Looking for a new, reliable guard dog.

[dtknow]

Why end it? As long as people are offending each other, it is an interesting debate.

I will argue that any organism being bred in captivity is on its way to domestication.

You might not want that...but that fact is that a few generations down the line I guarantee that the offspring of your babies will be a bit different than WC?

Why? Artificial selection. Before you say you are not selecting for cool ones, it is not just that. If you have 100% survival rate of babies, then some(the more desirable ones or the more prolific) will produce more offspring. Thus CB animals tend to grow faster, mature earlier, and put more energy into reproduction than wild animals, unless all breeders are careful to keep this from happening. Take a look at hatchery bred fish, and poison dart frogs(some lay large clutches frequently and do not transport tadpoles anymore)

But in truth you probably do not raise all the babies successfully, and if you do some are undoubtly doing better than others. In captivity, those who do better are not going to be the same ones that do better in the wild.

As for new blood. Not all WC survive either. Those who do and adapt to different conditions and eating warm motionless rats, for example, likely represent a biased sampling of the wild populations genetics.

 

[ThomasH]

Domestication is inevitable with me being an extremely small minority against it. Almost every other person is all for morphs and domestication. I always try to get the traditional looking one, like what you would find in the wild. Hopefully in my life time only Balls, Boa Constrictors, Corns and Burms will be domesticated.
TBH

 

[dtknow]

Agreed. Its amazing how much the herp hobby has embraced morphs(maybe not...it all started in collecting those really cool abnormalities that occur in nature). But I can bet that a wildtype leopard gecko from when the pettrade is going to be much different than one fresh out of the middle east. It will a lot of "stabilizing selection" on a hobbyists part to keep them looking close enough.

Also, many hobbyists like to help along runts or otherwise unfit animals.

 

[ThomasH]

Agreed. Its amazing how much the herp hobby has embraced morphs(maybe not...it all started in collecting those really cool abnormalities that occur in nature). But I can bet that a wildtype leopard gecko from when the pettrade is going to be much different than one fresh out of the middle east. It will a lot of "stabilizing selection" on a hobbyists part to keep them looking close enough.

Also, many hobbyists like to help along runts or otherwise unfit animals.

Oh yeah, I agree. Guess that's just how the herp world and captive breeding works, nothing I can change.
TBH

 

[dtknow]

haha, we found one thing we agree on.

Have anyone ever wondered what would have happened if different animals were domesticated as early as some of our mainstay farm animals?

Think of the possibilities if guinea fowl, california quail, or antelope were domesticated and the same amount of work put into them as chickens or cattle/horses?

 

[kyrga]

Wow, it's always impressive when someone realizes that they were wrong and learns from it.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

I agree. If everyone followed vbrooke's example we would have soooo much less drama.

As for keeping dogs... of all the animals I've kept, there is nothing that compares to a dog. The companionship and loyalty in canines is unrivaled; even most humans can't match it. I see nothing wrong in domesticating dogs; my dogs may not have chosen to be domesticated, but they are more than capable of escaping back to the wild if they choose, and they've never tried.

As for being guards, I don't know if I personally would use one in a high risk situation (not that there aren't breeds that are perfectly capable) but I've always had a dog in the house my entire life, and I just wouldn't feel safe without one. It's less of a guard thing to me, more of an "everything's OK meter"... one that also can sense that you're nervous or afraid and provide comfort.

And for the OP's question regarding which breed... I personally like mutts and cross-breeds. My grandfather has always kept a German Shepard/Husky mix in the house, and they make fantastic dogs. They have a great personality that allows them to make a good guard, yet also great family pet. And I don't think I've ever seen one dig.

 

[357wheelgunner]

I agree. If everyone followed vbrooke's example we would have soooo much less drama.

As for being guards, I don't know if I personally would use one in a high risk situation

I agree completely. In our house, we would never risk the life of our dog. Her job, in a bad situation, is to wake my wife and I up. We can then deal with the threat. If the owner is strong and armed, the dog's job isn't to bite - it's to wake the owner up.

One of my biggest fears is that she'd get in the way and possibly get hurt

And for the OP's question regarding which breed... I personally like mutts and cross-breeds. My grandfather has always kept a German Shepard/Husky mix in the house, and they make fantastic dogs. They have a great personality that allows them to make a good guard, yet also great family pet. And I don't think I've ever seen one dig.

Our current "guard dog" is a german shepherd mutt. She looks like a pure bread shepherd, just at half the size. She never bites, but knows how to play rough without hurting everyone. She'll even do that clamp on your arm and shake it while growling police dog thing, only she doesn't bite down and hurt, it's all an act. She's very well trained, and loves her family.

Oh, and she's never dug up the yard, but she does "bury" bones and stuff under our covers and in my daughters toy closet.

 

[crpy]

Oh, and she's never dug up the yard, but she does "bury" bones and stuff under our covers and in my daughters toy closet.

lol, my dogs do the same thing, I'll move my legs and feel this wet chew bone , and i'm like yuck thanks.

 

[arachyd]

I can definitely sympathize. My son's dog (now deceased) looked upon "their" bed as a place that was safe to hide her treasures and felt secure that my son would protect them for her. He found many odd things in his bed like chewed socks, bones and dog toys as well as an occasional dead mole she'd killed-eeeeew! We still can't figure out where she got the dead largemouth bass he found under his pillow one night when he went to bed.

 

[kyrga]

We still can't figure out where she got the dead largemouth bass he found under his pillow one night when he went to bed.

A couple summers ago, I kept coming home to dead fish in the driveway. It was extremely perplexing for a while, until I saw my cat running down the street with one in his mouth. Turns out he was stealing koi fish out of a neighbor's pond. It was one of those little man-made ponds though, and I can't imagine bass living in one of those...

 

[Veneficus]

A couple summers ago, I kept coming home to dead fish in the driveway. It was extremely perplexing for a while, until I saw my cat running down the street with one in his mouth. Turns out he was stealing koi fish out of a neighbor's pond. It was one of those little man-made ponds though, and I can't imagine bass living in one of those...

Cats are good like that. In the past, our cats have brought into the house: possums, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks and birds.

 

[crpy]

And we thought the feral cats were bad, whew

 

[Shannen]

In an interview with real professional criminals, the crooks were asked what people should do if they want to be safe at night. The answer was consistent - more than one dog. One dog can be pistol whipped, knifed, etc. but two dogs are almost impossible to deal with.

Most alarm companies, if asked, will recommend a trained guard dog in addition to the alarm system. An alarm system can be disabled, as can a dog. Hopefully the dog and alarm will give you ample time to get the shotgun out and get your family in one room to wait for the police to come and clear the house.



I don't know what kind of dogs you are used to. I was mauled by one when I was younger, I will never forget how strong that dog was, how sharp the teeth, and how hard it fought. Dogs can be killed, but a good one will tear the intruder apart before going down.

In the 1800s everyone had guns, swords, axes, hatchets, and they weren't brainwashed cowards like the majority of overcivilized people around today. They were used to strife, hardship, and fighting, and if they didn't know how to deal with it they wouldn't have lasted long. They had dogs for the same reasons we do - to alert them to a threat.



Most people who break into houses are drug addicts, not professional criminals in a suit and tie or ninjasuit (depending on what kind of movie you watch too much of) with cans of spray to find lasers and whatnot.

Also, to those who said that if the crook was good with dogs the dog is useless...only if it's a weak nonaggressive dog. My german shepherd wouldn't let anyone but myself, my wife, or my daughter into our house without alerting us. If someone threw a steak or something at her she'd still keep barking until I came to see what was going on.

Not many people know how to train good strong guard dogs, hence the ignorance. Don't confuse worthless lap dogs with a strong alert guard dog with a purpose.

An alarm system is not going to keep you safe. It will notifiy the authorities to help, but until they get there you are on your own. Guard dogs are the best thing for alerting you to danger. An alarm system, backed up by a guard dog, backed up by a homeowner with a shotgun who knows how to use it under stress wisafe home.

We have an Akita and an alarm alarm does nothing to make me feel safe-Akita 100% safe. I know he takes his job serious.

 

[Shannen]

We have an Akita and an alarm alarm does nothing to make me feel safe-Akita 100% safe. I know he takes his job serious.

You are spot on in my opinion!!! My dog would not be swayed with a steak, he is so intune with surrounding when in guard dog mode nothing interferes with him protecting his home and yard. I watch him hunt ground hogs in our back yard, now these creatures stay right above their hole to immediately get away from danger. He (130 pound American Akita) is able to stealthy creep up and obliterate anything that is in his yard. 2 akitas would be a foolproof security system but he’s not open to siblings. But I feel safe with my Akita protecting me.

 

[Shannen]

That is a great point. Well both points. We had to have our dog certified as a service dog so that the insurance would allow her. In CA, no Pits, Rotties, Chows, Akita, German shep., Dalmatians, or any mix of any breed listed. Some insurance Co. will make exceptions, others will not. Renters beware...they are even more strict with those.

The non English training would be great!! I intended to train my Shep. in German. Schutzhund training is highly recommended.

We have rental properties that will not allow any dogs on the band breed list. But for our homeowners insurance we have State Farm who does not discriminate every state has a band breed list so you have to be really careful when choosing homeowners insurance if your dog has a known bite history You won’t find insurance