Best Dogs

[ATCclears]

I still miss our Bluetick Coonhound. He was very kind, but would only be good for alerting/barking.

The vid is not mine but those who like hounds will enjoy it.
Bluetick coonhound puppies - YouTube

Peter

 

[JGRuby]

Thanks, James. This is exactly what I need to know. I'd love one of these dogs. But..I have an office job and and the dog would need to be able to be alone for long spells. While I can make some sorts of commitments, I don't think what I can commit to is enough to keep an Australian Shepherd or a border collie or a McNab happy and that'd just be a disservice to the dog.

Thanks for letting me know before I made a mistake.

It's one of the reasons I guess that I like lab mixes. They're usually just a little too stupid to figure out that they've been left alone for the better part of a day.

I made a mistake when I was in high school -I got a Irish Setter that was a tremendous bird dog when it came to pheasants. Being in high school and then leaving for the Navy I never gave him the attention he needed. I have many regrets because of things I should have done differently and maybe this is one reason today that if I have a dog it is a member of the family not just a yard ornament. I think the mid to late teens is the worst time to have a dog because young peoples life's are just getting started and there are too many directions to go where the dog must be left behind.

James Ruby

 

[Father of four]

I still miss our Bluetick Coonhound. He was very kind, but would only be good for alerting/barking.

The vid is not mine but those who like hounds will enjoy it.
Bluetick coonhound puppies - YouTube

Peter

My moms dad was a trapper for many years back in North Carolina. He had a Bluetick Coonhound name "Thooch". I will forever remember his bark. Grandpa had other dogs (some other kind of small hounds) that he would also take with him to tree a possum, a raccoon or a bear but "Thooch" was his go to dog.

Thanks for reminding me!

Howard

 

[rgold1963]

Here is Rex at 8 weeks and then at 2 years. I am pretty sure that most people would not want to see him running towards them at full speed with his hair standing up and teeth out but again, his main job is to alert us when someone shows up which he is very good at.
He loves water almost as much as snow. It's hard to get him inside when it's snowing. He would love to live somewhere that had snow on the ground all year long.

Ron

 

[notazombie]

I have a 9 year old brindle Boxer/Bullmastiff female. Ears and tail are docked and she weighs about 80 pound. She's an incredible visual deterrent but is probably too friendly. Overall I would say she is much more Mastiff in temperament and really only plays like a Boxer. Otherwise she's very subdued in nature. Statistically, she's probably only got a couple years left but I plan to get another Mastiff breed as her replacement. Probably a Cane Corso.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Statistically, she's probably only got a couple years left but I plan to get another Mastiff breed as her replacement. Probably a Cane Corso.

I was wondering if anyone here has a Cane Corso. I love my Husky but those Corsos seem like awesome dogs. Very affectionate, great with kids, and loyal to the family but can become a major kill-factory for a bad guy that tries to mess with the family.

 

[clearconscience]

I have a great dane, black lab, boxer/pitbull?
Got her at the pound and she is my child. Inside she is the best dog, no pooping or peeing since we got her. She listens better than my wife and will even follow hand signals. It's actually impressive to me still. But out of the house she's a freight train with no brakes. She just hasn't been around dogs and people much. A little skiddish.

But I would kill for her. And she would die for me.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

U

Here is Rex at 8 weeks and then at 2 years. I am pretty sure that most people would not want to see him running towards them at full speed with his hair standing up and teeth out but again, his main job is to alert us when someone shows up which he is very good at.
He loves water almost as much as snow. It's hard to get him inside when it's snowing. He would love to live somewhere that had snow on the ground all year long.

Ron

That's a good lookin' boy!

 

[TapRackNGo]

I like Boxers

His name is Champion he's 8 months in this photo. Excellent with children.

View attachment 140730

 

[gaijinsamurai]

I've always had an affinity for Blue Heelers, but I'm not sure they'd be the best breed for an urban/suburban home with limited space for them to run.

I also like pit bulls and German shephards for their temperment. I have small kids and there are a lot of neighborhood children in the area, and I'd have no problem with those breeds.

 

[JGRuby]

I think highly of Heelers in general but the one thing to remember is that they call them a heeler for a reason. They nip at the back of livestocks legs to get them to move. That is not so bad until they feel they need to herd you. Some times it is very hard to train out an instinctive trait. If you have small children this could be a problem.

James Ruby

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I think highly of Heelers in general but the one thing to remember is that they call them a heeler for a reason. They nip at the back of livestocks legs to get them to move. That is not so bad until they feel they need to herd you. Some times it is very hard to train out an instinctive trait. If you have small children this could be a problem.

James Ruby

Too true, I have had that issue with Rottweilers! Some of them will herd people and with strong willed dogs like Rott's you have to firmly nip it in the bud!

Pun unintended!

 

[clearconscience]

I was going to write more last night but the baby woke up.
We got out dog at the pound and I have to say I would probably get my next one there. We looked at different shelters for months before finding her. She was the only one there (prob 100+) dogs not barking and just sitting. She is really skiddish, and we have to lock her up in a kennel when we leave for work or she gets pissed. When were putting her in the kennel she runs right in but shakes like a leaf in a tornado. Poor girl.

I'm not sure if I would ever buy a pitbull but i've heard as long as there from good families they are the most loyal and friendly dogs. And protective!
My dog sounds mean as hell and she can be pretty intimidating, so I like her for my family. Shes great around kids and our baby. We've had kids oull her tail and grab her ears and she doesn't mind a bit.

I think it's the great dane in her. She's only about 60lbs and looks like a miniture great dane.

I think there's something about adopting a dog and they can be the most loyal and protective dogs.

 

[Hook686]

A Standard Poodle is my choice. They were originally bred by the Germans in the 15th century to retrive birds from the Baltic Sea, which is the reason for the lush coat of hair (not fur) that they carry. They were also trained to be guardians of the castle. They still have this breeding in them and being the most intelligent breed they can be taught quickly most any task. Besides that, they do not shed.

This dog will alert me, with one bark and find me and give a paw touch, when anyone enters the property. After alerting me, he covers my six.

 

[Father of four]

View attachment 64311
After alerting me, he covers my six.

 

[Swedish K]

The best dog I ever had was my female rottweiler that I lost back in December after 15 years. As someone said above, female rots tend to be more territorial and stick close to home and their person/people. She was spectacular when it came to being alert - she would bark once or twice if someone walked by the house just to let you know but if she thought there was a threat outside she would give a low growl and stare through the wall at where the intruder might be - never was wrong about that either. She would protect kids from adults like no tomorrow and you couldn't keep her out of the water if there were kids in the pool - she absolutely had to be next to them to make sure they were safe. Oh - no squirrel was safe in her presence - she hated them with a passion since the little tree rats would throw fruit down at her and if they were on a branch below 7 feet she would grab them out of the tree. Never broke the skin but when she was done with them they looked like roadkill - crushed flat.
We picked up a lab a year or so before I lost the Rot - he's a good dog and will let me know if anyone is getting near the house including the deer but I miss my old girl. I think my next pup will be another female Rot or possibly a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. - same family as the rotties but with the white markings and usually about 10-20% bigger than the rots.

 

[MarkAd]

I think my next pup will be another female Rot or possibly a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. - same family as the rotties but with the white markings and usually about 10-20% bigger than the rots.

The same family as rots is where the simialities end.
GET THE ROTTIE

 

[Scvette]

Here is Rex at 8 weeks and then at 2 years. I am pretty sure that most people would not want to see him running towards them at full speed with his hair standing up and teeth out but again, his main job is to alert us when someone shows up which he is very good at.
He loves water almost as much as snow. It's hard to get him inside when it's snowing. He would love to live somewhere that had snow on the ground all year long.

Ron

How much does Rex weigh? I'm looking for a big GSD to meet my female GSD. Here's a pic of her,she's about 85lbs. Not sure where you live but I'm in olympia.

 

[Scvette]

I forgot to say she is very protective and a very good judge of characture of people,she also loves the water,we live close to a lake and have relatives there,it's hard to keep her out of the water,we also have a pool and when the cover is open she goes crazy wanting in,we don't let her,very often,we did start her out young in the pool though.

 

[notazombie]

Man, there's a bunch of Rottie love in here. I've never had one but always though they were great. Since they seem to get guard duty alot, most people don't realize they were originally bred primarily for herding. I think that's what makes them so great around kids. The working breeds are great -- especially if you give them some work to do.

We got out dog at the pound and I have to say I would probably get my next one there. We looked at different shelters for months before finding her. She was the only one there (prob 100+) dogs not barking and just sitting.
...I think there's something about adopting a dog and they can be the most loyal and protective dogs.

That sounds just like how I got mine. She was used as breeding stock and dumped at the pound at about 5 years old. I actually went to get a GSD puppy but it was already gone. As I was looking at the rest of the dogs it just struck me how relaxed she was in the midst of the chaos. We bonded very quickly and I just couldn't (and still can't) imagine how someone could just throw away such a great animal. Pound dogs are where it's at.