Why would anyone want a dog like this? - Page 5

I don't think being good with children should be a trait any animal MUST have in order to be deemed a good companion animal and I have worked with dogs, cats and horses.

Children move different than adults, they sound different, they are CHILDREN and not every animal is tolerant of this.  I had a cat who loved adults, any adult who walked through the door was his best friend but he HATED children, at best he would run from them and hide, if he got cornered it was on like Donkey Kong.  I had a horse who was deathly afraid of children, if one came up to him, he locked his knees and trembled like a leaf, could barely stand them touching him (they touch too light and 'tickled'), bug eyed and nostrils flared until they moved away but he was a brilliant, bomb proof trail horse under any adult.

My current male GSD loves kids, he thinks the sun rises and sets on children and is tolerant of anything they do to him, however he loathes small dogs and if he had the opportunity would kill them on sight.  Keyword, if opportunity, which I don't give him.

I take that ad as nothing more than someone who can take on and wants to take on a high drive dog with a serious edge, without having to worry about the dog being confused by having to 'control' that drive because of the quick, jerky, high pitched cries of a child or the prey trigger of a smaller animal.  Certainly nothing PTS worthy and really, it is offensive that someone would suggest such a thing just because a dog doesn't fit *their* criteria of a companion animal.

Despite being a WGSL this is the most serious dog I've had (I mean serious in his protection work and his protective instincts, not a prey dog and not naturally very social other than his inner circle). People other than myself, my DH, and my sister (who takes care of my house and dogs when I'm away) simply don't exist to him.  Same goes for dogs.  He is actually protective of *my* other dogs but couldn't care less about non-pack dogs.  I frequently have foster dogs (I foster young dogs for a rescue) or raise puppies that I'm selling or raising for other people and they just don't exist to him.  Just because a dog doesn't care for kids, other people, or other dogs doesn't mean they are an aggressive liability.  I live in the city on a tiny lot so every day he is exposed to pedestrian traffic, other dogs walking feet from our house (or zipping up their flexi lines into my yard!), screaming kids on bigwheels, joggers.  We often do tight agility sequences on my front lawn as this traffic is going by and he's not darting out to bite people or run off other dogs. I have friends and family over all the time, including kids and friends who bring their dogs over to play with my rescue dogs, and he's perfectly fine.  Aloof and neutral does not mean overly sharp bully.  The dog does not have to "like" something or someone, or be social and outgoing to be safe, neutral, and under control.  He hangs out with kids at my DH's elementary school and kids of our friends'.  I don't think he cares for it one way or the other but as you can see he's certainly not upset about it.  They are smarter than we give them credit for.  He knows what is a threat and what is not.  Kids can chase each other up my driveway without a sideways glance but a suspicious person coming up the front walk will set him off long before I'm aware someone is there.







 

My male GSD is very protective of our home.  Unfortunately, he is not a 100% stable dog, he came to me that way at 7 mos  of age.  I manage him just fine.  But I do not let him socialize with strangers because I know he can be unpredictable.  Pool guys came to work on my pool, I came into the yard with my dogs they barely even looked at the men in the yard, because they defer to me.  they were running around grabbing their balls and the one guy thinks he is all great with dogs wants to say hi to the big male shepherd  I am like go ahead he wont say hi to you though.  He called him put his hand out tried to engage him with his ball  Rex completely ignored him.  The next day the same guy comes to house and thinks he is just going to walk into the back yard without announcing himself to me.  I heard Rex going nuts outside at the gate  I waited and the  front door bell rings Ha not such a dumb ass afterall.  He says I need to get in the yard I thought your dogs would be fine but the male looked serious.  I said he is serious and don't ever think you can enter my yard without me.  If I am here then you're fine but don't think because you met him yesterday he will let you in my yard  He will bite you.  He won't let anyone in my yard unannounced(except my father, who he adores) even my sister comes to the door first. that's one of my dogs.   My other girl a working line girl  is  very social with me as her handler  She is 100% stable.  I say she is not good with children because she is too high drive and isn't careful with children.  She could hurt one unintentionally. She would never hurt one on purpose.  But bring a ball into the picture and she has left me with bloody fingers on more than one occaision.  Wouldn't trust her not to do the same with a child. Not social with people outside her family just ignores them  She is not mean to them just uninterested  So I would describe her as socialized but not social. Now that she is older she is a tad more social but not much.
    Different strokes for different folks.
 
  Lyn    
      

I see Mr Garrison asking for hard high drive dog and ready to take one on with traits that a less experienced or weaker handler may have let manifest. I do not see him asking for a child and stock killer. Hard dogs extreme in drives need experienced handlers or they will not be happy have no respect and do what they want. Tolerent of children and of other than the handler is not the same in my book as good with children and likes strangers.

Brittney,you did in fact say the dog should be put down.
And I agree. Some people want a totally green dog. Why would you want to try to undue others training failures.
A dog that has not been socialized around kids and other animals quite simply describes "any number" of truly fantastic dogs,with wonderful temperments that are sitting in someones kennel at 6 months, one year,two years old WAITING for their own person.
Just because a dkv has not been "yet", does not mean " can not be at all".

vonissk I was just having a little fun, trying to lighten the mood a little.  I try not to get too involved in emotionally charged posts.  I'm sure you understood that I wasn't really trying to make issue about anything. 

Brittney, why would you assume that Paul would not be training on those social items?  He did state he wanted a green dog, which generally means one that has had minimal training.  It also generally means that the buyer is planning on training the dog themselves. 
 

Maybe he doesn't have kids or other animals. Or maybe he can fix the issue. Obviously it's a prospect if it's a green dog he is wanting. It doesn't have to fit everyone's lifestyle. Has absolutely nothing to do with breed legislation. What does it matter to you, it's not your dog, it's not a dog that you are selling, so I don't see how it fits into being your problem or why it boggles your mind that someone would want a dog like this? I think it's ridiculous to want ugly smelly little ankle biter dogs, doesn't mean that people don't want them :) And I don't like the horribly roached back GSDs that are from certain showlines, doesn't mean that I make a thread and bash someone's views and opinions on a dog. It's what someone else wants, it's not affecting you personally, so why should you care?

► Oh Boy,   This type of dog is the reason we in Australia are having so much trouble with the Government monitoring "dangerous dog listings", first and foremost we must breed for temperament, the rest is a blessing.  
Not sure why you need such a dog for your protection, but you could always ask North Korea where they get their dogs from - .