Advice on getting a guard dog, out in the country

DesperateDan

Hi folks we live in the middle of nowhere in Longford, no neighbours at all and the house was broken into twice before we moved in. Kind of waiting for it to happen at this stage and the gf has 3 pedigree cats which she is awfully worried about.

Lots of stories in the news lately of burglaries and we're coming into xmas.

We've had security people out and because of the terrible internet really our only option is cameras to record locally onto a box and an alarm which will do nothing except text us.

Both of these are obviously useless against anyone that really wants to get in when we aren't there so the mother is suggesting we get a proper, trained guard dog for whatever cost it comes to. Never really had a dog so here's my pro/con list so far:

Pro
- Possibly the only genuinely useful deterrent
- Happy friendly dog
- Protection at night for gf when she's alone

Con
- I've heard guard dogs are trained cruelly but don't know anything about that.
- Ensuring random delivery people are not mauled to death somehow.
- Remarkable amount of cost and effort - walking and playing for hours everyday, outdoor heated kennel built, setting up perimeter, moving post box to outside property, getting some kind of parcel delivery box etc. etc.
- House is too small to have it indoors, so we really would need to setup a proper little house outdoors for him. Quite a big garden to explore though.
- Doggie can still be battered with an iron bar

sillysmiles

TBH someone determined will easily get past a dog, particularly an outdoor dog because all it takes is a bit of poisoning and they are done. If they are willing to do that, they aren't going to care how much pain a slow death causes the animal. In terms of guarding - I would think even a properly trained guard dog is something that is easy to get past.

I think most piece of mind in having a dog would come from having a dog inside where they can create a ruckus and wake the house if someone unwelcome is prowling about at night.

Hitman3000

Get a Jack Russell great house dog and noisy asf if there are strangers around. Assuming a large dog is too much effort.

Choc Chip

I can't see the benefit in keeping a dog that's been trained to bite. I don't want to imagine the legal consequences if it did bite someone.

I've a German Sherpherd X and a Border Terrier in the house. I'd admire the burglar who decided to break in after the GSD did her barking performance at the window. Having said that, the nosiest one is the terrier - he'll alert the whole house if someone turns up, day or night. Is a burglar going to break in while a dog is barking the house down?

I've no idea what either of my dogs would do if someone did break in, but they're very noisy and scary-sounding from through the door/window. They're not half as scary sounding when out in the garden.

That's a long-winded way of saying:
1. I would keep any dog that was meant to alert me to a potential burglar in the house.
2. I would get something that had a nice big loud bark. You sound fairly dedicated to giving it a nice life and big dogs don't have to mean more exercise/space required. There's always the possibility of a golden oldie from a rescue, so you can get a big dog with a big bark, who is more laid back and might not need as much exercise.

Bells21

Hitman3000 wrote:

Get a Jack Russell great house dog and noisy asf if there are strangers around. Assuming a large dog is too much effort.

I don't really believe there's much correlation between the size of a dog and the effort required. Believe me JRT require a lot of effort and a lot of exercise. Yes they are noisy but left untrained this can become very irritating as in the dog would bark at anything passing.

Hitman3000

Bells21 wrote:

I don't really believe there's much correlation between the size of a dog and the effort required. Believe me JRT require a lot of effort and a lot of exercise. Yes they are noisy but left untrained this can become very irritating as in the dog would bark at anything passing.

Actually I'm very familiar with the JR breed can't say in my experience that they require a lot of training . There is also an outside area for exercise. Again great house dog very territorial (may cause issues with visitors).

Choc Chip

Bells21 wrote: »

I don't really believe there's much correlation between the size of a dog and the effort required. Believe me JRT require a lot of effort and a lot of exercise. Yes they are noisy but left untrained this can become very irritating as in the dog would bark at anything passing.

I totally agree with this. My terrier... Never. Stops. Ever.

We've had a JRT before who was worse than a duracell bunny and spaniels that bounced off the walls if they weren't exercised enough. I'm currently sitting with 2 biggies at my feet (mine and a foster), throwing a ball repeatedly for the little one. He MIGHT calm down after his dinner. :rolleyes:

deadlybuzzman

I totally get where you're coming fron OP, I have a neighbour that got followed in to her house as she went in the door and a knife held to her throat. She wasn't physically harmed but obviously it was terrifying.
I've picked few people's brains over the last couple of years as regards using dogs for security so I'm no expert but a few things that come to mind:

1. Go find a few experts in the field and see what they say, not just one person.

2. Do you want a personal protection dog, a watch dog (mainly a Barker) or a property protection dog? If it's for property you will have to organise some kind of set up that's safe for both the dog and visitors

3. A scared dog is worse than USELESS. Some trainers are terrible and will basically abuse the dog until it's afraid of everything, looks great seeing this guard dog going mental but they're actually only going to attack the wrong people out of fear and there's videos on YouTube shouting down initially scary dogs that then submit.

4. You need a calm strong willed confident dog. I seen a supposed guard dog at at dog show with its actual trainer that froze an was afraid to walk through a line of people. Our dog almost knocked them out of the way with no hesitation

I know some people think "oh the poor dog" but people need back up sometimes and if the dogs up to the job no harm will come to either owner or dog.
Dogs can be trained to eat only from their bowl so poison isn't a danger and if you've ever seen the likes of a GSD or APBT that's trained in bitework there's no way I'd take one on even with an iron bar

aonb

Our house has been burgled (we have cctv cameras, signs at the gate etc) - two JRTs in the house at the time. Normally I would have said that they would deter a burgular, but obviously not. They'd bark the house down if anyone comes when we're in it, but once a stranger is in the house, I dont think they'd have a chance. Afterall a kick or a wallop with a stick or something would be enough to send them cowering :mad: We live in a remote rural area. I didnt care what the burgulars did as long as the dogs and the cats werent injured (frightened to death, but thankfully not injured)

If you are looking at dogs to protect a house, then TWO large GSD/rottweiler/dobermann types might be as good a deterrent as you can get. But as previously mentioned, poison or something worse will get rid of the dogs.
If you are not a dog person, it would (1) not be fair to the dogs, but then Im a dog lover (2) involve a lot of hassle/work/expense as you mentioned (3) You will not be able to go away on holiday etc unless someone comes to take care of your dog(s) or have them in kennels.

What about ramping up your security to the hilt - these burgular proof /reinforced windows? Motion detector lights all around. Lamps in the house on timers. etc etc will help. A determined burgular will get in regardless, so not having any valuables in the house and the usual precautions are about all you can do I think

volchitsa

Choc Chip wrote: »

I can't see the benefit in keeping a dog that's been trained to bite. I don't want to imagine the legal consequences if it did bite someone.

I've a German Sherpherd X and a Border Terrier in the house. I'd admire the burglar who decided to break in after the GSD did her barking performance at the window. Having said that, the nosiest one is the terrier - he'll alert the whole house if someone turns up, day or night. Is a burglar going to break in while a dog is barking the house down?

I've no idea what either of my dogs would do if someone did break in, but they're very noisy and scary-sounding from through the door/window. They're not half as scary sounding when out in the garden.

That's a long-winded way of saying:
1. I would keep any dog that was meant to alert me to a potential burglar in the house.
2. I would get something that had a nice big loud bark. You sound fairly dedicated to giving it a nice life and big dogs don't have to mean more exercise/space required. There's always the possibility of a golden oldie from a rescue, so you can get a big dog with a big bark, who is more laid back and might not need as much exercise.

Id agree with this, it's the sound from inside the house that puts people off IMO.
I saw a dog trainer's blog where someone was asking the same thing, they wanted a family dog that was trained to guard, and the trainer said no, can't be done, trained guard dogs are not good family dogs - but she gave a "solution" I thought was really cool :
Have a big/biggish dog and teach it a really rock solid "quiet" and "stay", and then if someone comes into the garden or near the house, you're there with this dog barking at strangers but when you tell it to stop it obeys. So a potential robber doesn't know what else the dog knows - maybe he'll attack if told too.

(I haven't tried but I'm a bit tempted just for the fun of it!)

Del2005

A flock of geese are the best to warn about intruders, if they are good enough for survivalists in the US they'll work in rural Ireland, and can provide an income.

Flood lights, gravel driveway and thorny hedges to keep them out. The scumbags are usually looking for somewhere quiet and easy to rob and if not then no security will protect you, the dog will be no use when outside the gate.

An attack trained dog would be considered the same as laying a booby trap.

Bunnyslippers

Agree with the above, geese are a great deterrent, more people were scared of my geese than my Ovcharka and ridgebacks! Also guard dogs are pretty hit and miss, my ovcharka was bought as a guard dog but he would happily say hello to people but woe betide if you happen to be a sheep or other large animal, my ridgebacks would drown people in drool!! The ovcharka does give the deterrent factor though and the roar he gives if disturbed at night even scares me if i don't see him!!:D My jack russells on the other hand are a great set of ears and will alert you to even a mouse farting 5 miles away! So if I were you I'd ramp up your outside security, get a little watch dog for in the house, and get some geese - all they need is an outside light on all night - we had a big one outside the front door so the geese could see foxes or anything else approach in the dark and would all sit in a group and let off a lot of noise if disturbed!;)

DBB

Hmmm... I have geese too, and yes, they do make noise when strangers appear, but I'm not all that sure they'd be more of a deterrent than a dog. Maybe it's just me, but I don't find geese in the remotest bit intimidating. Whilst they may run towards you with wings out and shrieky honking, if you stand your ground that's all that happens... whilst if I'm charged by a barking dog I will sweat... And I work with aggressive dogs!
Our geese tip our dogs off alright... Once the dogs hear the stranger danger honking, they go on high alert and go check the perimeter.
Like many others here op, I'm a bit shaky on taking on an official guard dog... They can be a bit of a liability... And guard dogs come with extra legally defined responsibilities and liabilities too, over and above those for pet dogs.
I have 2 German Shepherds and live in a very rural spot. They bark at all strangers, and appear really quite intimidating, so much so that visitors and delivery people don't invite themselves into our property until we appear. However, they are absolutely pet dogs who live in the house, where they can actually protect me if there's an unwanted visitor at night.
The guard dog "industry" is, it has to be said, a tad shady in Ireland, but they generally recommend a female large guarding breed to place in homes where the dog needs to be "dual purpose" (well, as dual purpose as you can reasonably expect... Can you really expect a free-running guard dog to differentiate between a courier and a scumbag? The answer to this is no. You can't. Or shouldn't)

aonb

Bunnyslippers wrote: »

Agree with the above, geese are a great deterrent, more people were scared of my geese than my Ovcharka and ridgebacks! Also guard dogs are pretty hit and miss, my ovcharka was bought as a guard dog but he would happily say hello to people but woe betide if you happen to be a sheep or other large animal, my ridgebacks would drown people in drool!! The ovcharka does give the deterrent factor though and the roar he gives if disturbed at night even scares me if i don't see him!!:D My jack russells on the other hand are a great set of ears and will alert you to even a mouse farting 5 miles away! So if I were you I'd ramp up your outside security, get a little watch dog for in the house, and get some geese - all they need is an outside light on all night - we had a big one outside the front door so the geese could see foxes or anything else approach in the dark and would all sit in a group and let off a lot of noise if disturbed!;)

This :D:D:D:D:D
and so true....

aonb

speaking of Ovcharka's, when we lived in the USA, a neighbour had 2 Ovcharkas. Useless as watchdogs, total slobs. He recorded them once when they were on full alert - that bark! He set his parents and sisters houses up with a system, which when their motion detector lights outside were set off, the recording or the Ovcharkas barking was played on some sort of speaker system in the house.

LambMaster

DesperateDan wrote: »

Hi folks we live in the middle of nowhere in Longford, no neighbours at all and the house was broken into twice before we moved in. Kind of waiting for it to happen at this stage and the gf has 3 pedigree cats which she is awfully worried about.

Lots of stories in the news lately of burglaries and we're coming into xmas.

We've had security people out and because of the terrible internet really our only option is cameras to record locally onto a box and an alarm which will do nothing except text us.

Both of these are obviously useless against anyone that really wants to get in when we aren't there so the mother is suggesting we get a proper, trained guard dog for whatever cost it comes to. Never really had a dog so here's my pro/con list so far:

Pro
- Possibly the only genuinely useful deterrent
- Happy friendly dog
- Protection at night for gf when she's alone

Con
- I've heard guard dogs are trained cruelly but don't know anything about that.
- Ensuring random delivery people are not mauled to death somehow.
- Remarkable amount of cost and effort - walking and playing for hours everyday, outdoor heated kennel built, setting up perimeter, moving post box to outside property, getting some kind of parcel delivery box etc. etc.
- House is too small to have it indoors, so we really would need to setup a proper little house outdoors for him. Quite a big garden to explore though.
- Doggie can still be battered with an iron bar

Austrailian Kelpies are amazing guard dogs. Ours will bark but not bite unless someone comes very close to the house or other property etc. Ine would probably go well with the cats, ours will sit and mind chickens and sheep all day long. They would be well suited to living outside but need at least an hour and 1/2 of physical activity per day. They are extremely loyal and would do absolutely everything to guard their owners.

DesperateDan

Thanks folks was hoping you'd all tell me it's either a brilliant idea or a terrible one but there you go! We will go and talk to a couple of these guard dog people and see what they have to say.

Probably the biggest deal breaker for me is the dog attacking some randomer just walking by the house when no-one is there so that's something we need to carefully consider. The house is very open right now, opens right onto a parallel road, which is quite busy for the middle of nowhere. We've recently planted some 1ft high holly but I'm guessing we might need a 10ft high fence if border control is a problem!

VonVix

DesperateDan wrote: »

We will go and talk to a couple of these guard dog people and see what they have to say.

Keep in mind if they are in the business of "guard dogs", they're likely going to make sure you hear everything you want to hear and essentially sell the idea of one to you.

Also keep in mind, that any dog that is trained as a guard dog, isn't probably going to make a very good "pet", they're often working breeds that are a lot of energy and intelligence.

Don't forget, you need to think about what you can offer a dog as well, rather than what a dog can offer you.

What's your experience with dogs generally speaking?

DBB

DesperateDan wrote: »

Thanks folks was hoping you'd all tell me it's either a brilliant idea or a terrible one but there you go! We will go and talk to a couple of these guard dog people and see what they have to say.

To be fair op, no poster here has come close to telling you that getting an "official" guard is a brilliant idea.

kylith

I think a noisy dog is better than a trained 'guard' dog. What you want is something that will go mad if someone comes near the house so that burglars know that there's no way they'll get in and out unnoticed. A couple of terriers could be good, especially as JRTs have a reputation as nippy little feckers, but IME they're not generally great with kids. But two of them would give any potential burglars the idea that while they're trying to line up a kick at one the other will be taking a lump out of their arse.

elperello

You will need a chain link perimeter fence if you plan to leave a guard dog loose in your property.
Do you have electric gates?

Del2005

DBB wrote: »

Hmmm... I have geese too, and yes, they do make noise when strangers appear, but I'm not all that sure they'd be more of a deterrent than a dog. Maybe it's just me, but I don't find geese in the remotest bit intimidating. Whilst they may run towards you with wings out and shrieky honking, if you stand your ground that's all that happens... whilst if I'm charged by a barking dog I will sweat... And I work with aggressive dogs!
Our geese tip our dogs off alright... Once the dogs hear the stranger danger honking, they go on high alert and go check the perimeter.

The Geese are just to alert you to the presence of people on the property. You turn on the lights inside and the sumbags move on, if they don't then a dog isn't going to stop them.

tastyt

Friend of mine is a guard, he was telling me they caught a couple of scumbags breaking into a house in portlaoise.

They found a makeshift map of the estate they were robbing on them with big red X"s beside some houses. Friend thought at first that these were the houses they were targeting or maybe ones with alarms.

Turned out they were houses with dogs. The scumbag told them it just wasnt worth the hassle chancing a house with a dog with all the noise and attention theyd bring so theyd just move on to the next one.

I know its a bit different if your isolated but these guys have their homework done and the fact that you have a dog, of any size, might just keep them moving past your place

You'll need planning permission for a fence more than 6ft.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't recommend a guard dog. Particularly as you said you "never really had a dog". My family has kept many of the breeds associated with guard dogs all my life and long before. They require a lot of exercise, stimulation and on going training. You need to know what your at.

One of ours was trained as a guard dog to a certain extent. When trained that way they'll stop at nothing to get at the perceived threat. I would also be seriously worried that a mistake would be made and the dog would attack the wrong person.

Anecdotelly my father quickly chained our guard dog to a radiator, after he had dropped the takings from our business on the counter and went to close up the building and didn't want the dog to follow. A man walked in and grabbed the money. The dog tore the radiator from the wall and in doing so a chunk of the wall from the house and gave chase, dragging all behind him until the radiator got jammed in a doorway and my dad could intercede. I wouldn't like that level of determination chasing me, if I was just, you know, delivering a package.

I personally think a noisy little dog is the best choice. My terrier alerts me to absolutely anything unusual. He hears everything. You'd swear he never slept. I also live in a very rural area and when I'm alone at night, I get greater comfort from my terrier than my bigger dog. I know he will give me plenty of warning if something's up.

deadlybuzzman

As has been said already but can't be said enough, the right kind of dog really will need alot of daily time and attention.
Unless you know for sure you can work, train and exercise the dog for an hour and a half a day every day of the week then I'd look for other options. A dog isn't like a camera that you can install and forget about.
You really need to be a dog person, we live up a small dark lane, and because we've put the work in, my wife can get out of the car at night, let the dog out of her door and the dog will walk up to the dark corner on the far side of the front door of the house and sit on guard until my wife is in the door.
There's no doubt in my mind that the dog will protect her if needed and the peace of mind it has given her is massive but the dogs a part of the family and gets ALOT of our time, way more than what most people can give

scudzilla

Slightly off topic, when i lived back in Wales i did a job that entailed me calling to a lot of peoples houses, went to one gaff in the sticks, pulled the van up, walked to the door which was about 50yards away from van and got attacked by 2 geese, viscous and scary things they were

njs030

I didn't read even one reply that suggested a trained guard dog was a good idea, those dogs need ongoing training afaik, are you able to do that op?
Have you checked out the legalities of them? For private property?

A pet that lives indoors and has loyalty and wants to protect you is a much much better and safer idea.

sillysmiles

DesperateDan wrote: »

Thanks folks was hoping you'd all tell me it's either a brilliant idea or a terrible one but there you go! We will go and talk to a couple of these guard dog people and see what they have to say.

OK let me be clear - I think a guard dog is a terrible idea.

Personally if you are that concerned I would put the money you are thinking of spending on a guard dog into a monitored alarm with a visible box outside.

And then - if you think you can provide a good home to a dog - I would think about rescuing a dog to live inside and alert at night if there is a prowler.
TBH I would think most dogs are protecting their family and will only really do that if they are really bonded to their family.

DBB

Del2005 wrote: »

The Geese are just to alert you to the presence of people on the property. You turn on the lights inside and the sumbags move on, if they don't then a dog isn't going to stop them.

No doubt, the geese will let you know there's someone about... Problem with my geese anyway, is that they're a little bit inclined to cry wolf, so we don't necessarily take them seriously all the time! Also, ours seem a lot quieter at night... Are yours? Maybe it's just ours!
Anyway, I suppose the intimation factor is an important one too, but that risk factor of the dog being severely injured or killed would always play on my mind. I know one GSD who had the lard beaten out of her by burglars... She survived and lives a good life but she's very physically disfigured.

tastyt wrote: »

Friend of mine is a guard, he was telling me they caught a couple of scumbags breaking into a house in portlaoise.

They found a makeshift map of the estate they were robbing on them with big red X"s beside some houses. Friend thought at first that these were the houses they were targeting or maybe ones with alarms.

Turned out they were houses with dogs.

Honestly, no disrespect, but I've heard this story from many places across the country... It just has a whiff of urban myth off it at this stage!

Ms Doubtfire1

I also live rural. I have 8 dogs so good luck to anyone entering unwelcome. That aside. In rural ireland is the option of sattelite broadband. I have it, is's highspeed (but not cheap). I have just recently set up a link between my work laptop and homelaptop to monitor which of my fools is etaing the couch - works like a treat. If your on benefits, one of the broadbandproviders is subsidized, otherwise they are pretty much the same., you can link an alarm system to it no problem.

DesperateDan

I will look into satellite broadband for sure.

A dog can be as noisy as it wants unfortunately we have no neighbours for at least 2 km either side of us. I'm hyper-aware a guard dog trainer can just be a salesman yes, and no putting in an hour a day isn't really an issue. Dog experience amount to me having a springer spaniel as a kid until I moved out but to be honest not having much to do with her at all except helping out the odd time! Gf has 0 experience with dogs but loves all animals big time.

Night-time alertness is not really an issue I guess, when we are both in the house at night in the incredibly unlikely even that someone wants to try and rob us, having a dog vs protecting ourselves with baseball bats is all the same at that stage. It's when we are both out of the house Monday-Friday the two of us are just at work being worried about the place which is quite annoying!

There is apparently no easy solution here I've been told about geese by several people now, weird :pac:

How about a compromise of a normal reasonably sized dog + home security alarm, sensor lights and cameras (in the hope that one day before we die fibre broadband will make it's way out here)?!

sillysmiles

I live rurally too.... I've given up on the hope of fibre broadband....

TBH I honest don't think is much you can do to stop someone during the day when there is no one there. All you can really do is make it more difficult in the hope they will move on to someone else.

pawrick

sillysmiles wrote: »

I live rurally too.... I've given up on the hope of fibre broadband....

TBH I honest don't think is much you can do to stop someone during the day when there is no one there. All you can really do is make it more difficult in the hope they will move on to someone else.

I'm in the same boat, I have cameras around the outside of the house, sensor lights etc. and a large dog (pet) inside - her bark is really imposing and a few of the people who walk by are nervous when they hear her but she's a dote really.

If someone really wants to break in I cant see a dog no matter how well trained preventing them, as a deterrent though they are great esp. large ones with strong barks but you don't need a dog specifically trained for that purpose to achieve the same deterrent factor and I think a dog who is likely to bite an intruder roaming your garden is a very bad idea for lots of reasons.

In a remote location especially it's all about making your home less of an easy target v your neighbour down the road. Be unpredictable in your habits, don't always park in view of the road when you are there, don't leave at the exact same time every day, don't only leave outdoor lights on when you aren't home etc.

_Brian

Dogs usually get loose , chase sheep and so destroy a farmers flock. What will you do at that stage ?

DBB

_Brian wrote: »

Dogs usually get loose , chase sheep and so destroy a farmers flock. What will you do at that stage ?

Usually?

DesperateDan

DBB wrote: »

Usually?

It's a good point though, gotta figure out how to let the doggie roam free in the garden but not go mental when s/he sees a sheep

ganmo

DBB wrote: »

Usually?

I'd say regularly.

A neighbour got a dog recently and unfortunately my first thoughts were I hope I don't have to shoot it some day.

To the op I'd say get motion sensor lights and get to know your neighbours

Zapperzy

I have family that bought a male gsd pup from working guard dog breeders and sent it to a facility in louth to get trained. Lovely dog but it chewed off all the hair on its tail from stress. It'l alert bark when a car pulls up the the driveway but my old terrier used to do that much, I wouldn't like to attempt to jump the back wall with a hood up but once I'm in the house and he trusts me he'd lick me to death. The breeders they bought from used the lovely chestnut we'l send the papers on in the post soon.

Not the type of dog to lock in a yard all day, will literally go mad and rip all its hair out from stress :-( Needs constant companionship, training, exercise and mental stimulation. I can't see what a dog like that is going to protect when all the burglar is going to do is approach the house from the front, nearly every pet dog will alert bark. Also keep in mind a dog like that could be a target itself for stealing.

DBB

ganmo wrote: »

I'd say regularly.

I think to either say that dogs usually, or even regularly get out and attack livestock, is vastly unfair on the huge majority of dog owners who ensure their dogs cannot leave their own premises unaccompanied, and cannot come into contact with livestock.
Some owners aren't responsible. Some dogs sometimes get out and some of them sometimes attack livestock. Let's please put some perspective on it and put the hyperbole away.
In any case, I don't particularly want to pull this thread off topic. The point that has been made and there's no need to start another thread on the issue.

CircleofLife

Be very careful about what 'guard dog people' you go to. Some will teach the dog to react from fear, not the desire to protect. I personally would not keep the dog outside either- my uncle's dog got poisoned outside.

It might be worth seeing if there is a schutzhund club near you that you can get in contact with. Some of them might be able to offer advice on good breeders and trainers if you are determined to go ahead with this.

AryaStark

ganmo wrote: »

I'd say regularly.

A neighbour got a dog recently and unfortunately my first thoughts were I hope I don't have to shoot it some day.

To the op I'd say get motion sensor lights and get to know your neighbours

I would not say that. I live in the county beside a farm (very friendly farmer)... we have always had dogs and have always brought them down to meet the farmer when they are young.
None of our dogs have ever wondered off and caused any problems. We have two farms beside the house so we do have to be careful.

I have a husky who the local farmers both love!!!

To the OP you cannot get a dog to leave loose on your land and not have it fenced in somehow.. this is very important in the county, esp. when you are not home.

jsabina

I had a large dog - samoyed mix and I was living in an apartment block with lot of people around.
The dog was unfortunately quite aggressive (more toward dogs though) and very loud (not trained as a guard dog or anything though).
One day, at about 7pm in summer with light, burglars entered from the window.

I have no idea what happened, but for sure the large dog didn't deter them from entering.
The only thing I actually worried about was the dog when I realized the break-in.
Thankfully he was ok and wagging tail... I bet he was wagging tail to the burglars as well!!

Now I have three dogs in the house!
Nobody trained as guard, but they do a lot of crazy noise and looks like they want to kill anyone entering.
I must say that once I had the setter in the car and a mechanic tried to get in while I was paying the bill and he got almost bitten :O :O

tk123

jsabina wrote: »

Nobody trained as guard, but they do a lot of crazy noise and looks like they want to kill anyone entering.

:P The same with my two - it's more Bailey and then Lucy joins in with him :rolleyes: Lucy also woo-wooos which is often mistaken for growling lol

delboythedub

DesperateDan wrote:

Con - I've heard guard dogs are trained cruelly but don't know anything about that. - Ensuring random delivery people are not mauled to death somehow. - Remarkable amount of cost and effort - walking and playing for hours everyday, outdoor heated kennel built, setting up perimeter, moving post box to outside property, getting some kind of parcel delivery box etc. etc. - House is too small to have it indoors, so we really would need to setup a proper little house outdoors for him. Quite a big garden to explore though. - Doggie can still be battered with an iron bar

Think about buying a PIR alarm system and put a SIM card in it so any unwanted guests will trigger an alarm and a phone call to your mobile phone and maybe you call a neighbour who can check out the reason for alarm going off. I have one in my ground floor apartment and it gives me great piece of mind . I don't think this alarm would be suitable do a dogs hearing pm me if you need a link and they are also available in Dublin.