hello everybody,( first post ) i live in DUBLIN IRELAND we have a dangerous dogs list in this country similer to the UK,so i have a problem when it comes to selecting a breed. just a breif discription of the law, all dogs on the list must be muzzled and on a leash at all times in public,but an american bulldog is not on the list so i was thinking of buying one. i would just like your opions on the breed as a family pet\home protecter. PS I HAVE 3 DAUGHTERS AGED 9 , 6 AND 4 and i also have expierence with mastiffs and bull terriers. thanks DARREN.

Darren, are you looking for a dog just to be intimidating looking or to be trained in bitework? Is your main priority having a good family pet or having a dog that would protect your home/family?

Do you have any plans for sports (such as agility, OB, SchH etc) or will this dog be a play fetch and romp in the yard pet?

It is difficult enough to find a dog that is stable and balanced and will bite in defense of home or owner, but to also be a suitable companion/pet for a family with 3 young girls, your chances of finding one decrease even more.

An AB, in a general sense, is a good choice as an intimidating looking family pet but as with any breed you need to do a lot of research to make sure you find a good breeder. Are you thinking of importing from the US or are there very many AB breeders within travel range of where you are?

There are a lot of ABs that are lower drive and do well as family dogs, but there are a lot of differences in the lines bred for catchwork, weight pull, sport work, and just as pets. Working bred ABs from combination or primarily sport bred lines can be intense dogs that I would not consider suitable as just a pet.

Thanks for your reply jennifer, i have a 4 year old bullmastiff,she is great with the kids,lets out a bark at night if somebody strange is around but i would'nt want to depend on her to save my life. A german sheperd would be good but with the law here they are not suitable.I was told an American bulldog is very similar to a bullmastiff in temperment just a little bit more protective if somebody was trying to break into the house,at the same time i cant take a chance with something to aggressive with the girls about the house.its a fine line. there is american bulldogs available.

Darren, ABs can range in temperament type based on what bloodlines they are from/what purpose they have been bred for. In general they are similar to bullmastiffs but more active. I'm hesitant to suggest that any breed of dog is more likely to naturally protect than another, it really comes down to the temperament of each dog. ABs tend to be social, people oriented as youngsters and don't develop a neutral attitude towards people until they are mature, if they do at all. Again it depends on the lines, I have met many a super friendly AB that only barked when I approached because they wanted attention.

Darren, are you planning on training the dog for protection?

If not: Just wondering, have you considered other guardian breeds (not sport breeds) such as the Tibetan Mastiff, Kuvasz, Great Pyrenees? Dogs that are bred to guard flocks tend to be more protective/territorial yet gentle with family.

At the same time, realize that you are looking for "an aggressive dog that is not aggressive". In other words, you want to trust the dog to decide when it should be aggressive and when not. If the dog is trained then of course it will know how to make the correct decision. Otherwise, you may have a dog that you know may bite around your kids, or having a dog that won't bite protect your home.

thanks for the reply angela, i wont be trainging the dog for protection, Ireland is a small country and the dogs you mentioned would be difficult to get,i have owned and bred staffordshire bull terriers for the last 25 years and i think the AB is a very similar looking dog,(a lot bigger of course)so thats why im interested in them. Also we have a list of 10 breeds of dogs that are classed as dangerous (crazy people running our country)so my selection is limited.

Whoa Darren, don't pass up the chance to take advantage of a resource like this. http://www.topdog-training.com/page10.htm
100percent on the written exam!

 Quote: darren matthews

... Also we have a list of 10 breeds of dogs that are classed as dangerous (crazy people running our country)so my selection is limited.

What breeds are on that list?

American Pit Bull Terrier
Bull Mastiff
Doberman Pinscher
English Bull Terrier
German Shepherd (Alsatian)
Japanese Akita
Japanese Tosa
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Rottweiler
Staffordshire Bull Terrier


From http://www.ispca.ie/content/restrictedbreeds.html

 Quote: JessicaKromer

American Pit Bull Terrier
Rhodesian Ridgeback

The only HOUND on a list of breeds who's histories are otherwise deeply rooted in protection or fighting... not that I'm a fan of breed bans, but it makes me sad to think that someone obviously gave this governing body reason to believe, presumably by example, that RRs should be included in that crowd. I might be a little biased though...

~Natalya