Security Companions | Let's Talk Dogs

[Sportin' Wood]

It's been over seven years without the companionship of a four legged family member. A few of you enjoyed the offspring of our wonderful AKC Labradors. Hunter and Dixie were family members and when Dixie passed away we decided we were not in a position to dedicate the needed training and attention required to invite a pup into our home.

For two years we have been talking about investing in a dog and we have been all over the place on which breed, rescue,puppy, training, male/female, size etc.

There are some specific needs we need to fill this time around that makes the obvious choice of another Labrador, not necessarily the right decision. We both love Labs, they check a ton of boxes and we know what we get with a Lab.

The difference this time is that we are not necessarily looking for a family pet. Protection has become an important influence. We need a dog that can protect against predators, both two legged and 4 legged, but still socialize. Many protective breeds are banned from Islander so this limits choices. Water needs to be part of the lifestyle. We are going to ask the dog to work. I don't need a democrat in our house. Hypoallergenic is a must.

The Giant Schnauzer is what we keep coming back to; a spade female. I've got a friend that has tossed around a few Belgium breeds for consideration.

I know most are going to tell us, go get a rescue, we considered this and still are, however we want a specific result. We want an extension of the family that works the security detail. We are willing to invest to have a good 10-12 year member of the family (hopefully longer) that will provide love, companionship and protection.

Does anyone have experience with asking your companion to service as a security detail? Curious about training. With our snowbird status between AZ and MT we are concerned about training regiments. Also a little concerned with timing. We are thinking it may be easier to start the relationship at Islander where we have a ton of socializing opportunity, as opposed to the wide open space and limited interaction we will have in MT.

We both work remote, no kids in the home, but our Granddaughter is 4 and needs to be readily accepted. Dog would travel everywhere with us as appropriate, yet still needs to be able to stay home without anxiety.

We are in no hurry. I would love to hear others experience with protective dogs.

 

[JLG614]

I’m in your situation as well. Have always had dogs but currently haven’t had one for about 4 years. I had 2 labs growing up and they were great dogs. Definitely very friendly but they were both pretty large and had a solid bark when someone knocked on the door. Not sure they would have really done something if someone got inside our house though. After that I had a pit bull and a frenchie. Can’t say enough bad things about the frenchie. He was definitely a cool dog but god he was so wound up and impossible to train. My pit was a great dog. Very calm and kept to herself. She was on the smaller side but pretty muscular so I would say she was intimidating. She had a solid bark and I think she would have gone after someone if they were to get in our house. She was always a bit skiddish around new people and would keep her eye on anyone she didn’t know.

All that said I have two small kids now and I’m wanting another dog and more of a protective dog for them because I’m gone at work a lot. I’ve done about all the research I can do and while I want a protective dog I do want a good looking dog and not a wild dog that needs constant exercise. I have narrowed it down to pretty much two dogs at this point. I’m looking at a Rottweiler and cane corso. I’m really leaning towards the cane corso. Yes they are big dogs but from everything I have read and researched they are one of the best dogs as far as protecting and loyal to the family and they also don’t require a ton of exercise and activity. My wife would take him on walks and stuff with the kids and I would do any additional exercise with him as well

 

[jetboatperformance]

My American Lab Male is 120lbs very loud intimidating bark , not aggressive can hear a chip bag at 50 feet and sheds a bit twice a year Best dogs ever

 

[Gelcoater]

What breeds are banned at the Islander?

I’d imagine the usual suspects? Doberman, Rotts, Pitbull, GSD?

Depending on your tolerance of hair?
Have you looked at Great Pyrénées?
Big dogs, live stock guards, ain’t afraid of shit.

Believe it or not I’d also look at a full sized standard Poodle. I’ve seen a couple IPO trained Poodles that would blow people’s minds and completely change preconceived notions of the breed.
There’s a very athletic build under all that fluf

Another option and something you aren’t going to find at a shelter is a German Hovawart.
Looks like a golden retriever here but come in several colors.

Hovawart - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Ziggy]

Chow are loyalist protectors but furry as fk.

 

[Sportin' Wood]

I’m in your situation as well. Have always had dogs but currently haven’t had one for about 4 years. I had 2 labs growing up and they were great dogs. Definitely very friendly but they were both pretty large and had a solid bark when someone knocked on the door. Not sure they would have really done something if someone got inside our house though. After that I had a pit bull and a frenchie. Can’t say enough bad things about the frenchie. He was definitely a cool dog but god he was so wound up and impossible to train. My pit was a great dog. Very calm and kept to herself. She was on the smaller side but pretty muscular so I would say she was intimidating. She had a solid bark and I think she would have gone after someone if they were to get in our house. She was always a bit skiddish around new people and would keep her eye on anyone she didn’t know.

All that said I have two small kids now and I’m wanting another dog and more of a protective dog for them because I’m gone at work a lot. I’ve done about all the research I can do and while I want a protective dog I do want a good looking dog and not a wild dog that needs constant exercise. I have narrowed it down to pretty much two dogs at this point. I’m looking at a Rottweiler and cane corso. I’m really leaning towards the cane corso. Yes they are big dogs but from everything I have read and researched they are one of the best dogs as far as protecting and loyal to the family and they also don’t require a ton of exercise and activity. My wife would take him on walks and stuff with the kids and I would do any additional exercise with him as well

I think the Rottweiler would be on the top of our list if not for islander, they are on the discrimination list. I assume they would think the Cane Corso was a big ass Pit and toss that one out as well even if not specifically on the list.

What breeds are banned at the Islander?

I’d imagine the usual suspects? Doberman, Rotts, Pitbull, GSD?

Depending on your tolerance of hair?
Have you looked at Great Pyrénées?
Big dogs, live stock guards, ain’t afraid of shit.

Believe it or not I’d also look at a full sized standard Poodle. I’ve seen a couple IPO trained Poodles that would blow people’s minds and completely change preconceived notions of the breed.
There’s a very athletic build under all that fluf

Another option and something you aren’t going to find at a shelter is a German Hovawart.
Looks like a golden retriever here but come in several colors. View attachment 1421161

Hovawart - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Hair is an issue we are taking into consideration and why the Giant Schnauzer is on the short list. Lots of Great Pyrenees in our area, (Montana) they are popular here. They are nice ,but massive. The Giant Schnauzer is only 22-24" tall in the female version.

Yes the usual suspects are on the banned list at Islander.

 

[Sportin' Wood]

 

[RichL]

In addition to the Islander don't forget to consider what your homeowners insurance will cover from their list of "dangerous" breeds.

 

[monkeyswrench]

@wash11 and @The Chicken have dogs that are giant, friendly as heck, and can decimate any normal mountain animal. I've been told they are protective of animals but I don't know if they are protective of their owners. I have heard those breeds will mess with humans if they mess with animals, but don't know if they'll mess with humans that mess with humans?

 

[Dog]

Cane Corso's are awesome dogs, but as with ALL animals each one has their own personality. Genetics only go so far.

 

[DILLIGAF]

I think the Rottweiler would be on the top of our list if not for islander, they are on the discrimination list. I assume they would think the Cane Corso was a big ass Pit and toss that one out as well even if not specifically on the list.



Hair is an issue we are taking into consideration and why the Giant Schnauzer is on the short list. Lots of Great Pyrenees in our area, (Montana) they are popular here. They are nice ,but massive. The Giant Schnauzer is only 22-24" tall in the female version.

Yes the usual suspects are on the banned list at Islander.

What about an Aeirdale?

 

[endobear]

Have had a couple clients with Rhodesian Ridgebacks.
Great protectors and very affectionate.
They do need lots of exercise.

 

[Done-it-again]

State Farm didn’t discriminate on dogs.

Our rotts

7months old she’s 60lbs hes 70 lbs

She’s more protective than he. She barks first and looks second and he’s along for the ride. This is our 2nd male and first females and males are calm as fuck. Lol

 

[2Driver]

Chesapeake Bays are high pain threshold, mean guard dogs when they want to be. Id just be careful with any Alpha male around your grandchild.

 

[stephenkatsea]

Our daughter and family have 2 Great Pyrenees. They are very protective of the kids and all of their animals.

 

[viperized_jr]

I was just going thru this as my gsd is to mellow. I picked up a king Shepard/black lab pup. Hoping he will add a little more protection to the house and boys.

 

[HST4ME]

My American Lab Male is 120lbs very loud intimidating bark , not aggressive can hear a chip bag at 50 feet and sheds a bit twice a year Best dogs ever

This, and you can take them anywhere, for the most part for 12 years my block head went everywhere with me. Loved chick's and was a Very good judge of character.

 

[Gelcoater]

I think the Rottweiler would be on the top of our list if not for islander, they are on the discrimination list. I assume they would think the Cane Corso was a big ass Pit and toss that one out as well even if not specifically on the list.



Hair is an issue we are taking into consideration and why the Giant Schnauzer is on the short list. Lots of Great Pyrenees in our area, (Montana) they are popular here. They are nice ,but massive. The Giant Schnauzer is only 22-24" tall in the female version.

Yes the usual suspects are on the banned list at Islander.

What’s the Islanders take on mutts?
Half Rottweiler half lab as example?

 

[BabyRay]

I’m a Rhodesian Ridgeback fan. They were originally bred for lion hunting and family protection on the farms of Rhodesia. They’re still used as hunting dogs, and are really good with families. They’re very smart, which does mean they can be stubborn, but with a firm approach and lots of love, they mature into wonderful companions.

My Ridgeback, Rosie, is a bit over two years old. I’ve done the usual behavior training, as well as protection. To get her to the point that I could trust her and count on her protection, it took only 6 individual protection lessons of 5-15 minutes each, followed by a few group sessions of the same length. I do still attend an occasional group session to keep her on track. Now, I can put her in protection mode, or turn it off, instantly, with one-word commands. She’s also very social with people and other dogs, never the first to get aggressive. At the dog park, she’s the fun one.

I

At a protection session in June, the trainer told me to switch her on, and he got careless. I felt bad for him, but Rosie was only doing what she was told, so she got praise for it.



Fortunately, he’s healing up, though he did mention it still hurts. Anyway, proof she’s capable.

 

[was thatguy]

What do you guys think the islander pays for liability insurance annually?
Do you think they just arbitrarily dreamed up a “discrimination” list?

 

[adam909]

Schnauzers are awsome companions. Best thing is they dont shed. You can get them in miniture or giant.

 

[Wave Hi]

Black mouth Cur. Sweetest dog to family, meanest dog to threats.

 

[JB in so cal]

With the liability age were in, wouldn't an alert dog be better and you do what's necessary?

 

[rivrrts429]

I have a Great Pyrenees. It’s an insane guard guard. My neighbor raises Giant Shnauzers. The neighbors dog puts my dog to shame with its protectiveness. The Giants are bad ass and why the Germans/Austrians/Dutch are such fans of them.

 

[wash11]

@wash11 and @The Chicken have dogs that are giant, friendly as heck, and can decimate any normal mountain animal. I've been told they are protective of animals but I don't know if they are protective of their owners. I have heard those breeds will mess with humans if they mess with animals, but don't know if they'll mess with humans that mess with humans?

Anatolian Shepherd-Great Pyrenees mix seems to be just about perfect for our world. The right balance of sweet and sour. Gus is without a doubt, the goodest boy on the planet. Maggie is a little cunty.
We’ve had visitors that surprised us by bringing dogs with them. Happy, playful, energetic dogs. One blew out of a truck unannounced, excited to be here and ran straight towards Amy to say hello. Things went from zero to dramatic really fast. I was in the right place at the right time and saved everyone a lot of heartache, and at least a $1000 Vet bill to start. I don’t need more exercises to be confident that the lazy dogs have what it takes to protect humans.
Javalina, coyotes, mountain lions, skunks, bobcat- they’ve tangled with them all. The big cats are the only ones they haven’t killed.
They shed like they hate you and follow commands at their own pace. Great dogs but wouldn’t be suited to Islander life.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

Don't have anything to add really... Just giggling at all the Giant Schnauzer talk.

I think the easiest (though not the cheapest) answere is sell that POS MH, buy a place in Havasu and get whatever dog you would like.

 

[dave29]

View attachment 1421202 View attachment 1421203
Our daughter and family have 2 Great Pyrenees. They are very protective of the kids and all of their animals.

I have a friend that has 2 Great Pyrenees that guard his goats, sheep, horses and family. He loves them.

 

[Boatymcboatface]

 

[nameisbond]

Normally I'd say Rottweiler. They are eager to please their family and therefore really easy to train. But in some cases it is better to get a youth German Shepherd with a good training foundation. As an example: https://www.vomhausaudax.com/young-adult-german-shepherd-dogs Little on the pricey side but in GSD's a lot more trained youth's available. A youth ensures the dog will meet your needs without worrying a puppy may or may not turn out to your needs.

 

[endobear]

I love the Rotties. Had 6 of them over the last 30 years.
Fiercely loyal. Always watching your back. Great with kids.

 

[lf2]

Black mouth Cur. Sweetest dog to family, meanest dog to threats. View attachment 1421284

Dont see to many black mouth cur’s at least on the west coast and most people look at you funny when they ask what kind of dog and you tell them its a BMC.
Older pic but ours is 11 years old now.

We also just adopted a 1 year old BMC/ridgeback mix.

 

[Desert Whaler]

I'm a weird dog owner . . . I wanted a Basset Hound or a Blood Hound, but the family wasn't having it. . . so we compromised on a female black lab.

We've had her 11 months and I've learned a lot about her . . . unfortunately she's prob. the most 'dominant' female lab I've ever seen . . . Not a bad bone in her, but she has ZERO fear of other dogs and goes up to them at the beach to 'test' them. Yep, she gets 'tuned-up' by other labs, pits, doberman, german and aussie shepherds, rots, akita's, chows, belgian's etc. . . . . they will all put her in her place and she stops the 'nagging' immediately, then goes and finds another 'challenge'. She's gotten a LOT better and now she's starting to recognizes the 'gnarly breeds' before she runs up and invades their personal space.
She never growls, or bites, and will only show her teeth for a 'split-second' when other dogs tune her up and right before she cowers. . . . but I've never seen a lab do this . . . she's psycho.

All that being said . . . . some people def. look at her as a 'Big Black Dog'(she's just under 80 lbs.) , not a 'cute happy lab' . . . . . I've been around dogs long enough that if I see a lab I have zero reservations of petting them etc . . . . but from my experience other people don't feel the same.

For me . . .unless I have a particular 'need' for a more 'sturdy' dog for protection etc . . . I don't want the liability of a potential 'biter'.
Some people are REALLY good at training their dogs, and I'd have zero problems with other tougher breeds that were raised & trained correctly.

A lab works for me being a less then good dog owner . . . she may annoy and piss-off other dogs and dog owners, but she's harmless.

 

[Long Way Home]

Try this place, they specialize as it says big dogs might find something you like, https://bigdogshugepaws.com/… https://bigdogshugepaws.com/adoption
Personally lately I’ve had nothing but great Pyrenees and St. Bernard dogs the great Pyrenees is a wonderful dog, very protective but the last one I had a male at 150 pounds hated everybody unless you were family so it was very difficult to take him out and about and the Saint Bernard is most lovable dog barks when somebody would come, but the problem is with all that hair both dogs don’t too good in the heat. But the overall best protective dog that I ever had was a half German Shepherd, half Chow chow, it had the body of the German Shepherd dog and the red hair of the chow, he was a wonderful family dog got along with everybody, but very protective of his home and family. He just seemed to know who was OK and who was not on his own.

 

[MeCasa16]

We have 2 standard schnauzers. Both were rescues from the schnauzer rescue that we were fosters for. One from Arizona and one from Washington. Fostering a dog was a complete scam, there was no way those dogs were ever moving out after they moved into our lives. Because we got them as fosters, they both have some little quirks that we cant break. The salt and pepper one is amazing, but has major separation anxiety. That is why we got the second one, hoping a companion would ease that. It did not. Luckily his separation anxiety isn’t destructive, he just sits by the window or the door when we leave and waits.. He won’t hardly move for 6 or seven hours and that just breaks our heart. They are extremely protective and great guard dogs. The giant schnauzers are trained as police dogs in Germany. I have seen a few giants around Havasu before.
As for the water, one schnauzer absolutely loves the water and will swim all day if you let him. He will play fetch in the pool until he passes out.. The other will cool off in it when it’s hot. They both think they are lap dogs and want to be laying on you or against you at all times. Having a dog that doesn’t shed or doesn’t have an undercoat is so advantageous. I’d think a giant would be a great choice for your specific needs. Especially if you get it as a puppy and make sure it’s socialized.

 

[Sportin' Wood]

What about an Aeirdale?

I had an Aeirdale when I was a kid, it crossed my mind, but I already have a Terrier. The wife's maiden name is Terriere. I think of them as pretty dogs that can bite, at least that is the Wife's personality.

Chesapeake Bays are high pain threshold, mean guard dogs when they want to be. Id just be careful with any Alpha male around your grandchild.

This breed was on the short list for a long time.

What’s the Islanders take on mutts?
Half Rottweiler half lab as example?

What do you guys think the islander pays for liability insurance annually?
Do you think they just arbitrarily dreamed up a “discrimination” list?

IMHO Islander subjectively enforces most all of it's rules based on the direction of the wind on any given day. That said, I also believe it is a pretty dog friendly place. The staff regularly has their dogs with them and they have just built a second dog park. I'm pretty sure any breed that is not well socialized, or makes guest staying at the park uncomfortable would be asked to leave. Last year my neighbor across the street, ( the one that hit are RV) had a nasty little lap dog, she kept it mostly under control, but she won't be back this season I'm hearing.

Great Pyrenees is simply amazing dogs for Montana, but the hair is too much for us. "Sully" our neighbor dog at Islander looks like a Great Pyrenees, he is the most mellow, loving neighbor we could ask for. They say he is a Golden, but No chance. I've nothing bad to say about any of these dogs I have ever been around, but we don't want the hair. The size is also a potential down side.

We've research a metric shit ton of dog choices for two years. I'm pretty sure we are close on the choice, I would like to better understand professional training, we have always done this ourselves, but we want to go more in depth with our next dog than in the past. "Hunter" was my Black Lab, at times he could be a jerk, but he was well behaved, loyal, and smart. But even with his tendency to not like people in a uniform, he was mostly going to lick you to death. If you had a treat, he was you're buddy. He tended to roam too much from our ranch and would disappear for days. Every neighbor knew him and he made lots of nice Lab mix pups that the neighbors sold. LOL


Our kids have two dogs, trained about as well as you would imagine for a young family. They are getting older now, but they tend to tree black bears and don't listen well enough when they chase after wildlife. Our neighbor just lost her dog after it chased after a deer. The deer stomped it in the head and killed it. When we go for a walk there is a chance on every walk that we will encounter wildlife. I need to be 100% confident the dog will follow commands every time. I need an animal that is cunning enough to tangle with a grizzly or other predator and not get killed because it was foolish.

My wife's Dog Dixie (Chocolate Lab) was smart enough to interact with wildlife seamlessly. She was not bothered when a Moose Cow walked through our camp with a calf. She watched it sitting right next to Angie and never even growled. However she was just too sweet and a little aloof.

We still may end up with another Lab. They are really hard to beat.

 

[evantwheeler]

If i had kids, my tune may change, but i dont want a dog that has any chance of biting someone. I love my dogs and take them with me pretty much everywhere i go, and its nice to not be constantly worried about them doing something I will regret. My neighbor has an asshole heeler that has bit 5 people, the dog should be put down IMO.

My terrier used to mouth the pack of peoples knees when he was our yard dog as a pup, and that got squashed as soon as possible with some dominance and forced submission. I dunno if the discipline worked or he just grew out of it, but i would definitely never want to own an animal trained or allowed to put their mouth on people.

The perfect dog alerts you when something is not right and acts bigger than its size in the face of danger. But i dont want my dog keeping guests locked in their truck until i come out to control them. My dogs will bark bark bark like they want to chew on you if our on the other side of the fence, but you can come open the gate and walk in and theyll bring your the rope to start playing…..

I would recommend getting the dog while at “home”. My terrier travelled with me for a couple years on the road. He had a home mode, and a travel mode. At home he was on high alert and always wanting to “stand watch”. We spent probably 2 years together living out of Hotels for work, and i would leave him in the room during the workday. Never one bark or bathroom accident or complaint from a hotel. Probably more luck than any kind of training….

 

[was thatguy]

I had an Aeirdale when I was a kid, it crossed my mind, but I already have a Terrier. The wife's maiden name is Terriere. I think of them as pretty dogs that can bite, at least that is the Wife's personality.


This breed was on the short list for a long time.



IMHO Islander subjectively enforces most all of it's rules based on the direction of the wind on any given day. That said, I also believe it is a pretty dog friendly place. The staff regularly has their dogs with them and they have just built a second dog park. I'm pretty sure any breed that is not well socialized, or makes guest staying at the park uncomfortable would be asked to leave. Last year my neighbor across the street, ( the one that hit are RV) had a nasty little lap dog, she kept it mostly under control, but she won't be back this season I'm hearing.

Great Pyrenees is simply amazing dogs for Montana, but the hair is too much for us. "Sully" our neighbor dog at Islander looks like a Great Pyrenees, he is the most mellow, loving neighbor we could ask for. They say he is a Golden, but No chance. I've nothing bad to say about any of these dogs I have ever been around, but we don't want the hair. The size is also a potential down side.

We've research a metric shit ton of dog choices for two years. I'm pretty sure we are close on the choice, I would like to better understand professional training, we have always done this ourselves, but we want to go more in depth with our next dog than in the past. "Hunter" was my Black Lab, at times he could be a jerk, but he was well behaved, loyal, and smart. But even with his tendency to not like people in a uniform, he was mostly going to lick you to death. If you had a treat, he was you're buddy. He tended to roam too much from our ranch and would disappear for days. Every neighbor knew him and he made lots of nice Lab mix pups that the neighbors sold. LOL


Our kids have two dogs, trained about as well as you would imagine for a young family. They are getting older now, but they tend to tree black bears and don't listen well enough when they chase after wildlife. Our neighbor just lost her dog after it chased after a deer. The deer stomped it in the head and killed it. When we go for a walk there is a chance on every walk that we will encounter wildlife. I need to be 100% confident the dog will follow commands every time. I need an animal that is cunning enough to tangle with a grizzly or other predator and not get killed because it was foolish.

My wife's Dog Dixie (Chocolate Lab) was smart enough to interact with wildlife seamlessly. She was not bothered when a Moose Cow walked through our camp with a calf. She watched it sitting right next to Angie and never even growled. However she was just too sweet and a little aloof.

We still may end up with another Lab. They are really hard to beat.

From everything you’ve said I keep thinking beagle or beagle mix.
They are not the giants, but they think they are.
We’ve had most every non giant breed at some point. The BEST dog we ever had that was the total package was a beagle dominant mix named Shorty.
Shorty was almost a year old and was trained when we got her in Arkansas. We immediately moved to Alaska and that’s where she really shined. I was 9 when we got her, I was 26 when we had to finally let her sleep.
Not once did Shorty ever do something wrong. It was like she was human. She would and did obey every command, yet was also totally fearless. She chased away black bears, people, whatever on command, or not.
She had several different alerts, and after a while you could tell if it was a bear, moose, person, dog, and also the threat level just by the way she told you.
There was the “hey that damned moose is back” growl, all the way to the “hey get the gun, this might be serious” bark.
My folks knew Shorty would stop at nothing to protect us…but would also break on command. She took on a Husky one day, that earned her some stitches.
If you’ve raised labs past their one year challenge age then a Beagle or beagle mix will be no more challenging.
Labs are hard to beat all around, but what in my experience I’d be given a beagle a real hard look considering the boxes you need checked.
Perfect for the park and the ranch.

 

[Sportin' Wood]

With the liability age were in, wouldn't an alert dog be better and you do what's necessary?

This deserves it's own response. Good question.

We live in Rural Montana, there are a lot of ways to die. It seems there are increasing odds of risk in most places, but here people regularly disappear. Our home is in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and that means we have predators we share our environment with. We are also living on the Flathead Reservation of CSKT. While my opinion of the tribe is good, it is a simple fact that drug use continues to be an issue in Montana, (like most states). The highest crime rates in Montana are associated with communities that have tribal populations. Per capita violent crime numbers are higher than I would like where we live. We have a lot of desolate places between cities. It is easy to lose a body here and it happens a lot, especially women.

Our chief of police has publically said, they can't be everywhere, all the time. If a person out of their minds on drugs wishes you harm, you should be prepared to defend yourself. Help is coming, but it may be too late. I have to travel for work, and leave my wife home alone. We like to travel into the backcountry. We enjoy getting away from people and going places most people won't ever see across the entire western states. We like to drive into areas that seldom see traffic. With that comes risk.

I don't want an alert dog, I want a force multiplier. I want a companion to share my love with, but I'm asking for something in return.

I know some people with personal protection K9's. These dogs are not going to randomly bite someone. I'm not looking for a mean dog, a liability, a dog that will bring risk, or a scary dog. I don't want my FedEx or UPS driver to fear my dog. I want them to love my dog, but if they attempt to harm, then my insurance policy is my four legged frind, who will buy me some time to defend myself. I'm willing to invest in doing my part, both time and finace, because I think it is a good investment.

I don't need a dog to fight a bear, I need a dog who will provide me additional time and give me confidance when I hike into the backcountry, or drive across rural Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Arizona or if a crackhead thinks I've got something worth risking their life or freedom for. I want a dog that can provide that without putting itself in danger.

Islander is a treat for us, it is not a must have, at any time we can pull the plug. That would be the biggest liabilty risk, our place in Montana is not of the same mindset.

 

[jetboatperformance]

Fact ! RDP folks LOVE their Dogs

 

[DC-88]

We’ve had mostly Rotts and lately I’ve been really missing our last one. We’ve had good luck training and socializing them from pup age, and their energy level matches our property sizes. Farmers insurance have them on the no fly list now, , so we are thinking about getting a smaller shorthaired dog at some point. I’m thinking about a mutt, but we want a pup so we can train it to hopefully avoid any quirks if possible. The other problem with the rotties is they just don’t live long enough! Dog years go by too fast -

 

[Wave Hi]

Dont see to many black mouth cur’s at least on the west coast and most people look at you funny when they ask what kind of dog and you tell them its a BMC.
Older pic but ours is 11 years old now.
View attachment 1421407

We also just adopted a 1 year old BMC/ridgeback mix.

It's a lot of explaining, we rescued him from the Big Island that some hunters abandoned. We have a female that we got from North Carolina and she's amazing. 99% of the people who ask have never heard of a BMC. Even the Vet had to be reminded about the breed.

 

[DILLIGAF]

I had an Aeirdale when I was a kid, it crossed my mind, but I already have a Terrier. The wife's maiden name is Terriere. I think of them as pretty dogs that can bite, at least that

Lol. I always thought of getting an Airedale. Never had one though. They do seem very capable and sure of themselves. Very confident pup

 

[Desert Whaler]

My dad always has funny dog stories . . .
He says the 2 dumbest dogs he ever had were a wiemaraner and an Afghan Hound.
The Weimeraner would jump the fence every day, then go lay on the neighbors porch till the people came home.
He ended up giving them the dog.
The Afghan would get out of the yard and go run into a nearby oil field, get completely covered in oil, then run back home & inside.
This was in the San Fernando valley in the 40's . . . they finally got rid of the Afghan after it got into the neighbors chicken farm killing a bunch and wrecking the place.

Now when we are out and I see an Afghan or a Weimeraner with my Pops, I like asking him, "What do you think of those dogs"???

 

[OCMerrill]

Schnauzers....My step mother had a Std and a couple minis over the years. All I can say is leave the gate open and you will spend the rest of the day chasing them down.
Holy shit can they run.

My Aussie is obedient and intuitive. At 68 lbs he has some presence and is quite the watchdog and sounds the alarm for just about anything that he sees through the front screen door. In fact he's always watching....now that I think of it to some he 's a creeper.

 

[was thatguy]

Any dog that you have to chase is absolutely worthless, and no use to anyone.
It’s no companion, it’s a liability, and a chore.

 

[EarpRider]

My boy is not trained to protect, but I have no question that he would. He instinctively gets between me and anything he deems a threat all the time.

 

[TonyFanelli]

View attachment 1421202 View attachment 1421203
Our daughter and family have 2 Great Pyrenees. They are very protective of the kids and all of their animals.

Very cool pic!

 

[dave29]

I had an Aeirdale when I was a kid, it crossed my mind, but I already have a Terrier. The wife's maiden name is Terriere. I think of them as pretty dogs that can bite, at least that is the Wife's personality.


This breed was on the short list for a long time.



IMHO Islander subjectively enforces most all of it's rules based on the direction of the wind on any given day. That said, I also believe it is a pretty dog friendly place. The staff regularly has their dogs with them and they have just built a second dog park. I'm pretty sure any breed that is not well socialized, or makes guest staying at the park uncomfortable would be asked to leave. Last year my neighbor across the street, ( the one that hit are RV) had a nasty little lap dog, she kept it mostly under control, but she won't be back this season I'm hearing.

Great Pyrenees is simply amazing dogs for Montana, but the hair is too much for us. "Sully" our neighbor dog at Islander looks like a Great Pyrenees, he is the most mellow, loving neighbor we could ask for. They say he is a Golden, but No chance. I've nothing bad to say about any of these dogs I have ever been around, but we don't want the hair. The size is also a potential down side.

We've research a metric shit ton of dog choices for two years. I'm pretty sure we are close on the choice, I would like to better understand professional training, we have always done this ourselves, but we want to go more in depth with our next dog than in the past. "Hunter" was my Black Lab, at times he could be a jerk, but he was well behaved, loyal, and smart. But even with his tendency to not like people in a uniform, he was mostly going to lick you to death. If you had a treat, he was you're buddy. He tended to roam too much from our ranch and would disappear for days. Every neighbor knew him and he made lots of nice Lab mix pups that the neighbors sold. LOL


Our kids have two dogs, trained about as well as you would imagine for a young family. They are getting older now, but they tend to tree black bears and don't listen well enough when they chase after wildlife. Our neighbor just lost her dog after it chased after a deer. The deer stomped it in the head and killed it. When we go for a walk there is a chance on every walk that we will encounter wildlife. I need to be 100% confident the dog will follow commands every time. I need an animal that is cunning enough to tangle with a grizzly or other predator and not get killed because it was foolish.

My wife's Dog Dixie (Chocolate Lab) was smart enough to interact with wildlife seamlessly. She was not bothered when a Moose Cow walked through our camp with a calf. She watched it sitting right next to Angie and never even growled. However she was just too sweet and a little aloof.

We still may end up with another Lab. They are really hard to beat.

A portable Dyson or two are your best friends if you have shedding dogs. We vacuum every day but they're worth it.

 

[Desert Whaler]

My boy is not trained to protect, but I have no question that he would. He instinctively gets between me and anything he deems a threat all the time.
View attachment 1421675

My lab is the polar opposite ! . . . She could give 2 shits about what I'm doing or where I'm at.
I've tested her at dog beach . . . she'll run off and play with anyone/ everyone else and will NEVER look back to see where I'm at . . . not once.
I've gone a solid half hour 'hiding' from her and then when I finally pop up . . . she looks at me like, "Oh , you're still here"???

 

[44Inside]

All you need , barks at ups , amazon, pool cleaner , or anyone that walks down the street