interested in getting best guard/protection breed

[malinoisowner]

we're interested in getting another dog along with our belgian malinois. we want the best guard and most protective breed. we have been looking into rottweilers, anatolian shepherds, german shepherds, akitas, and mastiffs. does anyone know the pros and cons to each of these breeds and any suggestions and additional information about them. we have a very large lard and alot of woods.

 

[Lizmo]

Why do you want a breed that is the best protector? What do you plan to do with this dog?

 

[Zoom]

You've got two types of guardians in your list; the personal type guardians and the livestock guardians. Each has their pros and cons and different personalities. What EXACTLY are you looking for in a dog and why?

 

[SisMorphine]

According to your other post you already have a Mal puppy. Unless there is someone who will plan on attacking you very soon, I would not worry about getting a second dog and focus on your Mal for now. They are very high drive and I have seen some FANTASTIC Mals in personal protection. You just need to devote the time and effort to the puppy you have now so that you will have a fantastic personal protection dog in the future.

 

[malinoisowner]

we dont have livestock or anything, we want a very very loyal dog that is willing to utterly protect our house, yard, and family. we dont want it to be slow, we want a large, athletic and very smart breed. is their one from my list or another u could reccomend?

 

[malinoisowner]

about our malinois, we are training him very much and are working alot with him, but we are deeply considering getting another dog also

 

[Zoom]

I do have a breed in mind, but at the same time I am going to encourage you to concentrate on your Mal for now. They're not known as Land Sharks for nothing! You'll have your hands full for quite some time with him and it's always best to have your first dog trained up the way you want them before adding in another puppy. This way the pup has an example to learn from and it's a good one, and the older dog knows the rules and will be more at ease with major changes.

 

[malinoisowner]

just out of curiosity what wat the breed u had in mind?

 

[Zoom]

The Fila Brasilero, but it takes a very breed-knowledgable person to raise them properly. There are a few members on here with one or so.

 

[malinoisowner]

is that a rare breed because i havnt really heard of them, and was ther one from the list that could best fit the descriptions i wrote, im just wondering, i doubt we will get another now that we are considering just our malinous now

 

[Buddy'sParents]

It is a rare breed and is NOT for everyone. With a mal, I would seriously consider waiting until that Mal is mature and you have known what it is like to have a protective breed. He/she may be all you need.

 

[Zoom]

Have you had a dog like a Mal before? I'm seriously not being mean, but I kind of doubt it if you're already looking for another protection dog while this one is still a puppy. Wait and see what fun this one will be!

 

[malinoisowner]

its ok i dont think ur being mean and i appreciate your help, to be honest with u we wernt even thinkin about getting another dog, we're fine with out malinois, my brother and his family were and i thought i'd help him out by asking some questions...from the list (which he gave me) would u suggest any?

 

[SisMorphine]

Does your brother have any dog experience? If so, does he have any experience with protective breeds? Exactly WHAT does he want/need this dog for? Most protective/guardian breeds can be difficult to manage. All that most people need is a dog who will bark when someone comes to the door as that's all it takes to deter most of the unsavory people that can lurk.

 

[Amstaffer]

For protection purposes, I think the Mal is as much as most people ever need. I have seen 70lbs Mal easily take a full grown man down during bite work.

A Mal is a very high energy breed and will require a lot of time and energy.

You mentioned Rotties, I have owned three in my life and they make excellent dogs. Mine were excellent watch dogs but I never encouraged aggression and they were never put in a situation where they had to be aggressive.

Here is an informative article written on Protection dogs....it focuses on Presa Canarios because they have a kennel that raises them but I found the information worthwhile.
http://www.red-star-kennel.com/pptraining.htm
Like Filas....Presas are a dog for experienced dog handlers.

 

[MelissaCato]

Akita's are nice for the woods, really nice to comunicate with wolves and yotes. I had an Akita 15 years ago on my mountain, her vocals let the wolves know they are welcome around my home. Before the Akita they never stayed on my mountain. Since then I have the pleasure of living with wolves. A wolf will alert you of danger miles away. I love it. Now I have a Mal and Cattle Dog who communicate with wolves mountaintops away. Like they need to know where everyone is. It's amazing.

I dunno if this helps you ... but it's a thought.

 

[malinoisowner]

he has had dogs in the past, im pretty sure hes had a golden retriever, boxer, and doberman. he has a really nice house that he just built and said hes willing to put alot of time into the dogs training. like i said before he has a very large yard and alot of woods. he was looking into a dog that is very very loyal, very protective and an excellent guard dog and large and somewhat athletic. he gave me a list as to what he has been looking at: rottweilers, anatolian shepherds, akitas, german shepherds, and mastiffs. he doesnt have livestock, but he really wants something capable of protecting his home.

 

[Romy]

One thing to remember about some of these breeds (like akitas, presa canarios, fila brasilierso) is that many of them do not get along with other dogs. Is he hoping to have more than one dog some day? That is something to consider as well.

A well bred rottie is a wonderful dog. GREAT guardian of people and livestock, but also when well bred and well socialized they tend to be fine with visitors so you wouldn't have to worry about the dog showing inappropriate guarding tendencies. Also, I would expect a rottie to be more accepting of another dog if he ever wanted a second dog during the first dog's life time, as opposed to an akita or a fila.

A lot of mastiffs are not so protective of territory, but it depends on the individual dog. My aunt has a 160 lb. mastiff lab mix, and a 65 lb. german shepherd. When I was house sitting and someone broke in, it was the german shepherd who saved me. The mastiff just sat there and drooled. Serious.

 

[animalcraker]

Just curious why you didn't mention that the dog was for your brother in the first place?

 

[Barb04]

Just to say that Anatolians are great dogs but they do "have a mind of their own". You should never protection train one because when they decide they want to do something, they will do it and no command will work. They are great dogs but not for the inexperienced owner. This is coming from someone who owns an Anatolian and knows a lot about them.