In 1961, Disney released the classic animated film “101 Dalmatians”. This movie followed the adventures of two dalmatians (Pongo and Perdita), as they attempted to escape the evil Cruella De Vil. Following the popularity of this movie, many children begged their parents for a dalmatian puppy. In the film, the dalmatians are portrayed as being loyal, lovable, cute and innocent. However, there’s something about dalmatians that you may not know – they are generally not recommended as family guard dogs.
Dalmatians are a breed of dog that can potentially be socialized to live in a family environment. However, since training a guard dog usually involves encouraging certain aggressive behavioral traits, dalmatians are not good guard dogs for families with children. Since many of their natural instincts involve aggressive behavioral traits, they can become easily irritated with young children. It’s estimated that around 50% of people who adopt a dalmatian puppy do not keep them past their first year of age.
Breeds to Avoid
It’s difficult to compile a definitive list of dogs that aren’t good with children. In a specific dog breed, the temperament of a dog depends a lot on environment, genetic traits, and personality type. For example, some Dobermans can be raised as docile family pets, even though they have a reputation for being aggressive. However, other Doberman dogs may become aggressive without being provoked. Because of this, it’s hard to list breeds that can’t be used as family guard dogs. Finding the balance between loyalty, temperament and protective instincts can be extremely difficult.
Choosing a Puppy
One of the best ways to help improve the chances that a dog can be both good with children and protective of your property, is to raise it from a very young age. If possible, choose a puppy from a shelter or reputable dog breeder in your area. Many animal shelters only have puppies for a short time, so you may want to put in an “Adoption Request” ahead of time. When choosing a guard dog puppy from a breeder, there are several things that you should pay attention to:
Appearance
Make sure that the puppy is well-groomed, of average size, without any existing deformities or health defects.
Behavior
For a guard dog that will be a balance of family pet and property protector, pay attention to behavior. Many people make the mistake of choosing the first puppy that runs up to greet them. In many litters, this is behavior that identifies particularly aggressive behavior when the puppy becomes an adult. However, you should also avoid puppies that seem afraid of humans, or who try to hide. A balanced puppy will be curious about you, but not overly eager to jump on you.
Gender
Male and female puppies tend to exhibit different behavioral traits. Male dogs are usually more aggressive, more protective of their “pack”, and love rough play. Female dogs are slightly more subdued, though exhibit a identifiable loyalty towards their owners. If you have very young children, you may want to choose a female puppy.
Choosing an Adult Dog
Socializing an adult dog to be both a family pet and a guard dog can be a bit difficult, especially if it is a “Rescued” dog. Rescued dogs may require a lot more work to be good family pets. If you do end up choosing a rescued dog, be realistic about your expectations. If a dog has been through a significant amount of emotional or physical trauma, they may have poor behavioral traits.
Since adult dogs are not in their “puppy bonding” phase, they may require a bit more time until they feel obligated to protect your home and family. The important thing is to encourage a bond to grow between you and your new dog. With enough attention, you can eventually move from basic command training to guard dog training.
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