Any idea what dog I should get?

[DoggyLuva1128]

I want a dog who can protect the home and look after the family, a guard dog basically. But one who can be friendly with kids and playful.

1)What dog is right for me?

2)Do you think a American BullDog falls in these Characteristics?

[Jynx]

a dog who will sound off with a good bark is a great deterrent , people up to no good, normally don't want to test the waters with a barking dog.

Diane

[princess puppies]

Maremmas are good guard dogs but also can get agressive to people it doesent know

[derekparker]

A wirehaired fox terrier - or a smoothie for that matter - would be excellent. Once considered 'snappy' thee breed is now very biddable, excellent with children, with a really threatening bark if you teach him/her to use it properly.

[bubbatd]

I'm Golden Retriever , all the way.

[Gempress]

Hmm. The American Bulldogs I've met have loved and welcomed absolutely everybody. Overall, a horrible guard dog. But they are very formidable-looking, so I'd imagine they would be a good deterrant on that basis alone. But how old are your children? They're very energetic, so they may accidentally bowl over small children.

Perhaps a rottweiler or bullmastiff would be good, too.

[Ash47]

I vote Bullmastiff or Rottweiler. But be sure you aren't getting it just for guarding. I'm sure you know about the Breed Specific Legislations going on, and Rotts and Mastiffs are being targeted. So if you do get a "guard dog" make sure to train him/her to be sweet too!

[casablanca1]

Originally Posted by DoggyLuva1128

I want a dog who can protect the home and look after the family, a guard dog basically. But one who can be friendly with kids and playful.
1)What dog is right for me?
2)Do you think a American BullDog falls in these Characteristics?

Any dog, individually, could fit the bill. The very small breeds tend to be intolerant of children, and the larger or heavier breeds can be a very serious problem if there is any mistake in their selection or training. The right American Bulldog can probably be friendly and playful, and a good deterent to criminals. But - they're probably not the best choice. The truth is that a 35lb spaniel mix will protect her child just as passionately and in 99.99% of cases, will be just as effective a deterrent to burglars and kidnappers. American Bulldogs weigh 60-120lbs, and are very, very strong. Your children will not be able to safely walk such a large and powerful dog, which is a very big disappointment for kids. Most of the guard and fighting breeds are too strong for a child to walk- without that, a child's relationship with their dog is limited to the house and yard, which is no good.

I like collies and terriers, myself. They are both a bit nippy and tend to bark - makes them good watchdogs, but they can be a little scary to small children or strangers as they're very energetic and mouthy (not biting, but jumping around with their mouths hanging open) - they're not the most peaceful dogs. They can keep up with the kids, though, and they'd die to protect their families. Terriers tend to be a bit snotty with other dogs, but they are light enough (except for the Airedale) for a child to control. Both collies and terriers are very conscious of their territory, which means they're both great watchdogs and will not passively watch someone threaten their family.

While I don't like Labs particularly, they are very popular family dogs and they are (the reason I don't like them) very territorial, and pretty assertive watchdogs. The only caveats are - some breeders are creating monster labs, similar to the oversized Rotties, and these would be absolutely too much dog for a child to handle.

[Renee750il]

There are some other very important considerations to think about. F'rinstance, how much exercise can you make sure a dog has? How long will it be home alone? What kind (if any) of yard to you have? How much experience do you have with dogs? What is your lifestyle like?

[DoggyLuva1128]

thanks everyone