Increase in crime .... need guard dog?

Question

There has been a marked increase in crime in the Poconos including home invasions. So we are considering one or two guard dogs for our home. We have three children in our country house 11, 9, and 6. Two acres of wooded property.

We are considering Doberman Pinscher, German Shepard, or a Rottweiler breed. We are open to opinions on other breeds. Anyone care to opine or give advice as to breed? Whether we should pay extra and get a dog already trained in obedience and guard dog training? Etc. Also opinions and advice welcomed.

PS. I already have a security system including video surveillance. And I already own several firearms. So please keep opinions to guard dogs.

The dog is intended to be a pet, do double duty as a guard dog, be good with kids. The dog be an early warning system as well as a first line of protection before resorting to firearms.

Answer 1

Get an alarm, dogs are pets.

Answer 2

It doesn't matter what breed you get...you can get a teddy bear of a Rottweiler, or a little Hitler of a Chihuahua. So, if you get a dog, the appearance would be more of a "deterrent" than a "guard"...like a blinking red light on the dashboard of your car, but no actual alarm.

Also, dogs are pack animals. If left in the yard by himself, on top of that being super cruel, he won't feel like he's part of your pack and therefore won't feel the need to "guard" you. There's also not much he could do to an intruder if in a kennel or tied-up outside.
Not to mention, if they ever do bite someone, you're in for a world of trouble and pain. A dog trained to attack intruders will not differentiate between your kids' new friend coming to visit or a burglar.
I wouldn't recommend getting a dog to guard you...beef-up on security...it's more reliable and less maintenance/responsibility. A dog is a living, feeling individual with it's own personality and physical and emotional needs.

Get a dog if you want a new family member...get a security system if you want a security system.

If you do want a family pet that is also a theft-deterrent, any large breed will do...even a big black lab would be great. Criminals are typically more frightened of large black dogs, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Dobermans.

Get a rescued dog...you have an instantly large dog (a puppy will be at least a year before it can look intimidating instead of a goofy little puppy), can test his/her personality around the kids, and don't have to go through all the puppy stuff. You can get ones that are already trained...though knowing commands and respecting you enough to follow them are two different things, so you may have to do some work with the dog no matter where you get him. (see link below)

You and your children should practice pack leadership. I think the NILIF method is the easiest, safest, and most humane and sensible way to do it, but everyone must be consistent with it. It's important that your kids are also pack leaders for their safety with a big, muscular dog. (see last link below) Large, muscular dogs bred for protection can be difficult to control, and are not for the novice owner. It's imperative that you are consistent in training and leadership.

Either way, you can't have an "attack dog" that's also really good and safe with your children (and their friends). So having a large family pet is a good deterrent, and may or may not also guard you, but a "guard dog" isn't really a good idea.

Answer 3

I hope you have tons of money because most homeowners insurance carriers will drop you like a hot potato if they even THINK you have a guard/watch dog. And once dropped, you'll have a devil of a time finding a new carrier - even after you get rid of the dog.

Consider talking to your local military police and/or law enforcement agencies about the use of guard dogs. Chances are they'll discourage you. Follow their advice.

Thing is, guard dogs are not machines - you cannot turn them on or off and they're NOT at your convenience. Guard dogs need to be specially trained - which is expensive and requires special handling on your part. There may even be ordinances etc. that won't allow such animals in your community.

And since you have young children - they would not be safe around the dogs.

Since you already have an alarm system and own firearms (around children? FOOL!!) I wouldn't recommend a guard dog at all.

Think about this - if a bad-guy truly wants to break into your house, he'll find a way to circumnavigate a guard dog. All it takes is a little strychnine in an irresistible treat to silence the dog. A bullet is noisy but just as effective.

Answer 4

Golden Retreivers can also be VERY protective of their families. You have to balance between a good guard dog and a good dog for your kids.
I had a neighbor that had a break in and attempt at rape and she bought a Trained German Shepard from a place that specifically trained dogs for such things. "Lady" was AMAZING. She knew all the kids in the neighborhood and was gently and great with them but if a stranger walked into their garage or home without an escort...there was trouble and fast!
It is also always good to put up a beware of dog sign even if you don't have one. Most robbers will see the sign and move on to the next house.
Hope this helps...stay safe.

Answer 5

Honestly, if you are getting a dog for protection purposes, I would go with a "scary looking" dog. No burglar in his right mind will climb into a house with a Rottweiler, GSD or Dobe in it, even if the dog is really a total sweetheart.

The reason I'm saying this is that training your dog for protection is VERY expensive and definitely should not be done at home. It's very serious business. You sound far more intelligent than the average 13 year-old who posts here asking "how can I train my dog to bite strangers?" so I will assume you know what I'm saying. That kind of mindset is just asking for a lawsuit to happen - or worse - for an injured child.

That's why I'm saying, unless you're willing to do the work and go the distance to train your dog in protection (and it will be a lot of work, and a long distance) it might be better for you to simply disregard training him in protection and leave him as a deterrent to thieves. All three breeds make VERY loyal dogs and, if allowed to bond properly with their family, will most likely serve as a good "alarm" if not a dog that will bite or kill, which I'm not sure is something you want anyway...dogs get put down for that kind of thing, believe it or not, when the criminals get the right lawyers.

If you have burglars in your neighbourhood that will sneak into a house that they know has video surveillance and a Rottweiler, and try to stare down a barking Rottie, then I really have to take my hat off to them.

Answer 6

Would you consider these guard dogs as pets, too? Or just there to do a job?

You should research dogs that are good with kids AND very protective, too. Australian shepherds and huskies are very good pets, and very protective and scary to a potential predator. I think, based on what I would imagine the size of your property is, and the amount of trees there are out there, that 3 dogs total would probably be the best way to go, for coverage.

I wouldn't think that obedience or guard dog training would be necessary out there. I think that if you treat your dog like part of the family, give them love, etc., and don't subject them to a lot of other outside people, they will naturally protect you, and let off scary barks at strangers.

I DO think that the dogs are a good idea, not only for your property, but for the kids, too: I think also you should check into home alarm systems as well, for the home invasion part. If someone has been watching your house for awhile (as they tend to do), they'll know you have dogs, and worst-case scenario, they could easily just shoot them to get in. This is another reason why I would reccommend allowing the dogs in the house sometimes, like on particularly cold nights, or just randomly throughout the week. You never know who's watching.

Answer 7

Well to be perfectly honest with you I believe that German Shepard's are some of the best dogs around. I have one that would give it's life for my family. She is very protective of the entire family. She didn't need any special training or anything...It just came natural to her. You could easily train it yourself. If you show a dog enough love protecting it's family is first priority to it. Out of all the dogs I've ever had, by far German Shepard's are the smartest and most loyal dog. I will never own another breed again, other then the ones I already have. By the way...I have two children also...Age 7 and 5 and she is great with them....

Answer 8

Looks like you touched on an interesting subject and there's a ton of good information. You should also look up information about pit bulls. They sometimes have a bad name, but you get them from a reputable breeder. They are so loving and awesome with even very young children. They love big yards to run around in, and they train very easily. In fact, they love to be trained, and will defend their family and yard by natural instinct.

The only thing is, they require a lot of attention and have a lot of energy, like all big dogs. They need adequate play time and training. Any dog you decide on, remember, they are going to be very hyper and energetic, especially in the first few years. It would be nice if you could rescue a puppy already in need. That's what we did and he's a great guard dog, no worries from me.

Answer 9

If you get a decent quality of either of these dogs it will be fine but if you get some back yard or puppy mill bred of any breed, you will likely regret it. I personally like Dobermans primarily because they are short coated, don't have the undercoat that GSDs and Rotties do so you don't have to deal with all that fluff in the house, and that is where any dog should be, particularly if you are wanting one to be barking at and detering possible undesired entrants. No one breaks into you back yard so it is imparative that the dog be not only a house dog but essentially a big part of the family. It will need to be well socialized and confident with any and all situations and be capable of discerning 'right' from 'wrong' in situations so that it can warn you when something is 'wrong'. You might try breed rescue as getting a puppy would sort of be foolish as they will need to be mature, usually two years of age or older, before they could actually be assessed properly as well as before they could do much in the way of being protective. Also, breed rescues have people that can properly evaluate dogs and homes for suitability and with children to consider, that is important. Find out also where local obedience trainers/classes are since you will need to take the dog to these and learn to properly interact and train the dog as well as bond with it. Be prepared to take your time in your search as finding a good, responsible breeder with a suitable dog or a suitable dog in rescue will not be anything for the impulsive... Good luck...

oh and Dobermans are not at all 'one person dogs' -- at least in the last fifty odd years I have owned and trained many of them that are stable and balanced I haven't run into any that are... that is silly myth. They, like many of the protection bred breeds, bond strongly with their people, not just one person and if you don't want anyone stealing your petunias, then leave the dog outside -- if you want a dog that will deter ENTRY into your home, get and train a balanced companion. 'protection trained' dogs are no more or less a scenario based training sport than anything else... I have had my life saved by dogs that would have never made it through some trumped up protection scenario but have gone the distance to protect me... You can't 'test' that - it either happens or it doesn't but in any case, dogs can be shot just as easily as you can so to consider them as anything but a potential deterent is not wise.

add; Jordie is right about the shooting thing but wrong about House of Hoytt - they are simply a commercially motived puppy mill - that is all - just like Kimberhell and Amaris and a lot of those kinds... if you are going to get a decent dog find a good, responsible breeder that doesn't crank them out like Happy Meals!

Answer 10

Unfort. a guard dog might not help your situation. In our neighborhood we have had numerous breakins and almost all of those breakins occured with owners having dogs (These houses are located on 1-2 acres). If someone really wants to break into your house they will find a way dog or not. Some people even poison/kill the dog just to break in without a problem. I would advise you to get an alarm system, administer locks on gates at nights, and make sure you always keep lights on or sound on in/out the house when your gone or lights on outside when your at home at night. Good luck!

Answer 11

Belgian Malinois/German Shepard both very loyal, smart and athletic dogs- good combo (downside:some argue that there is not enough power behind their athletic frames, longer hair-less favorable).
Cane Corso, also a good guard dog, loyal to their family, a lot of power behind their bite- also consider an American Bulldog. Both really great dogs.

Whichever breed you choose to go with, Good Luck!! and if you haven't already, do some research on owning/handling a guard dog.