids aand babys
 

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Dobies are a good choice, too. Most people won't mess with a Doberman or any human accompanied by a Doberman, but they can be some of the best dogs with kids.

The same caveat applies WRT exercise, though. If you think walking on leash is exercise, then you need a different kind of dog, not a Doberman, a bully breed, or a Boxer. A typical day for our dog involves hiking up and down a small mountain with us, sprinting after tennis balls thrown as hard and as far as I can with a Chuck-it, swimming until she's exhausted, often in river current, or two of the above. She rests once a week or so. In long storms, we have to run her up and down the stairs with a laser pointer or she gets REALLY antsy. But the rest of the time, she's a real lover. She's just a serious athlete, like most of these dogs.

We're lucky with shedding. Our dog sheds twice a year. Her coat doesn't change thickness, and it provides little insulation, but it's easy to wash. She has a jacket for cold weather and a wetsuit for cold water, though. Otherwise, she shivers.
 
I have a Belgian Sheepdog (solid black, long hair, like a black coat on a cross between Collie and German Shepard). He is very good with nieces and nephews, is very smart and very protective. The breed has no tendency toward hip problems or any other real problems from overbreeding. They are a bit hard to find. He chased off a black bear that was breaking into the house about a year and a half ago. Very similar in character to the Malanois I hear, so I would have to say the Malanois with shorter coat may be a good choice for warmer climates.
 
Dobermans are great. Playing catch with a frisbee takes on a new dimension with a Dobie. High energy dog.
 
MAX and MOLLY are my dobermans Max weighs 121 and Molly is 110lbs They patrol my fenced in 10 acres .They live in the house but love outside they round-up the horses and chase squirrels.Max actually clamps on to a horses tail and trys to stop him I have seen him sliding behind my horse hanging on to his tail.He is one of the best dogs I have ever had.He walks beside me wherever I go.He could be eating steak and if I was to call him he would drop it and come to me.I love them dogs more than I like people.
 
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