To want a guard dog

[Wherewhatyouwant]

DH works away a lot and we live in the middle of nowhere. I do often feel quite vulnerable and wondering about getting a dog. I’m guessing a guard dog wouldn’t be a good idea for a first time owner? We have young kids. Is there a good breed that would protect and make an intruder think twice? Don’t really like bull breeds.

I have a rott x. He only alerts to someone being on/near his territory if there is someone close by to alert. He doesn't bark at the door if I am upstairs and he was overcome with joy when my BIL, who he'd never met before, popped around unannounced while I was in bed and immediately showed him where the toy box was so they could play

That's what happens when your guard dog is not trained to guard.

Most dog attacks take place within the household. I would consider very carefully whether you are just introducing an additional risk rather than any form of protection by having a dog in your house.

I have a very friendly Labrador. If someone comes near the house she barks like a big scary dog. Delivery folk and tradesmen often look wary when I open the door. Maybe think about a big friendly family dog with a loud woof...!

Thank you. Will have a think. We are probably best with a lab type breed, one that’s fsirly
biddable and good with children. Lurcher or greyhound might work, what are they like with kids?

Definitely think that’s something I worry about. It’s hard as I want to protect us but don’t want us to all end up scared or worse in our own home!

Usually great with kids. Don’t expect them to move from the sofa if your house is under threat though 😂 or bark for that matter, most of the greyhounds I’ve met (and I’ve met a lot!) rarely bark.

Greyhounds are lovely dogs, OP, and a great choice for a first family dog. Ditto lurchers but if you want something that is going to sound the alarm if needed you need a terrier type. A greyhound would snooze through a burglary (unless the burglar brought food then they might wake up to eat).

I do, however, think dogs should be pets first, so I would encourage you to go with a greyhound.

We have a lab and if something goes bump in the night out of the ordinary he uses his 'big boy bark' (only time he ever uses it and it's very rare) and he sounds an awful lot beefier and scary than he actually is

Just saw your comments OP about being a bit worried of certain dog breeds.
In that case, yes, a labrador is what you need.
Train, train, train and you'll have the best dog ever for your needs.

Please make sure you've really thought through getting a dog - the costs (food, vets, boarding kennels if you want to go away without them), walking them whatever the weather, training them, playing with them, not leaving then on their own all day and what you'd do if visiting friends or family. If you just want something to make a noise if there's an intruder, can you not get an alarm? I'm pretty sure my dog would welcome an intruder with a big tail wag, especially if they had food!

We have a springer and if anyone knocks on the door he doesn't know he sounds vicious!!! (Then if the door opens and it's someone he knows, he wags his tail so hard it's at risk of falling off, cries with excitement and immediately run over for a fuss!)

We also have a 3 and 4 year old who came along after him and he is an amazing family pet. He sleeps upstairs with us and any noise in the slightest he's straight up alerting us

I have a 17kg mutt, he looks like a miniature dingo with a gorgeous baby face. If anyone tried to break into my house, he does an excellent impression of a huge Rottweiler (most people who don’t see him until after they’ve heard him are shocked!) so would probably send an intruder packing just with his bark. He’s also a nervous Nelly and would 100% attack an intruder, not to protect me because he’s never been taught to protect, but to protect himself and his toys! He’s generally very nice so I think I’d forgive him if he took a chomp out of a burglar.

Are you a nervous person @Wherewhatyouwant ? You mentioned about not wanting to be scared of a dog etc, and it doesn’t read like you’ve been around dogs much (did you have them as a kid?)

if you’re under confident it’s a terrible idea.

for the love of god, do not get a Rhodesian ridgeback as PP suggested, absolutely terrible idea as a first time owner. They are beautiful but aloof and you need to know how to handle them. I have a German shepherd and he is absolutely brilliant with my children and so loyal and loving.

My mum's Jack Russel scared off a man poking around their garden - he's small but had a big bark. He's also great with kids and loves his people.

Keep in mind any dog will need training, labs are really bouncy when they’re young, then they hit the teenage years when they forget they have a brain. This comes after the land shark phase 😂. We have 3 of them and live in the middle of nowhere, they’re amazing dogs but be prepared to walk every day in any weather.

We had a Hungarian puli when we lived out in the countryside. Had hearing like a bat, would hear people out on the drive long before we did.
They are sheep herding dogs so are nippy and unfriendly to strangers.
I never feared for anything whilst walking with her.

Awww I haven’t seen a puli for years! There was one on my street when I was a kid, we called him the Mop Dog

Pulis are beautiful

@Giveupnow i don’t know - I probably sound quite nervous! I wouldn’t say I am on day to day life but I’m cautious with dogs I don’t know and I had some bad experiences with some breeds when I was little so am a bit nervous of them now. I’ve never met a lab that wasn’t lovely or spaniel and my friend has a beagle who is gorgeous but he’s so loud that makes me a bit cautious too!

It’s so remote here and it would be good to feel someone else is here in a way!

We are quite a walky family, have a big garden, holiday in the UK. But it might be best shelved until kids are older.

100% true! 😂Ours scares the crap out of delivery drivers until they actually see him and realise he’s just a shouty little sausage.

I grew up in a multidog household and later worked with dogs and fostered dogs for a good few years.

We've had dozens of breeds over the years, Labs, Akitas, Dobes, Lurchers, Greyhounds, Terriers etc.

My late terrier x was an OK guard dog. He would bark, he was also a bit nippy but he despised children and was not a family pet.

DD's youngest chihuahua is the best guard dog we've ever had. The noise that thing makes when he hears a noise or someone new comes into the house is enough to wake the dead. He gives chase too, until someone tells him to stop. He hates strangers until he has been introduced to them and understands they are supposed to be in the house.

I have a chow chow and he's an adorable teddy bear of fluff

He's also a guard dog and has the most hideous sounding growl when the door goes - this stops and he wags his tail as soon as you say ' it's a friend'

They need socialisation and training when puppies of course but kids are forever leaping on him and hugging him and he's lovely with them (please note - I don't allow this but some parents are just dense and I can't move quick enough to stop them on occasion!)

Get top quality locks, an alarm, blinds and curtains so people can’t see in when it’s dark, lamps on timers, lights and floodlights for outside.
Don’t get a dog unless you want one as a pet.

@Wherewhatyouwant I think you have to almost think of getting a dog a bit like having another child in terms of whether you have the time. Do you have the time/ capacity to sit up with a puppy during the night as it won’t want to be left alone? To clean up wees/ poos? To go to evening puppy classes and practice training?

if so, great! Maybe a lab or something similar would be a good start. But a dog will know if you’re under confident or scared of it. Be careful of some of the smaller breeds people are suggesting, small dogs are not necessarily friendlier or easier to train. In fact, IMO, jack russels and chihuahuas are usually horrible nasty little things.

I have a German Shepherd and she loves to bark plus people are always scared of her she really is a perfect guard dog.
She is fantastic and has grown in to a great dog but I definitely wouldn't recommend if you're not prepared to put hours and hours of time in to walking and training each day. I'd say with dogs like these they have to become your hobby and take up all of your free time and a lot of your money.