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  #1  
Old May 13th, 2011, 10:09 PM
intimate intimate is offline
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Gonna be my first experience. Need a breed advise?

Hello everyone,

I was thinking of getting a Dogo or Cane Corsa.. Since its gonna be my first experience i read and read a lot of articles and commets. So it comes down to these breeds are not for first timers. İ like big and guard dogs. The dog i get should also be good with family. They should be protective, smart, loyal and trainable. I know most of the dogs with the training can be protective, loyal, smart. However since its going to be my first one i need an experienced suggestions..

Thanks
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  #2  
Old May 13th, 2011, 10:48 PM
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Chaser Chaser is offline
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Well as you say yourself, no, these breeds are NOT well-suited to new dog owners with no training experience. Not to say they are bad dogs - but they are powerful and need experienced trainers.

What about adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue group? One that already has some basic obedience and has proven to be of good temperment?
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  #3  
Old May 13th, 2011, 11:02 PM
SamIam SamIam is offline
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Do you have any experience living with dogs, such as when you were a kid, or are you starting right from scratch? I'd have to say your 2 breeds of choice are probably best left until next time you get a dog, but in the mean time, you've explained what you want in a dog, but what do you have to give? What sort of home/yard can you offer, how much exercise/grooming/attention can you provide, what sort of activities would you be sharing with your dog?
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Old May 13th, 2011, 11:24 PM
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LavenderRott LavenderRott is offline
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Most of the large, powerful, "protective" breeds are not breeds for the first time owner. If you are not willing to or are unable to take training seriously, you can quickly end up in a very dangerous situation.

You need to ask yourself some very serious questions and be honest with yourself in regards to the answers.

Do you have the time that it takes to train the dog you bring into your house? If you get a puppy, for the first year or so, this is going to be a full time job with no days off. Much like having an infant/toddler in the house.

Are you willing to take this dog to weekly training classes for the next 5 years? Yes - 5 years! While you (and your dog) might know how to do the basics after a session or two of classes, continuing to attend classes builds the bond you have with your dog and keeps your dog busy and socialized. All of this is VERY important when dealing with a large, powerful dog.

If you have small children in your house, are you prepared to NEVER leave child and dog alone together? Any dog with teeth can bite - it is imperative to never, ever, ever leave a child and ANY dog alone together!

Remember - your HONEST answers, not your best intentions, are important.
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Old May 14th, 2011, 02:02 PM
intimate intimate is offline
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No İ never lived with a dog before.. I wanted but never had a chance.. I have house.. it has a pretty okey yard for a dog. It is also close to the lake shore so of couse i will take my dog every day out and train him and play with him. İ love dogs. when i get one of course i will care and do what he needs. İ also have no kids... Maybe in the future

Edit: what are the training classes? What they do? How many hours it takes a week? I only can go weekends.
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  #6  
Old May 14th, 2011, 02:49 PM
SamIam SamIam is offline
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Look up in your phone book dog training, and see if you can find a trainer who will allow you to watch one of their classes some time when you are free. You will get a good idea of what training classes are, and hopefully have an opportunity to meet a couple of the students to ask their perspective on the commitment of a new dog.
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Old May 14th, 2011, 04:18 PM
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Melinda Melinda is offline
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would you consider a lab? or a lab/rotti mix? they are a large dog and quite suitable for a first time dog owner, like the others stated, look up obedience classes and sit in on one, call some breeders in your area and ask about the breed (which ever one you decide on).
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Old May 15th, 2011, 11:46 AM
intimate intimate is offline
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thanks samIam..

melinda, i want only pure breed.. Thank for your advise tho.. I love rotties i can consider a rotti. any more suggestions?
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Old May 15th, 2011, 06:41 PM
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If you want a pure bred, (nothing wrong with that) you need to make sure you find a reputable breeder, who breeds for the type of temperment you are looking for. Reputable breeders will usually have a waiting list for puppies, or check out breed rescues, these dogs will likely be in foster homes, have known temperments and some basic training. Check out the working breeds. It will still be important for you to go to training with your dog, so that the two of you learn to work together. You should be able to find a Saturday class, but you will need to practice with your dog daily, and make sure they get plenty of daily exercise, the type of dogs that you seem to be interested in need a lot of exercise and a constant reminder that they are not in charge by making them earn everything, which will be constant work for you - until it becomes habit for you. Not trying to discourage you at all, you seem to want a big active well behaved dog, and I just want you to know what that will require of you! Good luck, and keep us posted, this board is a wealth of information and support!
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Old May 20th, 2011, 09:21 AM
intimate intimate is offline
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thanks for your nice information H.P. Lıke you said i enjoy reading this board.ıts very informative. However i still couldnt get any suggestions except a lab-rotti mix ... İ am about to get a new dog. İ need you guys to suggest me some dog breeds for none experienced me
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Old May 20th, 2011, 09:25 AM
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Melinda Melinda is offline
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your best bet, in my opinion would be a labrador, and also if I might suggest again, obedience classes, they have wonderful puppy classes and up.
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  #12  
Old May 20th, 2011, 10:37 AM
SamIam SamIam is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by intimate View Post
thanks for your nice information H.P. Lıke you said i enjoy reading this board.ıts very informative. However i still couldnt get any suggestions except a lab-rotti mix ... İ am about to get a new dog. İ need you guys to suggest me some dog breeds for none experienced me
I think the reason you haven't been getting much for suggestions is that you are a hard person to match. You are attracted to some of the absolute worst breeds for a first-time owner. The characteristics that you are interested in - big guard dogs - can easily get out of hand. They are, as a group, better suited for people with quite a bit of dog-owning experience, and in your case could be a wonderful choice some time in the future. I am going to agree with Melinda that a labrador could work well for you. They do have a a protective nature to them and they are big, strong dogs - but compared to dogos, cane corsos, rottweilers, etc. to a more manageable degree, making them preferred choices for a first experience.

I for one am looking forward to you coming back here after your visit to the training center, as I think you may find some excellent insights there. There are just some things that are easier seen in person.
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  #13  
Old May 20th, 2011, 10:44 AM
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Dog Dancer Dog Dancer is offline
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Congratulations on deciding to get a dog. I have to agree with Melinda that a lab is an excellent choice, or maybe a Golden Retriever. Both are wonderful natured dogs, train fairly easily, and still are protective without being aggressive. You can find rescue groups that deal with these breeds, or you can search out a good breeder (not easy to find). Again, like everyone else said, training is so very important. It not only trains and socializes the dog, but more importantly it trains YOU on how to interact with your dog. I've always felt a training class was equally about the owner as the pet. I would look for a good training class before I look for a dog. Once you have your dog you will want to start training at puppy classes (if you get a puppy) as soon as your vet gives you the go ahead so you don't want to be looking for a trainer when you should already be going! Again, rescues offer dogs that may be a year or two old and that would be past some of the terrible puppy stages, and should not be something you rule out entirely. One of my two dogs is a Lab x from the SPCA, no idea what she's crossed with, but she looks like a lab and behaves like a lab and nobody would know she wasn't a $700 pure bred. Keep your heart open to anything that crops up.
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  #14  
Old May 20th, 2011, 09:32 PM
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Boxers may also be a good choice. Some are quite hyper but most of the ones I met have been well tempered and living with kids. They have the similar look as dogo but are a bit softer tempered, also easily trained as well.
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Old May 20th, 2011, 09:58 PM
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Marty11 Marty11 is offline
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I had a golden that was very protective, he used to circle around the kids when they got off the bus down the driveway Tanner
What about an Irish Wolfhound?
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  #16  
Old May 22nd, 2011, 01:38 PM
Mina Mina is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by intimate View Post
thanks samIam..

melinda, i want only pure breed.. Thank for your advise tho.. I love rotties i can consider a rotti. any more suggestions?
Any truly good breeder of a breed of the kind in which you seem to be interested ("İ like big and guard dogs.") will be quite wary of a novice owning one of their pups.
Conversely, you should be wary of any breeder (of, for example, Rotties) who is prepared to sell you a puppy on the sole condition that your cheque not bounce.

As you mentioned, and has already been pointed out, these dogs are not ideal for most "beginners". However, this is not to say that a novice with the "right" personality and conviction could not handle such a breed. Also, there tends to be a wide range of temperaments and drives in most breeds, including those "big and guard dogs". So it's possible that a good breeder could have a particular pup from a particular litter which would be suitable for you.

It's hard to fully appreciate but, if not well-bred and well-socialized and well-trained, once your puppy hits puberty, you could conceivably have 100+ pounds of snarling teeth at the end of your lead with no means of real control; this can be quite disconcerting! Even worse, for some breeds, at that point, it could be very difficult if not impossible to "fix the problem".

Congratulations on doing your research now, and best of luck!!!
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