Dog recommendation URGENT please

[Matryoshka]

Can someone please recommend me a breed of dog which has a gentle temperament around small children, but is also very alert and would make a good security dog. Not so much to defend the property but to bark a lot when it senses people to alert of danger and scare off intruders.

[christy]

Pugalier.... Cavalier cross Pug. Fantastic breed of dog, fantastic temperment with children but I'm not sure about barking...

Labrador? Great with kids and can bark quite a bit. BUT they take heaps of training to become good dogs really can be destructive in chewing as pups.

I would recommend having a look around at a RSPCA, all the dogs have been temperment tested and you can find a good dog there.

Most fantastic guard dogs, are not suitable for families... its unfortunate but true.

[Matryoshka]

Thank you Christy, whats your opinion on the king charles cavalier? or cross with ****er spaniel?

[sushee]

I had CKCs and they are NOT guard dogs in any sense of the word.

Mind you my Lab isn't much of a guard dog either. He doesn't even bark if someone comes to the door. And WA Labs have a tendency towards epilepsy, I've been told by my vet. And they're pretty destructive as puppies. But lovely dogs otherwise with excellent temperaments.

[AJC]

I'm pretty bias when it comes to dogs, I would get a Labrador. I love Golden Retrievers too but they can be a bit nuts for the first 2 years or so, Lab's are a bit easier. Like any dog though they require time & attention and will only be as obedient as you teach them to be.

[Ginger]

you can't go past a golden retriever in terms of temperament, especially around kids, but they are not great guard dogs. our cars were robbed while our goldie slept on the couch.

[Lulu]

He he Cavies are beautiful, but guard dogs they ain't!
Lab's shed hair like there is no tomorrow but they are lovely.

I don't think you can get a good guard dog with a family in mind, it just doesn't work. It's not a rooly good idea to buy a dog in haste either.

Would it be better to get one of those security cars to sweep by? They are probably cheaper to keep....

[AliBaby]

I would recommend a cross breed dog. They tend to have less medical problems and you can get the best of both dogs.

I have a poodle cross shihtzu who is absolutely fantastic around children. I have even trusted him to be around 20 five year old children in my class and he has not snapped at anyone, he even let them pick him up under his front legs, drag him around, pull on his tail and he just tolerates it.

We did however get him used to this from a pup with us doing it to him so he would learn that it is okay. (We never hurt him, we just get him used to people touchjing his ears, feet, tail, etc).

He also is an excellent security job although I am sure he thinks he owns the col-der-sac in our street. We jsut wanted a dog who would bark if someone came on our property to alert us or people around that something was up. He does the job very well.

He is also a breed that doesnt require alot of walks and exercise btu loves to get out if someone will take him.

Another dog that if a fantastic breed around children would be a labrodor croos poodle for very similar reasons to above.

I will post a pic up in the gallery so you can see what my little Max looks like. Oh he also doesnt drop hair which is great for around kids. he can be an inside or an outside dog.

[sushee]

I think I agree with Lulu here that if you get a good guard dog, you probably won't have the kind of temperament you want in a family dog. There are exceptions, but you don't find out which ones those are by the breed, but by the individual dog, and that's like playing the lottery.

My lab was a nightmare for the first 3 years. And he has quite a few health problems that have cost us quite a lot of money, esp now he's getting on in age. Would I get another lab for my next dog? Probably not. But he's been a great dog nonetheless. And yes he sheds like a demon. I have tumbleweeds of doghair in my backyard that could swallow my house if I didn't sweep up every weekend.

Next time I'm getting a small dog breed with a proven good temperament, and get an alarm system installed for security.

[*Efjay*]

Pugalier.... Cavalier cross Pug.

eww, what kind of health problems would crossing those two breeds have?

[ShootingStar]

I have a Lab x Boarder collie (lives with my parents).
She is a GREAT dog. Great family dog and great guard dog. Barks at anyone who walks on my parents yard and is always guarding the house. Very smart.. like another person really. But yeh would highly recommend them.

[sushee]

More than likely far less health problems than a Pug or a Cavalier would have, FJ. Generally cross bred dogs are more robust as they don't have the breed-related health issues that pure bred dogs do.

Eg a Pugalier would not have the shortened nose of a Pug, and therefore wouldn't have the breathing, or even the 'bug-eyed' problems that pugs do.

[*Efjay*]

I wouldn't trust a boarder collie (even a cross) around kids.

eta- I realise what your saying about cross breeds Sushee but crossing those particular breeds?? Both have a lot of health problems of their own & your not guaranteed not to get the bad health problems of each breed in the new cross. Pugs have a short nose & big eyes, but Cavalier have bug eyes too & ear problems. the list goes on.
I just see them as 2 problem breeds health wise. Would be ok if you crossed one with a more healthy breed.

[christy]

FJ funnily enough the few I have seen have been fantastic, not the normal health issues you see in pugs or cavies. No heart defects, eye issues, ear issues, skin issues.... no brachycephalic issues.... good temperments... overall a bit more energetic than the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (cavies for short).

We had one in last week which we were all in love with, it had been hit by a car...

[ShootingStar]

Border Collies are very smart and loyal dogs.. like labs.. we've never had any problems with ours.

[*Efjay*]

So your working here too Christy? Where?

[christy]

I'm now at the Veterinary Specialist Centre in North Ryde, but I do shifts for the Animal Critical Care Emergency Services as well... its the same building but ones after hours work and the other is with the medical specialists. So I've lost my behaviour work but I'm doing more full on stuff now than I have ever done before.

Kell... personally, I have known some beautiful Border Collies, but they are in the top 5 dogs to bite owners. So unfortunately, they have a bad rap. The top 5 dogs include: German Shepherds, Miniture Fox Terriers, Border Collies, Australian Cattle Dogs and..... Golden Retrievers!!! Its freaky, but most of the dogs were bred to work, not to be in a human family.

[Janie]

I think that whatever sort of dog you get, it's REALLY important to do a lot of training with it. It should definitely know it's place in the family, and all children should know how to handle the dog (age-appropriate of course).

That's really interesting Christy, about BC's, I wouldn't have thought that!