Anyone ever own a Doberman Pinscher?

[royal]

Thinking of getting a guard dog for the family. Live out in the country, so plenty of room for the dog. Heard Dobies are excellent, but not sure how they are around a family.

[D Leff]

Get a German Shepherd. Very protective, can be intimidating as hell and are probably the most loyal dog to their families. Also smart and probably easiest to train out of the guard dog types.

[wynnron123]

I would advise you to contact Michael Vick first

but on the serious tip D Leff is right. The Doberman Pincher is pretty much extinct as far being a guard dog. The German Shepherd is a good and loyal dog. This is why the police use them in their K-9 operations

[Susquehanna Birder]

http://www.terrificpets.com/articles/10244365.asp

Obligatory KG-age: A long time ago, I met a family that had five dobermans in the house. They traveled in a pack. It was like one big moving creature when anything happened in that house. Kinda scary for a visitor.

My niece had a rottweiler, who was great with kids. Intimidating looking dog, but completely submissive with the right training. The downside is their relatively short life span.

[KenfromCanada]

Thinking of getting a guard dog for the family. Live out in the country, so plenty of room for the dog. Heard Dobies are excellent, but not sure how they are around a family.

Dobermans are high strung dogs. Not the greatest with kids. If you want a dog good with kids and get a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Known as the nanny dog as they literally were left to watch children by the English. And don't believe the bad press associated with Pit Bulls, they too are very social dogs and good with children. Trained right they are great family dogs.

[Greenstealth]

Get a rottweiler

[Eagle Road]

Dobermans are high strung dogs. Not the greatest with kids. If you want a dog good with kids and get a Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Known as the nanny dog as they literally were left to watch children by the English. And don't believe the bad press associated with Pit Bulls, they too are very social dogs and good with children. Trained right they are great family dogs.

Agree with Ken, great dogs, I have a Black Lab/Pit mix VERY protective, but around the family she is the most loving animal we have every had.


I like German Shepard's, and my wife's niece trains K-9 police dogs, BE VERY careful selecting one, lots of hip and joint issues.

[Dim Bulb]

Had two of them growing up

Thinking of getting a guard dog for the family. Live out in the country, so plenty of room for the dog. Heard Dobies are excellent, but not sure how they are around a family.

High strung, finicky, unpredictable. They will not enjoy running around in country fields. They are better suited almost being house dogs. They are extremely protective of family, but when they get excited, they don't know what they're doing and can bite unexpectedly. Rarely will it be the owners or their families but they can be very sudden.

Agree with the German Shepherd comments here, they might like the great outdoors more than a dobie will.

[D Leff]

I like German Shepard's, and my wife's niece trains K-9 police dogs, BE VERY careful selecting one, lots of hip and joint issues.

There's a lot of bad breeders out there. OFA (hip and elbow) certifications are a must on both parents which greatly decreases those problems.

[capitaleagle]

Thinking of getting a guard dog for the family. Live out in the country, so plenty of room for the dog. Heard Dobies are excellent, but not sure how they are around a family.

I'd suggest a german shepherd as well. They're huge, intimidating for those who don't know them (which is probably what you'd want in guard dog), smart, highly trainable (there's a reason police and the military use them so much), very protective, but around their families they're as fun and affectionate as any dog I've ever been around.

And I'm sure you know this, but just in case -- any huge, powerful dog you get needs a training regimen from day one to make sure they both turn into the guard dog you want them to be and to make sure they're socialized properly. Untrained dogs can be a threat to anyone.

[Riccardo]

Get a gun and cats

Dogs are smelly, hairy, stupid pigs

[AthensEagle]

Cats? WTF? Man-Card REVOKED.

[royal]

Thanks everyone. Narrowed it down to Rottweiler or German Shepard.

[Big Little]

Uhhh a fucking Cat?

A gun toting cat lover?!?

Now I have heard everything, with Athens leave your man card with Diggle

[royal]

Bwah. I know I've given you shit in the past about guns, but reconsidering my stance after our house got broken into. Gonna start with a guard dog and go from there.