To want to buy a big dog so I can feel safe?

[Dinkytinky]

DP works away overnight 2-3 nights a week and I find it so hard to relax an feel safe. We don't live in the best neighbourhood and burglaries are quite commonplace.

I get so stressed on my own and know I would feel so much happier with a big dog to keep me company and act as a visible detterent for wouldbe burgalers.

We really want a dog anyway, and both have alot of experience with them (between us we've had 8 when we were younger/lives with parents), plus I really love them.

The trouble is that it would be a stretch on our finances , for a pedigree, vet costs food etc.

Any suggestions (maybe breeds/experience etc?)

Well I hate to say it but if it is protection you are after then you'll need to get at least 2 big dogs. Ideally 3. 1 would be easy to kill. 2 and you're going to get a bit mauled. 3 and you're getting fucked up, so not worth breaking in.

Any big dog is going to be costly to a degree, I shared a house (many yrs ago)with someone and their giant schnauzer, they are certainly big enough to put anyone off bothering you and they are gently giants, it was a lovely dog, wouldn't mind getting one myself!

Ahh seashore I LOVE schnauzers, they're co
pletly gorgeous and big grumpy huffy things! My friend has a great Dane that's sooo soft and daft but only has to look at 'baddies' and they run squeeeling down the garden (in my experience haha!)

If you are experienced dog owners I would recoommend a German Shepherd, but with children I would have a bitch. I lived in a very isolated rural property half a mile from the neighbours and with a husband working away from Monday to Friday and found that mine made me feel safe and was great company after the children were in bed. They do act as a deterrent to burglars because of their reputation, but they are actually very gentle and loving if they are trained and socialised correctly from a young age.

You've got to think about the strain on your time, as well as your finances. If it's a big dog you're after, you're looking at 2 hours or so of walking a day. Can you fit that in?

However, if it's company you want and you can afford it, get a dog. My DH used to work away all week and my dog was (and is) fabulous company. It's lovely to come home to a frenetic greeting after a bad day and although you'll be pushed to the brink of sanity by some of the dog's behaviour there is something really reassuring about hearing them padding about in the night. My dog and I were alone together the night of the earthquake a few years ago and it was great to be able to share a 'what the fuck was that?!' look with another living creature. They ARE great company, but they might also unintentionally wreck your house - even if you get a fully grown dog rather than a puppy they can sometimes decide to eat the sofa and puke all over your carpets.

If it's just security you're after, it might make more financial sense just to get a good alarm system.

I do have the time to have big walks etc (then I could cancel my gym membership ) we have a cat which is some company but it's certainly not the same.
Also have an alarm system but I'm a bit unsure as to how effective it really is if you know what I mean?
Just cannot relax, I had a scare a few months back with a couple of men tried to attack me near my house - very frightening but luckily they were interupted by a passing bloke. I just know that none of my mums/friends dogs would let their owner be grabbed by strangers

Definately not unreasonable at all. I have a St Bernard who, although it hadnt occured to me at the time we got her makes me feel so much safer.

I know some people hear St. Bernard and think "oh my God!!!! they'll eat us out of house and home.. etc.." ala Beethoven. She doesnt, she eats her way through 1 large bag of dog nuts per week, hasnt really cost much more than any other dog I've ever owned to feed (including my teeny tiny yorkshire terrier sized mutt), the vet had warned us not to feed her too much. Shes a perfect child friendly dog - apparantly St. Bernards are renowned for this. Very protective of our kids too. I adore her. She does drool a huge amount though and when shes shedding its a nightmare.

Some might say also that St. Bernards have too much of a well known gentle personality to deter a burglar but I couldnt agree less. Her sheer size would deter anyone - a male can be expected to be approx 16 -17 stone fully grown and a female approx 14-15.

I live in the middle of nowhere, like Evenstar, very isolated and rural. My mother does like "next door", which is a field away. She spends approx 6 months a year abroad though. My dh works away at times (a week here and there) and approx 1 -2 nights a week hes away til about 3am.

Anyway, last October, my dh was away for the week about 3 hours away with work and my mother was abroad, I came home from work, had dd with me, heavily pregnant and it was very dark. The sensor light was on up at my mothers house, I got really unnerved for some reason, rushed dd inside and locked the door. All my pets were in with me, so werent setting light off. The sensor light kept going on for about 5 mins and then going off (I was peering from my dark sitting room). My St. Bernard went crazy - shes such a gentle, loveable, sweet soul I didnt think she had it in her, she never behaved like this before - she started to throw her whole body at my patio doors to get out, stood at our door looking up at my mothers bearing her teeth , snarling and growling (never seen this before or since) and barking... the light went off and stayed off. She usually sleeps in our utility but refused point blank to move for me and slept across the bottom of the stairs for the entire night.

I have never heard a bark as loud as hers in my life and know her size and the noise of her would have terrified anyone.

Went into work next day and heard there was apparant robberies in my area (I work for emergency services) within the past week...

She makes me feel so safe. I love her.

Sorry for going on...

oh Dinky, Im so sorry to hear that . How awful.

About walking - careful with this one, many larger dogs arent supposed to be exercised much, I thought I was doing the right thing and used to take mine for an hour long walk each night, the vet really told me off - said she shouldnt really be exercised, can really affect her joints because of size etc.. that said, we do have a big garden.

That's terrible, you'd probably be wise to get a dog then, I don't really know about costs but I think there are meant to be good deals for pet insurance these days, the guy that owned the schnauzer I mentioned didn't have a penny, although he did spend more feeding the dog then himself! Thing is with schnauzer's is because they are big black dogs they can easily intimidate whereas German Sheperds have a certain familiarity. But any big dog is going to help you feel secure.

Barbielovesken _I had no idea about the excersize thing? How long do you walk her now? I think you're right- it's more about a big bark and a huge shadow- I wouldn't 'set' a dog on anyone ever. It's more about bad individuals not wanting the hassle of possible maulings/noise really.

Thanks seashore I think I'm going to have a little browse!

Pedigrees are going to be expensive but I have heard with the recession sellers dont expect the same price. To buy ours, I think she was €500.

It is more expensive to neuter a larger dog, its also riskier because, as with a human, the larger you are the more risks associated with the anaestethic. Ours was €180 to neuter .

The dog should come vaccinated though and possibly chipped (incase she gets lost).

We dont walk her. Vet was more like "if you have to insist on bringing her walking with you, dont for more than half an hour". So we dont. She does potter around the garden all day though.

My cousin was told the same about her husky, unfortunately she was told a little too late and her husky has terrible problems with her back leg because of it

Ah I see- I've heard similar stories with collies being run ragged by owners who jog etc. We have a huuuge park across the road and a small garden so it wouldn't be too difficult to chuck a ball around etc. How much ish does it cost per week for your pooch? Thanks so much for all this btw!

A gt Dane wouldn't need anything like 2 hours a day - big doesn't equal excessive energy, ever heard of springer spaniels? Small but perfectly lively. Usually neurotic enough to make plenty of noise but hardly loom the part?

Greyhounds are lovely pets who have manageable exercise needs and are a nice size. Rottis, gsd, dobermann all look nice and intimidating don't they?

You don't have to shell out ££££, basic insurance could be under £10 a month, bulk buying dog food saves loads, just budget for jabs and wormers or find a vet to do it more cheaply.

Is probably not just about safety in terms of 'my dog will deter or kill intruders' but company and therapeutic benefits ?

barbie my vet refutes what your vet says and says you will get muscle degeneration if you do not exercise it..

most joint problems are genetic

Exactly mitchyinge, I like someone to talk to late at night tbh! My mums dog who was mineish just wanted to sit by my side 24/7 and followed me everywhere and still does when I visit,even though she's a very old lady now!

I'm not sure about giving out this advice because I'm uncertain about your motives but I had boxers growing up and whilst they look fierce they are really nice family pets (albeit a bit bouncy at times).

I had an experience when I was a teenager when a man stepped out of the shadows and came towards me. The dog saw him before I did and started growling like I'd never heard her growl before. Had he come any closer I'm convinced she'd have gone for him big time. Fantastic dog.

Joni-I see what you mean about my motives, I think before the situation with those men I was alot more carefree and didn't get worried about things happening to me, so now when I'm alone I really feel it iyswim?
I feel so safe and happy with DP - he's a man mountain ex rugby player and looks very intimidating even though he's a softy so I guess I want a canine version of him (and a dog would probably cost less to feed than him haha )

I swear I was walked home once by a random Rottie. I left my friends house (aged about 16) and soon after was joined by a Rottweiler. I was terrified tbh, just kept walking. The bloody dog kept looking at me and walked next to me all the way. We were walking down an alley and the dog trotted off, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Suddenly I heard the dog barking for it's life, about 2 minutes later dog appeared again walking as it had before slightly in front of me. I got to the end of my road and the dog just looked at me once and wandered off.

Absolute strangest experience I have ever had, surreal in the extreme. I like to think the dog was scaring off an attacker . So I think Rotties can be good dogs, the ultimate detterent, can't imagine anyone wanting to chance their arse against one.

Posy - thats funny, isnt it? my vet was so insistant on this one and I was quite disappointed.

Dinky - she costs approx €10 a week to feed but remember cost of living is more expensive in Ireland. Also know what you mean about safety, Im the same, I would never set a dog on someone either but its just the scare tactic I suppose. Ive heard many say that a "beware of the dog" sign on a gate and the noise of a dog is enough to deter anyone.

Just regarding worming, generally you worm a dog every 6 months but if you have children my vet has drilled into me the importance of worming every 3 months - worms can apparantly can cause blindness in children so be very rigid on this one, your vets may offer a text reminder facility - I get a text once every 3 months to remind me to worm all my pets.

Amazing coin - but I would believe it, dogs are so intelligent.

We have a long avenue and a large lawn it runs aside in front of garden, dd knows to stay on the grass if she sees a car but honestly, our st. Bernard runs and blocks 4year old dd when anyone is coming down the avenue incase she runs to it - she doesnt touch her, just blocks her way until car is parked and then she tottles off....

What about a burglar alarm? Easier to maintain.

Wow, that sounds like the dog knew someone dodgy was in the area, wonder if that's who the dog was barking at?

Coinoperated-wow that's so so strange! A bit of a guardian angel for you there I suppose?!

Barbielovesken - ahh that's really good actually - I was willing to spend around 20 quid a week so that's a relief! That's fantastic about your high-tech vets! Yup we worm the cat every 3 months too so it wouldn't be much hassle to fit that in too.

I suppose as well with conflicting vets advice that nothing is ever 100% right or 100 % wrong as long as no ones being mistreated etc! I'm sure you having a big garden is important in your vets advice etc too