Molosser breed's for SD work??
- Thread starter HayleyMarie
- Start date
Nope. Nope nope nope nope nope.
I adore them, I really really do. And the right dog would potentially be good at EVERYTHING except that critical little thing of allowing strangers to help their handler during a medical emergency. I just cannot see a molosser tolerating officers, paramedics, etc. handling them or their unconscious handler who was in the middle of a health crisis.
And if it wasn't the RIGHT dog, and somebody really messed up in either its evaluation or training there is too much of a safety risk otherwise.
Honestly, Katalin the kuvasz would have made a really excellent SD candidate. She was extremely laid back and mellow with non threatening strangers, totally non reactive to dogs and other animals, etc. Very well socialized and well behaved. But after seeing her typical LGD reaction to someone trying to break into our house in the dead of night, I'm not convinced she would have appropriately responded to emergency medical workers. Real life emergencies are stressful for the dog and the handler, and it takes exceptional temperament, training, and some level of baseline instinctual reactions for a dog to handle it in a way that is helpful and safe for everyone involved.
I adore them, I really really do. And the right dog would potentially be good at EVERYTHING except that critical little thing of allowing strangers to help their handler during a medical emergency. I just cannot see a molosser tolerating officers, paramedics, etc. handling them or their unconscious handler who was in the middle of a health crisis.
And if it wasn't the RIGHT dog, and somebody really messed up in either its evaluation or training there is too much of a safety risk otherwise.
Honestly, Katalin the kuvasz would have made a really excellent SD candidate. She was extremely laid back and mellow with non threatening strangers, totally non reactive to dogs and other animals, etc. Very well socialized and well behaved. But after seeing her typical LGD reaction to someone trying to break into our house in the dead of night, I'm not convinced she would have appropriately responded to emergency medical workers. Real life emergencies are stressful for the dog and the handler, and it takes exceptional temperament, training, and some level of baseline instinctual reactions for a dog to handle it in a way that is helpful and safe for everyone involved.
The other aspect of molosser SD prospects to me is how much their temperaments change from puppy to adult. Most breeds, DA is very likely to emerge at some point after they're already 2+ years old. Same for things like stranger suspicion, etc. So a puppy tests out to be a great prospect, you invest a lot of time training and socializing then end up washing it due to natural breed tendencies when it matures.
Many don't have very long lifespans too.
And many breeds have joint/health issues. You can definitely stack the odds in your favor with health testing but it's not a guarantee.
Many don't have very long lifespans too.
And many breeds have joint/health issues. You can definitely stack the odds in your favor with health testing but it's not a guarantee.
I think Romy explained it best.
I dont' know about other people... but for me, in the situations where I am unconscious and need a dog to be A OK with paramedics/strangers/etc.. manhandling me and coming around
a molosser breed would be generally unsuitable.
Imagine Pans' reaction if you were unconscious/seemingly in distress (sometimes I flail around, cry, whine) and then total strangers started coming up to you, picking you up, checking a pulse, yelling things, lifting you, moving you which, while helping you, is causing you to react MORE in distress like they are hurting you...
I imagine he wouldn't be too happy about it.
Besides going against everything they are bred to do is one thing, but also the fact that paramedics and people might :yikes: at one and be scared to approach.
Even sweet fluffy Merlin has had moments, even with training, where he has needed to be contained because I was confused and pushing paramedics away and yelling "NO STOP IT"
luckily for them (unlike with many big breeds), Merlin is easily contained and convinced that it's ok. I can't imagine one paramedic/bystander holding back Pan (or even volunteering to try) if he really wanted to get to you.
There are a few that are well suited and perhaps different kinds of handlers, I don't assume to know every dog that every person needs.
but for me?
never.
I dont' know about other people... but for me, in the situations where I am unconscious and need a dog to be A OK with paramedics/strangers/etc.. manhandling me and coming around
a molosser breed would be generally unsuitable.
Imagine Pans' reaction if you were unconscious/seemingly in distress (sometimes I flail around, cry, whine) and then total strangers started coming up to you, picking you up, checking a pulse, yelling things, lifting you, moving you which, while helping you, is causing you to react MORE in distress like they are hurting you...
I imagine he wouldn't be too happy about it.
Besides going against everything they are bred to do is one thing, but also the fact that paramedics and people might :yikes: at one and be scared to approach.
Even sweet fluffy Merlin has had moments, even with training, where he has needed to be contained because I was confused and pushing paramedics away and yelling "NO STOP IT"
luckily for them (unlike with many big breeds), Merlin is easily contained and convinced that it's ok. I can't imagine one paramedic/bystander holding back Pan (or even volunteering to try) if he really wanted to get to you.
There are a few that are well suited and perhaps different kinds of handlers, I don't assume to know every dog that every person needs.
but for me?
never.
while i recognize that there are special snowflakes in every breed, as a whole, i do not believe the hard-core molossers are appropriate as service dogs.
i also think in the hands of a breed-knowledgeable trainer that they have a better shot at being successful, but most people i see seeking out these breeds to become SDs are self-trainers who don't have any idea what they're doing and want to train their dogs by internet. Which scares the crap out of me as someone with an owner-trained dog.
i also think in the hands of a breed-knowledgeable trainer that they have a better shot at being successful, but most people i see seeking out these breeds to become SDs are self-trainers who don't have any idea what they're doing and want to train their dogs by internet. Which scares the crap out of me as someone with an owner-trained dog.