Back With Dog Question... (Anchorage: fit in, to live, price)

[MommaF8]

Ok folks. I'd written about dogs for use against bear / moose a while back. Unbelieveably, my husband thinks it's a good idea too! ((I'm STILL in shock! He NEVER thinks getting another "animal" is a good thing! EVER!!!))
I've narrowed it down to a LGD or Akita / Bear dog breed.
My question is this: Do I get a puppy & train it myself for what "I" want it to do & pray my Aussie is a good enough warning system til the 2nd one is old enough...OR do I get an older one, already trained?

There are pros & cons to both. I'm interested in seeing how many differing opinions, thoughts, ideas y'all can come up with!

Thanks in advance for any / all who reply!

P.S. BTW...We all love AK thus far. ((Except for the wounded bear report in our housing area! Could REALLY do without that!))
We can't wait to see the REAL DEAL though, & not just Anchorage & the base!

[warptman]

Just get a black lab and all will be fine.

[MommaF8]

Why do you say that? Aren't they "retrievers?" I surely don't want any bear / moose "retrieved!!!" Would kinda defeat the whole purpose!

[warptman]

They can be trained as anything you want. Very smart dogs.

[Marty Van Diest]

Dogs can often chase a moose away. But remember, some moose are used to dealing with wolves.

A moose that has held off a wolf pack will make short work of any dog. It won't matter what kind it is, it will be dead meat.

ON the other hand, better it than you.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Marty Van Diest

Dogs can often chase a moose away. But remember, some moose are used to dealing with wolves.

A moose that has held off a wolf pack will make short work of any dog. It won't matter what kind it is, it will be dead meat.

ON the other hand, better it than you.

Marty, I do appreciate your pragmatic approach to stuff!!!!!

[Nephler]

I agree with Warpt, just get a Lab, they really can be trained to do anything. I like yellow ones better then blacks though.

[Jason28]

For protection from a bear or moose just about any dog will do if you want it for bait while you run, but I recommend a jack russel terrier or any miniature sized dog as I dont like them, and the sheer amount of barking they do should cause enough commotion for you to split.

I would advise going with a female over male for a few reasons. Females are easier to train than males and they are smaller. Smaller dogs equates to smaller poops, less fur to clean up, less damage when they are growing, etc.. I also feel that female dogs are more loyal and family oriented than males (think of a nanny with some maternal instincts) whereas often male dogs just want to get loose and crap on the neighbors trash or hump something.

A bit of advice on getting a working breed dog that is a purebred, should you choose to do so. Get them from a reputable breeder, not a pet store. Make sure you get to see the dog's immediate parents at a minimum, if not more of its family lineage. Get AKC papers for your dog. Dont skimp on price. Often the difference between a 400 dollar dog and a 3000 dollar dog is something like its hips going out after its two years old which will cost you 2600 dollars and equal to you paying 3000 dollars in the first place.

The amount of time you need to devote to a dog is about as much as a child. They need training, exercise, three or more bathroom trips outside a day, they like going on walks, playing with stuff, the list goes on. Dogs are a HUGE responsibility and you shouldnt be taking getting one lightly.

I had a male rottweiler for three years and I can say I was 100% not prepared for what I got myself into. They require immense training, a moderate amount of exercise, he pooped the size of a horse, would get destructive if ignored, and would eat a half gallon of ice cream faster than a fat chick watching sleepless in seattle if left unsupervised. That being said he was also very rewarding. The dog would protect me from anything, make a great bed warmer, loved me no matter what I did that day, helped keep me in shape, got me some phone numbers , and was just fun to be around.

Do research on the two breeds you listed and possibly expand it a little more. Read as much stuff as you can stand.

[FiveHorses]

Originally Posted by MommaF8

I've narrowed it down to a LGD or Akita / Bear dog breed.

The livestock guardian dog breeds are bred to protect livestock, not people. It's a huge difference. A true LGD doesn't want to even be around people much - they're happiest off in the fields tending their flocks or herds. They're working dog and if they come from working lines, usually are not suited for "pet" life. If you think that the "guardian" in a LGD breed will translate into "guard dog", that's not quite the way it works, no.

You need to bear in mind the practicalities of a 80 to 100 lbs dog (there or thereabouts) fending off either a pissed off moose or a bear. Look, a horse can kill a dog with a well placed kick. Although I've never seen it first-hand, it doesn't take a great leap of imagination to imagine what either a moose or a bear are capable of doing to a dog. As Marty Van Diest points out, any moose that's experienced a pack of wolves is going to make very, very short work of a lone canine.

I can see why you want an "early warning system", sure - and I also imagine that in normal circumstances (i.e. Momma has not been separated from her babies, it's not an injured animal) most wild animals are just going to give the area with a dog a wide berth. But at the same time you and your family (and perhaps neighbours come into play) have to live with the dog in question. The dog has to fit into your life as much it needs to fulfill the early warning requirement. It's a two-way street.

[akvarmit]

My humble opinion after being here a small bit of time....
I'm opting for the handgun - with dogs on leash. Seems safest me and the dogs, whether versus nature or humans. I didn't think I'd want to "carry" when I first got up here, but it just seems to make good sense.