Buying a trained guard dog

[Jaycee]

Really, is any job worth putting your family at risk?

[Miss.September]

If it's an ex dog, I'd be wary, especially with young kids. We went through this with our family, getting mature shepherds that were already trained but had been rejected for some reason (like a shepherd who was trained for police but wouldn't stop chasing cats). Each reject dog had serious issues. One would bite. One had separation anxiety. One was rough. My stepmum has extensive knowledge on dog breeding and dog training and every dog she brought home was returned. In the end, she bought a shep puppy - he was raised with four kids around (aged 4-12), he was trained to be an effective guard dog and he was part of the family.

This was my original post. We have done it and it didn't work. It often doesn't work because the dog recognises one master and when you don't train it personally then it doesn't recognise you as that authority. The pup that my stepmum got was trained by her which is why she was able to have him work both at guarding the property and being the family pet.

[Bloom]

Perhaps you could talk to your DH's potential employer about what safety measures they would suggest, if his work will have safety implications for you? I hope you find something that works for you and your family.

[nickle730]

Nope, it seems none of us have owned a dog which has been specifically trained as a protection animal, but many of us do have experience with dogs - specifically of this breed - and kids. A couple of us have also had contact with people who have owned and worked a protection dog and have shared our knowledge of that experience, too. I may have read you intonation wrong (easy to do on the net!), but you seem to be peeved that the people who have taken the time to respond to your thread have been discouraging of the idea to introduce a specifically trained guard dog into your family home. You state that the dog you will buy, for the purpose of security, will be 'already trained in strong obedience and guard dogging' but that it will also be 'part of our family'. As the responses to this thread show, your plan has many, many risks and is unlikely to be successful - for either your family or the animal.

I don't know what sort of work your DH is considering, but it if is work that requires the active use of a protection dog, you (and he!) will need to look very closely at the requirements to keep this dog on your property whilst also keeping yourselves and your visitors safe. If he doesn't require the dog as a part of his work, but you feel that the work itself places you and your family at risk to the extent that you would be willing to keep a trained guard dog in the same home as your children... well, quite frankly I would reconsider whether your DH should take up the work!

[beansbeans!]

My extended family have had specially trained guard dogs when I was growing up. But it was never considered ok to have these dogs around family when they were 'off duty'.
The dogs lived in special areas and were brought out at night when they were expected to be on guard. I felt for them really.
I remember going to these houses when we were little and it was scary, once the dogs flipped out when they saw us wrestling (like young kids do).
The family members who had these dogs never had them around family. Only the alpha male could handle them, give them their love, and when on duty they only listened to him.
I would assume the change in circumstance means you could be moving to an undesirable location, or that the job is something along the lines of debt collector or muscle man, well a job that people do not respond to well when they get visits. If this were the case is it possible to go down another job path? Live elsewhere? Invest in better locks, alarm system? Sure get a dog, but get one that is a family pet, that will always protect you regardless, but also will be safer with children and other friendly visitors.
Fwiw. Our dog we got as a pup, she is an awesome guard dog, loyal, awesome with the girls and wouldn't harm a fly, well unless you try to hurt u or break into our home, then you will be lucky to leave alive.
Also a dog, regardless of how friendly it is cannot be trusted 100%
And a working dog is treated like a working dog, because that how it works best. Same with a seeing eye dog, police dog, army dog, guard dog. If they have been trained to do job then that is a focus. Putting them in situations where their instinct, training and such is questioned is not a good idea. It's not fair on the dog.
I know it did t work well from our history within our family.

[~clover~]

If you must have a guard dog, then as you can probably see, you shouldn't have it as a family dog.

No, I haven't been in that situation. Don't know anyone who has. I do know people with guard dogs who have kids, but the kids don't walk outside til the dogs are locked up.

I would hope that the guard dog wouldn't be your only security. Anyone with determination will bait a dog.

If you need a guard dog, get a guard dog. Keep it as a guard dog. If you want a family dog, get a family dog. There is no way I could sit here & happily say 'sure, bring a trained guard dog into your home with your children'. We've had mix breed dogs that would be considered 'dangerous' breeds all my life. Staffy's, great danes, mastiff's. But we've never had a bite, or attack because we're not silly enough to trust our dogs, no matter the breed. But they've always been family dogs with their own instinct to protect.

But I do know people who've had kids attacked, or people who's dogs attack. And you can see that those dogs haven't been put in their place in the pack. If you were to get a pre trained dog, it would be a lot harder to put him in his place. And risky for your children. And not one person who has experience with dogs will sit here & tell you that what you want to do is an acceptable way of doing things. Because it is your families safety that comes first.

[~Kim~]

If someone has actual experience with this, please message me and this thread can be closed.

Ta.

Moderator Message »
This thread will not be closed. It is the opinion of the mod team that this thread contains some great info which every potential dog owner should read, regardless of whether they want a dog for protection or just so their kids can have a puppy. We will not close a thread just because the person who started it didn't get the reply that they want.

Furthermore if you have issues with a thread or want a thread closed in future please use the correct channels to contact the moderator team (the report function or a PM) rather than complaining in the thread itself.