Which dog is better/smarter for guard/family dog?

[ks_dad2two]

I have a German Sheperd that Is the best dog A family could ask for and the smartest dog I have ever owned, she is 7 years old so I am looking to get another big dog for securty and loveabill family dog ,one protective should I go with a German Shepard again? or is there a better dog for the job? oh, yea,leave out pet bulls, rotwilers , and boxers! [sorry just not my kinda breed] thanks for the input oh also a dog that can take 32 degrees [ in a garage in the winter] and also handle 120 + degrees [ in the sun! dog can also lay in shade or go to garage + plenty of water!]. one that don't shed long clumps of hair! thanks for the info or input,Kirk

[griz]

Just hard to beat a GSD! Loyal to the bone, intelligent, agile, strong and intimidating appearance. Wouldn't give mine up for any other breed.

[AZXD40]

Both of the dogs mentioned are GREAT guard dogs! Both extremely smart! They are both very similar in behavior, as they were both bread to be war dogs for the Germans.

As well both have had a history of possibly turning on the owner or kids.

Both are on the restricted list as well.

That does not mean all of them do, or even very many of them do, just if you are going to have kids around them it must be considered, both of those dogs are capable of taking a human life (particularly a Childs).

I have had both and neither one of my dogs ever gave me any problems, but I have no children and not sure I would leave a child alone with either of them.

I personally like to think of the Doberman as the Porsche of guard dogs, and the Shepard as the Chevy of guard dogs.

Just my 2 cents

[LUVMYSIGP225]

I was raised around German Shepherds. They were great dogs, but I went through heartbreak as a kid because a neighbor boy attempted to wrestle with me, and my White German attacked him. The dog was doing its job. It was our fault that it happened. They euthanized the dog, and it broke my heart. My own boys have been mostly raised around Great Danes. They do not have the mystique of Shepherds and Dobermans, but the Danes are brutally loyal dogs, they are very protective of children, and they tend to patrol an area around the kids when they play. Most people are terrified of Danes, and won't even get of the car when the Danes are around. Salesmen crap their pants when they pound on the front door, and a dog walks up and nearly looks them in the eye through the window. We recently put our last one down, due to hip dysplasia at age 7. I cannot handle the heartbreak of losing animals anymore, so the kids will have to stick with their Boas and Pythons for pets. No more doggies.

[Anonymous.ro]

We are looking to get a Yourkie as our next defense for home security. I just need a yaper to wake my azz up so i can grab my XD The yorkie is a great watchdog don't let its small size fool you. Falls in #27 smartest dogs too. Has human like hair so when they get wet they don't smell like dogs and they don't shed.

[StrykerDM]

we've always had Doberman Pinschers when I was growing up...if you get one, get a female...they're very territorial and very very loyal. Our first female dobie growing up loved our family to death and was great with my brother and I even when we were babies, and yet she was an excellent guard dog. Anybody that wasn't family, or entering the yard without a family member got the "stare of death" where she wouldn't even bark, but would sit bolt upright in the middle of the driveway, perk up her ears and stare them down. If they got closer, she'd bark several times, then stand up, raise the hair on her back, and continue staring...she did it to a friend of mine once when he came in our gate alone (after I told him to call when he was outside so I could come out and get him), and he was scared as heck. Luckily he was smart enough to turn around and leave the yard. This was the first time that particular friend had visited my yard, so my dog didn't know him yet, but I introduced him to her later, and from then on she was very friendly with him.

Dobie's have lots of personality too. Our last female we had was one I was particulary close to, and the first time I came home from college with my girlfriend, she ran up, nudged her nose between us when I had my arm around my gf and proceeded to lean on my gf till she stepped away from me, then my dobie stepped back over to me and proceeded to beg to get some petting. She was one jealous dog! lol

[Atlus]

my family was in the dog industry for many many years, my mother trained guard/police dogs all through out my child hood. first off let me say that almost every dog can be a "guard dog" in the since that they protect and or defend their pack instinctively. if you are looking for a specific breed as a guard dog then you may or may not be setting yourself up for a let down of sorts. just b/c i dog was bred to do a specific job does not mean that they are going to excel at it. with that being said, if you are looking for a true "guard dog" then buy a dog that has been trained and conditioned for that very specific task, however you must keep in mind that by buying a trained guard dog you are not getting a pet, you are getting an employee.

GSD's, dobermans and the like are FANTASTIC family dogs, saying that they will "turn'' on their owner is a ignorant statement. by law of nature, dogs do not turn on their pack. dogs are dogs, not people, and they should be treated like a lesser being in order for them to maintain a stable state of mind. i know it seems like some dogs know the difference between a child and a adult, however this couldnt be further from the truth. both are recognized as being superior pack members.

go with whatever breed suits your needs the best, cross your fingers, and hope that they will guard/protect. some individual dogs simply will not preform this task. for example, i own two pit bulls, a dog that is historically a completely worthless guard dog. mine never meet a stranger, you could kick in my door guns blazing and be met with a wagging tail. pits can be considered "nanny" breeds, do very very well with children, have a strong since of their place in the pack, VERY loyal, but tend to have a strong prey drive which is why you see a majority of pit bull attacks take place with a fleeing victim. it is all going to boil down to the individual personality of the dog that you bring home. me personally, if i was looking for a guard dog, i would have a rot, or a GSD, both dogs make their presence known. however, if i had kids, i would go with a American bulldog b/c they tend to have less of a prey drive and zero herding back ground. GSD's, rots, and dobermans come from herding backgrounds, they tend to try and herd your children, nipping at their heels, or just chasing them around the yard. which is perfectly safe, dont get me wrong, but if another child where to enter the heard that they dog was guard/protecting you may run into some prey drive issues.

you cant go wrong with whatever dog you choose. you have experience, with one breed so i would suggest to stick with that breed, but do whatever makes you happy. just keep in mind one thing, leaving a dog outside 24/7/365 is not something i would recommend, for a city/suburb setting. dogs can be stolen, i even had my two presa canerios poisoned a few years back and those dogs where only outside under supervision, just goes to show that anything can happen, even if you only turn you back for a moment.

[WD40]

A female German Shepard is hard to top!

[aeneas26]

In my experience, Dobes do not do well being kept outside. Both b/c of their coat and their personality. The extreme temp swings in Kansas are hard for a Dobe to tolerate b/c they are not well equipped for brutal winters. I know that in NE Ks this winter the temps were in the single digits for a solid month. A Dobe can't hang with that type of weather. My Belgian Sheep Dog was fine and loved playing outside, my Dobe not so much.

Also Dobes get really weird/destructive if they are not allowed to be around their family. They are hardwired to be with their owner. If you get a Dobe, they will want to follow you everywhere all the time. If you don't let them they can get whiny/destructive. In short, they are not a breed you can ignore.

The final thing about Dobes is that there has been a concerted effort to breed Dobes that are not as "sharp" in the last few decades. This emphasis is a good thing, IMO, b/c it results in dogs that are wonderful pets that are versatile. But it also means that you could get a Dobe that isn't that great of a watchdog.

If you did your homework when you bought your GSD, then I am sure that you went to a respected kennel and got a dog from good lines. If that is the case, then go back to that same breeder to get another dog. Especially if you are looking for a dog similar to the one you have now. That is probably the easiest way to get a similar dog.

If you went to a backyard breeder last time do everyone a favor and don't go back. Well bred GSDs have wonderful personalities and are much less likely to fear bite or suffer from hip displasia(sp). There are few things that bring me as much joy as a well-bred dog. There is a huge difference between a poorly-bred GSD and a well-bred GSD.

I know of one kennel here in Kansas that breeds working GSDs (think Schutzund), and they have fine dogs. Some of the best around. I would be happy to let you know about them if you are interested.

[W7ACT]

Neither one. I'll take my Ankle bitter any day over those two my vote is for a Chihuahua every time.