neo mastiff, english mastiff, american bulldog?
Breed Research
- Thread starter Rosto
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- #22
You guys have given me a great deal of wonderful info. Some have recommended that my vet have large breed experience. She does, she has an Irish Wolfhound the same age as Rosto, my Boston Terrier mix. Rosto and Flourrie were great friends, and in the same obedience class together. So, I will have good support once I make my decision. Also, my best friend is a professional groomer. She has shown, taught agility, and taught obedience. Plus, she is boarding my dogs until I have my own place.
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Well, by all means, ask these people too! They can give suggestions based not just on your wishlist, but on your personality.
Well, by all means, ask these people too! They can give suggestions based not just on your wishlist, but on your personality.
- Jun 3, 2011
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Mastiff gets my vote, but most of them that I have known that have been good guardians, have not been easily trainable. Their independence is what makes them good at their job. Then there is the drool, gas, and they can shed quite a bit.
A dog from a line with a strong guarding instinct would be best. Our first Mastiff was very protective of everyone on the farm, and of all small helpless creatures. She had extremely good judgement and a great temperament. If a large dog showed aggression towards her, she would knock it to the ground and get it to submit. If a small dog showed aggression towards her, she would play bow to it - she just couldn't take it seriously. When she played tug with an adult, she would toss them around the room, yet a child would win against her.
She did not tolerate coyotes around her farm. When they howled, she would let out the deepest most terrifying bark. The coyotes would move off in another direction.
She graduated from kindergarten, and basic obedience, and got her CGC, but competing with her would have been taxing.
The Mastiff I showed, and her daughter, from different lines than my first girl, are very trainable, but have a much stronger prey drive, and less of the guardian instinct. There was a coyote outside the chicken coop yesterday evening. The first time one has been close to our livestock in many years. Our old girl passed a few years ago, and in March, we lost our male who was second in line for defending. Now I am trying to tap into my 8 yo's guardian instincts, but it doesn't come as naturally to her.
A dog from a line with a strong guarding instinct would be best. Our first Mastiff was very protective of everyone on the farm, and of all small helpless creatures. She had extremely good judgement and a great temperament. If a large dog showed aggression towards her, she would knock it to the ground and get it to submit. If a small dog showed aggression towards her, she would play bow to it - she just couldn't take it seriously. When she played tug with an adult, she would toss them around the room, yet a child would win against her.
She did not tolerate coyotes around her farm. When they howled, she would let out the deepest most terrifying bark. The coyotes would move off in another direction.
She graduated from kindergarten, and basic obedience, and got her CGC, but competing with her would have been taxing.
The Mastiff I showed, and her daughter, from different lines than my first girl, are very trainable, but have a much stronger prey drive, and less of the guardian instinct. There was a coyote outside the chicken coop yesterday evening. The first time one has been close to our livestock in many years. Our old girl passed a few years ago, and in March, we lost our male who was second in line for defending. Now I am trying to tap into my 8 yo's guardian instincts, but it doesn't come as naturally to her.
- Jun 15, 2008
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Based on my personal and family experience, I would recomend a Boxer. Great guard and family dogs. I have bred several Champions as well as several police and business guard dogs. They are very good at what they do. I also would recomend that you purchase a purebred dog from a reputable breeder ( no matter what the breed that you choose) over ANY RESCUE as it will cost you just as much and very often MUCH MORE than any dog that they rehome. This is from several bleedingheart friends that got suckered in by these so called rescue shelters.
Wow, everyone has given you a lot of great ideas! I own a GSD and a Boxer-----either breed would fit what you're looking for (although most GSDs have a double coat the sheds a LOT. I love Irish Wolfhounds, English Mastiffs, and American Bulldogs! I guess it will depend on whether you want to travel to get your dog, or if you want to get one from a rescue/shelter in your area (then it would kind of depend on what they had). Good luck with your search.
By the way, my boxer was a puppy we found while on vacation in Kentucky. He had been dumped on the side of a very busy State road and was infested with worms, starving, and had about half of his hair gone due to mange. He's about the best dog we've ever had! Wonderful with all people (especially children), good with other dogs (usually is just a big ham), and hardly barks----unless he sees something suspicious (like one day around dusk, he was in our enclosed porch with me and kept looking out the window/door growling. I couldn't see anything, but he was looking toward where my 20-yr.-old son had his car parked out at the end of our drive. I kept looking and watching, and realised my son and his GF were working on something in the car----the dog didn't know if was them. My DH let the dog out and he went roaring and charging toward my son and his GF who had just got out of the car. When he realised who it was, he stopped (kind of sheepishly) and started wagging his whole back-end---it was pretty cute.)
Mt GSD is also a rescue----one we got after years of trying from an owner who had kept her chained in a backyard her whole life. I think when we brought her home she thought she'd died and gone to heaven! She's a Lassie-type dog----one who seems to know when something isn't right around the place and tries to let you know. She's also great with people of all ages-----even guarded a friend's baby when they came to visit (I think she was making sure the mom was taking care of the baby properly). She's not so good with a lot of dogs (loves our boxer) but that may be due to being tied up and at the mercy of any dog who happened upon her.
Just don't want you to count out the rescue dogs----people who run rescues will most likely know which of their dogs would be best suited for you.
By the way, my boxer was a puppy we found while on vacation in Kentucky. He had been dumped on the side of a very busy State road and was infested with worms, starving, and had about half of his hair gone due to mange. He's about the best dog we've ever had! Wonderful with all people (especially children), good with other dogs (usually is just a big ham), and hardly barks----unless he sees something suspicious (like one day around dusk, he was in our enclosed porch with me and kept looking out the window/door growling. I couldn't see anything, but he was looking toward where my 20-yr.-old son had his car parked out at the end of our drive. I kept looking and watching, and realised my son and his GF were working on something in the car----the dog didn't know if was them. My DH let the dog out and he went roaring and charging toward my son and his GF who had just got out of the car. When he realised who it was, he stopped (kind of sheepishly) and started wagging his whole back-end---it was pretty cute.)
Mt GSD is also a rescue----one we got after years of trying from an owner who had kept her chained in a backyard her whole life. I think when we brought her home she thought she'd died and gone to heaven! She's a Lassie-type dog----one who seems to know when something isn't right around the place and tries to let you know. She's also great with people of all ages-----even guarded a friend's baby when they came to visit (I think she was making sure the mom was taking care of the baby properly). She's not so good with a lot of dogs (loves our boxer) but that may be due to being tied up and at the mercy of any dog who happened upon her.
Just don't want you to count out the rescue dogs----people who run rescues will most likely know which of their dogs would be best suited for you.
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I have owned Dogue de bordeax http://www.parkave-bordeaux.com/inhonorofboomer.htm , Am. bullies, English mastiffs and currently own a Neapolitan mastiff and Cane Corso (I train in shutzhund and SAR) - NONE of them are for the average dog owner. They are intelligent independent thinkers but also VERY stubborn and must be handled correctly or there can and usually are problems. SO if you don't have time and a LOT of patience among other things, I'd steer clear - just saying
Good luck on your search for the right giant breed
I have owned Dogue de bordeax http://www.parkave-bordeaux.com/inhonorofboomer.htm , Am. bullies, English mastiffs and currently own a Neapolitan mastiff and Cane Corso (I train in shutzhund and SAR) - NONE of them are for the average dog owner. They are intelligent independent thinkers but also VERY stubborn and must be handled correctly or there can and usually are problems. SO if you don't have time and a LOT of patience among other things, I'd steer clear - just saying
Good luck on your search for the right giant breed
- Thread starter
- #28
- Thread starter
- #29
I've been reading and studying and looking at available shelter dogs. The local shelter has a litter of Great Pyrenees/Boxer mix puppies 5 males 2 females plus they have a 6 wk old female Rottweiler puppy. See the links below! What do you guys think? I plan on going to meet and play with them this week. Hopefully, One will pick me too. I think a female might be a better choice since both my little dogs are males. I know that some breeds can become same-sex dog aggressive so want to make a choice for a lifetime.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/22591556
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/22602214
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/22591556
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/22602214
- Thread starter
- #30
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