[Blacksheep]

A friend was talking about how her dad got this idea to use her pup as a ranch dog. She lives in an apartment were he is discriminated against. Now I find this interesting. He is a blue nose pitbull...now working on a ranch?

I was looking around at properties because personally I would love to live on a ranch and have the property serve as a rescue and a base for a hospital (I will post the idea for the hospital in a different forum. I'd like opinions on that as well.) I was thinking of "employing" aussie shepherds as the main dogs there. Love the breed and it fits. However the idea of rescuing an animal and "employing" it is also tempting. Aussies aren't common in shelters here. Pit bulls are. GSDs also very common but most have some American form which (please don't shoot me) I think is useless outside of the show ring.

Basically her dad and I were just looking for a dog to guard the property and be able to do it swiftly. Zeus is a slim dog like an APBT is supposed to be. I haven't heard any reports back.

So what do you guys think about it? Just opinions...do you think pits could make a good ranch dog? How about other non traditional breeds (dogs that aren't cattle dogs or shepherds.)

 

[wishbone]

Surely upon proper training, he could turn as good guard dog but of course, there are breed that can easily trained and perform better..

 

[TinyTimmy]

You can train your dog, but if you don't have the time you can get a good breed

 

[VanillaRat]

Pits are not generally guard dogs. And I can't really see them as guard dogs (unless they were in the wrong hands)...but I suppose it is possible for them to guard the ranch. You would want to make sure he got proper training though,as they already have such a bad rep...if something happened because he wasn't trained right and he attacked someone...well....

I know someone with a horse ranch and they have rottweilers and some mutt type that guard their ranch and never had problems with them.

PS: I agree with you about the American bred GSD's. Are there are any working breeders of GSD's there? There is a guy here who breeds working shepherds and has imported European bloodlines. The dogs look better and seem a lot more stable then the American version.

 

[Blacksheep]

So Zeus seems to be doing pretty well. He doesn't try to maul anyone unless they just come in the back alone. Otherwise you get mauled with kisses!

I agree with you about the American bred GSD's. Are there are any working breeders of GSD's there? There is a guy here who breeds working shepherds and has imported European bloodlines. The dogs look better and seem a lot more stable then the American version.

Ugh its the downside to showing. I'm not sure about other kennel clubs but AKC has flat out destroyed some breeds. I stopped all together watching when a 100% American GSD took best in show. If dogs are supposed to be bred based on standards set based on what they were originally bred for, how on earth does an American not get DQed? And don't even get me started on barbie collies....

 

[Blacksheep]

Oh yes and there is a ranch near here that breeds GSDs for work. They have a flock of sheep and well...we have coyotes and mountain lions as frequent visitors. They are beautiful ORIGINAL GSDs but I believe because they have original German coloring (very dark) that some people insist that they are mixed. I have also seen them with a mixed female (american and german - large but with a flat back) but most seem to be small and dark. They probably do show. Very few people here keep purebreds for work. Many breed what works best for them...usually cattle dog shepherd mixes (like heeler x border collie.)

 

[VanillaRat]

It is good to hear that Zeus is doing well. I believe his appearance alone might be a good deterrent too (guard dog wise),because a lot of people fear pits.

I love the orginal working German shepherds. The breeder here has these,imported from Germany. There is another show breeder here too with the American version and I just don't like them the same.

What is a Barbie collie? Do I want to know?
The AKC has ruined so many breeds...
That is another topic/story though.

 

[Blacksheep]

What is a Barbie collie? Do I want to know?
The AKC has ruined so many breeds...
That is another topic/story though.

Barbie collie is the name given to border collies that are said to be useless other than in the show ring. In other words, BCs that can't herd or work for the life of them. Like the American GSD, they are best kept in the ring.

Although I do see a lot of mixed lines and German lines in police cars. Funny...why won't they use the American ones

 

[VanillaRat]

Ohhhh,what a shame.

I used to follow dog shows and liked them,but have learned more and while confirmation shows are for the standards of the breeds,a lot of the breeds are ruined...like bulldogs and pugs (just to name a couple),who never looked the way they do now some years ago. And then the American GSD's and Barbie collies and so on...

 

[Purple-Hops]

I thought you meant to use them as herding dogs? APBT wouldn't herd would it?


Don't get me started on AKC

 

[christine]

That is interesting. I know Panda would love where I work and she did try to herd long ago. She was horrible and just pissed off the horses and cows, but she did do it. She's stopped. She's much older and much calmer now. She even mothers my kitten

 

[Blacksheep]

I thought you meant to use them as herding dogs? APBT wouldn't herd would it?

I don't know. I think the terrier part might give them the will to flat out chase, not herd lol. But the only animals on their property are cats, dogs, and horses. Nothing much to herd there. I'd personally have the same things plus chickens but that is it. Maybe a few meat rabbits.

Funny story. one of my friends had a pit x rot that would nurse stray kittens. Weaning them was IMPOSSIBLE because mom would just give them to Lisa and she'd nurse them.

 

[VanillaRat]

Ohhh,you were asking about herding dogs? I thought you wanted a guard dog? Did I totally miss the main point of this thread!? LOL! :talk:

 

[Blacksheep]

Ohhh,you were asking about herding dogs? I thought you wanted a guard dog? Did I totally miss the main point of this thread!? LOL! :talk:

No we're talking about guard dogs lol.

 

[Kendalle]

I'd think pits would be a good guard but only the ones that bark. Some do some dont

 

[Purple-Hops]

I think just having them around would be enough discourage most people from trespassing. If an animal came by and threatened them, like a wolf or something, I'm sure the pits wold defend themselves.

 

[VanillaRat]

Haha,okay! For a minute there I thought I was reading everything wrong!

 

[The Barks Meow]

I'd think pits would be a good guard but only the ones that bark. Some do some dont

Really? I've never seen a pit that didn't bark.