Is a larger dog right for us?

[PallyRoe]

This has been a topic of conversation in our house for a while, but we seem to keep going round in circles. Apologies in advance if the post is too long.

For context - we currently live in a three bedroom Victorian terrace with a small to medium garden (not a postage stamp but not huge either). We will likely be living here for the next five years but then plan to move somewhere a bit more rural and a larger house. Luckily we live very near to a large country park.

We are in the position of having lots of time. DH works from home and I’m currently a part time student.

Two dc aged 11 and 8.

Currently have a 3 year old JRT. She is dream, was not hard to train (she has all her good citizen awards) and adores the dc.

The area is ok but seems to have been getting worse the last few years. There have been incidents of people being attacked in the local area, including a poor woman in the country park. DH would like us to get another dog, a larger one that could protect us in a pinch, he especially worries when I am in the woods early morning or later in the evening.

I’m not sure our house/garden is right for a large dog. I would actually love one apart from that. I enjoy training/exercise and always wanted to join the agility classes etc. (but our girl is a terrier only in name it seems and would rather snuggle in the sofa! 😂)

I have vetoed two of DH’s breed choices (German Shepherd, Doberman) despite them being gorgeous dogs, based purely on the fact that the KC website says they need large homes/gardens and I wouldn’t want to be doing more than two hours of walking per day as well as the training sessions (I’d read that they need to be constantly on the go/entertained). I liked the look of the Eurasier but it seems they are very rare.

Does anyone have any breed suggestions of another dog breed that could be happy with a smaller house that we could look into?

A black lab would work fine in terms of looking like a large dog... most people are terrible at identifying breeds, they just see a black dog.

Rottweilers are great dogs btw, but if you want to do agility a working line lab would be better - and more than once I was asked if my Rottweiler was a lab 🤨 a couple of times if he was a Doberman and once if he was a mastiff - he looked very much like a Rottweiler should btw.

Dogs don’t particularly care about house size anyway.

I think a show line Rottie is a good shout, people tend to be very wary of them but most of them are soft as butter

I have a golden retriever. It definitely wouldn't protect us but it is big and has a scary bark! Definitely a deterrent - some people won't come up to the front door if they hear him barking. If we are out he wouldn't have a go at anyone but I see people decide not to walk near us. Thing with the barking is you need to train them as otherwise it will be a nuisance.

Ours is fine with a long-ish walk every day and then runs a handful of times a week - we do more when we can.

Bullmastiff. I have a horse yard and wanted a family dog that looks like it could be a handful to the wrong visitors . They are big and imo did not need long walks , just as happy on the sofa as out walking . 2 hrs a day would be more than fine .
Absolutely fantastic dogs , real cuddle monsters .

My border terrier had strong words with a policeman once who was just trying to have a fag in the park.

Any dog can be a deterrent if it takes the notion.

A boxer would be good, my past boxers have always been great guard dogs not such easy dogs to manage , training takes a lot of work. I have SBT now and although they would most likely lick someone to death they make a good deterrent. SBT are very easy to train as well and lovely dogs with people.

I have no idea - I have 2 of them and I love black dogs, but apparently it’s a thing.
Black dogs can linger in rehoming centres apparently, and of course some other dogs struggle to read their facial expression so go off on one when they meet them.
Now, I put that down to poor socialisation on the part of the other dog owner, but black dog syndrome is quite common .

That's really interesting, @Azaeleasinbloom, especially about other dogs failing to read their facial expressions. I have a white terrier with a black patch over one eye, and it is true that the eye on that side 'disappears'. I'll have to make sure he faces other dogs white-side-on, and that would-be attackers get his Dark Side

I've got a staffy and a miniature yorkie. People are scared of the staffy although he's lovely. The yorkie is a cute thug
I'd have a house full of staffies if I could. Loads in rescue centres too

We have giants and they would be happy in a small home, they spend all of their time under my feet and barely move during the day. The GSD however needs space.

I wouldn’t rule out some of the bigger low energy breeds. I certainly don’t worry walking mine even though they wouldn’t do anything, the physical presence is enough.

A Labrador needs a working or at least very active home IMO.

Giggling at the suggestion that a black lab might deter a baddie

I have a black lab. Far from being a deterrent, everyone want to come and say hello to him.

my first thought for a family dog that looks fierce is a staffie. They’re look like a bully breedbut can make good family pets.

The dogs that bark the loudest when I’m on my walks are the small yappy types, the bigger dogs tend to be softies.

Labs are trainable, so you could train it to bark on command (although I’ve not succeeded with my dog)

What about a standard poodle? They are big, and look bigger when their coat is longer. They like brain games so you could tire that way. Very big and bouncy so yiu may need a stairgate or lots of training.

I know what you're getting at. I have a mongrel who has ended up bigger than anticipated, and tbh because my area isn't the best I'm quite pleased that she's potentially off-putting. She certainly has a booming bark and does bark if she hears something outside in the night (though isn't yappy in general). She's a lurcher cross and in reality loves people and dogs and is a great family pet. There are so many lurchers looking for homes in rescue centres, including puppies. I know labs have a loud bark, but I really don't think they're at all intimidating (and are very often short, I rarely see them with long legs, even working labs can be short ime).

@PallyRoe I get what you mean.

I have a black lab, he is fundamentally a total pussy cat but he is super loyal and is my shadow especially on long runs or walks. He is not remotely scarey but he’s tall and lithe and definitely has a presence. I feel safe with him just being with me.
Despite his stature he doesn’t take up much space and once he gets out a few times a day (he easily covers up to 15km on a normal day even on little walks)he’s happy to just snuggle up in the house. He is working line.

@WetBandits I hear ya🤣 Mine is so tall and lithe though that folk frequently think he’s got a big dog mix. Nope, just my fish/racehorse/Pussycat/mainMan lab. In reality I’m much more terrifying than he is🤣

The black labs I've known have been vicious. One friend had to put him in another room everytime I went round. Another bit a woman on a walk. I read somewhere the other day that out of all the colour labs black ones are the ones prone to bite. My daughter has a Rottweiler, she's really friendly but looks intimidating.

I have had German Shepherds, Dobermans, and Rottweilers.
Our German Shepherd needed more exercise, although no more than I'm sure you give your JRT. We also had a Westie who could walk a lot longer than any of them. All were friendly, but visually intimidating.
I was on a walk with my GSD and she was in the bushes while my Westie was by my side. A man (who was on his own in a dog walking area which made me nervous) saw me and started to walk fast towards me. My westie started to bark and my GSD came out the bushes and I got her on the lead. He saw her and ran away. I was in no doubt he was going to try something, but the sight of my German Shepherd scared him. I completely understand feeling safer with a dog like that and yes they will protect you.

We have a Newfoundland and I never worry when walking her. Even the hardest looking bunch of teenage boys turns soft and sappy and wants a cuddle when they see her.

I agree with Leonberger that a relaxed larger breed might suit you. My sister has a Wolfhound who enjoys long walks, but is also perfectly happy in their postage-stamp garden and tiny living room.

Labrador.

I had a black GSD who weighed 50kgs, Our garden is small, he was perfectly happy in it. Mental stimulation is what this breed needs. Daily training, scent work and so on. I understand why you vetoed this breed though.
But I felt safe with him. People used to cross the road when they saw him ( he was a gentle giant). The number of times I was asked if he was a donkey, a horse or a bear never ceased to amaze me.
My favourite one was when I overheard a little girl asking her mum if he was the Big Bad Wolf! I really miss him.

I get what you mean OP, I have a greyhound who is a complete softie but I do feel more confident walking with him at night as he is so big. He is black, too, which I think helps. Obviously anyone who knows anything about dogs knows that a greyhound would not 'protect' me as such but contrary to what lots of pp have claimed, I do think there is merit in the visual deterrent point. I can't believe that my big dog would not give someone a second's pause on comparison to me walking totally alone.

Some lurchers have chunkier breeds mixed in and might do the trick looks-wise while still being calm and chilled enough for a smaller house and garden :)

My friend has a Manchester terrier. it’s a fu….ing nightmare. Her kids won’t bring her GC to see her because they are terrified of it. I don’t go to her house since it bit me when I was just sitting in the sitting room talking to her ( no, not in ‘his’ chair)

She has previously had German shepherds and a Shepherd cross, all of which were fine with visitors.

We have an Australian Kelpie, Medium sized - are high energy but mine is happy with 1.5 hours walk daily. Look fairly menacing but only care about their ball usually. Maybe worth looking into