Man of the house wants his own dog- any suggestions???

I can tell you that I locate underground utility lines for a living, i.e. doing locates for say the electrical in your yard, identifing where it is so that if you're planting a tree or putting up a fence you don't hit it.

I don't know how many times I've encountered certain different breeds while doing locates on huge properties, where the dogs are only limited by invisible fencing....let me tell you, German Shephards, Doberman Pinschers, Pit Bulls, anything big-boned, black or dark brown REALLY freaks the heck out of me.

Especially dogs that take on the appearance/stance of the Pit Bull, Mastiff, etct.

I agree, having a dog primarily trained as a *protector* can leave you victim to lawsuits you can't imagine, and a liability you surely do not want.

Some dogs that are excellent at *playing* protectors are, remember this is in a Locator's opinion where we tromphs through people's yards all the time (with permission from the owner, not necessarily the dog), Border Collie, Black & Chocolate lab's, even some Golden Retrievers can come off pretty gruff, Alaskan Malamute, certain Husky's, not all.

Heck, we adopted a pup at 4mnths old who had the resemblance of a Golden Retriever, but as he's grown and we were able to find his mother, we've discovered that he's mostly a Nova Scotia Duck Toller, very similar to the Golden's, but thinner boned.

Let me tell you, this is a 53# lap-dog that'll lick your fingers off, but to a stranger, until you tell him it's ok, he comes across extremely gruff in his bark...you'd swear he was a 150# just by the tone of what comes out.

He's never attempted to bite anyone, or show aggression, but he HAS literally stood up and stopped a few people who were uninvited into the house.  This is as much in terms of liability that I want...I already know if it *truly* came down to where he thought I or someone in the house was truly being harmed by an intruder, he WOULD react.

I don't need to train him to do this, it's something that can naturally be a reaction in most k-9's that are attached to their people.

I'm amazed that the boxers aren't protective of the house.  All of the boxers that I know are protective of their home.  Of course, once you're escorted in, then they become silly, & wiggly butted.

Here, Chyna, our boxer, is the deterrant.  She will not allow anyone into our home without DH or I bringing them in.  She has dragged one of my brothers into the house, through a window that he was trying to climb in, because she percieved him as an intruder.  She has to be crated or confined to one room of the house, in order for our dog walker to come in to take her for her mid-day walk. 

I agree that a dark colored dog will be best for you.  It will look menacing even if it is sweet natured.

I think a lot of dogs from the working group would fit what you're looking for (a good family dog and natural guardian). Of course assuming that they come from a good breeder and are well socialized and trained- a Rottweiler, Bullmastiff, Doberman, Giant Schnauzer and Dogue de Bordeaux come to mind.

The dogs that tend to be natural guardians WILL tend to bond with the "person" over anybody else, and if you want a dog that ISN'T like that, don't pick a guardian breed.  If it gets to the point where a spouse can't come close for a cuddle, THAT is not a breed trait or the fault of the dog - it comes down to lack of training.  If the dog lacks direction in what is acceptable behaviour and what is not, what is threatening and what is not THEN you will have problems.

I honestly don't believe that most breeds are "bad" with children - I can't think of a single one that should never be housed with kids.  Breeding dogs like that deliberately is stupid; too much of a liability.  Admittedly, there are stupid people around, but hopefully you won't be buying from those. 

On the whole, when it comes to "suitability around children" I really believe that it comes down to training and socialisation of the dog.... not what breed he is.   And also training of the children and supervision of both kids and animals.  If you are set on a puppy, and set on a large, guardy type breed.... many really good breeders of large dogs might not be happy to sell you a pup, if only because a large dog that is young and un-trained (or not-yet-completely trained) could easily injure or frighten a child without being aggressive.  Their sheer size and strength can make them a liability.

Conversely, some of the dogs that are well known for being "great with kids!" turn out pretty dangerous.... BECAUSE the parents just "expect" the dog to be that way without the training and socialisation needed.  They say proudly that Fido will let the kids "do anything to him, anything at all! and he just puts up with it!"  One day the dog gets fed up and snaps and may end up at the pound, or maybe the kid tries to torment another dog the same way and loses a face.

If you take extraordinary care over which lines you go for, which breeder you choose, and pick an EXCELLENT one who breeds for health and temperament and will skillfully match you to the pup that suits your requirements.... and then TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN.... well, the sky is your limit. 

I would avoid Pits, Staffies and similar dogs unless you've had experience with them before, because they have a tendancy toward dog aggression - and you already have dogs in the house who need to be considered.

Honestly though, my recommendation would be a boxer.  Good with kids, large and strong, deep voiced, a good deterrent.... and he can have experience with them before he buys his own puppy by getting more involved with "your" dogs.  Perfect choice, no?

BEVOLASVEGAS

I'm amazed that the boxers aren't protective of the house

 They can be sometimes (it takes ace a good day to get over a family member he has never seen before- he has to stay in the kitchen barking he quite a chicken sometimes) athena will make friends with anyone as long as they are willing to pay  attention to her- when they are both sleeping the snore so loud i dont think they will ever hear an intruder then when they do  they would prolly just think its one of us up moving around. One night they were loose in the house and i locked my keys inside- i had to climb in the window- they just stood there wagging their stubs in the dark- i dont know maybe they knew it was me. 

How is owning a Dobe? He says a long time ago he owned one and he would like to have another one of these days- if they are trained right are they ok with kids?

Thanks everyone for your advice its much appreciated- I will take it all into consideration.

kle1986

 You cant get a FEMALE German Shepard!!! And you know why!!! I like my body parts and dont want to have to retrieve them from a dog's mouth.Hehe.

 I would not suggest a female GSD for the risk of same sex aggression. GSDs are prone to same sex aggression (most common in bitches) and Boxers are almost expected to be same sex aggressive, as are Dobes. What ever you choose, I suggest getting a male puppy - you'll have a better chance of the two boys getting along and adding a puppies are much easier to bring into a "pack" than adult dogs. Due to the risk for same sex aggression I would be hesitant to suggest any other guarding breed or fighting breeds.

 I think the suggestion of a Black Lab was a good one, as people tend to be afraid of large, black dogs but Labs are generally very good with other dogs and excellent family dogs. I'd especially suggest a male black Lab from English lines, as they actually tend to look more like Rotties than Labs (VERY big boned, very blocky heads). You can check out this site to see what I mean: http://www.fortunelabradors.com/boys.htm

 If you want a real big dog a Newfie might also fit the bill - size of the dog and bark alone would deter most anyone from coming into your house, they are known for being great with children and tend to get along with other dogs. http://www.ncanewfs.org/index.shtml

 Another breed to look at might be a Bloodhound. While they aren't a guard breed they will bark and when they do, it is really intimidating. They are also a rather large dog and have a reputation for being "blood thirsty" (due to a misunderstanding about their name). They are generally quite freindly, good natured and easy going but also can be stubborn. http://www.bloodhounds.com/

 As for "attack training", that is a HUGE comitment. First off I'd avoid any trainer who actually use the words "attack train". You'd do bets to join a reputable Schutzhund club or to really do your home work on protection dog trainers. It is training that you will need to keep up on and will very much need to participate in. And the majority of dogs, unless they have specifically been bred for it don't have the proper temperament for such work. The breeds/dogs that have been bred for protection work, may not fit into your home well because they are all pretty much prone to same sex aggression. Properly trained protection dogs should not be a problem with children (GSDs are generally really good family dogs despite someone saying otherwise here) but there are TONS of really bad trainers out there doing this stuff and poor protection training can create major temperament issues.

JackieG

Most any dog will bark in a situation where a stranger breaks into a house in the middle of the night!  And most bad guys will turn around and run as fast as their legs will carry them.  Tell your husband that most home burglaries occur when the homeowners are gone, because they are much more afraid of an armed human than any so called attack dog.  Put a sign on your front door" Protected by Smith and Wesson".

Well put and true.  

If your man wants his own dog, and you want it to get along with your Boxers, a mellow, but playful Lab might fit the bill.  They seem to be the one of the breeds that gets along with the Boxer play style (many do not - if one of your Boxers tried to play with my Aussie by slapping at her face, she'd have him for lunch), is good with kids, and will love everyone in the family, but stick to hubby if he pays more attention and does the feeding and the tug games.  Your Boxers are probably intimidating enough to an intruder, and the Lab wouldn't need to be an extension of your guy's you-know-whats. 

 Glenmar Im not saying anything bad about female GSD. But all the ones I have met want to eat me. Stefanie knows what Im talking about. It's very strange.

One of her boxers will lick you to death and the other would pee himself with worry before thinking about gaurding the house!!

Her dogs could care less if she brought in a puppy or an adult. I took Lillie over there once and they didnt give her a second glance or a sniff for about an hour. They were all 3 put into the back of the SUV once and never looked at each other. We couldnt figure it out.

 Why not a rott, Princess wasn't full well I really don't know but she was great with kids actually she loved kids whenever my nieces or nephews came by she would sit at their feet and people were scared of her

I happen to agree with Agile GSD who has offered REASONS not to select a female GSD.  Any shepherd will be alert to a stranger, and yes, it is my female who I watch very closely around strangers.  But, the difference is that when she is YOURS you don't have to worry about body parts going missing.

I'd suggest a

Rotti
Dobie
Lab
GSD
Pit Bull

OR

A good old-fashion Mutt!!

There all good family dogs, but can be very protective at night.(as in, my Lab mix loves ***everyone*** but if you come into our yard after dark, you would think he was going to eat you up, and, our Shih-Tzu mix is the same way)

Chuffy

when it comes to "suitability around children" I really believe that it comes down to training and socialisation of the dog.... not what breed he is.   And also training of the children and supervision of both kids and animals.

Completely agree!  My female GSD has been trained and socialized as much as I possibly could which is the reason she is so good around people.  Recently, at Thanksgiving, we had a housefull.  My daughter and 3 young grand-daughters were visiting; and they brought their dog as well.  Heidi and the other dogs had a great time.  But the most awesome thing to watch was Heidi playing with the youngest who is 6.  Heidi would bring her ball to Aurora.  Aurora would tell her to sit and wait; and she did just that.  Waited patiently until the ball was thrown.  She'd bring it back and they played like that for the longest time.  It was the cutest thing...and I was so proud of Heidi.

Having said all that however, a male Lab or LabX may be a good fit for your family.  Still needs lots of training and socialization whatever you decide to get. 

This one might be a bit of a strech, but what about a male, tricolor, smooth collie?

Collies typically aren't property protectors but almost all of them WILL bark at intruders, and they've got BIG voices. The boys are big but not huge. They typically adore kids and are good with other dogs.

My neighbors were convinced that Mal (tri boy) was a doberman X.  

kle1986

Her dogs could care less if she brought in a puppy or an adult. I took Lillie over there once and they didnt give her a second glance or a sniff for about an hour. They were all 3 put into the back of the SUV once and never looked at each other. We couldnt figure it out.

 How the dogs get along with visiting or strange dogs is not any indictation that they will accept an adult, same sex dog moving into the house/pack. My GSD is intolerant of any other girls licing here but is fine out and about and was fine coming to work with me at doggy daycare. So speaking as someone who has dealt with same sex aggression in a breed where such things are common, you have to be VERY careful how you go about selecting and introducing new dogs into the group. To best stack the odds in favor of having a peaceful household, a puppy of a breed not prone to same sex aggression would be the best bet. Many of the breeds suggested here are quite prone to same sex aggression - another Boxer, GSD, Bully breeds, Dobes. This sort of same sex aggression is not a training issue but a genetic part of the dog's temperament and something which isn't always obvious until the dog is put into a position of living with a same sex dog for a prolonged period of time. 

Pwca

Collies typically aren't property protectors but almost all of them WILL bark at intruders, and they've got BIG voices. The boys are big but not huge. They typically adore kids and are good with other dogs.

My neighbors were convinced that Mal (tri boy) was a doberman X.  

 LOL multiple people thought my tri-rough was "part wolf" for some reason. Collies are actually a really good suggestion - awesome family dogs, easy to get along with, generally good with other dogs and known for their loyalty and how in tune they are with their family.