Good family dogs

[Lovemyfaith]

I think it is good to consider how much time you want to put into a dog, and there is nothing wrong with wanting a sweet dog that the kids can play with and take care of without any trouble. We watch a friend’s dog and she is a pit bull mix. She is very sweet and gentle, but her owners really know what they are doing. She gets a lot of exercise and has training. They do not have children, so they can devote time to her and perhaps that is why she is so gentle.
Make sure you read training books and get the kids involved with training.

 

[admonsta]

Not sure if we in Australia have the same names for dog breeds, but some of the best and most sensible dogs I ever met were female Staffordshire Bull Terriers. If you want something that has a bit of muscle and looks dangerous, these dogs have it. They’re also not large, and they are incredibly loyal and smart.

I have met male ones that are a bit loopy (silly, not aggressive), but as far as I can tell, the females are great.

We have a Maltese/Fox Terrier cross, but it’s hardly bigger than the cat and would likely bounce around any intruder, trying to lick their face.

 

[aicirt]

What about a Great Pyrenees? You have to have space because the animal is large, shedds alot so be prepared for lot o’ brushing, and takes it time learning. But from what I’ve read it is a great protector, likes children, and a family dog.

Another thing to consider, a dog is a forever member of the family. Love it and keep it involved with the family and it will bond with you and the children. The above breed is usually put in with sheep at a young age. It identifies so much with the sheep, it thinks it is one of the flock which triggers the dog’s instinct to protect its “family”.

 

[Hokomai]

My little ball of fluff is probably not what you have in mind, but here is my :twocents:.

You need to think through exactly how you want your dog to protect you and your family. Here are the things to consider: barking, intimidating, attacking and biting, attacking and holding. There is also attacking and killing, but I am assuming this is off the list! I suspect that you really only want barking and intimidating. Most breeds will bite if trained, but some breeds are better holders (usually those with ‘bull’ in their names for obvious reasons). The problem with biting and holding is that dogs make mistakes, either in their target (for example by choosing your child instead of an intruder) or in the severity of injury inflicted (the dog intends to hold, but severs an artery, killing someone).

If you want intimndation and barking (when appropriate) I would suggest getting a German Shepherd or a shepherd cross (check out genetic conditions for all purebreds). Anything that looks like a wolf will make unwanted visitors pause. Shepherds’ behaviour is also pretty predictable. A doberman is also a good choice, if you can put up with their chopped tails and exposed rear end!

And my best piece of advice: talk to an expert dog trainer before you get as dog. Pay them to help you find a good puppy. They will know what to look for. and take the trainer’s advice about socialisation with their dogs, cats and children (and training too!). A dog takes up a lot of your family’s time and energy (and money). Invest in making a good choice at the start and the dog will be a great family member.

I hope you find the @#$!!@# with the ice-cream suggestion and forgive him in a direct and vigorous way!

 

[purplesunshine]

Dont get a pitbull. Every dog will snap and bite. The difference is in the pitbulls jaw…they can’t just release like a normal dog. A playful accidental 40lbs pitbull bite is physologically worse than a 120lbs male giant German shepard. Being shepards their jaws are formed for light nips.

Rotwiellers are actually shepard/working dogs so id you can find one with a good background that might be a good pick

Here are dogs I like large/medium
german shepards
standard poodles
airdale terriers
boxers (only in cool climates)
brittany spaniel
irish setter

good smaller dogs
fox terriers
basenji
poodle (not toy)
bulldog(cool climates only)
miniture pincher
bichon
austrialian shepard
sheltie

dogs on a never in my house list
anything less than 10lbs (tiny dogs are often incredibly agressive)
boarder collies (they are not housepets…they are farm dogs)
cocker spaniel (rage syndrome)
pit bull (see above)
golden retrivers (lovely dogs but too prone to hip displasia)

 

[pentecostbaby]

No one has yet mentioned a big problem with pit bulls: they make your homeowner’s insurance skyrocket, or nullify it - a lot of companies will no longer insure you,

If you’re a dog person who can handle training a pet, and you don’t mind excessive shedding, I recommend a German Shepherd from a reputable rescue or breeder.

If you are not committed to training, something very docile would be your best bet, such as a golden, which would have limited intimidation use.

Please do keep your dog inside as well. Dogs are not meant to live alone in the yard.

 

[juno24]

Everyone has given great feedback on specific breeds (I personally am highly partial to boxers for both protection and child-friendliness). However, the one thing that no one has touched on is your lifestyle. It doesn’t matter what breed or mix you get if you are not willing or able to meet the demands of the dog you get.
A working (herding, hunting, protection breed) dog needs lots of mental and physical stimulation. Are you willing and able to give that kind of attention to the dog so it won’t destroy your house or yard out of boredom? I currently have a German Shepherd Dog who comes from police dog stock. She requires a good deal of focused exercise to keep her from being a crazy dog. I bought a treadmill just for her because she LOVES to run. I also put her in a harness and take her for a run while I ride my bike.That really helps to keep her energy level in check. My boxer was very similar. She required quite a bit of focused, structured exercise to keep her mind occupied and her energy level from getting too high.
Some dogs require much more attention to grooming than others. My boxer needed an occasional bath and not much more. My GSD needs frequent baths and brushing because she has a thick double coat.
Take your time, research different breeds and their needs. Assess what you are honestly willing to give in terms of time, attention, energy and money to have a dog. Then, after you’ve narrowed your search down to one or 2 breeds, start visiting breeders or rescue groups.
As to your question specifically about pit bulls-- I have nothing against the breed, per se, but I would NEVER bring one into a home with small children unless I bought it from a reputable breeder. I would not risk a child’s life by bringing a rescue home. As someone else mentioned earlier, it is a dangerous ****-shoot. You have no idea where this dog comes from, what its genetics are, what the parents, grandparents, etc. are like. You have nothing to go on except what the person at the shelter tells you.
Check your local ordinances as well. Some breeds (especially pit bulls) are illegal in some cities. Miami has a pretty strict no pit bull law-- you may not even own a mix if it looks primarily like the pit bull. Because of that, they all live in Broward and Palm Beach, where we hear several times a year about a supposedly friendly pit suddenly attacking its owner/neighbor/another dog.
Also, you put yourself at risk of losing your home owners insurance just by owning a “dangerous dog” breed. When my roommate went to talk to her agent about her home owners insurance, she mentioned all our dogs (we have 4 between us). The agent asked what kind we had, and when she mentioned the GSD, he basically replied, “I didn’t hear you say that, I think I heard you say it was a mixed breed, right?”. Some companies won’t just charge an exorbitant rate, they will outright deny you coverage.
All things to think about when choosing which type of dog to purchase/rescue.

 

[newf]

My personal favourite for a family dog with children of all ages in the Newfoundland. Beautiful dogs. .

I have to agree!!

I have a newf right now and she is wonderful. She is about 120 lbs., not too big. I had a male that was 150 lbs. This breed is fabulous with children. It is also a water rescue dog, so anyone who swims in my pool will be rescued whether they want to or not. The size of the dog is forboding to strangers. The bark is huge and awesome. She really is a gentle giant. And her name is Angel.

The care of a newf isn’t too bad, imo. I just got a 4 yo basset hound rescue and honestly, her short hairs are a LOT more hassle to pick up than the newf hair. The downside on the newf care is the drool. Yeah, it’s annoying but I keep a towel around to wipe her when she gets excited.

OP, best wishes with your dog adventure. Let us know what you finally decide on.

 

[jesuspsr]

Growing up in a very small town in the desert, we had two dogs that were very protective of us kids. Our German Shepard (Jasmine) and our poodle (cheetah). Can you belive it a poodle? I really miss those dogs even after 30 years. I do miss them.

God bless

jesus g

 

[TheRealJuliane]

for every “my rescue pitbull is so good with the kids” story I’ve heard, i’ve also heard a “my pitbull was so loving and good for years until it freaked out and mauled the neighbor/neighbor’s dog” story.

That’s what I am talking about. People are saying “the breed is a good one,” but it’s been ruined by drug dealers breeding them for aggressiveness. I would NEVER EVER get a pit bull if I had small children. For an adult, especially someone with a high awareness of dogs’ temperament like Cesar Milan, great - but be aware that the dog may have that aggressiveness and it may come out unpredictably. I was a great fan of Cesar’s dog “Daddy,” that was the absolute sweetest dog I had ever seen (on TV, never met him) but yet there was one episode where Daddy was getting fed in front of the pack and another dog put his paws up on the platform in front of Daddy and you could literally see the dog’s eyes change from calm to “get the heck down or there’s gonna be trouble.” What if you had a dog that was totally submissive to YOU, but had a little bit of that aggression and it came out one day when the child did something, the dog gave a signal to stop, and the child didn’t stop?

It’s just too huge a risk. There are plenty of dogs that will be tolerant without that threat, and will also guard the property, such as a Golden retriever.

Caveat with any working breed such as a lab, a retriever, or a border collie - these are high-energy dogs that need to be exercised EVERY DAY in order to burn that energy. They need structured walks not just running around in the back yard. Border collies tend to make good “frisbee dogs” and can play for HOURS, and they will herd anything by instinct.

Please research the breed before you adopt any dog.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

A dog will always love his family but be a good protector? Not all of them. Some people want a guard dog to feel safe and there are certain breeds that are better at fitting those roles. I love golden retrievers but these dogs are too friendly to intimidate anyone but they make absolutely amazing family dogs.
A lot depends of the personality of the owner as well. OP, if you are naturally not very assertive I would not recommend getting a guard dog. How about something in the middle like a watch dog? They aren’t as protective as say, a german shepard but they can bark and warn you if something is off. Hence the term: watch dog. The bigger terriers are pretty good and spunky, like an Airedale. Thats a good medium.

This is true - we have a Jack Russell terrier, and she is in NO WAY any sort of guarding dog. Her breed is dedicated to pest control and she is stellar at that. Her kill count so far is 1 rat, 2 squirrels, and 2 cottonmouth snakes (venomous). Oh, and several ducklings, unfortunately - we found out the back-fence neighbor was raising them AFTER our dog got under the fence and slaughtered the little ducks…

She loves people and greets everyone with the same enthusiasm. Although I have heard that even dogs that don’t normally guard will respond with growls/barks if someone truly dangerous comes inside their territory, I wouldn’t expect it from one of the non-guarding breeds.

Of course you can train any dog to bark/growl on command. We got our dog when she was 3 years old, and we suspect she’d been trained NOT to bark, because she was almost completely silent, except she barks at squirrels and possums.

This is a GREAT thread, so many people know so much about dogs and breeds! Great sensible advice here.

 

[Samson01]

Dont get a pitbull. Every dog will snap and bite. The difference is in the pitbulls jaw…they can’t just release like a normal dog. A playful accidental 40lbs pitbull bite is physologically worse than a 120lbs male giant German shepard. Being shepards their jaws are formed for light nips.

Rotwiellers are actually shepard/working dogs so id you can find one with a good background that might be a good pick

Here are dogs I like large/medium
german shepards
standard poodles
airdale terriers
boxers (only in cool climates)
brittany spaniel
irish setter

good smaller dogs
fox terriers
basenji
poodle (not toy)
bulldog(cool climates only)
miniture pincher
bichon
austrialian shepard
sheltie

dogs on a never in my house list
anything less than 10lbs (tiny dogs are often incredibly agressive)
boarder collies (they are not housepets…they are farm dogs)
cocker spaniel (rage syndrome)
pit bull (see above)
golden retrivers (lovely dogs but too prone to hip displasia)

Have had and raised rotties for 25+ years. There are 6 in our family, not including 2 rotties. Great dogs, but only bark at distant “threats”. When they stop barking is when they think they can get a hold of what they want…deer, squirrel, cat…of which all three have been found on my porch. Know what you are doing before you choose this breed, but if you do know, they can be great companions to the family. Samson

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Have had and raised rotties for 25+ years. There are 6 in our family, not including 2 rotties. Great dogs, but only bark at distant “threats”. When they stop barking is when they think they can get a hold of what they want…deer, squirrel, cat…of which all three have been found on my porch. Know what you are doing before you choose this breed, but if you do know, they can be great companions to the family. Samson

Your dog got a …DEER???

Ack! Well, I hope it was not a fawn…and that you were able to use the meat. Why let a good kill go to waste…

 

[Catholic90]

Some of the more gentle dogs CAN be protective. I had a black lab for many years, raising her from a puppy, and she was the sweetest dog, great with my kids. One day I was walking with her through a wooded area a few miles from my house, and while she usually wagged her tail when coming upon strangers, one particular day, the fur on her shoulders stood up, she bared her teeth, and she growled this low emanating growl like I had never heard from her ever! This man passed me, not saying a word, and kept on going. I always wonder what my dog sensed about this guy that sent her into such an aggressive mode toward him. She never did it again.

A few month later a woman was sexually assaulted along the same path I had been walking on, so I always wonder if that was the same guy.

 

[Samson01]

Your dog got a …DEER???

Ack! Well, I hope it was not a fawn…and that you were able to use the meat. Why let a good kill go to waste…

Not any good and may have been a wounded animal. I brought one male rottie to my BIL’s farm and he jumped on the back of a goat and brought it down. He didn’t really get a chance to hurt it and my BIL thought it was the neatest thing he ever saw.lol. Rarely will they ever show their full strength to their owners, but the capability is there.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.ne...66253015_100000112664721_102041_2062970_n.jpg

 

[silicasandra]

This is true - we have a Jack Russell terrier, and she is in NO WAY any sort of guarding dog. Her breed is dedicated to pest control and she is stellar at that. Her kill count so far is 1 rat, 2 squirrels, and 2 cottonmouth snakes (venomous). Oh, and several ducklings, unfortunately - we found out the back-fence neighbor was raising them AFTER our dog got under the fence and slaughtered the little ducks…

She loves people and greets everyone with the same enthusiasm. Although I have heard that even dogs that don’t normally guard will respond with growls/barks if someone truly dangerous comes inside their territory, I wouldn’t expect it from one of the non-guarding breeds.

Of course you can train any dog to bark/growl on command. We got our dog when she was 3 years old, and we suspect she’d been trained NOT to bark, because she was almost completely silent, except she barks at squirrels and possums.

This is a GREAT thread, so many people know so much about dogs and breeds! Great sensible advice here.

Our Jack Russell was pretty good with guarding, but I swear she thought she was a cat (she could climb trees). Terriers have a lot of energy but they tend to be protective of the family. They are very smart, though, and that can get them into trouble. Ours was about 12 lbs soaking wet but she could make big dogs cower. She also sounded like a big dog when she barked, so if she was out of sight people were much more intimidated by her.

You might also consider mixed breeds. They tend to be less susceptible to breed-specific problems (like hip dysplasia) that can be costly and tend to have even temperaments, too. Any dog that loves you and your family will look out for you and can be trained to act a specific way when strangers approach you our your property. Any dog can also be badly trained or bite. Shelters can be great resources because they work a lot with the animals and can tell you about their temperaments and behaviors from their time there.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Not any good and may have been a wounded animal. I brought one male rottie to my BIL’s farm and he jumped on the back of a goat and brought it down. He didn’t really get a chance to hurt it and my BIL thought it was the neatest thing he ever saw.lol. Rarely will they ever show their full strength to their owners, but the capability is there.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.ne...66253015_100000112664721_102041_2062970_n.jpg

Oh my gosh what a face. Beautiful!



You know Rotties were the “bully breed” to be afraid of before the pit bull craze began…before that it was Dobies.

Actually I have heard many times that one of the most aggressive breeds is actually a Standard Poodle.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Our Jack Russell was pretty good with guarding, but I swear she thought she was a cat (she could climb trees). Terriers have a lot of energy but they tend to be protective of the family. They are very smart, though, and that can get them into trouble. Ours was about 12 lbs soaking wet but she could make big dogs cower. She also sounded like a big dog when she barked, so if she was out of sight people were much more intimidated by her.

You might also consider mixed breeds. They tend to be less susceptible to breed-specific problems (like hip dysplasia) that can be costly and tend to have even temperaments, too. Any dog that loves you and your family will look out for you and can be trained to act a specific way when strangers approach you our your property. Any dog can also be badly trained or bite. Shelters can be great resources because they work a lot with the animals and can tell you about their temperaments and behaviors from their time there.

Well ours seems to be more of what I have read about JRTs - they love to hunt, will go into holes to go after prey, and love to run and escape from any containing fences. She’s gotten out numerous times and we used to chase her until we finally figured out that the more we chase, the faster she runs. Now I just go and grab a hot dog and hold it up and she comes running back to me as fast as her little legs will carry her! She can’t climb trees but I have heard of many who do. If she could, her kill count would be a lot higher! We might have to start frying the squirrels instead of just tossing the bodies into the woods for the scavengers.

 

[Samson01]

Oh my gosh what a face. Beautiful!



You know Rotties were the “bully breed” to be afraid of before the pit bull craze began…before that it was Dobies.

Actually I have heard many times that one of the most aggressive breeds is actually a Standard Poodle.

Something about the tenacity of terriors scares me. They don’t give up. As a herding dog, rotties will lean on you a bit and subtle body language really determines the pack order with them. If your experienced and consistant, they are outstanding dogs. The german lines are more showy and like to “work”. The american lines readily availible are bigger, but better pets IMHO. Sometimes the champion shultzhunds are best left for handlers. Samson

 

[silicasandra]

Well ours seems to be more of what I have read about JRTs - they love to hunt, will go into holes to go after prey, and love to run and escape from any containing fences. She’s gotten out numerous times and we used to chase her until we finally figured out that the more we chase, the faster she runs. Now I just go and grab a hot dog and hold it up and she comes running back to me as fast as her little legs will carry her! She can’t climb trees but I have heard of many who do. If she could, her kill count would be a lot higher! We might have to start frying the squirrels instead of just tossing the bodies into the woods for the scavengers.

This sounds so familiar…

Candy used to bring rodent heads back to my mother. The first time my mom was really disgusted, but after that she figured it was some sign of loyalty and affection. She also fought a woodchuck down a hole once. She got beat up pretty badly but she didn’t care.

The bad thing about the climbing was that she figured out how to climb baby gates meant to keep her out of the upstairs. Luckily my mom figured out how to wire our outdoor electric fence inside the house. We didn’t have to climb over the gates and Candy still stayed downstairs.

Candy died earlier this year - she was 12. The most common cause of death for Jack Russells is being hit by cars (since they see something and RUN and forget everything else except the hunt), but we were pretty successful at keeping her fenced in at home (she still had plenty of space to run). She developed a brain tumor, poor thing. She was a lot of trouble but she loved us and we loved her a ton, too. Whenever I was sad she’d come curl up in my lap with me, and every semester when I came home from college she remembered me, which felt so nice. Dogs are wonderful.