ChatterBank2 mins ago
Dominant Dogs
After seeing the Dogue de Bordeaux post, I think I want one. I have 2 years now were my wife and I will be fostering Ridgebacks to get used to handling big males. I won't be spending much time away in this period. After that however, I am likely to be away alot. Is a large dominant dog likely to physically challenge my wife for dominance when i'm away?
We've done well with our current (and future) dog and she is a pleasure to be around for all.
We've done well with our current (and future) dog and she is a pleasure to be around for all.
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If you have to use prong collars and electric collars on your present dog (a gundog) please DO NOT even consider getting anything like a Ridgeback or Dogue de Bordeaux!
These are serious, very intelligent guarding breeds. Many have a real sense of what is fair treatment. I have a giant guarding breed and I would not even use a check chain on him. One kennel maid tried and got pinned up against the wall, as his neck was higher than her head she could not do a thing with the check chain! He simply took her arm in his mouth and held her there. He could have easily snapped her arm.
These sort of dogs are fully aware of their size and strength, I can tell you now that if you came any where near my dog and tried to 'show him who is boss' exactly who would win (and it would not be you!). I don't mean to offend you, I am just stating facts.
I don't think that it would be your wife that would have the problems with the dog - I think it would be you, especially if you returned after a period away and started trying to throw your weight around and become 'boss' of the dog.
Don't forget, you only make one mistake with these dogs, they can do serious damage, even to an adult male.
Please stick to the smaller breeds!
PS Children can easily come up and throw their arms round my dogs neck and he behaves like a pussy cat!
These are serious, very intelligent guarding breeds. Many have a real sense of what is fair treatment. I have a giant guarding breed and I would not even use a check chain on him. One kennel maid tried and got pinned up against the wall, as his neck was higher than her head she could not do a thing with the check chain! He simply took her arm in his mouth and held her there. He could have easily snapped her arm.
These sort of dogs are fully aware of their size and strength, I can tell you now that if you came any where near my dog and tried to 'show him who is boss' exactly who would win (and it would not be you!). I don't mean to offend you, I am just stating facts.
I don't think that it would be your wife that would have the problems with the dog - I think it would be you, especially if you returned after a period away and started trying to throw your weight around and become 'boss' of the dog.
Don't forget, you only make one mistake with these dogs, they can do serious damage, even to an adult male.
Please stick to the smaller breeds!
PS Children can easily come up and throw their arms round my dogs neck and he behaves like a pussy cat!
Kita, we've done ok with a ridgeback for the last 2 years. The electric collar was for her protection and worked. The prong collar was just a question as there are holes in her obediance range that i would like to patch up i.e she tries to walk in front not beside but when we get to a road she stops, sits and waits for my command. I admit this is my fault as she spends very little time on the lead, not a mistake I will make again.
A friend of mine has 2 male ridgebacks, one weighing 50+kgs and that on occasion tries him.
The situation doesn't bother me (or him), just worried about my wife.
A friend of mine has 2 male ridgebacks, one weighing 50+kgs and that on occasion tries him.
The situation doesn't bother me (or him), just worried about my wife.
The first thing I would do is join the breed club. They have newsletters which they send out which will give you lots of information about the breed. They will also give you dates/places of shows, go to them and talk to lots of breeders. Every breed has its own little quirks and differences. I would do this now, long before you consider getting a dog.
I joined my breed's club 5 years before I actually got a dog of that breed. In my particular breed there is no way you can keep two males together they would fight to the death (and I would not even attempt to seperate two males of this breed). My dog weighs in at 66Kg (and that is pure muscle).
I don't think your wife would have a problem (as long as she wants the dog!), I have had my boy for 11 years now, I handle him more than my partner (I am not a big or particularly strong woman), in fact when I used to take him to training classes I used to hand him over to some of the men who told me they could handle him better than me (a mere woman) he used to go on to make a total fool out of them! My dog is an entire male dog and he has never 'physically' challenged me, but then I have never put him in a situation where that is likely to happen. I don't believe in all this dominance and pack leader stuff anyhow. Dominance does not cross species. I am not boss of my dog, he is not boss of me, we live together in the same house, he obeys some of my rules and I probably obey some of his!
One thing I would say is don't get a dog like this unless the whole family are happy about it, they are not a dog you can 'put up' with or ignore. I would also consider getting a puppy first, then you can grow with the dog and you have the advice and follow up of the breeder. You can also train a pup to your own standards.
Dogs like this are a big commitment. For a start not all boarding kennels will take them, vets bills are more expensive etc. Learn as much about
I joined my breed's club 5 years before I actually got a dog of that breed. In my particular breed there is no way you can keep two males together they would fight to the death (and I would not even attempt to seperate two males of this breed). My dog weighs in at 66Kg (and that is pure muscle).
I don't think your wife would have a problem (as long as she wants the dog!), I have had my boy for 11 years now, I handle him more than my partner (I am not a big or particularly strong woman), in fact when I used to take him to training classes I used to hand him over to some of the men who told me they could handle him better than me (a mere woman) he used to go on to make a total fool out of them! My dog is an entire male dog and he has never 'physically' challenged me, but then I have never put him in a situation where that is likely to happen. I don't believe in all this dominance and pack leader stuff anyhow. Dominance does not cross species. I am not boss of my dog, he is not boss of me, we live together in the same house, he obeys some of my rules and I probably obey some of his!
One thing I would say is don't get a dog like this unless the whole family are happy about it, they are not a dog you can 'put up' with or ignore. I would also consider getting a puppy first, then you can grow with the dog and you have the advice and follow up of the breeder. You can also train a pup to your own standards.
Dogs like this are a big commitment. For a start not all boarding kennels will take them, vets bills are more expensive etc. Learn as much about
You might want to visit this link
http://www.freewebs.com/jehanebordeaux/soyouwa ntapuppy.htm
She/he also has advice on health tests, breed history etc.
As this breeder says most GOOD breeders will want you to visit on a few occasions before you actually get to buy a pup from them. They want to be sure that their pup is going to a good home. Most caring breeders know that sometimes people who buy a pup off them go on to start showing and become very involved in the breed and can sometimes become life long friends! If a breeder does not wish you to visit and is not very talkative about their breed I would tend not to buy a pup from them, especially in breeds like this one.
http://www.freewebs.com/jehanebordeaux/soyouwa ntapuppy.htm
She/he also has advice on health tests, breed history etc.
As this breeder says most GOOD breeders will want you to visit on a few occasions before you actually get to buy a pup from them. They want to be sure that their pup is going to a good home. Most caring breeders know that sometimes people who buy a pup off them go on to start showing and become very involved in the breed and can sometimes become life long friends! If a breeder does not wish you to visit and is not very talkative about their breed I would tend not to buy a pup from them, especially in breeds like this one.
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