# Best family friendly dog breed for protection?



## Cinelu (Jan 1, 2009)

We currently have a 10 y/o border collie, who is a very smart, sweet dog. Not much good for protection, though, as he is very friendly. He stays in the house with us and goes out to use the bathroom or when we are outside.

I also have a 3 year old dear gd. 

I am considering getting one or two dogs for security purposes. What breed would be safe to have with the 3 year old and also be a good guard dog?


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## nikko (Feb 7, 2007)

i have a german shepherd....wouldnt trade her for the world!! she isnt out of high drive shutzhund lines......she is a true working farm bred shepherd. i would be leary of a dog with that much prey drive around small kids and farm animals.

i have also owned dobermans.....the look of a doberman will run off most people. however, my dobes would never had gone for a bite in any situation...my shepherd will take you apart!


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

I also like well trained German Shepherds, and Australian Kelpies.


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## Kringees Mom (Apr 24, 2010)

I have a black mouth cur who found his way to my place half beaten, attacked by dogs and half starved. I fed and watered him out of compassion thinking that he would die. He spent days holed up in our shed and only came out to eat. It took me about a month to be able to pet him. Now he is my dog, and he is the sweetest thing. He is very protective of our home and yard, he is pretty good with the kids(I think he has past issues as he may have been seriously abused/neglected so I keep a very close eye on him around the little ones). Curs are known for their herding, loyalty and hunting skills. They say that Old Yeller was a Mountain Cur. If you are looking for an overall farm dog, look into a Cur. I love mine and hope to have more in the future.


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## thebaker (Dec 2, 2009)

Our Little Farm said:


> I also like well trained German Shepherds, and Australian Kelpies.


Hello there friend so glad to see you made it over here. If will check out the post were I was asking you a question. :kiss:

On my type of dog for protection it would be a GS or Lab JMO


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Most dogs will bark. The bark of a large dog is usually enough to deter anyone. By gd, do you mean Great Dane? Nice big bark there. I'm sure if provoked he will bite. For a protection breed, I would go with a Beauvier. Their jaws are the strongest of any breed. They also herd, should you need that gift. They warn first and are less active than a Dobermann. But, I like Dobes, too.


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## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

I think gd meant granddaughter....

My advice on a dog breed depends on how much land you have, how well it's fenced, how close your neighbors are, how active your family is and how much time you spend outside and how much time you could devote to exercising a dog if you don't have a big yard, how much time you want to spend on grooming, how much night-time barking you can stand....you probably get the idea! We need a little more information. The dog that is right for one family isn't going to work at all for a family in a different situation.

Kathleen


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## FishOil (Apr 2, 2010)

I have an Anatolian Shepherd, wouldn't take anything for him. He is very protective of us. You might want to check into them. They are great with animals and their owners.



FishOil


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## Cinelu (Jan 1, 2009)

We have 7 acres, with good neighbors whose houses are fairly close to ours. Our lawns are not fenced, and the dog would pretty well have the run of the property. If necessary, I would install invisible fencing for the dog's protection, as we do have leash laws to deal with. I would not like to have a dog that barked a lot at night, unless there was cause for it to. And gd does mean granddaughter. I also have a 15 y/o and a 20 y/o daughter. 

I work 35 hours per week now, and my 15 y/o daughter is in school. My 20 y/o daughter has her own home, but visits us with the 3 y/o gd quite frequently now. We do not have any farm animals currently, although there may be some chickens in my future.

There are quite a few deer in the area and a flock of turkeys, also. There are also geese in the area. We are also blessed (ha) with coyotes nearby.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Any big black dog will do to deter people.


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## Maplelawnfarm (Apr 26, 2010)

English Shepherds! 

Are a smaller sized LGD; similar in size to your border collie. Incredibly loyal to the family. Our dogs will bark a friendly bark when someone they know is pulling in the drive, and more of a warning bark when it's someone they don't know. If it's someone they don't know, will continue to bark and be a little guarded until you greet the person. Our dogs bark if someone is even driving by the farm slower than ordinary; but don't bark if it's farm equipment going by slowly. Are incredibly intuitive; our dogs work at night keeping predators back; nap during the day; but know the call the rooster makes when it spots an air-predator and will awake and chase it off. 

At dusk, the dogs will not allow the children to go towards the back of the property (will stand in front of them trying to push them back). Once at night, one of the dogs viciously barked at my husband trying to keep him from going in the orchard; he shined a flashlight and just past the orchard fence he saw a coyote's yellow eyes-who was waiting for an opportunity to get by the poultry....

Will welcome dogs which arrive in cars; but will chase off the neighbors dogs and strays. Will not obsessively "herd" but if the cow begins to wander; will leap into action; nip and bark chasing the cow back where she belongs...and then will return to a nap in the sunshine. Or, will help round up the poultry and get them inside when it's time to lock them in at night. 

They are respectful of boundries; and don't wander (unless as pups and if not spayed/neutered and nature calls....)

English Shepherds ARE the type of dog who would run home and tell the family "timmy's in the well!"

Are 100% trustworthy w/ children's friends. 

As I said they are LGD's but in a compact package; thriftier in terms of food and in my opinion mature into something trustworthy at around 1 yr of age (vs. 2 yrs of age which we have found true w/ our Gr Pyr's and Polish Tatra)

Can find great info by googling "English Shepherd" and "Farmcollie". Best Wishes!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Some dogs will roam off the property and you will have to fence it in. Some dogs will respect an underground fence, others will not. I still think a well bred Beauvier would answer your needs. You can train the dog to respect property lines. The very sight of one will deter human predators. They are tolerant and protective of children.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

kringees mom
old yeller was a blackmouth cur
if you watch the movie or read the book, when lizabeth offers travis a pup she says her paw told her you could tell it was a good one because it didn't yelp when you held it by the scruff of the neck. travis opens the pup's mouth & says it's mouth is black, thats how you know.


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## Cindy in NY (May 10, 2002)

Willowynd said:


> Any big black dog will do to deter people.


Agree! Our Sasha is an 85 pound black lab / border collie mix - almost all black. Folks are generally afraid of her. She barks at anyone who shouldn't be here but if she knows you, she'll invite you in and make you a sandwich!


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## crazygoatgal (Jan 15, 2008)

nikko said:


> i have a german shepherd....wouldnt trade her for the world!! she isnt out of high drive shutzhund lines......she is a true working farm bred shepherd. i would be leary of a dog with that much prey drive around small kids and farm animals.
> 
> i have also owned dobermans.....the look of a doberman will run off most people. however, my dobes would never had gone for a bite in any situation...my shepherd will take you apart!


I also have a GSD and I know she would do anything for me and my family. Shes all black and has a great bark. Her only vice is her predatory instinct. It is over the top high. I cannot trust her with any small animal and I mean any. With proper training she would be amazing and trustworthy. 

Her lines are true military/police/Sch. working dogs and her focus is unreal. I do not do her justice with the limitations I have physically(as I cannot do alot of training work with her that she needs and the cost is terrible) but I would not trade her for anything!!! Just look for lines that suit your purposes. GSD's are amazing pets and loyal to the end. I wouldn't be without one.


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

Bullmastiff


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## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

The best male dog I've ever owned (my childhood best dog was female, I can't snub her, lol) was a pitt/GSD/lab mix. Mama was the lab/GSD. Daddy was some imported pitt from the high dollar breeders across the street. Oops.

Bowie.... oh he was SMART. I didn't even want him, but as a tiny pup he sat down quietly in my lap and just came back whenever I removed him. He had the ability to assess a situation on his own and respond accordingly, but if I was there, he stopped when I said stop no matter what. He was so gentle and I loved him so much. Escaped once, was gone fifteen days, and came back when the labrador he'd run off with was killed. Horribly thin and dirty, ears full of ticks, but came home.

A man once opened our gate and walked right into our yard; Bowie grabbed his arm and pinned him against our fence. Did not bite, just held him there until his humans told him to get down. Our "neighbor" dropped a tree on our fence and came in with a chainsaw roaring; Bowie stood between me and the strange yelling chainsaw wielding man and snarled and bristled.

He went to the lake with us weekly in the summer, where he always was grinning and playing with a group of boys, hauling them through the water, fetching sticks and balls, just a great dog. When I was pregnant and our mentally deficient lab jumped on my belly, Bowie sent him sprawling into the dust but then just lay his big tawny head in my lap. Excellent "uncle dog" with puppies and kittens.

So.... you find a sturdy tawny colored pup with a dark muzzle and maybe a gray saddle and tail... bring him home.

Thing is, we had his brother, raised exactly the same way, and he was PTS for aggression. Later discovered half the litter had been PTS for aggression (4 out of 9) and the other five were excellent dogs. The four PTS had similar physical characteristics, while the excellent ones followed another look. Weird, really. The good ones favored their GSD grandad.

So find a mellow pup. A nice solid fellow who stays beside you rather than play with the rest of his litter. Bring him home, bond with him, train him well. Play with him, really play until he "grins". Camp with him, snuggle with him, and teach him everything you can, and he'll be great. I doubt breed matters at all.... just the dog's individual temperament.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

Newfoundland


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## momagoat61 (Mar 30, 2008)

Oh this thread so brings back memories. My ex husband brought home in 1984 a small black and tan puppy that he had been seeing all week at a old run down /closed up country store on the back roads when he was driving into work. Will we had been thinking about getting a puppy/dog for a while and when he finally was able to crawl up under the old store to drag out the little puppy that was just maybe about 6 weeks old and brought him home. My Husband came into the house and got me and I never will forget walking out and seeing that sad little face on a fuzzy tick cover little male puppy looking up at methere on the front porch The puppy didn't have hair, he had puppy fuzz. I said to my husband is that what we really WANT for a family dog? I said that is just a mutt. Well I got out the wash tub and got the little fellow all cleaned up and bathed and smelling good. I feed him and then fixed him a bed out on the front porch, it was July and hot weather and he was sooooooooo tired he sleep for 2 daysssssssss. Well long story cut short, Remember what i told my husband that the puppy was, I said he was a mutt will thats what we ended up calling the little puddy, I gave him the name Mutt just a couple days after we had him and that little puppy grow up into the most beautiful English Shepard with long flowing black and tan coat I have ever seen. He never knew what his name meant but he knew it and he was my shadow for 16.5 years. Best friend I ever had and hope to have. I lost him July 5th 2001. He loved every critter I ever own or had on the farm and loved the baby goats the most, I miss my Mutt and I never will forget you. Sandy


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## Oregon Julie (Nov 9, 2006)

Maplelawnfarm said:


> English Shepherds!
> 
> Are a smaller sized LGD; similar in size to your border collie.


An English Shepherd is not a LGD (livestock guardian dog). While it might guard your livestock, as will many, the term LGD is normally used for breeds like Great Pry, Anatolian, Kuvasz, etc. who's sole purpose is to live with the flock/herd and protect them. No true herding is done by an LGD, although some will block the path of their stock if they feel they are going where they should not.

If you go with a LGD breed I would strongly suggest you not try to do so with an underground fence. Most would rather take the "bite" of the fence in order to protect their stuff from a potential intruder. Also if you have near neighbors most would make you highly unpopular by barking at them while they went about their daily routine like walking to the mail box, mowing the lawn, etc.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

The best dog I ever had was a lab/samoyed cross. Patient with children, good judgement, loyal to a fault and about 86 lbs. Once a guy came to the front door to try to sell something, she stood next to me and simply stared at the man- he got about half a sentence out, looked at her, said OK and backed off. All she did was stare at him without moving a muscle- no tail up or wag. Once another man opened my gate after walking past the house and came in while my back was turned- I just saw a flash of white as she ran past me and the gate slamming with the man on the other side as she jumped up on the gate at him. 
Yet I saw a strange child sit on her back when she was lying down and before I could do anything to rescue her, she simply stood up, dumping the kid off and ambled off to another spot.
Get the individual, not the breed. But saying that, I am partial to labs and lab crosses. I've found many to be protective yet not agressive.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

where I want to said:


> Get the individual, not the breed.


I so agree with this statment. That being said of all the dogs that I grew up with the best protector AND family pet was my american/german rott female but I have yet to come across another rott as good as she was. Most recent now is my pyr puppy she is only 4 months, she doesnt run up to strangers but watches them, I see her little brain thinking all the time, she has already tried to chase 2 neighbor dogs away from us (our property) even though they were both bigger than her. Only problem is she has started to wander a bit away from me when we are out front, which is something my rott never did. Had a great lab/setter mix dog when growing up but but again haven't come across another like him, most labs I meet these days are very hyper.


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