retired german shepard dog? nc... other reccomendations welcome!!!!!!!

[ashylove]

i am looking for a retired dog... we are in nc. my friend would like to get one for protection, she lives in the country and her dh is joining the military. she does have a crazy neighbor, so it would be nice if it could be soon!! she has 2 kids, no other pets. she is looking for an indoor dog specifically. please let me know if you know of someone who is adopting them out, or if you have one!!! thank you!!!

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

I know you mean well, but having a trained dog is useless unless that dog has a trained HANDLER. Trained dogs are not like guns that sit in the drawer or lock box until you need them. Working dogs need regular work by someone who knows what the heck they are doing. If you want a protection dog, join a working dog club, find a mentor, and learn from experienced handlers. Reading about it in a book and watching videos online, while helpful, will not give you the hands-on that you need.

I have had schutzhund dogs since the early 80s--Dobies and GSDs--and I do know what I am talking about. They are wonderful dogs and a joy to own, but once a dog has learned some arm work, he needs a handler as well-trained as he is.

Rusty

 

[ashylove]

thanks for letting me know. what would you recommend for her then? she doesnt have time to be trained to handle them, her kids are too little for her to be gone like that.

 

[horsejody]

Perhaps she should just adopt a large friendly dog that looks ominous. That is usually all it takes. That way she could just do regular obedience training and frequent walks or playtime with it for exercise. A dog doesn't need credentials to be a deterrent. Whatever she gets she should understand that large dogs have exercise needs and many breeds need a job with lots of activity. Obedience training is always helpful.

 

[patandchickens]

I seem to remember that maybe 10 or 20 yrs ago they supposedly surveyed a bunch of people currently in the pokey for breaking and entering or burglary, and the consensus was that the guys were more apt to avoid a property with a small barky dog than with a simply *big* dog. Feeling that a small barky dog was more apt to come after them.

Mind you I don't know how true this is, but it certainly *sounds* plausible

The key would be to have your friend be knowledgeable and "ept" enough with dogs to ensure that she chose a dog that would not be a problem with the kids, and that it would *stay* that way.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[walkswithdog]

No she is not the right person for a trained guard dog. Neither are homes with small children without very specific precautions. LARGE black dogs, big labs, black danes, even dark standard poodles (excellent indoor small children dogs) all offer deterent and watch potential without adding the worry and legal and training problems associated with a trained protection dog.

Many many many insurance companies will DROP a homeowner for having even ONE german shepherd that isn't trained, a trained one will usually get you dropped from the REST of them. One bite even justified and you can and often do lose your coverage.

Or if you're us, having five shepherds at one time can make it a tad challenging to find an insurance company.

Shepherds retired or not are not for people without the time to train. One that has been trained to bite humans, even MORE SO.

Under good leadership and good training, a good shepherd is excellent with their own children. Often not so much the neighborhood kids. Sometimes yes, often no. The less training, the less work, the less the exercise the greater the hazards.

Labs, Danes, Standard Poodles, all tend to make other people go somewhere else without posing the same legal and leadership issues.

They're much better starter dogs.

 

[ashylove]

lol... maybe she should just borrow my dog then! i have a small yippy thing... ill let her know and see what she says, i know she prefers little dogs, so maybe she will consider it. anyway, thank you all for the help!!!

 

[ninny]

Have her go to her local pound and get a large black lab. It needs to be black and teach the speak command. A big black dog bark and slamming it's slamming itself agaisnt the door is not something most people will try to mess with.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

Have to agree with everyone - retired police dogs are very difficult for the non-handlers. My brother in law is 'on the job' and someone had a half trained working dog that went to another family and the had to put it down because it was too aggressive. And remember too that any big dog is a lot of work - especially if she hasnt had dogs before. I looked at Anatolians and just loved them - they are huge and like to work (if she has livestock). You might want to check with "Walks With Dog" on this board - she has big dogs and might have some additional insight.

 

[bumpershoot]

Not so many years ago I showed and competed in obedience with American Staffordshire Terriers...most folks would think of them as a pet bull. Part of the obedience training was a long sit and a long down. My dogs had to stay when something challenged them. I used geese. They were loud and aggressive. I have heard that folks use geese as guard animals for that very reason - they are territorial.

I would skip buying/adopting a dog for protection. There are now so many laws that make it the owners fault that the dog bit someone - even when being robbed or the victim of a B&E. Insurance is also an issue. Not to mention that dogs are pack creatures. They need work and attention, which this gal doesn't sound like she has time for.

If this gal insists on getting a dog I'd go with a small one. They can make the most amazing racket and that's 99% of the job. My little Boston terrier is always the first to alert to someone on the property. Oh, and skip the "Beware of Dog" signs. They are considered by some courts to be evidence that the owner knew the dog was vicious.

The world of dog ownership can be complex. Go for the goose. That's my opinion.