Some thoughts on mans best friend.

[Stevie-Ray]

There's an old saying, so old it's been shortened to an initialism in some circles - TANSTAAFL. It means "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch."

Well, thanks, Fred. I'm just now finding out what the hell that means. Guess in the context I've seen it in the past, it was never important enough for me to look up.

 

[savanahsdad]

And although he looks intimidating and like a wolf, he is the worst guard dog. He loves people and doesn't even bark if someone knocks on the door. He just always want to greet people and say hello.

But also, you have to be careful because someone could use your dog as a reason to come up and talk to you. Once they find out its friendly and you already opened yourself to conversation, you have let your guard down. Just something to consider.

you may think he's a friendly , but do you know how he acts when you are not home ? a few of my son's friends have stopped by when we were not home , and later told us my big baby stood at the top of the stairs with her lips rolled back ,after they open the storm door and knocked on the inside door , I can set this dog free to run around at the dog park and she will play with the other dogs and let everyone pet her , but I guess when left alone , this is her house and her rules ,



Meet Savannah :



.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Dogs are a good thing. A friend of mine has had both homes next to his broken into twice. He didn't have a problem but then again he has two dobies. In fact the nights of the robberies the dobies had been barking. Worked for him.

 

[grock5k]

I love dogs and dogs love me I really wish I could have one but I work way to much. It's true that different breeds ha e different characteristics and for the most part individuals of the breed follow then. However every dog is unique just like humans. My parents have owned two yellow Labs. The first one Alice my parents got shortly before I was born we are best bus she chewed a while into my play pen so she could be with me. She was a very large alpha female and would protect her family no matter the cost. She would have definitely tried to kill a Intruder. Our other lab Zoe barks when anybody is around walking on the street or if somebody pulls in the driveway. But once the come inside her tail doesn't stop wagging and she just wants to be loved. My parents also have a miniature long haired dachshund who wishes he was 90 pounds. He's been known to nip and chase pit bulls out of the yard. My parents have to lock him in the bathroom if the ups guy comes because he bit one of them on the ankle once... My bosses house got broken into a few years ago. They just put his golden retriever into the bathroom and continued the robbery. They missed his rifle, shotgun and golf clubs in the closet

 

[Nom de Forum]

you may think he's a friendly , but do you know how he acts when you are not home ? a few of my son's friends have stopped by when we were not home , and later told us my big baby stood at the top of the stairs with her lips rolled back ,after they open the storm door and knocked on the inside door , I can set this dog free to run around at the dog park and she will play with the other dogs and let everyone pet her , but I guess when left alone , this is her house and her rules ,



Meet Savannah : View attachment 196042



.

That is a beautiful girl.

Since this thread is about the protective qualities of dogs consider this: studies have shown that dogs protect your children from illness. Families with dog have children with lower rates of allergy and asthma. They also give them an early opportunity to show responsibility for a living being other than themselves. That may protect them from many of the consequences of not learning early to be empathetic and responsible with people.

 

[xXxplosive]

Years ago I owned many different breeds, labs, shorthairs, huskies until I got my first GS.
Since I have owned 5 sheapards, 4 males and 1 female and will probably never own any other breed. I will always have a GS, they are IMO the most intelligent well mannered and obedient breed of dog. I'm never afraid that our property could be breached with him around....he's 6 years old this April and has 3 obedience titles and 1 tracking title....when I let him out in the morning or the evening in our yard the deer don't even run 'cause he won't chase them. he wants nothing to do with the deer in the yard or other dogs...he's just the best dog you could ever hope to own.

 

[Big_John1961]

...I know a lot of ppl can't afford or don't have time for a dog, but for those of you who do, esp those that keep their dog outside or locked up(not saying anything wrong with this) it's another tool in the bag...

There is something wrong with this and any avid dog lover knows what it is; it's cruel. Dogs are pack animals and need to be with their people. When they are isolated is when behavioral problems crop up and the general well-being of the dog is compromised.

The rest of your post is awesome and I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[qwert65]

John1961- there is a difference btw keeping your dog outside and not spending time with them - they are not mutually inclusive. I keep mine in the house, however I have no problems with dogs in kennels provided they have adequate socialization both morally, and medically as a veternarian

 

[Fred Fuller]

http://bearingarms.com/without-that...he-end-result-could-have-been-very-different/

A reminder that the layered approach to security is a necessity... and still, sometimes, has to be backed up with a firearm in competent, confident hands.

 

[Big_John1961]

qwert, you said outside or locked up. 'Locked up' carries a negative connotation and it's something I won't do. I work in an itinerant job and I see too many dogs left out in the yard in all manner of foul weather, chained to some thing or another and clearly miserable. Sorry, but too many people view these animals as objects and treat them as such. Just my opinion.

 

[Hangingrock]

If one lives in a rural area you'll encounter dogs and owners with various degrees of temperament. There is also the legal aspects of liability should Old Roy decide to chew on someone. Yes dogs can be a deterrent but also a liability.

On one occasion a Pit-bull and Rottweiler confronted me. My first thoughts were this going to an aw-shucks day. They were lickers as opposed to chewers.

There was one individual in the area that had a German Shepard/Wolf mix turn on them and this was a dog that was supposedly professionally trained.

If you want a real deterrent there was a gentleman that owned a male lion. On occasion the lion would escape its confines. As luck would have it hurt no one. I haven't seen it for awhile its either gone or died from old age.

 

[qwert65]

Very apt link Fred both for showing how dogs can fail to deter and also how even if your dog is harmless it can still give you some additional time by alerting.

 

[TAKtical]

I love my bully. He's a teddy bear around friends and family and anyone I allow in my home. But he is also 70lbs of solid muscle and teeth if an unfortunate BG decided to break in. He also likes to be my bodyguard when Im making holsters :]

 

[USAF_Vet]

Come spring, my wife and I will be working with an acquaintance of hers who is a dog trainer for law enforcement and military. I get to wear the bite suit for his Belgian Malinois and he will do the same for, and help us train, two of our American Bulldogs.

Most pets will be protective of their families, no doubt, but they might not be very effective. I consider myself lucky to have the resources to get my dogs trained.

 

[RoboDuck]

Brothers from two different litters. Parents are Czech imports. The two year old is 75 lbs. and fully trained for obedience , personal protection, short and a long attack on command . The 7 month old weights 40 lbs. still a little green and not yet socialized, He is being trained for personal protection .

 

[savanahsdad]

beautiful dogs you got there roboduck ^^^^

 

[savanahsdad]

That is a beautiful girl..

Thanks , and she knows it, lol , she turns 9 on St Paddy's day , it's funny how many people steer clear of her , maybe it's those eyes or the fact she don't bark , she just stares , but a big baby , well when we are home anyway ,

 

[Theohazard]

I do like and enjoy dogs both as pets and for their other practical uses. Like good locks, though, they mostly keep the un-skilled away....

Most burglars and home-invaders aren't skilled professionals. They're just people looking to make money and not get hurt or caught in the process.

Your SWAT team examples really aren't applicable to the vast majority of home-defense situations: Your team was made up of professionals with a specific goal in mind; you guys had to hit that specific house no matter what. But criminals don't pick targets the same way SWAT teams do. And it just makes sense for criminals to pick the easier targets: Just as a lioness rarely will go after a large male buffalo (especially if they have an opportunity to go after a young or sick one instead), most criminals aren't going to rob a house with two mean-looking Dobermans in the yard when the neighbor only has a house-cat.

Security isn't about making your house impenetrable; if a true professional wants to get in, he can get in. The key is to make it difficult enough that it's just not worth it and they go elsewhere.

I have a 70 lb. German Shepherd mix and a 70 lb. Pit Bull mix. They're very protective of our family and property and they let us know when someone gets near our house. Sure, they're not trained guard dogs and they could be dealt with fairly easily by someone who knew what they were doing. But why would most criminals bother? Why risk dealing with two large, vicious-looking dogs when you can go next door where they don't have any dogs at all?

I'm under no illusions about my dogs; I doubt they'd ever actually attack an intruder unless that person was directly attacking my wife or my baby. But they serve two very good home-defense purposes: They act as a deterrent to anyone who doesn't want to deal with 140 lbs. of barking, growling, mean-looking dogs; and they alert me any time someone is right outside my house or at the door. That's good enough for me.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

An animal is a great thing to have for companionship and to perhaps on some level, deter strangers from approaching the home. One story stays with me from a martial arts class I had. A woman came to my Sifu and asked him about how he teaches. She wanted to know if he taught weapons. Her home was robbed and her two dogs shot. I was stunned...it's bad enough to steal from someone but to kill their dogs in the process is just beyond sick. She had children too so you can imagine how they took it.

I love animals and yes they can provide some security but it's not their job. I think it makes more sense to install good locks, doors, and lighting to avoid putting them in danger from those that care about no one.....

Laura

 

[The Bushmaster]

Yup TAKtical...The mean bad nasty Pit Bull. When you come to my house to visit, bring a towel. Samantha (an American Red Nose Pit Bull Terrier) will lick you to death. Her tail is the most dangerous part of her. She loves babies, kids or anyone on two legs. BUT don't try to enter my home uninvited. Samantha takes a dim view of that. Then there's my American Eskimo Dog. He sets off the alarm.

 

[Doug S]

Interesting thread.

 

[Nom de Forum]

I don't think this has been mentioned. There is a big difference between the bite of a dog and a dog that has been trained to bite and where to bite. Sure you can be badly bitten by any dog of any size if you are bitten on a very vulnerable part of your body. But even the breeds known for their strong bite force become an entire magnitude of more dangerous when trained to bite and where to bite. Trained Protection Dogs are weapon systems not protective pets. If you have one, the responsibility is similar to carrying a firearm.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I don't think it should be an animal's job to protect a home against an intruder with a gun. I may benefit from a dog's protection but I'm the first real line of home defense.

 

[Magoo]

I am a huge, lifelong dog lover and can't really imagine ever living without at least one. "Magoo" was my best buddy that we had to put down last year at age 15. The wife and I were looking for a "replacement" for Magoo about a year before he left us, hoping he'd help train the new dog how to act and what was expected of a dog in our household.

Anyway, I had my heart set on a GSD mix and we spent about a year checking the websites of local rescue shelters. We finally found our boy, a GSD/Anatolian mix. I had never heard of Anatolian shepherds, but I'm a huge fan now. I just wanted to throw this breed out there for those of you who haven't heard of them. While it wouldn't be the best breed for a lot of folks, he suits our needs perfectly.

 

[Mike J]

We don't have any dogs inside the house. We do have an australian sheperd mix & a poodle in the back yard. The Australian Sheperd mix (the mother was a purebred that got with a neighborhood dog, they think a lab mix but not sure) is a pretty good watchdog. If he barks something/someone is there. The poodle barks is not as discriminating. My wife looked out the other day & he was barking like crazy at a deer on the other side of the fence that just stood there staring at him.

I view the dogs job as just to let me know someone is around. It is my job to handle it from there.