Best Dogs

[Scvette]

I am a UPS driver who spends 11 hours a day delivering packages to homes in mostly rural areas. Most of these homes have dogs and many of them run loose, so dealing with other peoples dogs on their property in the role of an "intruder" is something I have a lot of experience (25 years) doing.

You would be amazed (and maybe a little disturbed) how many supposedly "mean" dogs can be won over with nothing more than a few kind words and a biscuit. Yes, I'm talking about your dog. Your pit bull, your Doberman, your Rottie. The one that was barking like crazy and acting all tough when I pullled into your driveway, but which jumped right into the open door of my truck the moment I killed the engine and took a biscuit from me or is trying to get up into my lap to be petted.

I especially love it when the owner comes running out of the house, all apologetic and concerned about the fact that his "vicious" guard dog was barking at me and jumping into my truck, only to find said dog up in my lap munching on a biscuit or lying flat on its back on the floor of the cab getting a belly rub.

The sad reality is that a lot of people have an overrated sense of how effective their so-called "guard dog" actually is when it comes to deterring or intimidating people. In my opinion, a dog should serve as an alarm and a companion, nothing else.

I'll tell you this much,if you came to my house,well put it this,that's exactly what my dog would do,but if you forgot the treat,that's a different story. I don't know what it is with you guys,but she seems to like ups guys,but not anyone else.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Lilly, my Bull Mastif absolutely hates UPS trucks and drivers. Too bad because my driver is a good guy and would love to give her a scratch! She also will not take a treat from a non-family person. Dogs have as many personalities as people and I wouldn't change that.

 

[soberups]

I'll tell you this much,if you came to my house,well put it this,that's exactly what my dog would do,but if you forgot the treat,that's a different story. I don't know what it is with you guys,but she seems to like ups guys,but not anyone else.

I buy the bulk 5lb bags of dog biscuits at Fred Meyer and keep them in my truck. I go thru almost a bag per week handing them out. Its cheap insurance. I even stock the truck up with extra bags when I go on vacation so that the poor guy who fills in for me is "armed" and ready for the hordes of dogs that will descend upon him looking for their daily handout.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

^^ Yup, and pulled butcher's meat carts too. They can be a little bullish and strong-willed sometimes, but with dedicated training, they are awesome dogs. I took my german shepherd I had through obedience training when I was younger, and while she really was a great dog, I do prefer the rottweiler. Every bit as smart and devoted, a more confident fearless guard, more clownish and playful personality towards family, and less shedding hair!

I'm not knocking the german shepherd, they are great dogs. So are dobermans. I just prefer rotts for my family. When we go hiking in the woods I take both the rott and dobie, with them and my 10MM I feel pretty safe. While the dobie is faster, not much will get by a loyal 140lb. rottweiler.

Heres Axel watching over us at a secluded river swimming hole as people walked up:

I have a new scanner, will post some awesome pics of our Rottie buddies

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I am a UPS driver who spends 11 hours a day delivering packages to homes in mostly rural areas. Most of these homes have dogs and many of them run loose, so dealing with other peoples dogs on their property in the role of an "intruder" is something I have a lot of experience (25 years) doing.

You would be amazed (and maybe a little disturbed) how many supposedly "mean" dogs can be won over with nothing more than a few kind words and a biscuit. Yes, I'm talking about your dog. Your pit bull, your Doberman, your Rottie. The one that was barking like crazy and acting all tough when I pullled into your driveway, but which jumped right into the open door of my truck the moment I killed the engine and took a biscuit from me or is trying to get up into my lap to be petted.

I especially love it when the owner comes running out of the house, all apologetic and concerned about the fact that his "vicious" guard dog was barking at me and jumping into my truck, only to find said dog up in my lap munching on a biscuit or lying flat on its back on the floor of the cab getting a belly rub.

The sad reality is that a lot of people have an overrated sense of how effective their so-called "guard dog" actually is when it comes to deterring or intimidating people. In my opinion, a dog should serve as an alarm and a companion, nothing else.

I agree. Only poison proofed canines can be relied upon. It's a simple process. Our rotties we have so trained would not even take water from you. But we would never let them loose as area protection dogs

 

[Sgt Nambu]

When I got Roxie, a Doberman and my first dog as an adult, I took her to a school operated by former military dog handlers and they trained me to train her! I taught her all the hand signals and poison proofing, letting my wife or I remove her food bowl, etc. These days it's just basic obedience and the only hand signals are stop and stay. Seems to work for us. Of course, like Blitzkrieg, they are companions, not area guards.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Down is IMO an additional important hand signal command

 

[Bruin]

Sgt Nambu,
Max has past on, but I stall have his brother Lobo see the picture . I have had 28 Dobermans as pets from 1960 to1980. That makes me an expert on Dobermans. But I still prefer Rottweiler hands down. The reason Dobermans are not used for polices work is they are to intelligent and won't attack a guy with a gun. When they do attack they don't just bite they tear the muscle off the bone.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Sgt Nambu,
Max has past on, but I stall have his brother Lobo see the picture . I have had 28 Dobermans as pets from 1960 to1980. That makes me an expert on Dobermans. But I still prefer Rottweiler hands down. The reason Dobermans are not used for polices work is they are to intelligent and won't attack a guy with a gun. When they do attack they don't just bite they tear the muscle off the bone.

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An angry Rottie can literally take a strong man's arm off.. Their few negatives are that after 2 or 3 they can't jump fences well, and they lack distance endurance.. neither are negatives as family protectors

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Ha, Ha, guys! I'll tell you something else a Doberman can't or won't do! That's hyperextend one of my toasty old knees every few days like my Rott's did! Dobes don't rearrange the furniture with their heads either! That they are dainty in movement is one of the things that I like best about them, that and their intellect. Takes a really smart dog to keep up with me! LOL!!!
That Lobo is a beauty! My wife went crazy! Beautiful head shot!

 

[ernurse]

Ive always owned female german shepherd dogs my whole life, bout 12 years back we got a gsd/standard collie mix, best dog ever, huge at 125 lbs, best herder ive ever had, here on the farm when the llamas or goats got out hed herd them right back in and never bit any of them, the critters respected him and he was a joy to watch. So now I have another Pure Bred standard collie(looks like lassie) smart as a whip. great guard dog and herder as was his predecessor. hes just 6 months old now. Im going to get another GSD once the divorce is final in couple of months. So ill have the collie and Male GSD this time. Out here in the countryside its nice to have dogs that make bad guys think twice and I really appreciate there intelligence and wanting to be part of the pack and take care of their humans.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

One Rottweiler, one German shepherd and one red queensland healer. All are males. The Healer's the brains of the outfit hands down, quick, quiet and cunning. The shepherds a great dog as well. Charlie the Rottweiler is a fearless brute that would stop at nothing to protect my wife and grandkids.

 

[notazombie]

When I was in my early 20s I brought home a GSD/Husky(?) puppy that had been abandoned near my workplace. My wife and I were both full time working students living in a rental house that didn't allow pets. The puppy was well cared for but probably didn't get the attention/training she deserved. I wouldn't say she was above average in the intelligence department but was very sweet and eager to please. Shortly before graduating we found out our daughter was on the way. This prompted a relocation and job changes right after graduation. I ended up giving the dog to a coworker who had 2 retired GSD police dogs. He worked on basic training with her and she really started to shine. She turned out to be one of the best dogs he ever had. Looking back, I really feel like I let that dog down but I'm glad she ended up where she did.

 

[LoneStar]

I am partial to Labradors & Rottweilers.

 

[gimpyhunter]

If you want a lap dog, get a Rott or a Great Dane. They don't really understand you thinking they don't belong on you. Family been in high dollar Rotts for over 30 years. My last dog, a Service Dog was a yellow lab and we were partnered for 12.5 years. A 50-70# female of some type will be my next one. As I age, I want smaller.

By the way, Rotts are not especially interested in things moving far away. They'll sleep so they're fresh when needed. No reason to run all that way. Wait until they get closer. I love the way they talk.

 

[68fastback]

By the way, Rotts are not especially interested in things moving far away. They'll sleep so they're fresh when needed. No reason to run all that way. Wait until they get closer. I love the way they talk.

Well put It cracks me up how they talk and turn their head to the side. My Rott also sings/howls to one and only one song, "eye of the tiger"... He did it since he heard it when he was a pup, and never to any other song. 8 years later, if he hears it he'll immediately stop what he's doing and start his howl/singing. Sometimes we'll just play the intro music to see his head turn and the priceless look on his face, he gets so excited. Its the darndest thing and gets alot of laughs!

 

[Sgt Nambu]

We trained our Rottweilers to howl with us and we did it often. A splendid time for us all! Dinner at the Nambu's included a show!

 

[Walter Sobchak]

I've got a 10 year old beagle. He was my hunting partner for years, til a bum knee (and my wife and kids babying him) turned him into a wimp. Many a bunny fled him, only to meet their end at the muzzle of my shotgun. Now he's basically a sausage shaped alarm system. Anyone even considers turning around in our driveway, and we get to hear about it.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

We trained our Rottweilers to howl with us and we did it often. A splendid time for us all! Dinner at the Nambu's included a show!

That's funny.. the wonderful girl we just had to put down this winter was Bernie, she would howl at sirens and aircraft.. we figured she was meant to be a search and rescue hound. She was of great energy and character and gentle with children

 

[CrossHairs]

It's been mentioned loosely, but training a dog is something that should not be overlooked. Ok, we're in the preparedness and survival forum, so I'll keep it in context.

How many of you have dogs that can, on command, either send that dog into attack, or similarly stop it mid attack? On a specific target! I've watched an Alsatian in mid flight about to hit a padded man pull up and hit the dirt, a foot or two from its target. Growling and pissed off, but stopped nonetheless, one of the best trained dogs I have witnessed. Quite astonishing, and all to a command that was given at a little over normal conversation level.

Can you silence your dog on command? Now that's training!?

Make your dog walk to heel with little more than a whisper?

Have complete control over your dog at any time, in any place, with or without a leash? Once the command was given, our dogs would not hesitate to go from full play to being as close to your side as was physically possible and looking up at you waiting for the next command.

Both my parents trained dogs for the Air Force(both single and multi handler) and also managed weekend civilian obedience training. We had Dobermans and Alsatians and I spent a great many hours myself training dogs to operate on command. It's a long and complex process, but if you want a dog that can be both controlled and perform. It's essential.

When it comes to the crunch, is your dog just consuming food (and a full sized dog will eat a lot. something to consider while you are contemplating the SHTF that just happened) and providing little more than a deterrent, or can you turn that animal, on command, into something to defend your family or help with providing food?

I'm not trying to ruffle feathers here, just pointing out that a dog is practically worthless if it has not been sufficiently trained. There are exceptions, some breeds will be good at defending a homestead, others at hunting, but it all comes down to control and training.

Just having a dog is not enough, consider what you want the dog to do, train it. We spend hours on the range honing our shooting skills, how many hours have you spent training with your dog in the last few weeks!

Just food for thought.