Denisemomof4 Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 could you please share your experience? We're planning on getting a rhodesian ridgeback for the purpose of being a guard dog. The idea of a CBR has been thrown suggested so I've just started to read about them. Anyone with experiences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 I grew up with a chessie and had quite a few friends who had them as hunting dogs. Mine was friendly and very faithful to the family. Trustworthy off lead and with verbal commands. She was aloof with strangers but never dangerous. If introduced with company she was watchful but never bothersome. I trained her myself when I was a teen. She grew up fine with my other critters but I did not have any livestock. cats, other dogs,birds and rodents/reptiles. Easy care coat, very versatile dog. Needs a strong owner/ socialization and training. I would recommend one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingnlearning Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 (edited) We had one when I was young, probably I was 7ish and my brother 3ish-he was a great dog, very protective of our family and us. I remember playing with him and my dad hunting with him and he was great. He was dog aggressive to strange dogs that got too close to the house/us and if a stranger came to the door he was the first one to greet them. But he was well trained and would come off when told. We had other dogs, a chi and a terrier if I remember right, and several cats and he was fine with them. A family friend used to raise them and they were very protective dogs. His daughter had a hard time learning how to swim b/c the dogs would get in the pool and pull her back out! LOL They are a strong dog, protective, more reserved with strangers than most hunting dogs in my experience, and in my experience through my vet tech years, they have all had some dog aggressiveness in them. But I really really like them if you're comfortable with the strong personality. Very protective. ETA so what I'm saying is: they're protective. LOL that is the operative word in my post. Edited October 27, 2011 by livingnlearning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 boy........ I'm now having a hard time trying to decide which is the right dog for us. I will keep reading. I really thought our minds were made up on the ridgeback. Now I'm not so sure. I sure do miss my labs. Dh misses our labs SO much. I know he'd love to have another retriever. Somehow I think my workload would be lighter with the CBR. But would it be as good a protector of it's masters as a rhodesian ridgeback? hmmmmmmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingnlearning Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Did you read on dogbreedinfo.com? Their writeups are generally very accurate. Have you looked into a Blackmouth Cur? I have two, raised a litter and researched them extensively. Very similar to a RR, probably more trainable than both the breeds you've already mentioned. Just to complicate matters for you. :D My BMC's are often confused for RR-they look very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingnlearning Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I'm a member on this board and thought you might want to read this thread on RR's also: http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=322661&highlight=rhodesian what's weird is there are a couple people with RR/Boxer crosses on that thread! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 wow. So many options! Someone just threw Great Pyrnees our as an idea, and that's also a great choice. I've been reading on dogbreedinfo.com on various breeds, now I'm going to read the other RR thread and look up the Blackmouth Cur. Sounds like a snake or something!:lol: Thanks everyone! Please keep the suggestions coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Did you read on dogbreedinfo.com? Their writeups are generally very accurate. Have you looked into a Blackmouth Cur? I have two, raised a litter and researched them extensively. Very similar to a RR, probably more trainable than both the breeds you've already mentioned. Just to complicate matters for you. :D My BMC's are often confused for RR-they look very similar. what a GORGEOUS dog. I'm HIGHLY impressed with dogbreedinfo.com says about them. The one huge concern I have is that we have a cat in the house, and we have different critters. We have two ducks outside that come to the house porch all through out the day. I'd like to think that the dog would be good with all these animals, being raised around them since a pup, but that would be setting me up for extreme stress, and quite possibly heartache later. This is a VERY impressive dog!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingnlearning Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 My two BMC's are both sharing their beds with cats right now. :) They're great with cats since I raised them with them! In thinking back over their relatives and other BMC's that I know they've all been good with them. Mine are good with all our animals, good with the kids, and very protective. My grown BMC had the UPS guy scared to get out of his truck last week-all she does is bark but it's a big bark. Since you understand a strong breed I think you might really like a BMC-they're a very healthy breed too! There are some pictures of mine on this facebook album if you want to see mine, one was born in May and the older is her mama. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2160834453962.120514.1039577974&type=1&l=f5fd28ff44 And I have a GP! LOL I love him to death but to me, he's more protective in a preventative way, by barking LOUDLY all the time. I have no doubt he would protect me if I needed it but in general he loves people and is very friendly toward them. He is proactive about other dogs and coyotes, ect though. Depends on the level of protectiveness you are after. Huge sweet dogs, I've had a couple of them and love them. I think Martha here has them too? I love dogs. :) I have five now and I still would get a little Boston if DH would let me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 We have two RR's here - well, their parents were both RR's but these were born without the ridge, so they aren't "really" RRs, IYKWIM... Be prepared for a high-energy dog. Our pups are 9 months old now, very large, and really NEED an hour long walk each day, plus plenty of chase each-other-around-the-yard time. And they are fierce chewers - a bit high maintenance as pups. Easily trainable and good natured, but smart, capable of escaping most fences if they choose, and did I mention high-energy? I have the time to train and work with them now. I wouldn't have had that time when DD10 was younger. This is a dog where you have to put in some serious time to get good results..... ETA: just saw you have a cat. It has been an on-going effort to train the pups not to chase the cat. When the cat runs, that prey-drive kicks in and we have really had to work hard at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 My two BMC's are both sharing their beds with cats right now. :) They're great with cats since I raised them with them! In thinking back over their relatives and other BMC's that I know they've all been good with them. Mine are good with all our animals, good with the kids, and very protective. My grown BMC had the UPS guy scared to get out of his truck last week-all she does is bark but it's a big bark. Since you understand a strong breed I think you might really like a BMC-they're a very healthy breed too! There are some pictures of mine on this facebook album if you want to see mine, one was born in May and the older is her mama. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2160834453962.120514.1039577974&type=1&l=f5fd28ff44 And I have a GP! LOL I love him to death but to me, he's more protective in a preventative way, by barking LOUDLY all the time. I have no doubt he would protect me if I needed it but in general he loves people and is very friendly toward them. He is proactive about other dogs and coyotes, ect though. Depends on the level of protectiveness you are after. Huge sweet dogs, I've had a couple of them and love them. I think Martha here has them too? I love dogs. :) I have five now and I still would get a little Boston if DH would let me! WOW! Your BMC's are GORGEOUS!!!! I'm very excited to have learned about these dogs tonight. I've been reading all night, and I've learned that the BMC's will be good with other pets when raised with them. Thank you for sharing this. I am VERY excited to have learned about them! I've really wanted a RR for a few months now, but I've always had this uneasiness and fear that I just can't describe. I'm feeling less uptight about it all now. There are other options, and I think BMC's are in the running right now. Still, there are a few other breeds I want to read about more, I just spent the past hour or two reading about BMC's. And looking for breeders.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 We have two RR's here - well, their parents were both RR's but these were born without the ridge, so they aren't "really" RRs, IYKWIM... Be prepared for a high-energy dog. Our pups are 9 months old now, very large, and really NEED an hour long walk each day, plus plenty of chase each-other-around-the-yard time. And they are fierce chewers - a bit high maintenance as pups. Easily trainable and good natured, but smart, capable of escaping most fences if they choose, and did I mention high-energy? I have the time to train and work with them now. I wouldn't have had that time when DD10 was younger. This is a dog where you have to put in some serious time to get good results..... ETA: just saw you have a cat. It has been an on-going effort to train the pups not to chase the cat. When the cat runs, that prey-drive kicks in and we have really had to work hard at it. the cat would be a concern of mine, but I'd also be concerned about our other animals. I don't know why I've been worried about the RR to a point. I'm not saying we're not going to get one, but I think there may be a better fit for us because of the variety of animals we have. I'm very concerned about ALL the breeds I've done some reading on tonight, all but the Pyranees, because we have a very large yard that we won't be fencing in. I hope that won't be a requirement, and I would need a dog to be able to be trained not to run away when going out to go to the bathroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingnlearning Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 WOW! Your BMC's are GORGEOUS!!!! I'm very excited to have learned about these dogs tonight. I've been reading all night, and I've learned that the BMC's will be good with other pets when raised with them. Thank you for sharing this. I am VERY excited to have learned about them! I've really wanted a RR for a few months now, but I've always had this uneasiness and fear that I just can't describe. I'm feeling less uptight about it all now. There are other options, and I think BMC's are in the running right now. Still, there are a few other breeds I want to read about more, I just spent the past hour or two reading about BMC's. And looking for breeders.:001_smile: Thank you! I really love them, especially the puppy. I worked in some Carnathan bloodlines on that cross and she's turned out to be even more super smart and eager to please. They are smell hounds, not sight, so seeing the cat run across the yard doesn't do anything for them but if we're on a walk they might pick up a trail and follow it. I just call them back. These are both females so maybe that's why but they stay home pretty well, they don't have that urge to go find something to track like you might see in a beagle. They don't want to go anywhere without me. And they don't need any more exercise than any other dog, they like to go when we go but if we sleep on the couch all day that's fine with them too. Never get spazzy running all over the yard jumping on things, they just do what we're doing. You'll see a lot of the dogs have Weatherford Ben bloodlines-he was a foundation sire for the breed-but see if you can't get some Howard Carnathan lines in there also. The WB lines are harder working and have more drive to them, more size and energy. The Carnathans tend to a funner personality and more people-oriented and protective. Let me know if I can answer any questions or help out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Is no one going to plug a good old fashioned rough coated collie? I had one pre-children. He was a tri and lovely. I worked at a daycare and he went to work with me. One day a four year old pulled a handful of hair out of his tummy and he just got up and moved. Gentle with cats and even baby ducks. Very protective, very intelligent. Trained so that he would go into protective mode on command and completely trustworthy with children. Beautiful breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingnlearning Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I agree with the collie too! We had a pair that came in to the vet clinic I worked at-beautiful matched sisters, tris, absolutely beautiful and dignified. I want a collie some day too. I always tell my husband "Life is too short to have just one dog at a time!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Is no one going to plug a good old fashioned rough coated collie? I had one pre-children. He was a tri and lovely. I worked at a daycare and he went to work with me. One day a four year old pulled a handful of hair out of his tummy and he just got up and moved. Gentle with cats and even baby ducks. Very protective, very intelligent. Trained so that he would go into protective mode on command and completely trustworthy with children. Beautiful breed. That sounds good to me! Honestly, I'd be concerned with any which had the main purpose of being a guard dog. You've got young children who may not always be a hundred percent gentle, and IMO you need a dog with a good disposition - for the cat's well being too. :) Many dogs are naturally protective of their family and property without having to be specifically guard dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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