Looking for a mod sized dog with good watch dog abilities but good around children. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

no dog is good around kids..they can all turn and snap if provoked, and they shite everywhere and stink and in this weather why bother?

Answer 2

A good watch dog alerts you if strangers around by loud agressive barking (not snarling or growling) and gives the stranger them the impression that it may do them some harm if they hang around. A watch dog does not need to be a nasty agressive biter it just has to be noisy.
A dog that is good with children knows its place in the heirachy and has a placid tolerant laid back nature,doesnt frighten easily, and tolerates some roughish (but not excessive) handling. If handled too rough such dogs tend warn the child with a harmless gentle nip just as they do to pups that are getting a bit out of line (of course this wont happen if the children have been properly educated to show some respect for the animal).
The two characteristics of "watch dog" and "good with children" are not mutually exclusive because most dogs are territorial and will "warn off" stangers through their barking.
Sometimes people moving interstate or overseas have to leave their dogs behind and they will be able to tell you about the personality of the dog and what it is like with children this would be a good way to find a reliable animal or alternatively vets sometimes knwo of people are due to age or illnes have suitable dogs needing a new home.
When it comes to purebreds avoid anything with "traditional" gurad dog lines as if you get on with a not so good personality it could be risk to the children. It may seem strange, but if I had to reccomend a purebred I would go for a blue heeler. They have a reputation for biting (strangers) and sound the part when they bark, but Heelers are actually extremely family orientated and very protective of family and territory, I have never seen or heard of one that was rough on kids. A few years ago a lady used to take a baby in a pusher to the local supermarket and leave the baby under a tree with the heeler. No one would ever have got near the baby without loosing life and limb.

Answer 3

Go to the Dog Pound and talk with the PoundMaster. Get a MUTT. Not too big. Look over all the dogs. Don't get a Large Dog. You will just have trouble. They are not good for pets, even though you will hear some people say they have one and it is "So Sweet". The dogs that do Scar, Maim, and Kill were nice dogs until they attacked humans without reason or provocation. If the PoundMaster tries to get you to take a large dog, Thank him, and leave. I suggest you Type In, "Dog Bite Law" and see what these dogs can do to people, especially children.

Answer 4

Why not visit you local animal shelter? The staff will help match you up with a dog that suits you and you'll be giving that dog a chance to have a happy life. A lot of them will let you take a dog on a trial run to check it's suitable.

Personally I like collies, will bark when someone's outside but are still good with children.

Answer 5

What do you mean by Watch dog? If you want a dog that barks at strangers, most will, but consider your neighbours. German Shepherds can turn nasty if not stimulated enough, as can some collies. Really research into it. Must admit, a lot of sites recommended a Staff as best with kids, but they need LOADS of excercise. Go to http://www.petplanet.co.uk, choose breed profiles and then select a breed. You then answer loads of questions and it will give you the best dog. It took me 6 months to choose the best dog for my family, taking into consideration excercise, amount willing to pay etc, but good luck. Once you have chosen your dog, make sure you get it from a good breeder, and not a puppy farm!!

Answer 6

There are so many informational places...on-line,vets,humane society and friends and neighbors ready to share their favorite breed stories. What type of watch dog do you need? Most dogs will bark to alert their owners of someone at the door or in the yard and still be great with kids. I have found that many breeds (including mixes) have been wonderful additions to most families. Border collies, shepherds,terriers and many others are fantastic with kids. Depending on your childrens ages and personalities it should be very easy to find a dog. There are many great dogs in shelters and humane societies....bring the kids and make a 'family affair' out of choosing. (See how the dog and kids inter-act.) Research breed qualities at your local library and on-line,also. Best of luck and happy dog owning!

Answer 7

Hi there, this site has a quiz too ...
http://www.selectsmart.com/DOG/

I just had a go for you (guessing at what some of your answers would be) & was surprised to find that the top suggestion was a Pharoah Hound.

These are slim, short-haired dogs, built a little like a Greyhound but with pricked up ears. They are reddish in colour & apparently they are unique in that when they get excited, they blush.

This site says:
http://www.dog-names.org.uk/pharaoh-hound.htm
The Pharaoh Hound is a very sociable breed of dog, enjoying the company of other dogs and humans, they are playful, inquisitive, intelligent, affectionate, gentle, and good with children. Pharaoh Hounds are quite vocal and make a good guard dog, barking at any stranger approaching their home Territory.

But it does need a lot of exercise & can be have a mind of its own!

Answer 8

I wouldnt recommend dogbreedinfo site, its an american site for starters and they glorify crossing any breed with any breed making so called 'breeders lots of money for a mongrel' collie's are VERY high maintenance, need lots of stimulation, need to be kept busy busy 24/7. Go for something small, but not a terrier, Personally i would go for a dog, not a girl as they tend to be more protective. Try and find a dog forum talk to other people first, these sites are a great source of information and the people who use them are all dog lovers with a wealth of information.

Answer 9

BOXER, i had a boxer growing up from the time i was like 7yrs old. and she was a very good watch dog and awsome with kids. i am now 21 and just recently lost her to cancer 11-07-2006. she was the most beautiful dog too.she was very protective of me and my family and always made sure not to hurt me. she would never leave the yard or my side when she was out side with me. she was truly the best dog i have ever owned or been around it. she was just to good of a dog to have to say good bye to.( i am actually tearing up right now just talking about her) she was more of a child than anything to me, and a true best friend that never let me down even when things were tough in life........

Answer 10

You might try a Catahoula (Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog). Breeders in Texas and Oklahoma often breed them on the small side of the standard and this breed is the most alert of any I've had contact with plus they bond very closely with everyone in the family. View the breeders' dogs, though. The standard allows for dogs as large as 26 inches at the withers and bitches up to 24 inches (males: 22-26", females: 20-24"), probably larger then you want. For info and breeders, try catahoulas.org (ACA - not a registry) or cobradog.com (UKC). Also, you could call the original and premier registry for the breed, NALC (M-R: 9:00AM to 4:00PM, central time) at [phone]. Also check out the national (USA) Catahoula rescue organization (catahoularescue.com). Oh, and don't bother with any AKC sites as they don't recognize the breed.

Answer 11

I went to a web site called www.dogbreedinfo.com
on there you can take a quiz which asks what you are looking for in a dog, ie, dominant, easy to groom, lots of exercise etc, and then you can check out the breeds they narrow it down to and read in depth and look at photos. It worked very well for me. They also list some x breeds too, but it's a USA site, so some of the breeds are rare in the UK, and therefore expensive, but it's a good starting place for research.