What Dog For Kids?

[Boetman]

Howsit Clan

I am thinking of getting a dog(puppy) for my 2year old. Not wanting a poofter, that eats and sh*ts, but an intelligent working dog. The kind that will protect them at all cost and tear a BG's head off and bring me the ear. I digg dogs, have three Jack Russels, of which the one is a proper hunting dog. He killed a snake the other day in the garden where the kids play. And thats what the other dog will be intended for- protection of the kids and family.

Chatted to Wolverine, he diggs the Belgian Malanois. Unfortunetly, they are far and few apart over here, and quite expensive. Was thinking German Shepard, seems like a good choice. Had a Dobberman when I was a kid, best kids dog I ever seen. Was my shadow, and chewed a couple of arm waving heathen when I were around.

What you guys think.

[ChrisNobody]

Rhodesian Ridgeback....unbelievable when raised alongside a child. Fantastic loyalty. Airedale Terriers actually do quite well too if trained for protection, but it is tough to tell temperament early on.

[H60DoorGunner]

If there are Mountain Cur breeders there, get one of those.

[barnetmill]

You are in south africa. Go to some rustic part of the Transvaal and find an old time boerboel. You do not want what the type is now popular. The old time dogs if they still exist will be long and lean. Like 70-95 lbs. Some people think the Ridgeback and boerboel are related. The point I keep making about dogs is that older types of dogs that were used for centuries or even millennia more often are better than the modern dogs that are bred to be sold on looks alone. The malinois have tremendous drive, but some breeders are reportedly turning out dangerous dogs. Dangerous means they will off and bite people that they should not like family members. Go with a quality breeder that breeds for a good dog. A very good dog to get are the Giant Schnauzers. Some already mentioned the Curs dogs of america. These are dogs that are bred for doing a job and not for looks. Most have not yet been ruined and they are not so different from the function the original boerboel. Below is a Catahoula Leopard cur dog. Common dog in the Southern USA for hunting and protection of a farm. There are many good breeds of dog, but most important is the breeder as to what the dog will actually turn out to be.


http://files.mom.me/photos/2015/05/01/6-101339-catahoula-leopard-dog-sit-1430524163.jpg

[EDELWEISS]

Well If you get a Rottweiler, its already got a song....

https://youtu.be/VQ3Kf-MzXs8

Rottweiler Blues--Warren Zevon

Got a Glock in the bedside table
Machine gun leaning by the bedroom door
Kevlar vest in the closet
Well, I wear it when I go to the store
Shadows on the window
Rustling in the hedge
Faces at the peephole
Footsteps on the ledge
If you come calling
He'll be mauling with intent to maim
Don't knock on my door
If you don't know my Rottweiler's name
Halogen lights in the driveway
Guardian Angels living next door
One hundred pounds of unfriendly persuasion
Sleeping on the Florida porch
Slackers in the market
Bangers in the mall
Skinheads on the golf course
Hunting for their balls
If you come calling
He'll be mauling with intent to maim
Don't knock on my door
If you don't know my Rottweiler's name

[Mervo]

Another vote for Ridgeback

[Ragsbo]

We had a Doberman that my daughter would ride like a horse when she was barely walking. He'd lay down and let her crawl on then stand up and walk around. She held onto his ears (we didn't get them clipped). AND you did not mess with her or the other kids (including the neighbors to).

[ericb]

Rottweilers are great with kids

[TyGuy04]

Avoid pure-breeds. A lot of the working dogs you'll come across are going to be some sort of cross. They tend to be smarter and have less health problems than the ones that have only been bred for looks and competition.

[DutchV]

Rottweilers are great with kids

Very true. My nephew's daughter used his Rottie for a pillow. He knew who was boss, as well as who didn't belong.

[barnetmill]

Rottweilers are great with kids A properly bred rottweiler is good with kids. A couple years ago in my general area. A Rottweiler was found wandering and a family tied it up and fed it. Some children got too close to it and it killed one of the kids. The dog likely had been dumped because something was wrong with it. Do not make an assumption that any dog is trustworthy with child without closely observing how the dog interacts. The breeders I deal with will not tolerate any dog that growls at a small child. This goes double with infants. Toy type breeds have been know to kill infants.


Sometimes, the breed of a dog doesn’t matter too much when trying to predict attacks. In October of 2000, a 4-pound Pomeranian killed a 6-month old baby while the child’s uncle was in the next room preparing a bottle. Though Pomeranians are not considered vicious, they were originally bred to be watchdogs, resulting in this horrible accident. Therefore, a fair overview of fatal dog attacks cannot only focus on one or two breeds known to be dangerous. Instead, it should be known that any dog that is treated badly or trained to attack may bite. http://www.nickortizlaw.com/personal-injury-accidents/dog-bites/breeds-most-likely-to-kill/

[Boetman]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I think that in all breeds, as said, temprament is very important. Chick that worked with me kid got severly mauled by a Boerboel. Think they are very good dogs, but have been bred so far away from origanal, that they have become quite vicious. I had a ridgeback bitch, but think it killed a ewe once, and had to stay caged. Will have a look a Cur dogs. And not to be funny, but I am scared of Rotties. The Belgian Malinois change in temerament is obviously cause the aggression has been exploited for Mil/Police use.

I am thinking about a German Shepard. Anybody got experience with them?

Thing is, and a whole lot of people might think I am a Arse is, this dog will just be another tool in our defense. It will be loved and looked after, but will be the first line of defense and expendable. I am under no disalusions when it comes to my family.

Its for protection and a mate for my kids and needs to be trained to sleep indoors.

[Danneskjold]

I like Rottweilers. When I was younger, my family had one who had to be locked up when my dad wanted to spank us. Also wouldn't let a man in the house if my dad wasn't home.

[barnetmill]

The german shepherd dog was during the apartheid years used by the police, maybe still is. What that means is that there could be some kennels breeding decent dogs. Trouble such dogs may not be cheap. As many will testify german shepherd dogs are good for what you want. There are people that claim the white version of the breed are superior. GSDs crossed many centuries ago with flock guarding mastiffs that were up in those regions of the alps. It is believed that the white is from this ancient cross. When the breed became modern they changed it for guarding and police work that is the common version of the breed today.

[SoldierofTheLaw]

4580145802

Another vote for Rotties. I've had 2 males and 1 female over the last 14 years and have been blessed with great dogs.

[ericb]

A properly bred rottweiler is good with kids. A couple years ago in my general area. A Rottweiler was found wandering and a family tied it up and fed it. Some children got too close to it and it killed one of the kids. The dog likely had been dumped because something was wrong with it. Do not make an assumption that any dog is trustworthy with child without closely observing how the dog interacts. The breeders I deal with will not tolerate any dog that growls at a small child. This goes double with infants. Toy type breeds have been know to kill infants.


You are using a stray, abused dog as an example. One that was tied up even, That is a poor example. In 25+ years of owning 10 rottweilers, I have yet to have one have an issue with kids. Not a single one. Of course I raised and interacted them with people myself from pups. It didn't matter if I got them from a backyard breeder or went unnecessary OCD to a high end breeder. They were ALL great dogs and loved kids and were very protective of them. Even the ones that were aggressive as pups. Guess I must be lucky huh? But again I don't buy them in the barrio from people who don't care for their dogs.

So again, without going into unnecessary points that could affect all dogs. Because ALL dogs need proper training and control to include being dominate over them at all times. Rottweilers are great with kids. They intimidate just by looks alone, and they are very protective.


Here are three generations of them.... one is a backyard bred, the other two from breeders.

45804

[henri]

You're in south africa....get a boerboel or a ridgeback ! Great dogs !

[SheepDog68]

Quality stock trumps most other details!

I had very good luck with my Fila and have also heard good things about the Dogo Argentino!

My Fila wouldn't even let a painter leave with his own tool until I returned to the room and told him it was ok! He thought dude was trying to sneak stuff out of the house while I was in a back room. He had laid a crossed the room watching the painters every move for two days until he thought he had stepped over the line and then herded him into a corner and held him there (didn't touch him) until I cleared him to leave with his tools!

SD

[barnetmill]

You are using a stray, abused dog as an example. One that was tied up even, That is a poor example. In 25+ years of owning 10 rottweilers, I have yet to have one have an issue with kids. Not a single one. Of course I raised and interacted them with people myself from pups. It didn't matter if I got them from a backyard breeder or went unnecessary OCD to a high end breeder. They were ALL great dogs and loved kids and were very protective of them. Even the ones that were aggressive as pups. Guess I must be lucky huh? But again I don't buy them in the barrio from people who don't care for their dogs.

So again, without going into unnecessary points that could affect all dogs. Because ALL dogs need proper training and control to include being dominate over them at all times. Rottweilers are great with kids. They intimidate just by looks alone, and they are very protective.


Here are three generations of them.... one is a backyard bred, the other two from breeders.

45804 The fact that the dog was likely dumped suggests less than caring masters. Screwed up dogs are often let loose like instead of being put down. Hard to say if it was abused or not. The point is that a child killer dog can be present in just about any breed of dog. I would closely watch any pup as it matured relative to any children that are in the house. 99% of the time any dog is good with children, but sometimes there will be one that is not. I had someone dump a dog on my driveway. A neighbor adopted it and that Gordon retriever is not right. HE is extremely fearful and barks constantly at me and my dogs. Neighbor's other dog does not and will whip the Gordon R when he feels it needs it. The better of my two pay it no attention and while the other get mad and does bark back on occasion. If it ever gets on the my side of the fence my two will rip it apart.

[Tara_infidela]

a GSD from a good breeder that breeds working dogs. Preferably one with predominantly German bloodlines not American bloodlines.

[plugugly]

My rottie is very good with kids, and protective. She would be even better with training.

[Paper Shredder]

GSD is my choice. It can get expensive if you are talking German sired pedigree dogs. also, lucky for you, dogs outside of the U.S. Usually have better dogs because people use them for what they were bred for, not to take up space in SUVs as fur babies.

My wife and I are getting a GSD now before our little one comes out so I can acclimate and get it on boarded to our house.

[TadPole]

GSD. Preferably a German line vice American. Be absolutely certain that if you get a registered dog, that the sire and dam are OFA good at a minimum and excellent if possible. Few things are sadder than a shepherd with bad hips and elbows. Be sure to check for any drives when selecting a pup that could be problematic with kids - such as a high prey drive.

Good luck with the search.

[BigEd63]

GSD. Preferably a German line vice American. Be absolutely certain that if you get a registered dog, that the sire and dam are OFA good at a minimum and excellent if possible. Few things are sadder than a shepherd with bad hips and elbows. Be sure to check for any drives when selecting a pup that could be problematic with kids - such as a high prey drive.

Good luck with the search.

This .....100% this.

[Moooks]

GSD. Preferably a German line vice American. Be absolutely certain that if you get a registered dog, that the sire and dam are OFA good at a minimum and excellent if possible. Few things are sadder than a shepherd with bad hips and elbows. Be sure to check for any drives when selecting a pup that could be problematic with kids - such as a high prey drive.

Good luck with the search.


Whats OFA?

[Sleestak]

Pitbull

[Boetman]

Pitbull

Well that aint happening. Point. Have heard waaaaay to much bad things about those dogs.

[Boetman]

Shot Guys appreciate all your input. Will get a GSD. Guy has got a couple forsale not to far away, non registerred, but the parents are very loving of his two daughters. Very good looking. Males or Females? Heard males are better with kids, also all the Bitches on the farm is spayed. Reckon like most females are temeramental, pretty sure that is the same with dogs. Rotties are very nice dogs, just not for me, were shit scared of a mates when I were a child. Also like the GSD because it can get trained up. Boerboels and ridgebacks are like a broad sword, where a GSD with training can be used more decisevely. (Jeez my spelling today, dutchmen coming out again....)

[coastalcop]

We have a mal and a shep as working k9. Both are friendly as hell with "family". I'm not the handler for either but rather then"backup" and chew toy.

They can be trying to eat me on minute and rolling on their back for pets the next ( always a crowd pleaser when the "attack" dogs are kittens with me when not "working" )

Had a couple of friends with rotties. Like the breed, only one tried to kill me ( he "hugged" by laying his neck on yours and pressing, hard to breathe when you fall asleep on the sofa and wake up to that).

My personal dogs are mutts, the first is 1/3 heeler, 1/3 Shetland , and 1/3 pain in the ass. The other is 1/3 ridge, 1/3 lab/Pitt , and 1-3 velociraptor . Both wonderful dogs that will eat you if you come in unannounced.

Don't write off Pitts either, I've had to kill some ( Gang banger sicced his fighting pit on me, and a couple guard dogs during raids) but the breed raised right will let your toddler hold onto its ear while it walks around the house dragging the kid by that attachment point.

Sheps do need to be confirmed on their hips for sure.

[Zed Stewart]

Australian cattle dogs, also known as Blue or Red Heelers. Catahoula curs are great. Most dogs that hunt or herd have more personality than some people I know.

Male dogs bond better with females and female dogs bond better with males.

I had a red heeler bitch that thought my boy was hers and he loved her back. She would fetch ANYTHING. Was a better bird dog than bird dogs.

She got knocked off the back of the pickup and I ran over her with a trailer full of bulls. Bad day.

[barnetmill]

Shot Guys appreciate all your input. Will get a GSD. Guy has got a couple forsale not to far away, non registerred, but the parents are very loving of his two daughters. Very good looking. Males or Females? Heard males are better with kids, also all the Bitches on the farm is spayed. Reckon like most females are temeramental, pretty sure that is the same with dogs. Rotties are very nice dogs, just not for me, were shit scared of a mates when I were a child. Also like the GSD because it can get trained up. Boerboels and ridgebacks are like a broad sword, where a GSD with training can be used more decisevely. (Jeez my spelling today, dutchmen coming out again....)
Male or female? There are minor differences.
What dog people tell me is that female dogs for personal protection of the family and male dogs for guarding property. The male dogs are more likely to patrol the territory which they will often mark. Either sex if they have guarding instincts will attack any intruder that they hear, but the male dogs are more into defending a territory. Both are in the long run protective the family.
For bulldogs of the type I have the females are hotter and males more laid back which may not be true of other breeds.

Unless you are someone with a lot of knowledge of Pittbulls I would stay away. Recently in a locality in Georgia there were at least three attacks of blue nose pitbulls against family members. It could be a quirk for that particular pitbull breed in that county, hard to say. Years ago they were considered a good pet for a child. Picture of petey in the little rascals.

http://www.lipitrescue.com/e107_images/slide2.jpg

[droggsey]

I have had both male and female GSD's and really prefer the females for a family dog. The male was great, but he was not nearly as affectionate as the females. He would sit at the edge of the room and watch the doors. The females will try and sit in your lap if you let them.

Like others have said, if you can, try for German bred dogs. I have two GSD's now, both female, one is from Germany and the other was breed from German parents. They are both great. I had two GSD's from an American line before these two and ended up having to put both of them down when they were 6 years old.

[droggsey]

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. A responsible breeder will have their dogs x-rayed and have the hips certified before they are breed.

[droggsey]

GSD is my choice. It can get expensive if you are talking German sired pedigree dogs. also, lucky for you, dogs outside of the U.S. Usually have better dogs because people use them for what they were bred for, not to take up space in SUVs as fur babies.

My wife and I are getting a GSD now before our little one comes out so I can acclimate and get it on boarded to our house.


http://kolendakennels.com/

Not cheap, but good dogs from German lines.

[Moooks]

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. A responsible breeder will have their dogs x-rayed and have the hips certified before they are breed.

Got it, thanks.

[ss58]

Had yellow labs for years, have a great breeder in Nashville.

[khadga]

You are in south africa. Go to some rustic part of the Transvaal and find an old time boerboel. You do not want what the type is now popular. The old time dogs if they still exist will be long and lean. Like 70-95 lbs. Some people think the Ridgeback and boerboel are related. The point I keep making about dogs is that older types of dogs that were used for centuries or even millennia more often are better than the modern dogs that are bred to be sold on looks alone. The malinois have tremendous drive, but some breeders are reportedly turning out dangerous dogs. Dangerous means they will off and bite people that they should not like family members. Go with a quality breeder that breeds for a good dog. A very good dog to get are the Giant Schnauzers. Some already mentioned the Curs dogs of america. These are dogs that are bred for doing a job and not for looks. Most have not yet been ruined and they are not so different from the function the original boerboel. Below is a Catahoula Leopard cur dog. Common dog in the Southern USA for hunting and protection of a farm. There are many good breeds of dog, but most important is the breeder as to what the dog will actually turn out to be.


http://files.mom.me/photos/2015/05/01/6-101339-catahoula-leopard-dog-sit-1430524163.jpg

The old style Boerbols are gone sadly. Almost every single breeder who references "working lines" or "protection" is a complete fraud in that regard. If Boet is interested, I can put him in touch with the 2-3 breeders worth talking to over there (out of maybe a half dozen anywhere), but I think even those are a crapshoot as far as getting a nice stable dog that's a reliable protector. There are numerous working breeds which might turn out to be what you describe, but regardless of what enthusiasts of any breed think, virtually none produce a very high percentage of dogs that have the temperament to be a reliable protector overall.

Like barnetmill, I'm a bulldog man, and a good American Bulldog of the varieties he or I prefer is a wonderful children's dog and often a reliable protector, but hands down by a large margin, your best bet for a dog with the proper temperament and drive balance to be a biddable (trainable) reliable protector is your first instinct of a GSD. Mals/Dutchies of the right bloodlines are the only dogs which exceed GSDs in likelihood of proper working temperament, but those bloodlines cost half again or double the price of an excellent GSD (if you're not overpaying). Beyond the price, while KNPV or KNPV style Mals/Dutchies are the finest working dogs in the world, they're maybe half as likely to have the temperament to be a good family dog IF it happens to have low enough overall work drive to fit well in a normal household. There's a reason those two breeds dominate MIL/LE, security, SAR, and dog sport. GSDs are like the glock of the canine world, and for a family dog also, GSDs are just the easy button by a country mile.

The big problem is that most are shit. The more hype from the breeder and the higher the price, the stinkier the shit very often. Dogsport titles can be a solid indicator of working capability but sport dogs are not working dogs and not protectors, and dog sport excellence is not protection training. A lot of the problems are analogous to the differences between gun games and SI classes. There are a lot of structural and other health concerns. It's hard for someone unfamiliar with the working dog world to navigate the bullshit. The majority of commercial and private purchasers in the US overpay for mediocre quality dogs. Unless you possess the rare skill set of working dog trainer, you're going to require professional training which isn't cheap. Just like breeders, most trainers are shit.

One route may be to get a trained young adult from someone who breeds the right stuff or knows where to get it. Here in the states, you'll find all sorts of vendors with hyped up claims and credentials selling dogs with all sorts of titles or designations like executive level 1, 2, 3 or whatever and priced insanely. There's a guy one county over from me who is a barely competent asshole who has alienated all mil/leo clientele by ineptitude and an asshole personality, but he now focuses on rich dumb people and sells "elite protectors" for anywhere from $40,000-100,000 or more depending on how big a sucker he finds. The dogs are all indistinguishably mediocre to poor, and the price depends on how much he thinks he can get.

He's an example of the worst, but you could pay a fraction of his prices and still be grossly overpaying. Conversely, you might find a bargain somewhere but on the low end, you'll unfortunately usually get what you pay for. To cut to the chase, a US police agency that knows what they're doing today pays between 15 and certainly less than 20 grand for a fully trained dog with additional skills unnecessary or inappropriate for family defense like offensive pursuit of suspects, detection, tracking, crowd control, etc. Less for green or partially trained dogs. Therefore, a fair price for "mil/LE-spec" equivalent quality genetics and training comes to around $10,000 give or take regardless of whether you begin with a pup or a fully trained adult. Sadly, I'd guess there are a half dozen guys in this huge country with the knowledge and skills to find/breed and train excellence AND the ethics to ever give a man a fair price.

One guy who fits that description is Jerry Bradshaw and his facility Tarheel Canine a state north from me in North Carolina. If you google him, you'll find the Tarheel Canine website. There's an invaluably honest free download PDF guide to buying protection dogs, and if you can catch him on the phone or by email, he's a font of wisdom. He might be able to recommend someone in your area. You won't find a decent dog man anywhere who knows of him and doesn't respect him. If you think about how long a dog lives with you and how much it impacts your family, then that still large dollar figure begins to seem reasonable. Mr. Bradshaw will generally go to Germany and select a canine from there to bring back and train to your requirements. He'll do that for a US client for around that $10G figure. I'm not sure if they do international export, but I wouldn't be surprised, and depending on what is available in your area, he might be able to provide you a dog competitively priced, and like I said, he's one of the rare places I would flat out trust to reliably provide an excellent canine for a fair price.

Good luck on your search.

[barnetmill]

Very informative reply khadga (http://www.warriortalk.com/member.php?55166-khadga). I suspect if one really went looking there might a boerboel or two of old style still around, but they will not be found at a breeder that offers them for sale. The dogs that I have which are called white english are the foundation stock of the various lines of American bulldog (Scott and also JD Johnson) and also the Alapaha Bulldogs. The WE are most often just call white english, likely because some are bulldogs and others throw as mastiffs. You can still find real WE in an around Hawkensville, Georgia the origin of my dogs and perhaps some elsewhere. But they have disappeared from much of the former spanish 'La Florida' province that was once ruled by Spain.
To find a real boerboel if they are still around I would go to remote areas including what were at one time the Bantustans. It would be a search. A colleague of mine that bred my more bulldog looking WE was looking around for the brindle bulldogs that he remembered as a child in Dixie Georgia. A black friend told him for the lighter colored brindles he would have to go find poor black families that still lived isolated existences around some of the plantations. The exceptionally dangerous dark brindle bulldogs are gone. Some of the other breeders I know would like to find the old time highly ferocious red french dogs of Louisiana, but so far no luck.

[Boetman]

We do have a family friend who still breeds only original "Boer" animals. He breeds Boerboels (Longlegged, brindle and strongjawed dogs) BoerPerde ( also longlegged but very tuff), Damaraland Vetsterte (sheep with big fat tails) and Donkies that look like Friesland Cows.
I have never spoken to him about his dogs temperament, but his male dog is on a running wire, and nobody comes near it. As I recall his females are caged. I think the reason is so they dont chow sheep.

I have only one problem with Boerboele, they are a bit thick. The Boerboele I had, had to first fall of the bakkie three times before they learned to stay away from the sides.

I will probably get a GSD in the end of the day. It is more trainable. I would like to train it up for our sheep rustling problem. The heathen would tie the sheep up and when you rock up, theyd dissapear in the dark, just to return a week later, and try again. If the dog can be teached to chase them down etc and they get caught, the word will spread to the extent that they will never try again.

The other reason GSD is the answer for me, with training, it will be able to stay inside the house. One of our fears are that the sheep alarm(colors around the sheep neck that sends a message to us if the sheep is moving to much/getting chased around) can also be a ploy to get me or dad out of the house and away so they can attack the woman folk. The alarms sometime goes off anytime of the night, and a person have to react, otherwise its a futile system. A trained GSD sleeping at the door will give my wife enough time to employ counter measures (enough 9mm lead to sink a ship).

[BigEd63]

Just a thought I've never had two working dogs at once but it might be something to consider.

I don't know if it would not be more trouble than it's worth though.

[barnetmill]

We do have a family friend who still breeds only original "Boer" animals. He breeds Boerboels (Longlegged, brindle and strongjawed dogs) BoerPerde ( also longlegged but very tuff), Damaraland Vetsterte (sheep with big fat tails) and Donkies that look like Friesland Cows.
I have never spoken to him about his dogs temperament, but his male dog is on a running wire, and nobody comes near it. As I recall his females are caged. I think the reason is so they dont chow sheep.

I have only one problem with Boerboele, they are a bit thick. The Boerboele I had, had to first fall of the bakkie three times before they learned to stay away from the sides.

I will probably get a GSD in the end of the day. It is more trainable. I would like to train it up for our sheep rustling problem. The heathen would tie the sheep up and when you rock up, theyd dissapear in the dark, just to return a week later, and try again. If the dog can be teached to chase them down etc and they get caught, the word will spread to the extent that they will never try again.

The other reason GSD is the answer for me, with training, it will be able to stay inside the house. One of our fears are that the sheep alarm(colors around the sheep neck that sends a message to us if the sheep is moving to much/getting chased around) can also be a ploy to get me or dad out of the house and away so they can attack the woman folk. The alarms sometime goes off anytime of the night, and a person have to react, otherwise its a futile system. A trained GSD sleeping at the door will give my wife enough time to employ counter measures (enough 9mm lead to sink a ship).

Thanks very much for that information on the boerboels that you know of. Most of the rustic breeds that have mastiff in them are not trained that much and either they have the behavior that you want or they do not. It sounds like they are not what you want for a house dog. A boerboel that chows sheep! The people I know would put it down in an instant. Their original function was to work with livestock and to hunt.

German shepherds are more trainable. Just be sure to get good one.
For combat with rustlers a single german shepherd may not be enough. He should stay around the house to watch your family. The rustlers will have least have clubs,knockerries, or edged weapons and even guns. I do not have a good suggestion other than to say you need a pack for that of dogs that will go for the kill. In the old days of the south the brindle bulldogs were used for such things and they were descended from war dogs that came with the first colonists.
war dogs US Civil War
http://afmastiffs.weebly.com/uploads/2/2/5/2/2252790/6343253.jpg?257

[SheepDog68]

45840
Loosing this guy was like a kick in the gut that I was not ready for!

Since then life got in the way with growing a business and a son at the same time, but reading this thread reminded me that it is past time to get serious about finding another guardian for The Ragged Ass Ranch!

I think this time I will space them out a little so that as one slows down the other is coming into their own!

As far as sources down FL way your friend might be on to something!

While living in Pace my dad ran a route for a friend of his for a few weeks (Guy hadn't been on vacation in years!) a couple summers that went into very rural remote areas of back wood Southern GA/AL/Panhandle of FL that where not ever seen by the general population and certainly where never visited by any other whites that I'm aware of.

Driving the van of a man who had been honest and honorable to those communities for 20 years gave us entry into a world unknown and unseen by just about anyone else I've ever talked to.

If there are old breeds left I'd find a way to look there if those communities have survived the last 30 years or so!

SD

[Boetman]

Only breed I know of (no study made just overheard) is the Anatolian Herd Dog in our rural areas. BoerBoele are also in someplaces, but I think the more Mastiff craosses than the Originals.

[barnetmill]

45840
Loosing this guy was like a kick in the gut that I was not ready for!

Since then life got in the way with growing a business and a son at the same time, but reading this thread reminded me that it is past time to get serious about finding another guardian for The Ragged Ass Ranch!

I think this time I will space them out a little so that as one slows down the other is coming into their own!

As far as sources down FL way your friend might be on to something!

While living in Pace my dad ran a route for a friend of his for a few weeks (Guy hadn't been on vacation in years!) a couple summers that went into very rural remote areas of back wood Southern GA/AL/Panhandle of FL that where not ever seen by the general population and certainly where never visited by any other whites that I'm aware of.

Driving the van of a man who had been honest and honorable to those communities for 20 years gave us entry into a world unknown and unseen by just about anyone else I've ever talked to.

If there are old breeds left I'd find a way to look there if those communities have survived the last 30 years or so!

SD Some of that area is cotton, but more of it is planted in pine plantations. Many blacks and white still work the day with a chain saw cutting pulp wood. I have no idea if it has changed, but in some places strangers are not welcomed. I know a nursery man that yrs ago went to a mountain area that had cottage industries raising fruit trees for the nursery trade. He was stopped and ask his business. Given a jar of moonshine and told never to come back. Today it would for the poor whites be maryjane and crystal meth along with some moonshine. Meth people are very aggressive.

Too bad about losing your big fellow, may he RIP.

[Boetman]

Howsit Guys, this is Josef (Like in Joseph of Heidi Fame). New tool in our families arsenal, he is the proud owner of my eldest daughter (who by incident loves watching all 52 episodes of Heidi, in the Moedertaal, offcourse)

I am amazed by this dogs inteligence, also seem very protective at a very young age (7weeks).46064
We were reading up a bit from Oom Gabe's Forum, learning the finer points of Hadji Killing. Uncle Dorkface in the background was explaining what a nice thing the Zipper effect is.

[JD Lester]

Nice pup! Treat him well. He will be a great friend.

v/r

JD

[Ajackz]

Hey there great call on the GSD puppy. I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old boys. My GSD is very good with them, she is a little rough with the two year old (knocking him down,b and a little playful puppy biting). I have a very strick no agression policy with animals towards children my big heart had taken in many strays over the years and I'm not ashamed to admit that I've picked up a dog and thrown its ass across a room and promptly rehomed it(I give you this information to know i don't mess around with a shit dog with my kids.). For two years I tried turning strays into family dogs.

Two months ago I went on a similar journey as yourself. I wanted a good dog and I wanted a puppy,this way I could have more influence on its behavior. Some people on this board may disagree with my methods but they are my own and they work for me.

My GSD essentially has no "private freedoms". When she eats I play with her face,when she sleeps I'll tug on her tail or mess with her paws. When she's in "her" crate I or one of my boys will go in there with her for a bit at any moment randomly and kind of disrupt her atmosphere. My thought process is that while she is young we let her know that she has nothing of her own and anything that is hers is ours. She is regulary introduced to random dogs and strangers to to socialize, so that she does not take on that immediate defensive agressive stance with new faces.It's worked great so far, German Shepards are naturally apprehensive of strangers once they get attached to their families and it can take quite sometime for them to warm up to a new person. This doesn't mean they are agrees I've to strangers but they will usually stay close by their "pack" until they feel secure enough to make freinds. I don't think a bad guy is going to sit around long enough to try and befriend the dog.In the heat of the moment your dog is going to recognize a potential threat and act accordingly even if it's grandpa popping in for a surprise bear hug on the two year old. Dog has not snapped one time at my wife or two boys, and growling only happens at playtime or strangers moving into her predetermined zone.

I apologize if this is hard to read, I'm on my phone, and type how I speak. My Wife(highly educated) hates reading anything I type.




http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/10/db7181e8775c36938e3adf7d4d7de385.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/10/2215e0ec1a6820378f1159fd59552d84.jpg

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[Boetman]

Hey there great call on the GSD puppy. I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old boys. My GSD is very good with them, she is a little rough with the two year old (knocking him down,b and a little playful puppy biting). I have a very strick no agression policy with animals towards children my big heart had taken in many strays over the years and I'm not ashamed to admit that I've picked up a dog and thrown its ass across a room and promptly rehomed it(I give you this information to know i don't mess around with a shit dog with my kids.). For two years I tried turning strays into family dogs.

Two months ago I went on a similar journey as yourself. I wanted a good dog and I wanted a puppy,this way I could have more influence on its behavior. Some people on this board may disagree with my methods but they are my own and they work for me.

My GSD essentially has no "private freedoms". When she eats I play with her face,when she sleeps I'll tug on her tail or mess with her paws. When she's in "her" crate I or one of my boys will go in there with her for a bit at any moment randomly and kind of disrupt her atmosphere. My thought process is that while she is young we let her know that she has nothing of her own and anything that is hers is ours. She is regulary introduced to random dogs and strangers to to socialize, so that she does not take on that immediate defensive agressive stance with new faces.It's worked great so far, German Shepards are naturally apprehensive of strangers once they get attached to their families and it can take quite sometime for them to warm up to a new person. This doesn't mean they are agrees I've to strangers but they will usually stay close by their "pack" until they feel secure enough to make freinds. I don't think a bad guy is going to sit around long enough to try and befriend the dog.In the heat of the moment your dog is going to recognize a potential threat and act accordingly even if it's grandpa popping in for a surprise bear hug on the two year old. Dog has not snapped one time at my wife or two boys, and growling only happens at playtime or strangers moving into her predetermined zone.

I apologize if this is hard to read, I'm on my phone, and type how I speak. My Wife(highly educated) hates reading anything I type.




http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/10/db7181e8775c36938e3adf7d4d7de385.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/10/2215e0ec1a6820378f1159fd59552d84.jpg

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Shot Bro thanks. Nice pup.

[larryes]

Take the kids to your local shelter and let them find one that they fall in love with. We did that and found the best dig we've ever had. And I pitty the fool who messed with the grandkids or the wife!

[Boetman]

Take the kids to your local shelter and let them find one that they fall in love with. We did that and found the best dig we've ever had. And I pitty the fool who messed with the grandkids or the wife!

Dont digg strays, pup has gotta be brought up in the 'Clan' and know our do's donts and where it fits in.

[TadPole]

Good looking pup. He's a fun age. In another few weeks his ears will start to pop. One up, one down, kinda up. About 8 weeks to 6 months is the absolute best. Makes me want another dog BAD.

Congrats on your new addition to the pack.