we just got a english mastiff puppy brindle color. my husband wants to raise him as a guard dog. but I want him to a loving house pet. Should i let him have his way, or keep fighting him about it?
2007-02-20 16:33:20 · 11 answers · asked by summi_bear 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
You raise him your way with gentleness and kindness, and he will be a great guard dog.
When training a dog for police K9 work, he is trained with the utmost care and gentleness, and well socialized. He learns to be friendly with strangers. However, as he matures, the NATURAL ability to tell danger from safety kicks in, and he WILL become protective.
Dogs by nature fear what is different or strange to them. This fear translates to either shyness or aggressiveness,,When we socialize them, taking them everywhere, and teaching them that humans are not to be feared..it makes a guard dog that enjoys his job, and not doing it out of fearfulness..He will have enough sense to be protective as soon as he is mature. He will have met enough other humans that he will be able to 'read' the signs of an aggressive human, by comparing it to what he knows as familiar and safe humans..Until he is about 2 years old, you will be his protector, but after maturity, he will take his place as yours..
2007-02-20 16:37:31 · answer #1 · answered by Chetco 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I am an English Mastiff owner and breeder. There is no need to 'train' an English Mastiff to be a guard dog. The more they are part of the family and loved, the more protective they will be. They are extrememly loyal, loving, gentle, and protective by nature. They are known as "Gentle Giants" but I can say from experience that if one of our skin kids is approached by a stranger our Gentle Giant will become a 180 lb momma that will do anything to protect her kids, skin or fur kids. It is not in the nature of a mastiff to bite, they are more likely to corner someone that they perceive as a threat than to bite them. A mastiff is both, a loving house pet and a guard dog. There is no reason to fight your husband about which one it should be! Our mastiffs are house dogs that sleep, eat, play, guard, love, wrestle, and live with our family 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you keep the puppy you need to be prepared to devote your time and love to it because it will devote itself to you!!!!
2007-02-21 15:28:41 · answer #2 · answered by AUD 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Mastiff will naturally come to protect his family. Mastiffs are not bred to be guard dogs; that is kind of going against the nature of the breed. He will love you and know when someone/something happens that doesn't feel right and he will know what to do. Sometimes just having a dog as large as the Mastiff will be enough to discourage wrong-doers.
I'd fight, and continue to love and bond the dog. And moreso, I hope you and your family never have a situation arise where you actually *need* guarding.
Good luck!
2007-02-22 01:25:23 · answer #3 · answered by Carie T 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In what way does he plan on trainging him. Is he going to do the training himself or have a professional help, has he ever owned a guard dog before......just some very good questions to ask him if he is serious. English Mastiffs are giant dogs with an even bigger heart and usually the sight and bone rattling bark is enough to deture intruders, you certainly don't want to have a dog this size on your hands that has had poor training! This is how many human-agressive dogs are made, the owners decide they want a guard dog but then fail to complete proper training or give up half way through yet further confusing the poor pooch. I would suggest taking your pup to puppyschool and if you can get through this successfully, and your husband is still persistant, have him speak with a reputable trainer that is familiar with protection work.
2007-02-20 16:41:44 · answer #4 · answered by sherrycranford 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
An english mastiff will naturally make a great family dog any way even with guard training. Just make sure the dog is spending enough time with you and the family as well. Lots of dogs carry both jobs equally well. My 2 dobes and bull arab are all trained guard dogs(working security patrol) but as soon as my kids are with them they are the most loving family dogs you have ever seen. My husband works nights but he always leaves me one of the trained dogs and it makes sleeping easier knowing one of my babies is on house patrol.
2007-02-20 17:14:27 · answer #5 · answered by Big red 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, if you think about it, do you NEED a guard dog? Do you live in a dangerous neighborhood where it might be safer for you to have a dog to protect you? If your answer is no, then I see no reason to raise him this way...I think your husband will fall in love with the dog more if he is a loving house pet rather than a guard dog.
Yeah, I would have to agree with the previous two answers!
2007-02-20 16:37:51 · answer #6 · answered by mighty_power7 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is no need to train a mastiff to be a guard dog at all. Give him plenty of love and affection, he will be a loving pet and he will guard you naturally. His protective instinct is all you need, that's what he was bred to do.
No one is going to argue with a dog of that size. Like my Danes, they don't even have to bark, just their size is enough.
2007-02-21 00:05:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mastiffs are natural guard dogs. They will put their life on the line
for their masters, but are very loving to their masters.
You're both right, but to make a dog mean is not necessary. He will guard your home and life.
2007-02-20 16:48:55 · answer #8 · answered by sani0 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
you really don't need to train them to be guard dog it comes natural to them.if you trained them to be guard dogs you wouldn't have to worry about your family but it will be very aggresive towards everybody not living in the house.these dogs tend to be very gentle with kids but if you train it to be a aggressive dog i wouldn't trust it around any kids that aren't yours.tell your husband if you train them to be aggressive they tend to test you at 12-18 months of age and it will be hard to call his bluff.my dogs dad weighed 254lbs.the size of this dog will scare off anybody in their right mind.this dog naturally protects it's family and territory.beware these dogs do not like to see you spank your kids and they will get between you and the kid.tell your husband these dogs will die for their master if they need to.you can feel very safe with one of these dogs living with you and they are probaly the best babysitter you could get.i hope you have many great years with your new mastiff.
2007-02-20 16:50:36 · answer #9 · answered by bad1998vette 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
English mastiffs are great loving dogs who will guard without you teaching them to. Guarding is what they where originally where doing hundreds of years ago and they even fought in wars, look it up. But apart from that they will only guard when needed otherwise they are very loving big dogs with a heart of gold
2017-02-16 10:43:13 · answer #10 · answered by Robert 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋