What's your opinion?

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Although we've agreed on quite a bit lately, we will have to disagree here. APBTs were bred as human companions & thrive on that human-dog relationship/bond. They weren't "designed" to be left alone to live out their lives in a solitary confinement of sorts.

Most yard dogs I've ever met, even the friendly ones, will protect "their" yards & homes from intruders without having to forgo socialization & training.

In fact, I would say that any dog w/out socialization & training may not just be a threat to an intruder, but to your own family as well.

I've got 3 dogs that protect my yard: Wrigley a Shar Pei/Cane Corso, Butch a Dogo Argentino, & Annabelle a Rottweiler. IMO, socialization & training are key not just to create a well rounded dog that you trust with your family, but to give the dog a desire to protect "his' family.

Don't do that to an APBT or "pit bull".

However, if you are looking among the bully breeds, I can direct you to someone heavily involved in American Bulldogs & Schutzhund & she can help you out.

Hope this helps.

 

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Mia is absolutely right. Any unsocialized, untrained dog is really an accident waiting to happen. I knew a thug scumbag gang-banger back in the day that had a beautiful APBT. He would bring the dog with him just about everywhere, and the first thing he'd tell anyone around him was "don't pet my dog, don't even make eye contact, I don't want him to like anyone but me." Well, ya know what? That dog eventually got loose one time and mauled a little kid. Ya just can't do that to a dog, it's not fair to the dog, and it's not fair to your fellow man.......

 

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Well, if you're just looking for a home protection dog, you could get a GSD, Bull Mastiff, American Bulldog, English Mastiff, Boxer, Doberman, Rottweiler, and on and on. Or, since I assume you like the looks and qualities of APBT's since you're on this board, you could get a bandog....check this site: http://www.chimerakennels.com/index.htm

****Edit**** This site may be of interest to you as well: http://www2.dogbreedinfo.com/search.htm

 

Fila Brislario (sp), Anatolian Shepard, Causcaian Orkavick (sp). Bull Mastiff.

 

Hey Biggs, A dog that is naturally protective should still be socialized. because u socialize the dog and take it into the general public doesn't mean the dog will stop being protective of ur yard. My dog bruno that is half apbt half boxer is a great guard dog, but i can also trust him around anyone during the daytime, he especially loves kids. Once night time comes around and he goes back on his chain he knows what the deal is, if someone comes on my driveway he explodes and lets the whole neighborhood that somethin is going on. Actually about 2 weeks ago my neighbor called the cops cause my dog was barking like crazy and come to find out someone tried to break into my neighbors car but my dog scared them away. If u get urself a good dog that has natural protection in his blood u won't have any problems, just treat it like a regular dog and he will do his part when the time comes.

 

Lack of socialization produces an unstable dog not a good guard. Any dog, especially one you want to use for guarding purposes, needs extensive socialization and at LEAST basic training. The dog you're describing will most likely turn out very badly. The socialization is important for two main reasons, 1 - A guard dog needs to be able to read friend from foe and he won't be able to do this without meeting tons of different people and 2 - He will be fearful of people and not confident when he needs to protect. A fear biter is the worst type of dog anyone could ever have. All your plan will do is make a dog that is aggressive toward anything. Even if it is socialized around you and your kid he/she wouldn't be trustworthy. I wouldn't let my nieces within 50 feet of a dog like that.

Are you talking about a yard of bulldogs (God, I hope not) or a back yard? If it's the backyard do you really have something in there that is worth protecting? It sounds to me like you want a backyard ornament "Attack Dog" that you can show your friends.

Then you have no business owning a guarding breed. They tend to be VERY dominant and if you are fearful, or submissive toward them your in for a lot of trouble. If the dog gets the idea that it's alpha it will control you and your family. You try to take it's food and now that you're a lower member of the pack you get corrected. Bit. Same goes for your son. If he starts pulling the dog's hair in that dog's eyes he is a rowdy puppy who needs a correction. Again this means a bite. Guarding breeds/dogs are not for novice owners and defiantly not for anyone who is not completely in control and dominant over his dogs. If you fear this dog he will more than likely take over.

If you want a dog like that you don't belong owning so much as a goldfish! A dog should never be so aggressive that it is a danger to anyone but an intruder. Dogs like that make headlines. Any dog especially an APBT that is that bad needs to be euth. That is NOT how a guarding dog should behave.

You're going to have to do a whole lot more than that if you want an aggressive dog. A LOT more.

The mere sight of an APBT usually keeps people out. An APBT doesn't even have to be aggressive. LOL. An APBT is not a very good choice for a guard dog.

That is not nearly enough!


You need to do a LOT of research before you get this dog. Try to meet some breeders and spend some time around their dogs. I've never really liked German Shepherds much as pets because they're a bit to eager to be aggressive and overprotective. No overprotective is not a good thing. A German Shepherd should be fine around family but I wouldn't trust any dog around your family that doesn't spend lots of time with them and isn't part of the family. No dog will be happy alone in the yard. They are pack animals and need to be part of a pack. Neapolitan Mastiffs are great with family especially kids but they need to be close to the family and part of a pack too. They get separation anxiety pretty easily. Some of the livestock guardians would probably do better in that type of situation but most wouldn't be very close or good with your family. Some of these breeds are the Akbash Dog, Tibetan Mastiff, Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Sarplaninac (They tend to be especialy dominant though), Bernese Mountain Dog, Kuvasz, Estrela Mountain Dog, Caucasian Ovcharka, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Central Asian Shepherd Dog, Great Pyrenees, Kangal, and the Tosa. Some of these breeds requite a fair amount of grooming and the longer haired ones won't do well in hot weather.

 

I would use a Kangal and not an APBT, the Kangal is a 150pound anything stopper. ANd isnt as good at escapeing like the pit bull, they are also mostly one person dogs

 

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I'm tellin u man thats a bad idea, the dog needs to be around people while its young so it can learn the difference between good people and bad people. The last thing u want is a dog that doesn't know what its doing. My dog is highly socialized but is still a great guard for my property, he goes crazy if someone comes on my driveway and doesn't stop barking until i tell him to calm down

 

Worst idea ever. It sounds like you want a liability on your hands? Any dog in this sort of role needs to have completed protection training. That being said I think you should seriously reconsider this approach. I am not convinced that you would be capable of handling an animal like this especially with the obvious lack of experience in the area. If you really are after this then you should spend the next year +/- working with someone in your area that trains dogs for protection and bite work before you even consider something along these lines. APBT are not suited for this type of work. You sound like you're after a junk yard dog :rolleyes:

B

 

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LMAO @ junk yard dog!!

 

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Found the perfect dog to suit your needs, here ya go.... http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/corgidor.htm

 

Um, I did. This story about the Rott proves what I said. If he was truly dominant over that dog that Rott would have backed away from that bowl and not so much as looked in that direction until your friend said it was OK or left.

 

What your attempting to do is exploit fearful aggression. Terrible, terrible idea. What happens when that Rott you keep stashed in the back yard, bites your childs friend. You didnt socialize it with anyone outside your family, so this is the same as biting an intruder as far as the dog is concerned. You create highly unstable, unhappy dogs doing this, the correct way to do it would to not be lazy/cheap and buy a proven, titled, gaurd dog, and work closely with it, and the breeder. A dog that can distinguish between a serious threat, will be there when its needed, be more effective, and be stable/safe around everyone.

Besides, most anyone confident in themselves, and with enough experience, can recognize a fear-biter who is bluffing, hop the fence, scare the dog into staying a few feet away, and walk around undisturbed save for some barking. A dog that will do the job properly, is very similar to a APBT who does its job. They arent the ones snarling, raising hackles, and looking like a tazmanian devil from 5 feet away. They are sure, confident, and decissive, most importantly however, they are not afraid. Its very similar, our dogs have been bred for one thing, and that is what makes them diffrente from other breeds. Dogs like the Malinois, GSD, and well-bred Rottweilers and Dobes, have been bred for one thing as well...they do it best, just as our dogs do their thing best. Malinois arent gamedogs, APBT's arent property protection dogs.