Labrador as a Guard Dog

Tony255

Hi,
We are looking at getting a new dog in a few months but i was wondering how effective are labradors as guard dogs. I work abroad monday to friday and the girlfriend will be in the house alone so i would like to get a dog that would be good around the house, playful but also protective when it comes to intruders. Any ideas if a labrador would fit she has her heart set on this dog? We also have an average back garden (three bed semi) will this be enough for a dog that size?

Rgds
Tony

padi89

Im not really sure a lab as a gurad dog but i can certainly recommend one as a watch dog.Im sure you could train one to guard but what you are asking for will take serious consistent training not something for your average joe soap.Of course you will still have to teach obedience.Either way i think having a dog will certainly be off putting to an intruder.
Your garden should be fine but please remember that the dog should get at least a couple of walks a day, maybe an hour at a time.The garden is fine for keeping them under your supervision but not a place to just leave the dog.Good luck with your choice.

tbh

I don't know a huge amount about dogs, but I'll tell you what happened to me. I have a black Lab, she's the most docile and friendly animal I've ever seen. We have neices and nephews under 4 years old, and they crawl all over her, God love her they must annoy her sometimes, but she never stops wagging her tail and I've never heard her so much as growl at them.

One day i was in the house on my own, and there was a knock on the door. I went to open it, as usual Marge was behind me, sitting on the floor, the big tail thumping from side to side. The guy at the door was selling stuff, and I told him I wasn't interested. All very friendly like. As I went to shut the door, the guy put his foot in it, and leaned his shoulder against the door to stop me closing it.

Marge instantly went bananas. She threw herself against the door, barking and snapping, and it was all I could do to hold her collar. I so surprised, I wasn't even looking at yer man, who by now was beating a hasty retreat down the driveway. The strength and weight of the dog - I just couldn't believe it was docile, gentle Marge I was struggling to contain.

As soon as the guy had gone, she was back to her old self again. She'll bark if she hears something, and it gives us great reassurance to know she's downstairs. I don't know if all Labs are suitable as guard dogs, I think for a guard dog, the main requirement is that they make noise, which she does.

However, I know my dog knows when something isn't right, and she's not afraid to defend her territory. I think you could do a lot worse.

TheB

Any dog will make the right noises to defend it's territory.. which is what you want.. Labs included. (Think of all the small dogs that bark blue murder when the doorbell goes! .. I'm including my SiL Chihuahua in that statement!)

My OH also works abroad and we have 2 crosses to keep me company and feel protected .. A LabxGSD and a GSDxRottiex .. we didn't specifically look for those breeds or crosses for guarding purposes.. we just happened to find them when we were looking and loved them (both rescues..).. tbh both would probably lick someone to death if the came into the house but they make the right barky noises and look off putting (both very big even at 7 & 9 months).. More importantly they are fabulous company for me when OH is away..

And as Padi89 said even just having a dog is off putting to intruders. In fact everything Padi said I +1! .. Does your GF work ? Or would she have to leave the dog alone all day ? (I am lucky in that when OH away they come to work with me - otherwise he works from home - so they are never left for hours on end).. I would think carefully about a dog if it's to be left alone all day.. perhaps a different security measure would be better in that case.. and a cat for company!

I also have a (sorry if this is not allowed) 1year / 18mths small type yellow Lab bitch who is gorgeous, well behaved and playful (but not boisterous) that is looking for a home that I have rescued from a bullet..

Good luck with whatever dog you get though..

Bx

fits

Tony255 wrote: »

Hi,
We are looking at getting a new dog in a few months but i was wondering how effective are labradors as guard dogs.
Tony

It depends on the individual. The dog may or may not have a guarding instinct. Its a bit of a lottery really. One of mine is a very good watchdog and is not a type of dog that would be known for it (whippet). My other dog isnt remotely bothered by strangers coming to the door.

Whispered

WOW fair play to marge!

Almost every dog will protect it's home and owners. You could get a rottweiler who just couldn't be bothered or a lab who barks at everything! It really depends on the dog. Why not look on www.dogsindistress.org

There is a Lab in "urgent matters" who badly needs a home and some TLC. He'd be forever grateful for a chance.

The garden is a fine size so long as the dog is being walked as (s)he should be.

tbh

helena.ryan wrote: »

WOW fair play to marge!

Marge knows she is a VERY GOOD DOG, which is all the reward she needs

delly

marge ftw

Whispered

tbh wrote: »

Marge knows she is a VERY GOOD DOG, which is all the reward she needs

Isn't it lovely that once you are happy your dog is happy, if only men were the same :rolleyes:

kerrysgold

aww, marge sounds like a little sweet, bless her!

I think it depends on the dog although most dog's will bark at someone coming to the door/the doorbell. I only have a westie but she won't shut up barking at a stranger when they come into the house but if you let her go over to them and sniff she will shut up.....until they move, when attack will recommence lol. the other fella is a very good watchdog and even barks at the phone lol, although he only barks if there is something to bark at, he's not an incessant barker, he's actually pretty quiet unless something alerts him which is good.

You wouldn't want to be training a dog to actually attack i.e. be vicious towards strangers though, with a lab, they are fairly big so I'm sure barking + their size would be fairly off putting to a potential intruder, some of them are quite tall and the males especially. they may not be "scary" looking like a rottie but they have teeth all the same which I'm sure a potential intruder would be wary of lol.

As for the garden, It'd be fine, after all you could take the dog out for a walk an hour or two a day + spend time training and playing and maybe take him for off-lead runs at the beach/woods/park or something at the weekends, labs especially love to swim so maybe you could take him somewhere with a (safe) river if you don't live near a beach.

Tony255

Thanks for all the help guys i should have properly phrased my post it is a "watch dog" and not a "guard dog" (to me this is a dog that is chained up in a used car garage to bite the a**e off intruders). I am home at weekend and my OH works 12 hours shifts three days a week so we will need to have some arrangement in place where someone minds the dog when we are at work we have no intention of leaving the dog alone for 12 hours a day. We 100% want to get one from an animals home so we are just trying to do a bit of research before we commit. I had a labX for about 14 years and she was so protective over me and my family and was a great all-rounder so that is why i am leaning towards that breed but i understand that every dog is different.

TheB wrote: »

I also have a (sorry if this is not allowed) 1year / 18mths small type yellow Lab bitch who is gorgeous, well behaved and playful (but not boisterous) that is looking for a home that I have rescued from a bullet..

Thanks for this but unfortunately it is not the right time for us at the moment i think it will be about another 6 months before we are ready.

kerrysgold

yeah most *guard* dog's seem to have a pretty miserable existence.....

it's great that you're going to get a rescued dog! do you go on petsireland? as well as the urgent matters section for pound dogs in danger of being pts there are a good few rescuers on there as well that have rescue kennels so you'd be sure to find a lab/lab type whenever you're ready to get one.

GA361

I have a Lab.She is a good watch dog,but a terrible guard dog.
A lab would sooner hold a torch in his/her mouth for a burgler than bite him.Its in a Labs nature to be kind.
Again,it varies from dog to dog.
A weimaraner would make a good guard dog as well as a loving family pet.They are a beautiful dog.However they are usally more than double the price of a labrador.

A Gordon setter would also prove to be a very vigilent and friendly dog.
For more info you should consult www.dogbreedinfo.com.

peasant

In this day and age, you and your dog are much safer if it is a watchdog only (ie barks but doesn't bite) ...because if any guard dog actually does its job and attacks, somebody (most likely the burglar) will sue and the dog will have to be put down.

You can train almost any dog to be watchful if they aren't already ...but most people have the opposite problem ...teaching their dogs not to bark at every single little leaf that the wind blows past

ODD-JOB

Yeah , We've had black labs , and currently have Elmo , a massive black lab.

I got to say , i think that most dogs would fight to the death for their masters saftey. But !........ like humans , every dog has its own personality.
Elmo is friendly to everybody , and have only ever seen aggression towards other dogs .

Our last b/lab "shadow" ,... used to chase kids and all !
He wouldnt even lets my ma's friend into the house (she heldthe scent of her own dog).
The funniest was when Shadow made a run at this stranger coming up the driveway ,... he was the chinese take-away delivery man .
All growls and aggression until Shadow got a whiff of the bulging brown bags !!!! they strolled to the front-door like best friends :D

Tony255

Ok guys i think it is finally time, we have decided on a Lab the only thing now is that reality has kicked in and i think it may be necessary to leave the dog alone at home while we go to work, it is really only for three days that this will happen all other days one of us will be at the house. Do you think this is totally cruel my OH works 12 hour shifts and i know she will have the dog out for a walk in the evenings. I will also have it out when i get home. The dog would be allowed in the house so would get a few hours with us in the evenings when we are working and a lot of time with us when we are not working. What do you all think????

tbh

personally speaking, I think it's ok, but I've talked to people in shelters and they say they never house a dog unless there's someone at home all the time, so...y'know, you gotta think about that. Having said that, We always had a dog and they would be alone for much of the day (till I'd get in from school anyway) and there never seemed to be any problems, don't know if I'd do it now tho.

sorry, I'm probably confusing the issue

Tony255

tbh wrote: »

personally speaking, I think it's ok, but I've talked to people in shelters and they say they never house a dog unless there's someone at home all the time, so...y'know, you gotta think about that. Having said that, We always had a dog and they would be alone for much of the day (till I'd get in from school anyway) and there never seemed to be any problems, don't know if I'd do it now tho.

sorry, I'm probably confusing the issue

I completely understand where you are coming from and i have read that on forums about shelters expecting someone to be at home all day but i think they need to be realistic also. People have to work and the days of single income families are now few and far between.

LisaO

Could you maybe have someone to look in & walk the dog - either paid professional dog walker or family/friend/neighbour - on the days when it would be left at home?

I also have black lab. Excellent watch dog, doesn't bark unless he actually sees or hears something strange. Strangers always stay in their cars when they call to our house until one of us has a hold on him & tell them it is OK to get out. Very useful for those callers who you do not want out of their vehicles

Find many people do not associate black = labrador. Often asked is he some sort of rottweiler or something? People generally seem to find a large black dog more intimidating in appearance, regardless of it's actual nature, so may be something to consider as well?

cowzerp

I had a black lab growing up and she was the best guard dog ever, i have a lab and a rotty now- and the old lab guarded just like my rotty now-always scanning the place and making sure nobody entered! my lab now still guards but is kinda useless beside Tyson!! Rottys are great pets and guards, i think there like bigger labs TBH.

Tony255

thanks for the comments guys as you can see we have given this a lot of thought and it is not something that we are going to rush into. We can get a neighbour to look in on the dog and that is a great idea so thank you for that. Going to look at the dog pound now to see what is available might end up with something completely different.

Glowing

Hi Tony,

Just to let you know - the petsireland.invisionzone.com forums have a homes needed section - you might find a suitable dog there!

Good luck!