Your opinions on good dog breeds please

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DartThis74

DartThis74

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I'm sure many of y'all are owners of dogs, I'm looking to adopt a dog from the local shelter and I was curious to know what type of dog that is at least medium to large size that is a great watch/security dog of some sort. I don't like small tiny dogs they annoy me for some reason. I will be living by myself during college and would like to have a nice companion as well as something that wouldn't mind being protective. Thanks for any opinions everyone !!
 
I have a freind that has had many breeds. He swears by the German Shepard. There hips are there bane.
 
Personally, when it comes to loyalty and protection some of the best dogs I've ever had are All-Americans. The shelters are usually full of them because folks want "pure" breeds and are quick to dump the pups of crossbreeds.
 
There are a lot of breeds that are protective of their pack (you). Shepherds and Shepherd/crosses to name a couple. Almost any breed can be trained to be protective but shepherds and rotties seem to come by it naturally. Having said that I haven't seen that side of my shepherd yet but he's only 9 months. You want a dog that is protective when you need it to be but not all the time or you won't have any friends left and that takes some training. I also have a hound lab cross with a very deep bark. He's harmless but if you don't know him he'll scare the sh@!#t out of you because of his bark. People usually won't come in the door unless one of us is there.

Bill
 
Smart, loyal? German Shepard hands down. Protection and deterrant factor are way off the scale as well. Downside here is you mention going to college. Any large dog will need lots of room and a lot of places will not accept dogs over 15 lbs. You will limit your living choices as a result of the dog you own. Think carefully about this before you adopt any dog.

As a shepard owner, I can tell you they shed constantly and like to keep their stink factor up there. Take them for a walk and they will insist on rolling on every dropping and dead animal they can find. The high intelligence also demands dedicated attention on your part.

I'm with you on the small dog issue. They tend to be yappy and bad tempered. Still, I have friends with Shi Tzu's and they do provide good companionship, but as protection, it's pretty hard to take them seriously.
 
Like I said, I'm not a dog dude or even really an animal person. I have to much going on to learn about how to take care of them. Working nights and being a Mr. Mom during the day for quite some time. In my freind, I trust.

Another freind of mine has a American boxer (I beileve the breed is called) A med. sized dog. He is also a very good dog.

This thread should take off well. Theres a bunch of dog owners here.
 
I had a collie/sheppard mix (Heinz 57)was very loyal and lived to see 17 years old.Only 1 trip to the vet in that time.
 
Gryzynx said:
Smart, loyal? German Shepard hands down. Protection and deterrant factor are way off the scale as well. Downside here is you mention going to college. Any large dog will need lots of room and a lot of places will not accept dogs over 15 lbs. You will limit your living choices as a result of the dog you own. Think carefully about this before you adopt any dog.

As a shepard owner, I can tell you they shed constantly and like to keep their stink factor up there. Take them for a walk and they will insist on rolling on every dropping and dead animal they can find. The high intelligence also demands dedicated attention on your part.

I'm with you on the small dog issue. They tend to be yappy and bad tempered. Still, I have friends with Shi Tzu's and they do provide good companionship, but as protection, it's pretty hard to take them seriously.
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I have had shepard's in the past and love everything about them. Our newest dog (5yr old) was picked by my youngest son. A 160 lb New Foundland! He is the most plesant dog you could ever want. One brisk walk a day and he will just lay around the rest of the day, perfect for an appartment, hairy, dripping from the mouth aside i love this mut!
 
Yellow labs are really good too. Ours is a pretty good size and his bark is about twice that. He's really good around kids.
 
Please don't be offended when I say, be sure you are up for the responsibility, expense, and amount of time and effort it takes to care for a dog. It is a life-long commitment. Do you realistically have all the resourses to do this at this point in your life?
 
Like anything else, there's alot of "It all depends".
I've known 3 Shepard/Lab mixes that were all terrific dogs. Smart, gentle and fun, but also protective when necessary.

I heard from a Vet the way to pick a puppy from a litter. Have the Alpha male and Omega ( runt ) taken away from the rest of the litter then watch them play with a toy. When you see one you might like have it taken aside with you and give it another toy. While it's playing and does not see what you're doing, drop something that makes a moderate amount of noise right behind it. If it merely turns around to see what the noise was it may be a good pick. If it jumps it's too nrevous. If it does nothing it may be deaf.

The difficult part about going to a shelter is not going home with them all.

Most shelters will have a meet & greet room after you pick one out to see how you interact. They will be watching YOU very closely.

Good Luck
 
German Shepards are great dogs, like rumble said thay sometimes have hip problems.. Smartest dog I ever had was a female shepard, when my kids were young and thay would go outside and play she was right there with them in protective mode. She didn't like a storm, she figured out how to open the screen door (by the handle) and come in the house when it started storming, that was one smart dog...
 
I've had 1 Chesapeake and two labs, all three of them where great with kids and very protective of the kids also.
The Chesapeake was a male and he was the most protective. The labs are female but still let me know if someone they don't know is around.
Biggest problem with the lab is that they really like to dig!
 
My breed of choice is a Rhodesian Ridgeback. I've had three of them and they're absolutely the best. Short hair so shedding isn't much of a factor. Very rarely bark unless there's something to bark at like an intruder - they're not the nervous type that barks at every little sound. Also extremely loyal. They will usually select a primary member of the family and lay down their life if need be for that person.
Our current Ridgeback is a lean well-muscled 92-pound couch potato most of the time, but he's up and at the door if somebody even approaches it. His deep bark is enough to keep any intruder out. He's really a very friendly gentle dog but is big enough to be intimidating even when just taking him for a walk.
Good luck in finding one. You might try a local rescue organization like www.ridgebackrescue.org if you're interested in learning more.


 
I have a boxer and have the time to train him and give him attention they need like any breed, but they are high maintenance and like said before they have hart problems , But I have learned they have spetial needs, Do not feed them anything with wheat as a filler, This could be why they have hart problems and a short life span, most people don't know this.
A dog needs attention and taken out for walks and let them get out of the house and play with them or make them a part of your life.
I have had two boxers in my life and about 5 lab's and one rottie, I say a mixed breed with lab and look very closely in there eyes and touch there feet and see how they accept you.
Witch ever breed you pick out do some U-Tube searching for some training and give him/her a good home and welcome them first thing when you get home and when you leave, They will learn real fast when you are about to leave just by watching you shave and get dress for the day.
Keep us updated so we can see your new life partner that will need you as much as you need him/her...
 
My opinion is Pit Bull, all the way. They are the only kid of dogs I have ever had. Granted they are an aggressive breed, and most of the time don’t know their own strength. My buddy Buster, posted below has a 30 lb. head, and he’ll hit me with it when we play, but a good dog. It’s all in how the dog is raised, Buster is the biggest wimp, and is absolutely great with kids, VERY protective as well. Pure house dog too, but he isn’t the smartest I’ll admit…

DSC00709.JPG
 
I have a Brittany Lab mix. She's very good at barking when people come around, which is all I was after anyway. (I'm relying on the Remington if someone actually comes in the house), but then she doesn't scare friendly people once they're in the house.

A big type guard dog (or a dog like mine) is going to be very energetic and need lots of attention. Not really compatible with most college lifestyles.

A little yip dog may seem annoying, but it might be a good bet. Small poop. Easy to wash. Can be inside a lot. Don't shed every damn place. Will bark to warn you if someone is trying to busy into your place.

Most importantly......Chicks DIG them.
 
I'll second the pitbull for a great companion....I have 2 right now, and they come to work with me every day....1 is 90 lbs, the other is 50 lbs. Great disposition, very loyal, love people, and good security too. Forget the hype in the media, they only show the owners and dogs that flush its reputation down the toilet....not us good owners.
 
Bouvier De Flanders...pretty tuff to come across one in the pound but check with the Bouvier rescue in your area.
 
redfastback said:
I'll second the pitbull for a great companion....I have 2 right now, and they come to work with me every day....1 is 90 lbs, the other is 50 lbs. Great disposition, very loyal, love people, and good security too. Forget the hype in the media, they only show the owners and dogs that flush its reputation down the toilet....not us good owners.
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Agree with you totally, Got a pitbull at the pound nine years ago, best dog I have ever owned, period. Sure you can make them mean, they want nothing more than their owners approval, but give them love and some discipline and you'll have a friend for life.
 
i love dobermans very intelligent/alert and protective of the family unit but my newest dobie kinda likes to bark but yet he's still in training i think you best bet would be a mutt/aka heinz 57 breed i had a black lab/shar pei mix and he was the best mannered dog ever i think it was the lab in him though
i agree with the little things i think they have a complex
animal shelters have a bunch of different types of dogs and normaly they pick you [ atleast thats what i think ]
Terry
 
I have a lab shephard cross, at least that's what the pound said he was and he's been a great dog. I got him at about a year old and he wouldn't come near me for the first 3 days. He didn't have a problem with the wife or my 2 daughters though. I figured out in a very short while that his first master must have beat him with some kind of stick a lot. I had a buddy visit from the coast for the weekend years back who was on crutches for a broken ankle and as soon as Chris dropped his crutches Mutley quit barking at him so I picked up the crutches and he started barking at me. Now he's over 12 years old and will not leave my side and is my best bud in the world. He tolerates the rest of the family now.:-D

memutrusty.jpg
 
I've had black labs for 16 years now. They are great with the kids, on guard around the house without being asked and really watch my family. Mine are large for labs, the male is about 120 and the female is 83. No one walks up to the door easily. I would say stay away from them if you don't like to vacuum or don't have a lot of room for them to run around. They need lots of attention.
 
We have always loves our huskies but USUALLY they won't be very lovey dogs. They have that pack mentality and like to be in the same room but normally they arent the kind of dog that will stick to you like glue. From our experience anyway (4 huskies).

One word... "mut". We picked our dog, Zoe, up from the local shelter and she is the best dog we've had yet as far as family dogs go. Real sweetheart that always needs to be touching and near someone. I have heard that mixed breeds make some of the best dogs, and I might agree since we got this one.
 
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