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I'm moving to the country and would like a guard dog for when my husband isn't at home, but I have a yorkie and a chihuahua and would ideally like the guard dog to get on well with them, so I wouldn't have to keep them separate. The guard dog would have to be suitable for both indoor and outdoor living, and not prone to straying/ animal worrying as there is a lot of livestock near where we will be living. Ideally, the dog should be easy to train. Hope someone can help. Thank you!

2006-11-05 04:14:56 · 30 answers · asked by stuntbum 1 in Pets Dogs

30 answers

A german shepard is both a good "Gaurd dog" and "Country Dog"!

2006-11-05 04:23:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

you are asking too much off a dog. Firstly, if a dog is to guard it needs to be an indoor member of the family. What use is a guard dog when you are alone, if someone breaks into the house and the dog is chained outside??? ALL dogs will sheep worry unless you have taken steps to train them and securely fence your land. You are aware of course that a farmer can legally shoot your dog if he is on the farmers land completely ignoring the sheep?
As for prone to straying, all dogs, including the 2 little ones you have, will stray if not kept in by a fence.Your little dogs will also sheep worry and are also likely to be shot.
You need to take your reponsibilities very seriously. Any large dog will guard you but it should be first and foremost, a pet. A house dog, companion to you and the 2 little dogs. If you want to get one purely as a tool, to be ignored and left to it's own devices most of the time outside then I would say get a burglar alarm instead of a dog.
I have 6 very little dogs and one large lurcher. He is useless as a guard, but great with the little dogs because they are all members of our family. Until recently I also had a giant schnauzer b1tch and a very large collie cross retirver dog. Those two were fantastic guards and the collie just hated everyone. Everyone except me and the other animals in our family. The quickest way to get a dog to hate your two small ones is to exclude him outside most of the time while they are in the house. If he is another canine member of the family, included in everything that the little dogs are involved in, then he will protect them and you with all his strength. Go to your local animal shelter and see what they have available for adoption. You don't need a specific breed to guard. Any will do the job. You don't need a dog which bites either, just one who looks as though it might.

2006-11-05 08:33:36 · answer #2 · answered by fenlandfowl 5 · 0 0

The term "guard dog" is misleading. Any dog who loves you will protect you if the need arrises. You don't want a dog who just bites everyone and is a danger to all. However, since you will be livng in the country around livestock, and have small dogs, I suggest starting with puppy that will grow up around your other pets (even a 4-5 month old puppy ) How about an Australian Shepherd or Border Collie? Want a bigger dog? How about a Greay Pyrenese? German Shepherd? As to the straying, that is a training issue (after the pup is spayed or neutered) Also, make sure your pup is socialized with livestock, so they know not to chase them.

2006-11-05 04:20:56 · answer #3 · answered by piper 3 · 3 0

Ok i have 2 chihuahua/jack russell mixes and a pit and my 2 little ones would definately make more noise and scare off an intruder than my pit. i am in no way saying get a pit for a "guard dog". Any dog that loves you will do what it can to protect you when you are threatened and a little dogs way is by making noise. If you really want to get a bigger dog, go adopt one from a local shelter. I advise a puppy so that way it will be more comfortable around your other dogs or the shelter people may know of a full grown dog that does well around other dogs. if you see a full grown one you like, you can aloways bring your other 2 dogs up there to see how they interact

2006-11-05 06:14:21 · answer #4 · answered by mizzshorty4 2 · 1 0

I have always owned large dogs and I most preferred training German Shepards. Their temperment is very mellow and personally I think they are easier to train for some reason. They are good guard dogs and get along well with other animals and children. Since they have a thick coat, they can get along outdoors as well as indoors. Another breed to consider is Golden Retreiver, they are recognized as working dogs, they do take to commands well but they aren't widely considered for guard dog duty. Golden's can get along outdoors ok, but their better as indoor dogs. They have a sweet nature and are considered widely for use as guide dogs for the blind. Both breeds would be best trained at a young age as usually adults are harder to train. Also, I would suggest getting a young dog so it can become accustomed to having your smaller dogs around. Many times large dogs are territorial, more so than smaller dogs and might challenge the other dogs for the "top dog" position in the household. Keep in mind that when introducing any new pet its always good to do it on neutral ground (front or back yard) never inside the home.

2006-11-05 04:35:03 · answer #5 · answered by SoAZ Gal 6 · 0 1

If you are moving to "the country" then you don't really need a watch dog. Chihuahuas and Yorkies bark at any given thing, enough to warn you. Just keep the two you have and you will be fine. But if you insist on getting another dog I think a German Shephard would be OK but do not get a Pit or a Rot.

2006-11-05 04:21:31 · answer #6 · answered by Maggie 5 · 1 0

do you want a dog just to alert you of danger and let people think again English springer spinals are good noise makers, mine will bark and push her nose at people legs or jump up and down on at the sliding door and push her nose agent the glass ans snort any thing to look furiously but would never bite and will not stop glowing and barking till i gave the person the all clear then she would sniff them and stop barking.
poodles (funny enof)are supposed to be brill guard dogs.
Labradors can be good but some can be over friendly to strangers.
Alsatians big and people are often afraid of them.

but dog that make a lot of noise are the best as the make strangers think again before entering the size of the dog is not importent
female dog wont stray as far as a male or make sure the dog is nuthered.
you have to train and make sure the dog wont case livestoke.

2006-11-05 06:09:38 · answer #7 · answered by dislexic1yen 3 · 1 0

Get a big, scary looking mutt from a rescue that does temperment tests on their dogs. The rescue will be able to tell you which dogs are good around smaller dogs and other things about their personality that you would want. They do all the work for you, and help you pick the perfect dog.

Personally, I have found that german shepard mixes tend to be very loyal dogs with low prey-drives and get along well with other dogs.

Avoid Huskies as they can be bad around smaller animals and tend to wander pretty far.

2006-11-05 04:21:31 · answer #8 · answered by Hallie 2 · 1 0

I've got a chihuahua and and daschund (sausage dog) and the latter of thee two makes a really good guard dog, he's only small ish but he is very alert and i think a good strong bark in the direction of any snooping nasty is enough to put them off, actually do you not find you chihuahua keeps guard? Mine does when people come to the door but the minute they come in she hides under the sofa!! he he he!

Be so careful getting a larger dog with small ones at home, my chi's little sister was picked up by an alsation in the park, she had broken ribs and if they take her out now she wee's herself because she is frightned, poor little thing!

I say stick with your little dogs, they might be small but I'll bet they'd do anything for you and to keep you safe :o)

2006-11-05 07:54:40 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

guarding breeds like shepherds, rottweillers and dobermans are intelligent and easy to train and no big dog sees a little dog as food! They are likely to view them more as pups!
but BEWARE Any dog that bites an intruder could end up with you in court in the UK as the intruder CAN SUE!
It recently happened to a friend of ours and she was made to euthanise her Beloved Pet!
Only the Forces and the Prison Service are legally allowed to keep Dogs that Attack! Police Dogs are NOT Guard Dogs as such, They are trained to hold on to people and NOT bite and to Show Aggression on command! As the same dog is also used to find missing people especially children They are NEVER ALLOWED to BITE!

2006-11-05 05:27:02 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 1 0

Hee Hee. My yorkie is a guard dog herself even though she is about 8 inches tall and 6 years old. Try a small dog that is nice to dogs and its owners but is protective to its home. Ask around some farms or a dog that has had puppies and you can train them to love you and your home so then it will protect you and your home also they are cute when they are young. Hope i helped you out.

2006-11-05 04:21:52 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

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