Four-legged defense system question

I had my German Shepherd with me at my previous (read:tiny) apartment and he was alone anywhere from 7-8 hours a day. The best thing for him is to give him constructive things to do while I'm gone. I gave him a Kong toy and put a dog treat in it (it kept him busy for a while working the treat out). Outside of that, he greatly enjoys tennis balls, rope toys and rawhides. By giving him things to do during the day, he never chews or gains other bad "boredom" habits that would make having a dog in a small home difficult. Whenever I get home, we would also take a couple hours to play ball or to go jogging. Usually after a hour of high-energy playtime he does the best imitation of a rug the rest of the evening. It is extremely comforting to have him there, especially since he likes to sleep in the doorways between me and any lurking bad guys that might break in.

I don't know about anyone else. But I have to say I was always amazed at how Sam(or any dog for that matter) could go from a dead sleep to fully awake and ready for action, in less than a second :wink::image035::usflag:

When I had a dog the only danger to the BG was the dog being a tripping hazard!

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Originally Posted by IronMike

When I had a dog the only danger to the BG was the dog being a tripping hazard!

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I hope your insurance was paid up, you get sued for stuff like that :confused::yup:

reading up on diff breeds is good and all, but rly, like humans, dogs all have very different personalities depending on factors such as breeding, how they were brought up, etc. I have two german shepherds, male and female, and they are night and day. female is from a german working line and EXTREMELY high energy, she will not be satisfied unless you run her everyday. our male is an american line and he could relax and chill out in the house and be satisfied with a short walk daily.

If you want to get a dog the worst thing is to do it on impulse. you should evaluate your lifestyle and think hard on what you are willing to commit when choosing a dog.

For a while when we both worked and our son was at school, I hired a dog walker to come over midway through the day. That seemed to satisfy our Lab (who has never "settled down") and kept us from feeling bad about leaving him alone for 8 hours a day. Having said that, we didn't get a dog until one of us was home all the time, and we have gone back to having someone home all the time.

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Originally Posted by BurgDog

The solution to leaving a dog alone for 10 hours is to have two dogs to keep each other company.

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My wife got a Chihuahua puppy and ended up geting another a few weeks later for company, add a dog door and a fenced yard and they live like kings.

Most dogs should be considered early warning systems, not defense systems.
oldogy

Dobes are great dogs and very loyal but extremely high engergy. When mine is penned up for 8-9 hours she is like a loaded spring when I get home. Play time and exercise is a must so figure in a little time killing with a dog addition.

I have left her out in the house a few times but she gets separation anxiety but the only thing she chews up is her bed.

She barks at everybody but has never come close to biting anyone.
She warms up to people quick though.

I've also seen kong dispensers that will dispense a kong with a treat in it at timed intervals. I might try that evenetually.

Fergie stays alone at my backyard from 08:00AM to 07:00PM. When I get home she is pretty well but i teke her to walk for about 30 minutes so she can expend some energy.

take a look at the chesapeake bay retriever. Ours will be 10 this spring, and even at that ripe age alerts us to more than enough "threats". We adopted her at the age of two, and she has spent many a work day alone in the house... although I should mention that much of that time was shared with a cat... I cannot think of a more loyal, dedicated and determined breed than the Chesapeake. They do need time outside with their owners and some good daily exercise, but do make a good "house dog". My only advice for retriever or sporting breeds, is to stick with breeders who offer pet quality dogs bred for conformation. Dogs bred to hunt will require more working time to be satisfied pets. Other than that. the only breeds that interest me with only regularity are the rottweiler, and the doberman. Both make excellent family dogs, and when gotten from reputable breeders, are very stable in temperment. I'm sure, like most things, there are a million opinions out there, but choice of a canine pet comes down to matching the owners temperament and availability with those of a particular breed. Good Luck. And believe the opinions of the board when they say that a good dog is more than a pet... They are truly a friend and family member.

I have two Female Border Collies, contrary to popular belief they are the laziest two Border Collies I have ever owned. We leave them for 8-9 hours a day at home, no kennels and all they do is lay around. Have not had one thing tore up and they are 2 and 3 now. My youngest one loves to cuddle it is annoying sometimes lie when trying to sleep. We also have two acres that they love to roam around on when we are home. I have a hard time keeping the younger one out of the pool as well.

Check out the AKC site for breed descriptions, but I agree with Frequency. If this is a "impluse" item....pass on it.
There are too many homeless dogs now because the humans were not committed to dog ownership. Get a alarm system instead.

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Originally Posted by Frequency

reading up on diff breeds is good and all, but rly, like humans, dogs all have very different personalities depending on factors such as breeding, how they were brought up, etc. I have two german shepherds, male and female, and they are night and day. female is from a german working line and EXTREMELY high energy, she will not be satisfied unless you run her everyday. our male is an american line and he could relax and chill out in the house and be satisfied with a short walk daily.

If you want to get a dog the worst thing is to do it on impulse. you should evaluate your lifestyle and think hard on what you are willing to commit when choosing a dog.

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I completely agree, well said.

I have two dogs and raising both of them to a competent level of training to be left at home takes a major investment in time, patience and love. Dogs are great but they are a huge commitment. Take A LOT of time deciding on whether or not to get a dog and what kind of dog and what purpose do you have for the dog.

Are you just looking for a friendly dog, hunting, working, guard etc?

I have a red doberman and a rottweiler mutt. Both are great dogs and though they aren't specifically trained for guarding, it is in both of their genes to patrol and react (bark) to any person or thing that is out of place near my house.

They are great for deterring travelling salesmen and anyone who tries to break in while I am home or away are still going to be met with two protective dogs. They are truly the first line of defense in my home to give a warning, give me time to get to a bigger gun ie. 12 ga or .45

Any dog is probably a better security system than electronic ones.

Oh, and rescue if you can. Both of my pups are rescues and you won't regret it. If you want a specific breed look for a rescue group for that breed in your area. But don't leave out mutts, they are some of my favorite dogs and typically don't have as many genetic problems.