Choosing a pup/green dog.. - Page 4

I'm not talking crap. I think training a dog yourself will benefit you greatly. will benefit your family if you involve them. You are green. That isn't a bad thing. You have the opportunity to learn a great deal from people here and elsewhere. Most of us didn't have the internet when we got into dogs. Learn from this puppy and enjoy your 10-12 years with the dog. Old dog trainers would say, it is 90% training the owner and 10% training the dog. I could drop off a Manual Ferrari to your door. If you don't know how to drive a manual, im going to beat you in a race with a flat tired Yugo any day of the week.

To explain myself further, My initial response I told you to test for exactly what you stated. You asked how. If you don't know how to test for it, how do you know how to handle or maintain it? I'm not trying to be mean or insult you. Go get a puppy and learn how to handle and train a dog. Will benefit you for the rest of your life. I'll let you in a secret. Dogs die after 8+ YEARS. You'll probably have numerous dogs. Learn how to handle, care and train one and you will have that for all of them.

Another thing to add. If you do go the puppy route, start a thread on how to raise a working dog. You need to know the does and don'ts of raising a dog that you want to do protection. There are things you can do as a puppy to build drive and enhance the characteristics in a dog that most green handlers don't know.

"Well, if we're talking pups it is a crapshoot even if you know the parents. "

You said it, and now you advice me to get a top puppy, pay top dollar and have 0 expectations..

Sounds clever to you? Coz it doesn't to me! If i am gonna pay top dollar, i want a top prospect! Notice the word prospect? It doesnt mean that if it didnt turn up as expected i would give it away or love it less, but i would like the potential to be there in a first place.

If i were to get a dog and have 0 expectations i would rescue one! And to be honest with you i dont believe in buying dogs as pets, rescues are full of dogs that can be amazing pets, so why support the trade if you can save one instead. I only want to buy a dog as i want the working ability and all the things that i have mentioned.

Right now, i have a dog laying on my legs, that i mainly communicate with with the eyes, i can have him sitting at the table and sharing my stake i will give him a look and he will happily go to his bed no questions asked.
How many of the self proclaimed experts have dogs with that obedience?!
I am not that green to dogs, but i am green to working dogs..
Your post is pretty much irrelevant to me as all you focus on is learning about dog ownership..

I appreciate that what i am looking for is very specific combination and thats why i came here for help, and again if you read my post, you will (hopefully) notice that i am looking for specific answers..

No. I'm talking about handling, training and caring for a working dog, which you just admitted you're green. That also let's me know that you're going to probably take your past experience and instill it into your new dog and some of those things you don't want to do. I'm done with you.
Good luck. Go buy your dog and learn.

FYI my response was based on your first post. Regardless, i will let you have the last word as you got to get through the night somehow..

Ironic. That wasn't letting me get the last word, and just to let you know. I'll give you my password. I just got a personal message from someone thanking me for my advice. She is going for her IPO3 this spring and her husband is putting the B on a young female. If you just wanted to hear what you wanted to hear, you should have called your mom.

I am all for criticism as long as it is constructive! I don't doubt your credentials.

What i am saying is that your advice is contradictory. You closed the post i responded to with "you will be learning the essential tools to owning and handling a dog." You seemed to refer to dogs in general.
Anyway, seems we got on the wrong foot.

I do have have a genuine question, you said "That also let's me know that you're going to probably take your past experience and instill it into your new dog and some of those things you don't want to do"
what things do you refer to?


PS: never offer your password to anyone ;)

There are things that pet trainers do that go against what you will want in a PP dog. Killing drive, etc. I'm being 100% genuine when I recommend you buy a puppy and learn these things. When I say zero expectations it is because you are going to screw things up and learn along the way. Everyone does. I did. I learned a lot with my first dog. What not to do, what to do, etc.

If you have time and you are willing i would appreciate if you could either post here or drop me a PM with dos and donts...

I haven't excluded the possibility of a puppy, but i am leaning more towards a green dog for the following reasons:
As you said and i agree puppy is a crapshot, i am not crazy about going through puppyhood, i think its much easier for me to judge an older dog than a puppy. For example, i have visited a european breeder, his marketing talk was describing exactly what i am looking for, when i saw the dogs, i could tell they weren't what i was looking for: not high enough threshold, not stable enough nerves, over the top suspicion and shitty grips. And while seemed to have a nice switch, i could see that the dogs were on edge even during the off, so my concerns were, If we were on a street situation, and not on the known field, that more stress factors come into play how successful would the dog be to go in an off state? how would the dog react is a kid ran towards it screaming? All and all i considered them virtually safe dogs, as people would have to walk on eggshells and that isnt a real world scenario.

I am not looking for a top sport dog either, that would have way too much drive for me, and as much some would say that it could be harnessed and be able to live a pet life as well, i dont have the knowledge to do that, nor the time to work it for a shift to drain its energy, and at the end of the day it wouldnt be fair to the dog.

I hope the above along with my other posts give you a good understanding as to what i am looking for, would you recommend any breeders to me?