# Guard Dog



## Tarek.shalash (Jun 2, 2013)

Hello Guys  ,, 

I had a question from a friend of mine and I want your valuable opinion,,,

my friend lives in a remote area in our country and he have three kids , so he wanted to purchase a GSD to do some protection from intruders and so ,, he is first confused between buying a guard trained GSD which is a bit pricy (and scary as he say  ! ) , or a puppy which needs training and special treatment to be a reliable guard dog but will be familiar with the kids and family from young age,, 

for me I advised to have a trained dog , but I really never owned one , my little experience is from my readings and the videos I watch (I purchased all Leerburg Kennel videos if anyone heard of them), and having a trained dog saves a lot of effort in training and enhancing the personality and focus,,, 

but how do you bond with an already trained dog ? is it hard ? does it take time ? and will it be a loyal friend and companion same as having it from a puppy age ?? will it ever bite me ? will it accept the correction and not attack back !! so many questions  ! if anyone with experience can help  ...


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## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

GSDs are protective by nature. If he wants a dog that is my inclined to be a family dog, get a trained one. or get a surveillance system with armed response (cheaper IMO) If he wants a family dog to also protect the people adopt a 1-2 yr old GSD. 


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

some GSD's are protective some aren't. you can adopt a
1-2 yr old dog but it doesn't mean the dog is going to be
protective.



erfunhouse said:


> GSDs are protective by nature. If he wants a dog that is my inclined to be a family dog, get a trained one. or get a surveillance system with armed response (cheaper IMO) If he wants a family dog to also protect the people adopt a 1-2 yr old GSD.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Tarek.shalash (Jun 2, 2013)

erfunhouse said:


> GSDs are protective by nature. If he wants a dog that is my inclined to be a family dog, get a trained one. or get a surveillance system with armed response (cheaper IMO) If he wants a family dog to also protect the people adopt a 1-2 yr old GSD.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks @erfunhouse for your advise, but u know its always much nicer to have a pet in the house that can be a play mate and a friend than a punch of machines ! And if i went with your second advise how can i gain the trust of the new dog? Should i just play with it for couple of moths and socialize with it and it will know im the new owner?? Is that what it only takes?


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## Tarek.shalash (Jun 2, 2013)

doggiedad said:


> some GSD's are protective some aren't. you can adopt a
> 1-2 yr old dog but it doesn't mean the dog is going to be
> protective.


Thank you  i emphasize on that ! I know that the GSD especially can be bread out of their protective gene ! 


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## Malachi'sMama (Jun 10, 2013)

I agree with doggiedad on this one.
GSDs may be an inherently more protective breed as a whole, but not all are. Some GSDs just don't have the personality. They are as individual as we are. If he/you is looking for a protection dog that is also going to be reliable around children, I suggest finding a reputable breeder/trainer that does as much protection training as socializing.

Bonding takes time..trained or not. It will take time for the dog to understand its place in your 'pack', etc. I can't say that it will never bite you. 

Perhaps you can find a breeder/trainer with an older pup that he is training- that your family can go through the training along with the dog. That way your dog will bond with the kids as well as learn to understand who is alpha. In a family situation, this may be a better option IMO. I'm no professional though, and I'm sure there are lots of people here who are more qualified to answer this..


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## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

I still say LCD would be better picking a good tempered dog as opposed to getting a trained dog. Little knowledge f the breed and getting a dog like that? Unsafe. 


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## Tarek.shalash (Jun 2, 2013)

erfunhouse said:


> I still say LCD would be better picking a good tempered dog as opposed to getting a trained dog. Little knowledge f the breed and getting a dog like that? Unsafe.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


 
hi sorry but what LCD stands for ?


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## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

Tarek.shalash said:


> hi sorry but what LCD stands for ?


Sorry. Posting from my iPhone at 0400 after being up working all night. GSD. German Shepherd Dog


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## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

I was trying to figure out how a Liquid Crystal Display would help pick out a good tempered dog as well.  JK


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## Tarek.shalash (Jun 2, 2013)

Loneforce said:


> I was trying to figure out how a Liquid Crystal Display would help pick out a good tempered dog as well.  JK


 
LOL   !! and don't worry @*erfunhouse* ! go get some sleep  !!


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

tell him to just get a neopolian mastiff never a lgd not a real one for a family, the ones that are living in family homes are not the serious real ones that are imported, they do well outdoors liviing with cows or sheep not with a family.

Getting a trained GSD is a huge liability and some charge 50k now? with that money i can get you all kinds of man eating dogs and fence them for you and throw in a human aggressive horse also make a barn for it as well.


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## Tarek.shalash (Jun 2, 2013)

pets4life said:


> tell him to just get a neopolian mastiff never a lgd not a real one for a family, the ones that are living in family homes are not the serious real ones that are imported, they do well outdoors liviing with cows or sheep not with a family.
> 
> Getting a trained GSD is a huge liability and some charge 50k now? with that money i can get you all kinds of man eating dogs and fence them for you and throw in a human aggressive horse also make a barn for it as well.


Thank you for the info  appreciate it


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

I think your friend has to define what he means by a guard dog. Does he want a dog that will actually bite people who come on his property, which is more accurately called a property protection dog. Such dogs tend to have social aggression, which is a trait that is becoming rarer and is being bred out of GSDs. They will bite anyone who is not a member of their pack. The chances of obtaining such a dog as a puppy is rare, and obtaining a socially aggressive adult will not work for this person.


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## ozzymama (Jan 17, 2005)

Tarek.Shalash, if you will accept my recommendation, GSD's are dogs whom prefer to be with their packs and families, they can be guard dogs, but are better suited working with a human. Having said that, rescue dogs bond with their new owners well, so a trained dog would as well. 
My suggestion for your friend would be to find a dog who meshes with the individual or family dynamic and have a security system as well. I have 2 dogs, a GSD like thing who is either very poorly bred or a mix and a Saint, they are deterrent only. I also have a security system. I don't know what the insurance rates are like where your friend lives, but here they can be ridiculous, especially when it is a property where there are outbuildings etc., anyways the installation of the system reduced my insurance $500/annum and the system itself costs only $360/annum.


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

ozzymama said:


> the installation of the system reduced my insurance $500/annum and the system itself costs only $360/annum.


Much cheaper than a dog! 

To the OP, I'm not sure if your friend really requires a specially trained guard dog, but I find most GSD's are natural 'watch dogs' and will give a warning bark if someone approaches. Their imposing size and bark alone is a pretty good deterrent.

My girl is pretty people friendly, once they are welcomed into the house. As they are approaching the house however, she sure makes a lot of noise.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

I'm also with DoggieDad on this one. My 3 year old female has been with us since she was 12 weeks old. No protective instinct in her body at all. She's a great companion but she doesn't alert, nothing. She just hangs out. 

It really depends on the dog. Likely depends on the lines the dog is from as well.


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## Linck (Mar 25, 2013)

In my opinion I think to have/control a protection trained dog the handler has to be trained too. Your friend might want to put that into consideration as well. I never own a trained dog. Just thinking out loud.


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