I'm thinking about picking up a 2 yr. old male from an acquaintance. The dog is really friendly to people, children, other dogs, cats and if fine around farm animals. He's obedient and he seems really confident and bites very hard in his bite work. He seems like a great dog and quite possibly a great protection dog. So I think I'm going to buy him for $2,000.
However I've noticed that he's not at all dominant around other male dogs. In fact some of these other male dogs try to dominate him and he seems indifferent.
So my question is can a non-dominant (not submissive, he's not) dog be a GREAT protection dog? Or do all of the GREAT protection dogs also have dominant dispositions?
Good (or GREAT <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) protection dogs have stable nerves, first and foremost. They also tend to have high prey drive, an accessible defensive threshhold--by which I mean the dog does not have to be pushed extremely hard to get his defensive drive to come out--and, often, the genetics for fight drive (see other posts on this subject).
I have seen many fine protection dogs that were not particularly dominant around other dogs. I think this is because the qualities mentioned in the first paragraph are not necessarily related to same-species dominance.
From what you've mentioned about this dog, he sounds like a nice animal.
I think this sounds like a nice prospect! Make sure his hips and elbows are good before you spend the money though! I personally would rather have a dog that ISN"T dominant around other dogs. That is a real pain in the butt. My 4 year old male is great around all dogs.. and his protection work is super.
Scott
...I Think...
Just because a dog does not attack other intact males does not mean it is not dominant, It merely means it is not threatened by them. I have seen many excellent PP dogs working together, as many as thirty in one group, all running, playing off leash. A well socialized dog realizes it's pecking order and I don't care how dominant a dog is, theres always one bigger. A farm dogs is probably more aware of this than most. But truly, what good is a PP dog that tugs and attacks everydog everywhere you go. Now I think the Schutzhund dogs are probably different.
... I Think...
Thanks. All of the points made seem pretty sensible to me. Let me phrase my question another way. If Ed, Kevin and some of the other experts around here could put together a list of the top 10 protection dogs, what percentage of those dogs would be considered as "dominant" dogs? Just curious. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
I often think dominance is a matter of perspective. In one group I may be dominant but in another group I may not. However, I can feel confident in both surroundings. It does not mean I will attack or will not attack in either surrounding. It also does notmean I will or will not be attacked. I am not saying dominance has nothing to do with this but it is a matter of perspective. No matter how big you are there is always someone bigger and badder sooner or later. Look for a dog with great confidence and that works with about 55-70% prey drive and 45-30% defensive drive that you can control and you have a winner.
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