I plan on getting another dog as soon as I can afford it. I have narrowed it down to: German Shepherd, Rough Collie (or Sheltie), or the Golden Retriever. All breeds fit my lifestyle. The only thing I don't like about the Golden is it is not a great protection dog. Mind you, I'm not looking for a guard dog specifically, I'm just looking for a dog that is willing to protect me if it feels I am threatened. I know I don't have to decide right this second, but it has been something that's been on my mind. Which breed do you guys prefer and why? Also any advice in helping me in my quest to find a new best friend (in terms of deciding on the breed)?
PS- if it helps at all I have a Pomeranian already and I plan on getting this dog as her playmate. Also I was leaning more towards the Collie and Shepherd to begin with though Goldens have a fantastic temperment and I love their golden shiny coats.
Quote from: Josh T on December 08, 2010, 02:03:08 PM
I plan on getting another dog as soon as I can afford it. I have narrowed it down to: German Shepherd, Rough Collie (or Sheltie), or the Golden Retriever. All breeds fit my lifestyle. The only thing I don't like about the Golden is it is not a great protection dog. Mind you, I'm not looking for a guard dog specifically, I'm just looking for a dog that is willing to protect me if it feels I am threatened. I know I don't have to decide right this second, but it has been something that's been on my mind. Which breed do you guys prefer and why? Also any advice in helping me in my quest to find a new best friend (in terms of deciding on the breed)?
PS- if it helps at all I have a Pomeranian already and I plan on getting this dog as her playmate. Also I was leaning more towards the Collie and Shepherd to begin with though Goldens have a fantastic temperment and I love their golden shiny coats.
welsh corgi
My mom has 2 little dachshunds. They're small so one would be reasonable size for your pomeranian.
I love them because they are incredibly affectionate
good with small animals, I have a cat and they treat her like she's one of them
They are kinda hard to train though. My mom had hers six months before they went to the bathroom outside every time but they got it almost everytime very quickly.
Personally if I get another dog it will be a pug. They are known to be pretty calm, they're the same size as my mom's dogs, and I think they're gorgeous. Plus I used to puppy-sit my uncle's friends pug and he was awesome!
Here's a helpful dog breed selector: http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselectorindex.do (http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselectorindex.do)
ooooo :D
Get a sheltie definitely - In my opinion they are the most adorable dogs ever bred. This is my beloved Honey who sadly died back in 1980 aged about 14.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.static.flickr.com%2F5006%2F5244872612_3d8cde868b.jpg&hash=d254a422640841d4c79691ba67e2f4d4cd494e5d)
GS, through the breed no dogs can be trained to the degree that a German Shepard can. Totally loyal and devoted to the owners, about as fierce as a dog can get when being protective, and still take orders to 'stop'. I had one when I was younger, I went through professional training with the dog for over a year - even places that did not allow dogs in, let Mac (short for Machiavelli) in. Better behaved then almost all kids and most adults.
Also I forgot to mention: size shouldn't matter because my dog will play with dogs of all sizes (even a 100+ pound Great Dane)! She actually prefers playing with the bigger dogs! And I will be getting this dog as a pup so I can train it to be used to my Pom.
Tekla, nice name for a Shepherd.
All three breeds are really nice, but really different as well (not to mention the differences among the different types of Shepherds). Aside from a larger dog that would protect if it came to it (which some Goldens will do, by the way), what are you looking for in a dog?
A dog that will protect is really difficult to go off of with little else, and of those three a Shepherd is the more likely candidate if you get the right dog (because there are Shepherds with weak nerves that would leave you hanging more readily than a lot of Collies or Goldens). So, basically, tell us more first.
For a while now I've been doing a lot of research and looking into German Shepherds and could point you in the right direction as far as those go depending on what you're looking for, but if temperamentally you're looking more for a Collie or Sheltie or a Golden then you're better off getting one of those instead.
Noah, now that I think about it a Shepherd just possibly may be better for me. I am looking for a dog that is loyal (Goldens are, but the fact that they love everyone that comes through your door kind of annoys me). I want a dog with the least amount of grooming involved (I'm guessing that'd be the German Shepherd). I want a dog that is usually cuddly (but knows when to stop constantly being in your face) and also is easy to train/housebreak and eager to please. I want a dog that can be independent and can learn to be left alone for a certain period of time (obviously if it's a puppy I won't leave it alone for so long and have someone or myself supervise it). I want a dog that can tolerate very cold weather and hot weather too because it gets really cold where I live in the winter but it can be boiling in the summer (though the hot weather usually only lasts for a couple months). I hope that helps you somehow in helping me decide on my dog. :-\ I tried to be specific..
EDIT: Also it MIGHT be an outdoor dog. But I'm not 100% sure yet.
Well, it sounds like you've already decided against the Golden.
With that in mind I'll focus on the Shepherd and Collie. They're both loyal dogs, but the average Shepherd does require much less grooming than a Rough Collie does -- keep in mind though that they're nicknamed German Shedders, so if shedding bothers you...
Goldens are actually probably the cuddliest of the three, but that's not to say a Shepherd or Collie wouldn't be. None of them are necessarily in your face all the time unless you get a really driven dog, and even then not necessarily. They all ought to be easy to train and eager to please, and they can all do well being left alone -- I believe, however, Collies and Shelties are more prone to separation anxiety than a Shepherd or Golden though. Kept well-groomed none of them should be too affected by cold weather or heat, though probably the Shepherd and a Golden with proper coat more so than a Rough Collie.
With that sort of weather extreme though I would be careful with the outdoor dog thing -- make sure you do it right, basically.
The only thing that really stuck out, temperament-wise, was your remark about Goldens. Collies can be prone to the same thing, though some less so; Shepherds, generally, can be less inclined to this but it's not a hard, fast rule. This can be more individual in all of these breeds than others, and can also depend on what lines the dog comes from.
Are you planning on getting a dog from a breeder? Rescuing? Adopting more generally?
Since all three, really, could suit what you're looking for it might just come down to speaking to people involved in the breeds and seeing what they have to say. Maybe even spending time with different dogs from each breed to see if you develop more of a preference.
Shepherds are very hard to groom--they're all hair. I pet my cousin's dog once and I was coated in hair within 5 minutes. He also loved everyone who entered the door. Goldens also have lots of hair, but I think they're easier to groom than a Shepherd. Collies also shed a lot and require grooming, but it's not that bad (I had a collie mix who's coat was that of a collie and she was pretty easy to groom--just needed a brushing for the most part, but she also was a border collie). Border collies are really awesome dogs, easy to train, and can be damn protective of their family (even though they can be sweet as can be to anyone who is allowed to enter the premises).
All three breeds can be prone to being sweet with everyone, but guarding their family when their family needs protected.
Personally, I'd go with a poodle of some sort. They don't shed, mainly require a brushing (unless you want them to have the poodle cut), eager to learn, easy to train, lovable, and protective at the same time. My parents have an awesome miniature poodle who is all of the above and she's still a puppy.
Edit: That being said, I would much rather suggest a mutt and for you to adopt mainly because it's hard to find a reputable breeder and because there are thousands and thousands of animals put down every year because they weren't adopted from the pound or the shelter.
Noah, I thought I mentioned I was getting the dog as a pup (from a breeder). I wouldn't say shedding bothers me that much. At least I don't think it does. I spent some time around my Aunt's Shepherd and Sheltie. The Shepherd was so sweet. I stayed over one night and he slept next to my bed the whole time. The Sheltie was rather annoying and spoiled, but I think that`s partly because of the way my aunt trained her. Collies seem sweet, but come to think of it, I`ve never met one in my entire life. I suppose I`ll go to a Collie rescue near me and spend some time with them. I guess that truely does narrow it down to the Shepherd and the Collie. However maybe I will consider the sheltie still because I like their size and look. I`ve also found a very good breeder for them and Shepherd breeders seem hard to find in my area. But if I want the Shepherd, I won`t let that stop me from getting one! I have another question: do Shepherds like water? I know Shelties don`t and there`s a lake near where I live to take the dogs swimming in on a hot day. Just wondering.
Quote from: LukasGabriel on December 08, 2010, 04:44:48 PM
Shepherds are very hard to groom--they're all hair. I pet my cousin's dog once and I was coated in hair within 5 minutes. He also loved everyone who entered the door. Goldens also have lots of hair, but I think they're easier to groom than a Shepherd. Collies also shed a lot and require grooming, but it's not that bad (I had a collie mix who's coat was that of a collie and she was pretty easy to groom--just needed a brushing for the most part, but she also was a border collie). Border collies are really awesome dogs, easy to train, and can be damn protective of their family (even though they can be sweet as can be to anyone who is allowed to enter the premises).
All three breeds can be prone to being sweet with everyone, but guarding their family when their family needs protected.
Personally, I'd go with a poodle of some sort. They don't shed, mainly require a brushing (unless you want them to have the poodle cut), eager to learn, easy to train, lovable, and protective at the same time. My parents have an awesome miniature poodle who is all of the above and she's still a puppy.
Edit: That being said, I would much rather suggest a mutt and for you to adopt mainly because it's hard to find a reputable breeder and because there are thousands and thousands of animals put down every year because they weren't adopted from the pound or the shelter.
I`ve considered a Border Collie as well but decided I couldn`t provide the amound of exercise that the BC *needs* in order to be happy. I have also considered adopting from a shelter. But I don`t like how you don`t know what you`re getting. You don`t know who`s the dog`s parents are and if it is healthy or not, and finding a well trained dog from the shelter that does well with other dogs is hard to find. However I`m still considering that option.
I must have missed the breeder part.
I will say Border Collies have completely different coats from Rough Collies. I work as a bather at a grooming salon and, in my experience, in order from grooming needs and ease of grooming I rank Shepherds the easiest, Goldens after them, and Rough Collies just about dead last in my experience (hard to get that thick coat wet enough to really bathe them well). Border Collies I would put between Shepherds and Goldens.
But again, German Shepherds are also known as German Shedders -- shedding and grooming, however, are different things. A Lab is a piece of cake to groom, but if you want to groom them to the point the shedding stops temporarily, well, good luck!! German Shepherds can be much the same way.
A Poodle could be a good suggestion, but a lot of people get a Poodle because they wanted a Poodle -- even when what they want describes a Poodle they can be a hard sell. Plus, as far as grooming, they're pretty high maintenance -- even for easy maintenance you have to keep up with the coat and keep it short. One can learn to do this themselves though, but the easy maintenance coat doesn't give them much as far as protection from the cold. And if there's a chance of them being an outside dog there's even more problems with this breed that make them a horrible candidate for that.
As for the question about water: anything I've heard from others, as I haven't had experience with this myself, is that the typical Shepherd is hard to get out of the water. They love water as much as a retriever does! On the other hand, we had a Rough Collie who hyperventilated if you even tried to stick her paw in a bucket of water...
Mac loved the river, Lake Illsanjo, the ocean, and snow. Also baths and showers. Never had an easier dog to give a bath to.
Mutts are mutts, and are what they are. Purebred dogs are worth the money if you are buying it for specific qualities.
One - Don't buy a dog from some pet store, they use puppy mills, buy from a AKC certified breeder, it cost more, but it's worth it.
Two - Professional training of the dog (which as anyone who has ever watched the Dog Whisperer knows, is more about training the master than the dog) is worth its weight in gold over the long run.
Quote from: Noah G. on December 08, 2010, 06:13:51 PM
I must have missed the breeder part.
I will say Border Collies have completely different coats from Rough Collies. I work as a bather at a grooming salon and, in my experience, in order from grooming needs and ease of grooming I rank Shepherds the easiest, Goldens after them, and Rough Collies just about dead last in my experience (hard to get that thick coat wet enough to really bathe them well). Border Collies I would put between Shepherds and Goldens.
But again, German Shepherds are also known as German Shedders -- shedding and grooming, however, are different things. A Lab is a piece of cake to groom, but if you want to groom them to the point the shedding stops temporarily, well, good luck!! German Shepherds can be much the same way.
A Poodle could be a good suggestion, but a lot of people get a Poodle because they wanted a Poodle -- even when what they want describes a Poodle they can be a hard sell. Plus, as far as grooming, they're pretty high maintenance -- even for easy maintenance you have to keep up with the coat and keep it short. One can learn to do this themselves though, but the easy maintenance coat doesn't give them much as far as protection from the cold. And if there's a chance of them being an outside dog there's even more problems with this breed that make them a horrible candidate for that.
As for the question about water: anything I've heard from others, as I haven't had experience with this myself, is that the typical Shepherd is hard to get out of the water. They love water as much as a retriever does! On the other hand, we had a Rough Collie who hyperventilated if you even tried to stick her paw in a bucket of water...
Thanks for sharing your experience with grooming Shepherds. I will definitely keep that in mind. I'm thinking a Sheltie would be best after all. Though I'm still not 100% sure yet. I've decided the dog will be an inside dog so I don't need to worry about that anymore.
Please, consider pets that are available from rescue organizations? :'(
Not all GSDs have long coats. In fact, the long coat is considered a serious fault in Working GSDs.
My DDR Workingline GSD:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsphotos.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash1%2Fhs503.ash1%2F29771_119482554753822_100000762343134_104742_7544958_n.jpg&hash=f5db9005f9acc1e671661bd74d9e15c094297f71)
Our cats shed more than she does.
Quote from: ativan on December 10, 2010, 10:05:44 PM
Please, consider pets that are available from rescue organizations? :'(
I have considered this. I am not sure about it yet. Because as much as I hate to say there are reasons for me why I should NOT get a rescue dog. One of the main ones being that I want the dog as a pup so I can train it to be used to my Pomeranian. If you get the dog as an adult from the shelter they are pretty much set in there ways and may not do well with small dogs no matter how much you work with them. However, in the future I would like to adopt a shelter dog/or other furry pet so it is not something I am completely tossing aside.
Quote from: Muddy on December 10, 2010, 10:18:53 PM
Not all GSDs have long coats. In fact, the long coat is considered a serious fault in Working GSDs.
My DDR Workingline GSD:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsphotos.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-ak-ash1%2Fhs503.ash1%2F29771_119482554753822_100000762343134_104742_7544958_n.jpg&hash=f5db9005f9acc1e671661bd74d9e15c094297f71)
Our cats shed more than she does.
Interesting :)
For the record, if you've got a small dog, I would recommend against working line GSDs unless you're willing to accept the risk of having to keep them separated 100% of the time. Owning 2 dogs always incurs that risk [some dogs are just never going to get along, no matter what you do], but owning a high-prey drive dog and a small, very much "prey-like" dog, takes some serious planning and management.
I've considered that too. I'm pretty sure I can manage keeping them apart when I'm not watching. Thanks for reassuring me though..
Hey, no worries. That's why we have crates, right?
Quote from: Josh T on December 10, 2010, 10:25:26 PM
I have considered this. I am not sure about it yet. Because as much as I hate to say there are reasons for me why I should NOT get a rescue dog. One of the main ones being that I want the dog as a pup so I can train it to be used to my Pomeranian. If you get the dog as an adult from the shelter they are pretty much set in there ways and may not do well with small dogs no matter how much you work with them. However, in the future I would like to adopt a shelter dog/or other furry pet so it is not something I am completely tossing aside.
False. There are dogs who are used to small dogs or who have been tested around small dogs who are in shelters or rescue organizations.
Dogs are also not "set in their ways" the way people are. They are extremely adaptable and trainable, if you know what you're doing or have someone who is involved.
Muddy, yes indeed.
Sean, that's true, but a dog very good and trustworthy with smaller dogs is hard to find and takes a lot of looking, yes? Also when you adopt from a shelter, you have no for sure knowledge of the dogs background (a puppymill dog for example) and the dog could end up being extremely unhealthy whereas if you buy from a good breeder who knows what they're doing, and you will have a healthy dog with less problems in the long run.
I adopted both my dogs from rescue organizations. I knew a lot about them before I ever met them, and one I met before agreeing to adopt. Some shelters know more about dogs than others. Some dogs are surrendered with more info to go on than others. Most shelters would let you bring your other dog to meet a potential adoptee on neutral ground to see how the meeting goes, if your other dog has proper vaccines and is spayed or neutered. If you know what a dog is like as an adult, you have a BETTER sense of how they will be. A puppy can get along with your dog and then grow up and not get along with your dog due to a clash in temperament that was not foreseeable. Adopting an adult avoids this risk.
As for the health of the animal, many breeds have health risks that even a good breeder can not guarantee against.
You are making excuses for why you want to go to a breeder and not adopt/rescue. I'm not saying that everyone should adopt/rescue. But most people can get what they are looking for via adoption if only they looked, instead of believing misconceptions and refusing to investigate further.
Quote from: Sean on December 10, 2010, 11:44:35 PM
I adopted both my dogs from rescue organizations. I knew a lot about them before I ever met them, and one I met before agreeing to adopt. Some shelters know more about dogs than others. Some dogs are surrendered with more info to go on than others. Most shelters would let you bring your other dog to meet a potential adoptee on neutral ground to see how the meeting goes, if your other dog has proper vaccines and is spayed or neutered. If you know what a dog is like as an adult, you have a BETTER sense of how they will be. A puppy can get along with your dog and then grow up and not get along with your dog due to a clash in temperament that was not foreseeable. Adopting an adult avoids this risk.
As for the health of the animal, many breeds have health risks that even a good breeder can not guarantee against.
You are making excuses for why you want to go to a breeder and not adopt/rescue. I'm not saying that everyone should adopt/rescue. But most people can get what they are looking for via adoption if only they looked, instead of believing misconceptions and refusing to investigate further.
There may be truth in what you say, but however it may concern you, I am not planning on adopting my next dog (I can always get a breed that gets along well with any dog, say a Golden if need be. They have wonderful temperments and are pretty much gentle and good with anyone). Also did you not read what I said earlier? I said I WILL adopt eventually when I want to add yet another pet to the family however at the moment I plan on getting a pup. I'm just saying.
I'm not advocating either way, for or against rescue animals or breeders.
I will say that the "purebred" label generally is worthless where health is concerned. Hip dysplasia, for example, runs rampant in the GSD breed, especially in showlines. Generally, the best a breeder can do is give you a guarantee, that basically says, if your animal gets sick, you can give it back, and they'll give you a new one.
Hip dysplasia isn't even detectable under a year of age. It's unlikely anyone is going to have a puppy until 1-2 years old, and then give it back to the breeder in exchange for a new puppy. This is what the breeders bank on.
It takes a loooooot of research into different lines, breeding, pairings, etc, to have any idea of what you're getting in a pup, and even then, puppies are always a crapshoot.
That's why people who actively compete in Schutzhund will pay $1,500 for a good workingline puppy [mine was slightly less, owing mostly to the white spot on her chest, which is considered undesirable, although not quite faulty], but upwards of $8,000 for a "green started" dog [a dog around 18 months of age, temperament tested, sometimes alreadywith a BH title, and OFA Prelim Hips/Elbows.]
Muddy, yeah, I've heard of the Schutzhund titles and considered getting a dog from them too. I have heard that you can only get adults from them though and not puppies. I'm a bit confused as to why that is.
You can get puppies from rescues and pounds. :D My local pound constantly has puppies that need adopting, and most you can easily tell the breed(s) that make up that dog. I got my own JRT/dachshund mix from the pound when she was 7 weeks old. You can even find some purebred dogs there, too. My local pound had the sweetest female GSD there and the poor thing had been used to have babies and that's it. And just because you have a breed that generally is friendly, you can get some terribly aggressive dogs from that line. Or vice versa. Most people think APBT are nasty things that will attack anything, but that isn't the truth. They can show dog aggression, but if raised in a proper environment and with proper training, the dog aggression may never even pop up. They can also be as sweet as can be. My friend as a purebred APBT she adopted and the thing is the sweetest dog out there, and even protected her family from robbers. They have an APBT mix that has some food-aggression due to having been removed from her parents too young, but the dog is getting loads better and isn't aggressive towards people.
She also breeds Great Danes, who are totally awesome dogs and incredibly sweet. They also are very healthy for that breed because she's choosy as to who she will breed her Danes with. So, if you wanted a Great Dane, I'd suggest my friend.
And it's generally not all that hard to find a dog friendly with small dogs. My own dog is super friendly with small dogs, but not friendly with big dogs. My deceased dog (medium-large breed) was extremely friend with small dogs and not friendly with big dogs. It all depends on the dog.
Anyway, that aside, just be careful what breeder you chose and do some thorough research but even then you can wind up with a dog with a whole slew of medical problems and just make sure you're financially secure enough to be able to provide for those medical problems--but that's with any dog. Good luck with the pet search.
Quote from: LukasGabriel on December 11, 2010, 05:10:28 PM
You can get puppies from rescues and pounds. :D My local pound constantly has puppies that need adopting, and most you can easily tell the breed(s) that make up that dog. I got my own JRT/dachshund mix from the pound when she was 7 weeks old. You can even find some purebred dogs there, too. My local pound had the sweetest female GSD there and the poor thing had been used to have babies and that's it. And just because you have a breed that generally is friendly, you can get some terribly aggressive dogs from that line. Or vice versa. Most people think APBT are nasty things that will attack anything, but that isn't the truth. They can show dog aggression, but if raised in a proper environment and with proper training, the dog aggression may never even pop up. They can also be as sweet as can be. My friend as a purebred APBT she adopted and the thing is the sweetest dog out there, and even protected her family from robbers. They have an APBT mix that has some food-aggression due to having been removed from her parents too young, but the dog is getting loads better and isn't aggressive towards people.
She also breeds Great Danes, who are totally awesome dogs and incredibly sweet. They also are very healthy for that breed because she's choosy as to who she will breed her Danes with. So, if you wanted a Great Dane, I'd suggest my friend.
And it's generally not all that hard to find a dog friendly with small dogs. My own dog is super friendly with small dogs, but not friendly with big dogs. My deceased dog (medium-large breed) was extremely friend with small dogs and not friendly with big dogs. It all depends on the dog.
Anyway, that aside, just be careful what breeder you chose and do some thorough research but even then you can wind up with a dog with a whole slew of medical problems and just make sure you're financially secure enough to be able to provide for those medical problems--but that's with any dog. Good luck with the pet search.
Thanks! Actually I've considered Great Danes too...could you by any chance give me the link to this breeder friend of yours? Do you know if she ships her puppies by any chance? Would she ship to Canada? Also yes I know you could get puppies from pounds but I thought purebreed pups were pretty hard to find and even if they say they are a purebreed there is no 100% way to tell. Anyways, your friend? :)
Our pup's a mutt.
We're lucky enough to know what's in her (1/4 Doberman, 1/4 border collie, 1/2 German pointer) but honestly, it doesn't matter what breed she is because she's happy, healthy, playful, relatively intelligent, and quite pretty.
Personally, I don't really know why people wanna get pure-bred other than the prospect of selling puppies.
Quote from: Josh T on December 11, 2010, 06:06:58 PM
Thanks! Actually I've considered Great Danes too...could you by any chance give me the link to this breeder friend of yours? Do you know if she ships her puppies by any chance? Would she ship to Canada? Also yes I know you could get puppies from pounds but I thought purebreed pups were pretty hard to find and even if they say they are a purebreed there is no 100% way to tell. Anyways, your friend? :)
Do you have facebook? She's on there. I don't know if she has any puppies currently, but she might have some next year. She's the only person I'm going to get a purebred from, and that's only because it's hard to find Great Danes in my area or even Great Dane mixes. (I've pestered her plenty of times about getting a puppy from her.) I don't know if she ships to Canada, but she may.
My pound is prone to having purebred dogs or dogs with just two breeds any them. The last time I went, there was a litter of Jack Russel Terriers there. We also get purebred APBTs on regular occasions, which sadly don't get adopted because of the stigma surrounding the breed.
Yep, I've got Facebook (but it's my female name). Yeah I know Great Danes are a rare breed. Do you mind me asking what her name is? Or can you PM it to me? I actually don't plan on getting a pup until some time next summer..but it's still nice to know for sure who you're buying from, also you have to get on a waiting list with most breeders, so why not now right?
I PMd it to you. She doesn't breed all of the time because she cares about her dogs' health, but I think she breeds once a year or so. Her puppies are absolutely amazing and everyone who has gotten one has had nothing but good things to say about them.
Sheltie is too small for protection while only a fool would tackle anyone walking out with an Alsatian.
They look the business in a way that perhaps only a Great Dane does.
Mind you if you really wanted a pretty dog then a Saluki or Borzoi has it in spades.
Quote from: lilacwoman on December 12, 2010, 09:22:34 AM
Sheltie is too small for protection while only a fool would tackle anyone walking out with an Alsatian.
They look the business in a way that perhaps only a Great Dane does.
Mind you if you really wanted a pretty dog then a Saluki or Borzoi has it in spades.
And sheltie's are about as mean as a spoon. :laugh: My neighbors have a sheltie who's such a sweetie and wouldn't hurt a fly. The dog is very trainable and smart, but she always runs over to say hi to people though she's also a big ol' scaredy-cat and runs away if something's too loud.
Borzoi's are pretty awesome and I'd love one, though I might look for an Irish Wolfhound instead.
@ Joshy T: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com) is a good site on dog breed information.
The key to having a dog for protection is the level to which it can intimidate without actually attacking. They have to be medium sized, but they don't have to be huge if they are trained well.
Quote from: tekla on December 12, 2010, 10:56:51 AM
The key to having a dog for protection is the level to which it can intimidate without actually attacking. They have to be medium sized, but they don't have to be huge if they are trained well.
I don't think size really means much. My dog is 16 pounds, but when she barks she sounds at least 3 times her size and she's sound like she means business. Then they see her and go "awww" until they see her hackles raised and they won't come near me unless I pick her up (and her hackles rise easily, even when she's not 'protecting'). She's work for protecting me by keeping people from entering the apartment just because she sounds big and mean. o.o The dogs we've had have been able to intimidate regardless of size just because they sound ferocious, which is mainly what I look for in a dog. Something that sounds mean and possibly will protect me, but is sweet as pie.
Quote from: LukasGabriel on December 12, 2010, 08:25:57 AM
I PMd it to you. She doesn't breed all of the time because she cares about her dogs' health, but I think she breeds once a year or so. Her puppies are absolutely amazing and everyone who has gotten one has had nothing but good things to say about them.
I got it, thanks :)
Quote from: Josh T on December 11, 2010, 12:58:34 PM
Muddy, yeah, I've heard of the Schutzhund titles and considered getting a dog from them too. I have heard that you can only get adults from them though and not puppies. I'm a bit confused as to why that is.
Not at all.
Schutzhund is a sport, open to anyone with a dog suitable for participation. You can train and title your own dog.
I started training my dog at 4 months old in Schutzhund.
If you're interested, my advice would be to find a local Schutzhund club, go meet them, and solicit their advice about local breeders.