I second Volhard tests for pet owners!

Many of us here have particular behaviors we like and look for in a puppy but I also like Volhard tests fro pet owners.

For home "protection" visual image and a strong threat display will deter 99% of bad guys.

If they are willing to go through that then a firearm is needed.

My personal choice for home security is a small yappy alert dog and a big dog that will back up the yapper.

My last combo was a JRT that would alert when anyone was half a block before the GSD was even aware but that got the GSD going.

My present GSD looks like a big hairy wolf but needs a LOT of stimulation to show aggression. He will alert though.

That's pretty much all I need is that "presence" and alert.

 Quote: Bob Scott

I second Volhard tests for pet owners!

Many of us here have particular behaviors we like and look for in a puppy but I also like Volhard tests fro pet owners.

For home "protection" visual image and a strong threat display will deter 99% of bad guys.

If they are willing to go through that then a firearm is needed.

My personal choice for home security is a small yappy alert dog and a big dog that will back up the yapper.

My last combo was a JRT that would alert when anyone was half a block before the GSD was even aware but that got the GSD going.

My present GSD looks like a big hairy wolf but needs a LOT of stimulation to show aggression. He will alert though.

That's pretty much all I need is that "presence" and alert.

YES, and I'm sure our friend Christina will NOT be looking for any dog that would Spontaneously Attack innocent house guests or harmless passersby on walks -- Thus she will want a Pup with a few more #4's than #3's, steering clear of #1's #2's #5's & #6's, IMHO

At first I thought, this was a riddle, Candi. But in between I understood and agree.

Apart from the problem Slippie has sometimes within our pack against Charlie, she'd never ever attack a human. Not even an uninnocent "houseguest", I fear she'd welcome him! Though he'd probably be scared because she'd jump at him out of joy, what he of course can't know. So her bad behavior could be in certain cases a good behavior???

As you write Bob, in fact here a firearm would be needed. But this is not allowed. You'd have to search for illegal ways to get one. No taser, no pepperspray, nothing. So I doubt in between, if it is good to try to train my monsters not to jump at people, although I'm working on this. I can still kennell them if I know someone unknown for them, but welcome for us comes and then get them gradually used to them. If someone comes unexpectedly, he simply has to wait until all dogs are tethered or in the kennel.
The great yappie is Socks, the other Pit, whom we put regularly in the kennel at night, because if not we wouldn't get any sleep. But she too would welcome any human.
The only deterrent effect is that they're Pits and jump at people.
So how to handle this in the most reasonable way?

 Quote: Candi Campbell

http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php

Above is the old "tried & true" PUPPY temperament test -- It is a Fairly General aptitude evaluation, and I'm sure there are others available, but this is the one I cut my teeth on WAY back when Noah was still sailing the Ark ... It's geared for folks who are selecting a family PET for the most part

People looking for a Bite Sport Dog or a Personal Protection Dog for example, have different needs than your average Pet owner, and they would be dealing with Specialized breeders (some of whom won't let most potential buyers handle the litter, for their own professional reasons) -- Anyway, you are HIGHLY unlikely to run into that caliber of breeder, for the type of Family dog you would eventually be getting ... So meanwhile, you can study the Volhard test & be prepared for "sometime down the road"

Christina, here is what I am talking ABOUT...

http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php

The next best thing to a true "protection" dog would be a good alert dog.

A dog that will bark when it sees anyone at the fence, etc.

A dog that barks constantly can become like the boy Who Cried Wolf.

It can become so common that you start ignoring it.

Ditto on becoming familiar with the Volhard test.

 Quote: Bob Scott

The next best thing to a true "protection" dog would be a good alert dog.

A dog that will bark when it sees anyone at the fence, etc.

A dog that barks constantly can become like the boy Who Cried Wolf.

It can become so common that you start ignoring it.

Ditto on becoming familiar with the Volhard test.

ABSOLUTELY Christina would be hoping for a pup that will develop what I call a strong Territorial Drive ("my pack, my turf, steer clear & move on") especially at night, but one who will NOT be a Nuisance Barker.

Yes, thanks Bob. A good alert dog is Slippie. She doesn't bark excessively like Socks. If Slippie barks we know something is happening around our yard. something which disturbs her. Not necessarily a burgler. Because she isn't a great barker but alerts it's mostly her whom we leave free in the yard at night. Also because of her looks. She is the tipical muscular Pitbull with big impressive head and mouth, while Socks is smaller and more slender and so wouldn't have the same deterrent effect. You know they are of the same litter, but sometimes I ask myself, if their were not two males involved.

But if someone came in I don't believe Slippie'd attack. I know, a real protection dog would have be trained with the help of an experienced specialist. No possibility here. Apart from this, we're glad she is human friendly. Don't know if you can have both in one dog: human friendly but attacker at night.

Candy, thanks for the Volhard test. Very interesting article. I'll buy both books. I guess they will definitely be very instructive for me, even if I don't acquire a new dog. They will certainly be useful to estimate my dog's behaviors with more realistic eyes.

It is true we got our dogs on impuls, but it was always clear to us that we wanted them as companions and to a certain extent as protection.
That they were Pure breed dogs we were told by the owner, but it was unimportant for us. A pedigree here wouldn't have meant anything at all.

What in that article is written about Labrador Retrievers applies amazingly perfect to our Lab-Mix, though we don't know what mixture she really is. Some people swear she must be purebred. Lab-Mix is an estimation of the Vet. Both guesses have not much to say and we don't care.

Well, for the test it is to late, beside this I wouldn't have a good tester, only myself. If I'm looking back to the beginning I have the impression they would complete the test quite to my satisfaction. For Slippie with the exception of her dominance tendency/dog to dog aggression ("only" within territory) and her strong sound sensitivity.
Of course this statement doesn't fullfill the neutral criterias a scorer should have.