Rottweilers

[stafinois]

Huh. I know three police dogs and all of them live in homes with children, go to public events such as fundraisers and festivals, and are generally good canine citizens outside of work. I also live in a VERY low crime area, though, and I doubt these dogs ever actually witness any crime.

When I was in the French Ring & PP club, we often did PR Days and demos and essentially had two sets of dogs. There were some very serious dogs in the club, as well as the very social dogs. We would have them all out for demos, but then when it came time to meet the dogs, we would put away the ones that weren't particularly social and bring out the other set. Grant was always fabulous for such things. He's a sporty equipment focused dog that is worthless for PP. We'd let him bite the sleeve a few times for show then let the kids hang on him. There were a couple of typical breeds in the club that could do this as well. They were all lovely dogs (obviously as I continue to feed one of them), but not the dogs that I'd probably want backing me up in a dangerous situations.

The police dogs around here are as you describe, quite friendly and not getting much action outside a bit of drug detection and perhaps barking at some drunks. One local PD has an 11-year-old GSD as the town's police dog. Dogs that get worked a lot break down physically from impacts and get pretty arthritic. The fact that the dog is 11 (GSD even!) and still working tells me that he probably hasn't seen a lot of situations.

Another thing to consider is what level of protection do you really need? I was single and used to live in a very dangerous place, and that is when I got Harry and started training in PP. Now I'm married and live in a place only slightly more dangerous than Mayberry. I'm not particularly worried about armed home invasions anymore, and Harry is a bit of overkill for what we really need now. The next dog will likely not be a PP trained Malinois. A medium large dog that is willing to bark at a potential threat is probably good.

For the record, I grew up with a Rottweiler. My wild teen self paraded all sorts of odd friends in and out of the house and he was fine with it.

And just because you're getting a guardian breed does not mean the dog will protect you. When the poop hits the fan, it's not unheard of for even PP trained guardian breed dogs to run and hide in another room while their master is murdered. Nicole Simpson anyone?

It just proves that the dog knew OJ... I mean the attacker

 

[Whisper]

Sizzle, I hope that wasn't how what I said was taken, because it's not what I meant. For the record, my life was saved by my aunt's schutzhund failure GSD. That dog was a bag of nerves, tucked tail and ran every time the decoy threatened. She saved me from a guy breaking in at 2 am while I was house sitting. I was up watching TV by the big bay window, so whoever dude was KNEW there was a tiny, 20-something year old woman home alone.

This same dog promptly peed herself (literally) when she saw the deputies that responded to the call.

My point is, I didn't KNOW she would save me. She could have easily peed herself. And in fact, the bull mastiff that also lived there just laid on the floor wagging his tail as the GSD went Cujo through the door. He was a guardian breed. He loved me too, so why didn't he try to save me?

Even if I had a fila or a CAO, I wouldn't EXPECT the dog to save my life. I'd have a gun. Because even the best bravest PP dog in the world can be stopped by a bad guy's bullet. My life is in my hands. Not my dog's/

This! I didn't mean that, Sizzle.

Harley's sire saved my mom and me from some crazy guy trying to break into our house at the time. He wasn't even our dog. He was trained in PP, but we didn't know his commands or anything. He got that guy to back the hell off on his own terms.

 

[SizzleDog]

Sizzle, I hope that wasn't how what I said was taken, because it's not what I meant. For the record, my life was saved by my aunt's schutzhund failure GSD. That dog was a bag of nerves, tucked tail and ran every time the decoy threatened. She saved me from a guy breaking in at 2 am while I was house sitting. I was up watching TV by the big bay window, so whoever dude was KNEW there was a tiny, 20-something year old woman home alone.

This same dog promptly peed herself (literally) when she saw the deputies that responded to the call.

My point is, I didn't KNOW she would save me. She could have easily peed herself. And in fact, the bull mastiff that also lived there just laid on the floor wagging his tail as the GSD went Cujo through the door. He was a guardian breed. He loved me too, so why didn't he try to save me?

Even if I had a fila or a CAO, I wouldn't EXPECT the dog to save my life. I'd have a gun. Because even the best bravest PP dog in the world can be stopped by a bad guy's bullet. My life is in my hands. Not my dog's/

Don't worry, it's not you. I agree totally with what you said in this post though - we don't know that our dogs will protect us. But some people assume - automatically - that unless the dog is a hardcore, serious trained PP dog, that the dog WILL NOT, under any circumstances, protect us. What's that line from Ratatouille? Not everyone can become a great cook, but a great cook can come from anywhere.

Another thing to consider is what level of protection do you really need? I was single and used to live in a very dangerous place, and that is when I got Harry and started training in PP. Now I'm married and live in a place only slightly more dangerous than Mayberry. I'm not particularly worried about armed home invasions anymore, and Harry is a bit of overkill for what we really need now. The next dog will likely not be a PP trained Malinois. A medium large dog that is willing to bark at a potential threat is probably good.

This. I see no reason to own a PP dog, my life just isn't that dangerous. If it was, I'd probably change my lifestyle instead of trading in my dogs for "ugraded versions" - I like how versatile my dogs are. Some people seem to think my dogs (particularly the Dobermans) are garbage because they're not trained PP dogs. Fine, think that if it makes you feel better about yourselves... they're not for sale anyway, so it's not like YOU have to live with them.

 

[milos_mommy]

I'm not particularly looking for a guardian breed for the guardian aspect....It's a plus, but it's not the reason I'm looking to get a dog. I think walking down the street with ANY dog dissuades creepy people from approaching you, and probably makes them less likely to follow you home, as well.

The only time I'm ever really concerned about being a young woman living on my own in a huge city is when I have to let someone into my apartment, like the phone company guy or delivery person or whomever. Plus, I have a male roommate, and I usually try to schedule that stuff for when he's going to be home, plus usually the super knows that person is coming already. And I usually make a point of chopping vegetables when they ring the bell and hang onto the knife casually while they do whatever they're doing

 

[stafinois]

This. I see no reason to own a PP dog, my life just isn't that dangerous. If it was, I'd probably change my lifestyle instead of trading in my dogs for "ugraded versions" - I like how versatile my dogs are. Some people seem to think my dogs (particularly the Dobermans) are garbage because they're not trained PP dogs. Fine, think that if it makes you feel better about yourselves... they're not for sale anyway, so it's not like YOU have to live with them.

Well, then when you DO have a trained dog, people just have to constantly point out that the dog wouldn't stand a chance against armed attackers or gangs of angry ninjas. So no worries, your dog is garbage whether it happens to be trained or not

 

[SizzleDog]

Well, then when you DO have a trained dog, people just have to constantly point out that the dog wouldn't stand a chance against armed attackers or gangs of angry ninjas. So no worries, your dog is garbage whether it happens to be trained or not

LOL, how *nice* that youre damned if you do, damned if you don't. Honestly, whose business is it if your dogs or my dogs or anybody else's dogs can or can't fight off the roving bands of ninjas and pirates and velociraptors rampaging the streets of central Iowa? I think as long as you own the "level" of dog you need and the situation works for you... it's fine, and frankly it's nobody's business - especially faceless people on the internet.

(And like I said before in another thread... anything my dobes can't finish, my Ruger can. So life's good. )

 

[Whisper]

LOL, how *nice* that youre damned if you do, damned if you don't. Honestly, whose business is it if your dogs or my dogs or anybody else's dogs can or can't fight off the roving bands of ninjas and pirates and velociraptors rampaging the streets of central Iowa? I think as long as you own the "level" of dog you need and the situation works for you... it's fine, and frankly it's nobody's business - especially faceless people on the internet.

(And like I said before in another thread... anything my dobes can't finish, my Ruger can. So life's good. )

I'm sorry but that bolded part made me laugh.

And I agree.

People don't think my 30 lb. dog wouldn't and couldn't protect me, but she has and she will.

 

[stafinois]

LOL, how *nice* that youre damned if you do, damned if you don't. Honestly, whose business is it if your dogs or my dogs or anybody else's dogs can or can't fight off the roving bands of ninjas and pirates and velociraptors rampaging the streets of central Iowa? I think as long as you own the "level" of dog you need and the situation works for you... it's fine, and frankly it's nobody's business - especially faceless people on the internet.

Thank goodness I don't have velociraptors in the NW part of the state! Harry seems to keep the ninjas and pirates at bay, as we have yet to have been attacked.

When I got Harry, I lived in a neighborhood where there had been a few murders. One of them was a young woman a few doors down from me that was found stabbed to death. That was a scary place! But even still, a lowly dog was still great protection. Most human predators seek the easiest targets. It was fun walking down the street with two Pit Bulls and a Malinois. Gang members and drug dealers would go to the other side of the street when they saw me coming :rofl1:

I recently got into it with a guy that was going on and on about how he could easily kill my dog if he broke in with a gun, and I should be worried, yada, yada, yada. First of all, a Malinois that knows what a gun is and what to do when one is pulled is going to be a hard target to hit. Second of all, my husband and I are small town librarians. We are far from wealthy, and we are really boring. Nobody wants to kill us.

We do have a sex offender living next door that has a history with young girls, which worries us as we have a toddler daughter. The guy is terrified of Harry, though. We encourage that.

 

[SizzleDog]

Thank goodness I don't have velociraptors in the NW part of the state! Harry seems to keep the ninjas and pirates at bay, as we have yet to have been attacked.

Yeah right, just because Harry hasn't SEEN any ninjas (and really, who ever does?) it does NOT mean that he's good at keeping them away. Psh, I thought you were smarter than that. Chances are he'd probably turn tail and run. Suuuure he knows what a gun is, but does he know what throwing stars are? Does he know what a katana sword is?

Besides, he was never bred to fend off ninjas, so he can't possibly be capable of anything of the sort. He's not even the right breed for it. Everyone knows CORGIS are the quintessential ninja dogs.

 

[Romy]

Yeah right, just because Harry hasn't SEEN any ninjas (and really, who ever does?) it does NOT mean that he's good at keeping them away. Psh, I thought you were smarter than that. Chances are he'd probably turn tail and run. Suuuure he knows what a gun is, but does he know what throwing stars are? Does he know what a katana sword is?

I think this is proof by itself that Malinois are the most supreme ninja repellent. I'm willing to bet a large sum of money, that there has not been a single mal owner in north america murdered by even a lone ninja, much less an entire group.

 

[PWCorgi]

I think this is proof by itself that Malinois are the most supreme ninja repellent. I'm willing to bet a large sum of money, that there has not been a single mal owner in north america murdered by even a lone ninja, much less an entire group.

:rofl1: :rofl1:

 

[stafinois]

I think this is proof by itself that Malinois are the most supreme ninja repellent. I'm willing to bet a large sum of money, that there has not been a single mal owner in north america murdered by even a lone ninja, much less an entire group.

This is very true. And as for the velociraptors, my husband is quite convinced that the Malinois is their direct descendant. They recognize him as kin.

 

[corgipower]

Besides, he was never bred to fend off ninjas, so he can't possibly be capable of anything of the sort. He's not even the right breed for it. Everyone knows CORGIS are the quintessential ninja dogs.

I think this is proof by itself that Malinois are the most supreme ninja repellent. I'm willing to bet a large sum of money, that there has not been a single mal owner in north america murdered by even a lone ninja, much less an entire group.

Well, if corgis are ninja dogs, then the real proof that Malinois are the most supreme ninja repellent is the way my corgis and malis don't get along with each other.

As can be seen in this video Malinois are quite skilled at thwarting NinjaCorgi attacks.

 

[sillysally]

Not everyone can become a great cook, but a great cook can come from anywhere.

Yes! Also we have to consider that by simply being a deterrent a dog can be a life saver. Jack is your typically lab (I think we all know what I mean by that), but if certain strange men behave in a hinky manner under certain circumstances (he and I alone outside at night for example) he will whip out his rarely used deep warning bark, and a dark colored, largish, angry sounding dog at night can be a real deterrent for some people. Even the fact that I can get him in an attention heel on command (even if it is for a short time) seems to make people nervous and people will give him a wide berth when I do this--and he's a 65 lb chocolate lab. Now, I don't rely on either of my dogs to save my life, but knowing that they give some people pause is nice