Get a German Shepherd
 

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Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

Then again you may get someone else's dog coming to your house

hungry

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Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

Many years ago I had a german shepherd that I bought from a guy who owned a guard dog service.

She was well trained and you didn't want to mess with her. However in todays world with the lawsuits, liability, insurance etc I'm not sure I would buy another one.

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

Nah, you want a good guard dog? Get one of these lovelies.. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/filabrasileiro.htm

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

To much for me I have enough trouble with a Jack Russel Terrier.

E-A

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

Good choice goddess,

I got two of these, both girls. Just turned 9 months. You don't have to train these dogs to guard/protect it's what they're bred for.

I would suggest extensive research on this breed before getting one, they are not for everyone. You must let them know you are the Alpha.

You would not believe how athletic these dogs are by looking at them. I am amazed at how fast they are. It would take a swat type dynamic entry to break in and a thug/gangster home invasion would be very costly to the bad guys.

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

Thanks. I've been looking at getting a couple, but no cash for them right now.

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

red nose pit is the all american guard dog. Heard it was the dog of choice in ww1.

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

Well bred pits are great dogs, it's usually the owner who's got the problem. Every asshat and his cousin thinks torturing pits into insanity, pumping them full of steroids and making them fight somehow magically transforms them from human sleaze to super tough guys.

I'm fond of mastiffs and American bulldogs myself, with the nod going to the bulldog if you're rural or otherwise have a lot of land. Mastiffs are great for the city.

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

For those who may not be aware of it, insurance companies now frequently cancel insurance policies on homeowners who own what the companies call "dangerous breeds." The number of dog breeds on the various "dangerous dogs" list is pretty high and often doesn't seem to make much sense. Worse, companies don't like to tell you ahead of time which dogs are on their dangerous dogs list.

We lost our homeowner's insurance because we had a Pit Bull, a Siberian Husky, and a Boxer mix, and all three breeds are apparently on State Farm's "dangerous dog" list. (Our dogs have never aggressed on anyone.) We live on a corner, and I suspect the company did one of their "drive-bys" when the dogs were playing in the backyard. I have a number of friends across the country, especially among Pit Bull and Siberian Husky owners, who have lost their homeowner's insurance. We've NEVER made a claim on our homeowner's insurance, and we still ended up having to go on our state's default insurance.

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

Pitbulls are NOT bred to be guard dogs. I repeat they are NOT guard dogs. They were bred to bait bulls then once that was outlawed, they were then bred to fight eachother, hence, being dog aggressive (DA). Now, if someone starts to harm you in your home, then yes, they should protect you, but for a guard dog, go with the GSD or Doberman or a dog along those lines who WERE bred to be human aggressive (HA). I LOVE the APBT, look at my avatar, a GREAT site on them is www.pitbullforum.com, there is an ocean of info. on them there including why they are bad guard dogs and such. Also, if you DO get one, don't get the faddish lowriders they are breeding with health problems out the yin and yang and selling for 3 grand each. You want one that is tall and lean with a medium head, NOT a huge one, which is what a lot of breeders are shooting for. Now, if the man comes busting in your door with their GSDs, then a Pit may very well be the answer, 'cause no dog is gonna beat a Pitbull. Generally speaking anyway; there are always exceptions to this rule.

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

Our pound treasure is very alpha so maybe unusually tough for her breed, but she is a german wire haired pointer, and they were bred to be the hunting version of an all around farm dog that the GSD was the herding version of. IMO both those breeds are superb.

She naturally protects us and the house by instinct, but is friendly to anyone we have positive feelings toward. She does not even bark at the mail man. But I pity anyone who struck either of us. When we travel with her she lies between us and the hotel room door and growls a pretty chilling growl if there is noise close outside it.

The local pit bulls slink away from her when we walk her. (2 guys let their pit bulls roam near us.) She might outweigh them... she runs 75 pounds. But she has a bite that astounds us. She eats BBQ pork ribs like they were corn chips. Maybe other dogs can tell that somehow.

Our fenced yard is big enough that we seldom walk her. She can get a good run on our property, and has her doggy door into the privacy fenced back and 1 side yard. But sometimes she just wants to get out and about so we occasionally walk her.

We knew nothing about the breed when we met and liked her a lot and took her. She points, flushes, retrieves and follows scent trails. Of the 'negatives' in this article the only one I find true of our dog is that a scent trail does totally absorb her, and she was clearly bred to keep on it. Great on the hunt, but annoying if you want robodog who always instantly drops everything to come to you. She's not a bit yappy, but I worked with her. If our yard was not large or for apartment living some of the other negatives might emerge. But if you live on a chunk of land and hunt, this is a little known breed that is great.

Not good with cats... she considers them in the category with foxes to be removed from the property. And since she has bird hunting instincts, not good with free ranging chickens. We kept a fence between her and the hens.

Somewhat overly negative article

http://www.caninesbreed.com/german-w...d-pointer.html

Maybe overly positive article

http://www.gwpca.com/index.php?optio...ask=view&id=17

Her intelligence is a constant surprise to us. I think the breed rankings for intelligence were set up for blind obedience, and she, like terriers, does a lot of independent thinking, which she was bred for. So her breed is not ranked as super smart, but she is the smartest dog I have spent much time with.

In the field she runs about a hundred yard to bigger circle around me and does her pointing and flushing in my line of sight. I did no training for this. I was just walking with her on a friend's ranch. Maybe she was trained before her pound days, but it looks instinctive.

As you can tell, our pound pooch was a very positive surprise. :wink: We certainly feel more secure having her. I used to travel more and also be away late and I was glad knowing she was there. I doubt any would be home intruder would ignore her serious bark, which is pretty chilling, and would just pick an easier target.

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

#1: Back when I was in the US Army (85-89) the word came down that no more German Shepherds would be purchased by the US military for training as working dogs. The military had gotten tired of investing all that time and money training them and then the dog coming down with a genetic health problem. (Hips mainly but there are other problems in the breed.) US military working dogs were to be either Belgian Malinois or Dutch Shepherds.

#2: Go look at that first video again. That's not a German Shepherd. Too small and the markings are wrong. I would say that's a Belgian Malinois. I see them all the time on TV shows when the cops and/or bomb squad gets called in. Plus the local cops even out here in rural OK are buying them as well.

Gregg

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

get a cane corso, italian mastiff, looks like a demon/gargoyl!!!

we got one. They are very lovable and very protective!!!:rolleyes_m:

http://www.google.com/search?client=...=Google+Search

http://www.canecorso.org/photos.htm

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

I own a siberian... Here is the description of the breed:
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/siberianhusky.htm

That doesn't sound like a dangerous dog. The only "dangerous" trait is their looks, as siberians bear a strong resemblence to wolves.

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

Forget the German Shepherd. Get one of these. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/chihuahua.htm
No one who gets into my house leaves with intake ankles. :D

Re: Get a German Shepherd
 

I know. I was surprised to find them on the list, but then some of the lists include most of the common dog breeds. My Husky loves everyone.

Also, as someone who has had Pit Bulls for years and been involved in Pit Bull rescue, I agree with erocktxmade, Pit Bulls are not suitable guard dogs. Part of their bred personality is to be friendly and sociable with humans.