Bad guard dog ha ha .

Padjo1981

Have a Malamute that is a year old, ande when someone tried to break into my house last week, the coward ran behind me He is still a pup I know but it was more funny than anything. So i'm thinking or getting a rotty or German Shepard. Can anyone suggest a good breeder around the south east?

andreac

Trust me, when your dog matures you wont have to do anything, he will automatically guard your home.

I have a rottie and up until he was 2 years old he was a real baby, but once he hit 2 he completely changed and is very protective of my house and garden and i never encouraged it, it came naturally.

I wouldnt be rushing out to get a dog for this reason alone, unless you regularly have problems with intruders. Was this a once off incident?

Padjo1981

It is a once off in my house, but my area has a lot of break in's over the last year or two. Malamutes are not good guard dogs anyhow. And I would like another dog as company for him.

daenerysstormborn3

Agree with andreac. I don't think rushing out to get another dog for this reason would be the most responsible behaviour unless it is absolutely essential that you have a guard dog in which case I think your best bet would be a rescue of some kind and get a dog that is maybe 1-2 years old as they will be able to tell you what sort of dog you're getting (within reason), no breeder can 100% guarantee that a dog of any breed will be a guard dog/calm dog/child-friendly dog etc etc.

My dog (not a malamute) is 13 months old and definitely still in his puppy stage, even the way he carries on is very puppy-like but he is gradually maturing and becoming a more protective, intelligent dog and not just concerned about where his next treat/toy is coming from. It just takes time, hope you stick with your pup.

Padjo1981

Oh, I am not replacing Homer. Have been thinking about getting another dog to keep him company. Just want to get a dog that might also be a decent guard dog.

lrushe

andreac wrote: »

Trust me, when your dog matures you wont have to do anything, he will automatically guard your home.

I have a rottie and up until he was 2 years old he was a real baby, but once he hit 2 he completely changed and is very protective of my house and garden and i never encouraged it, it came naturally.

I wouldnt be rushing out to get a dog for this reason alone, unless you regularly have problems with intruders. Was this a once off incident?

+1, my Rottie was a ball of dough until she turned around a year old, everyone's best friend, she is now almost 17 months and she has that true Rottie 'wait and see' attitude and of course that piercing Rottie stare that seems to just stare into your soul She's still a friendly dog but you don't get that automatic friendliness you once would when she was a pup, she will size you up first.

You have to keep in mind that larger breeds mature alot slower than smaller breeds so they stay babyish for longer, give your guy time his confidence will grow with age.

andreac

lrushe wrote: »

+1, my Rottie was a ball of dough until she turned around a year old, everyone's best friend, she is now almost 17 months and she has that true Rottie 'wait and see' attitude and of course that piercing Rottie stare that seems to just stare into your soul She's still a friendly dog but you don't get that automatic friendliness you once would when she was a pup, she will size you up first.

You have to keep in mind that larger breeds mature alot slower than smaller breeds so they stay babyish for longer, give your guy time his confidence will grow with age.

I think my pup, the female is going to be a sharp little madam when she matures, shes already reacting to things even though shes a pup and shes well able to handle herself with other dogs so i think she'll be a tough lady when she hits maturity.

ISDW

First of all, I think you need to ask yourself what exactly it is that you want the dog to do if they are put in this situation. Do you want it to go and attack the burglar? If so, that will take a lot of training, because obviously you will have to be able to call it off somebody immediately - what if a child kicks a ball into your garden and comes in to get it without asking. We all know it shouldn't happen, but kids don't always do what they should or shouldn't. Do you really want a dog that will attack an intruder?

I agree with getting another dog as company - I would suggest a bitch, as mals can be a bit same gender aggressive, but to be honest, if someone is willing to try to break into a house with a big 'wolfy looking' dog already in it, then I don't know what would stop them.

If your dog did bite an intruder, as stupid as it sounds, you could still be liable and the dog could be destroyed for it.

Shame you didn't post this a few weeks ago, we had a gorgeous GSD/mal cross bitch, around 7 months old for rehoming, but she's gone to her forever home now.:D

seamus

A good guard dog is one that will bark when an intruder comes into the house. As ISDW says, you don't really want a dog that will attack an intruder. In Ireland, if someone breaks into your home and gets attacked by your dog, you are most likely to:

1. Have your dog put down
2. be sued by the intruder for their injuries

...and you could also face charges of criminal negligence or endangement or recklessness or somesuch, if the Gardai are satisfied that you had trained the dog to attack intruders. Having an attack dog will cost you more emotionally and financially than simply letting the burglar take your stuff.

People who break into your home want to get in and out unseen and unheard. Contrary to what the eircom ads will teach you, the vast majority of burglaries do not result in confrontation with the intruder and the householder is usually unaware that a person has been on their property until the intruder is long gone. And that's what they want. A barking dog will alert people in the house to "something" being amiss, and the intruder will run as soon as he realises that the occupants have woken or may wake.

pH

For every genuine potential intruder you have in your garden, think about all the others, as mentioned a kid climbing over for a ball (or just one of your neighbours kids being "kids"), what about other visitors to your house who might venture out the garden without letting you know, visiting kids, someone "going for a smoke", a tradesman etc.

Your dog should never do more than stand its ground and bark, it cannot tell the difference between these people and a genuine problem "intruder" and the chances are a dog that has been encouraged to "go for" or attack intruders will get it badly wrong one day.

lrushe

andreac wrote: »

I think my pup, the female is going to be a sharp little madam when she matures, shes already reacting to things even though shes a pup and shes well able to handle herself with other dogs so i think she'll be a tough lady when she hits maturity.

Brook was 1 of 3 bitches in her litter and the reason I choose Brook was because she was the most mellow of the three, with her being my first Rottie I wanted one I could work with at my level, the other too bitches would have been too much of a challenge for me at the time so I definately think the idea of bitches being a more softer touch than dogs is not always the case.
As mellow as Brook is though she is certainly becoming more steady and fearless everday.:)

Graces7

pH wrote: »

For every genuine potential intruder you have in your garden, think about all the others, as mentioned a kid climbing over for a ball (or just one of your neighbours kids being "kids"), what about other visitors to your house who might venture out the garden without letting you know, visiting kids, someone "going for a smoke", a tradesman etc.

Your dog should never do more than stand its ground and bark, it cannot tell the difference between these people and a genuine problem "intruder" and the chances are a dog that has been encouraged to "go for" or attack intruders will get it badly wrong one day.

Our dogs bark ferociously at any approaching person. But they would not attack; that was proved when the old man started beating collie.

And that is perfect as you say.

They stand their ground and bark until we call them in. I would not go near a house with our two around it;)

When the Gardai came before we moved, they wisely stayed behind the gate until I blew the whistle for them to come in. They thought collie was the more to be feared, but as i told them, probably wee dog. They did us proud that day. Clearly always well under control.

IvySlayer

My Westie pup sits on top of the couch and barks and growls at anyone who walks by all day. He's friendly if we let them in though..

He sounds like a wolf growling :pac:

Andrew42

As the saying goes, "it's not the dog in the fight, it's the fight in the dog".
We've had a Shih Tzu since April and he was a dreadful coward for the first couple of months but he now knows the house and garden are his to defend and by God he's ferocious. I think Shih Tzu means lion or lion hearted in chinese, our lad certainly lives up to his name.