New best friend needed

john in la · Apr 19, 2009

After losing my best friend (sheppard/lab mix) last year the wife and I have been looking for a replacement. Since a dog is a commitment that last for years it has not been easy.
Have been looking for good intelligent take charge kind of dog that is naturally protective or alarm type dog. One that could keep wild critters (deer coon etc) out of my yard and or garden is a plus.

So my daughter tells us the other day of a friend that has a new litter that may match our needs.
Went and looked at them today. Father is a full blood Catahoula and the mother is a registered Pitbull.

While I do know the Catahoula breed is a good dog that will meet my needs I am still a little on the fence about the Pitbull part.
After deciding we would take one I did my best to try and convince my wife to pick one that is Catahoula colored rather than a solid Pitbull color. Well that was a waste of time to say the least.

Since they are only 2 weeks old now it will be several weeks before he can come home but I am looking forward to having a new best friend.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 19, 2009

Good for you. Pit bulls have a bad name usually for nothing. Depends on how they are raised and a lot on the temperament of the parents. My neighbor has an American Staffordshire that is as gentle as a kitten and loves to ride the tractor and hang out with his little girl.

Have fun...

Dave

Anonymous-0 · Apr 19, 2009

BE SURE TO GIVE'EM AN I.Q. TEST

Old Roy · Apr 19, 2009

John .
I believe all breeds will be as mean as you train them to be.

My son had for instance a rottweiler, he was so mean at 165# that he'd cry to get his back scratched. he knew me well couldn't get close to him if son wasn't home unless I walked straight to him and told him to "get his rock" at that point he knew to go fetch his 8" cement block and roll it around till he dropped it on his foot, lay down and whimper and lick at it and wanted you to baby him.

To The point, ~~ I believe that all breeds will accept anyone in their pack.and grow up as the alpha member teaches them.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 19, 2009

Some clowns here in Germany decided to categorize what they call fighting dogs. Cat I being everything Pit Bull related (bull terrier, staffordshire, etc) and Cat II being Rottweiller, Hooch dogs, and a bunch of the mastiff family. Dobermann, German Sheperd and the like are not categorized. The different States have different restrictions. Bavaria (where I live) does not allow you to keep Cat I and Cat II have to go through/pass a gauntlet of temperament tests in order to be kept. Complete idiots... Hard top beat a Rottweiller as a companion, they just take up too much couch at TV time.

Dave

Anonymous-0 · Apr 19, 2009

I have a friend that has a pit bull.The only thing it will attack is the food bowl.Lazy as can be and if a stranger comes to the house. He will open one eye take a look and then go back to sleep. I think a dog is only mean if you make it mean. I have my little Pickingese and it will try and take the door down if a stranger comes around.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 19, 2009

That's for sure. You can rely on certain breeds like Irish Setters being a little bone-headed, but my next-door neighbors have a couple of labbies that are unbelievably dumb. On the other hand, they have a rescue Rottweiler that is smart but timid. Go figure.

Goose · Apr 19, 2009

When I was a kid, we had a German Shepherd who had to be the dumbest dog ever to walk the face of the Earth. He was living proof that God has a sense of humor.

His sole redeeming quality was that with my sister playing the piano and me playing the fiddle we could get him to howling so houd our parents would throw all three of us out of the house.

J.C.in AZ. · Apr 19, 2009

My two best friends from days gone.Jasper left 12 years of age,Jake left 12 years of age,they were two years apart in age so I had 14 years of their love. Miss them.

J.C.in AZ. · Apr 19, 2009

Now my Lab Taffy has just turned 13 years of age and is becoming some what infirm. Once again I have to face the loss of a true friend,my little Clea will fill some of the void but not all.Clea is 1/2 Pug and 1/2 Chi-Hoo-Hoo as Barney calls them. She is a good watch dog and probably the smartest dog I've ever had but, I'm 72 ,will I outlive her? We'll see won't we?.

Don-Wi · Apr 19, 2009

The neighbors on the farm have a pit and overall it's a pretty decent dog. I still keep my guard up around him, but overall hes a big chicken.

Donovan from Wisconsin

rrlund · Apr 19, 2009

We lost ours last summer. Took a while to try to replace him. Settled on a German Shepherd/Akita mix. Been a decent dog so far. Awfully protective and territorial is all.

El Toro · Apr 19, 2009

We had to put our Keeshond to sleep in 2005. We had her cremated and we bought another Keeshond pup a few day after Bear died. Here's Boots and the black Chow Chow Taz. Hal

Anonymous-0 · Apr 19, 2009

Just like people,,, see it all the time ...

johndeereman · Apr 19, 2009

i think you were looking for a australian shepard guess its too late now

john in la · Apr 19, 2009

No what I really would like to have found is a pure breed Catahoula. But at $500+ I will have to accept 1/2 Catahoula.

The Pitbull part is what I am worried about.
While I think they get a bad rap and any dog acts as it is brought up a Pitbull does scare some people. A innocent playful jump onto someone's leg for a petting turns into a almost dog attack when the dog is a Pitbull.

Nancy Howell · Apr 19, 2009

We've had two PBs. One is a good dog, sweet and protective of the property. Mattie and the other dog, Gazelle, are buddies and play a lot.

The second PB was dumped at the farm and was about 3 months old when we took her in. We kept Ginger at the farm until she was 6, maybe 7 months old and brought her to Dallas. Ginger did not get along with Gazelle and if Gazelle got within 6 ft. of one of the food bowls, Ginger would attack Gazelle.

Ginger's attacks were vicious and eventually she would have injured or killed Gazelle. As soon as we found out what was going on, we disposed of the second PB, Ginger.

Ginger was not abused or mistreated. She was always friendly to us and the other PB, but her attacks on Gazelle were so vicious, we had no choice but to dispose of her. I bet Ginger was bred for dog fighting.

gitrib · Apr 19, 2009

We have two male male cow dog puppies. We have had them for five generation. They are about 1/3 Ausralian sheperds, 1/3 Austalian red-blue
heelerand 1/3 Border collie. The whole family have been great cow dogs,like to ride in truck and are constant on gaurd. Come and get one.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 19, 2009

1st stock dog type I had was pretty much that same mix (- the BC). He looked like he'd been shot at and missed then sh!t at and hit as a puppy, but turned in to a beautiful dog and you couldn't have asked for more in loyalty.

Dave

Tim in OR · Apr 19, 2009

For years, my late wife and I have had german sheppard mixes. We had a big short haired sheppard, and a white sheppard in the last years that my wife was able to stay at home. Those dogs knew that their job was to take care of "mom". If she fell down, they would always be there with their nose in her face to make sure she was OK. We had taught them a command we called "statue", so when she was down, she could use the command and they would resist her pulling to allow her to use them to help get up off the floor or ground.
If the paramedics had to come and she was alone, they didn't get into the yard untill the fire truck got there. The dogs knew the fire truck was there to help Mom.
Unfortunately, the big dog decided his job was done and passed on about 5 months after I moved Mom into an adult foster home. The other passed on about 3 months after visiting Mom on her death bed.
Dogs make wonderful companions, and I can attest that they really help when the chips are down.
Tim in OR

Carrie · Apr 20, 2009

We adopted a dog rescued from Katrina. She'll ride with her head out the window for hours,but she'll bring it in when passing by standing water. Won't go near a pool, and looks at shower drains with watchful eyes.Must've been through a hell of a storm.She's got the body of a Catahoula, & color of a Cur. What a great dog.

Tx Jim · Apr 20, 2009

gitrib,
Can you explain how one goes about getting an animal that is 1/3X1/3X1/3 of 3 different breeds? I didn't think that was capable of happening when I studied animal husbandry/genetics in college. I remember 1/8,/1/4,/1/2,3/4 and any fraction of those divided by 2. But it's been a long time since graduation.

Thanks,Jim

Anonymous-0 · Apr 20, 2009

I know nothing about the Catahoula, but the pictures I found on Google look a lot like what folks used to call pitbulls. Probably good that you are getting a puppy. If you haven't set it in stone, think I'd go for something like gitrib offered or an Australian, English, or farm sheperd. Going smaller, a Schnauzer (if you get one from Joe Blow and not a show dog) will be everything you want, not shed, fit on your lap in the evening, and eat very little.

Have fun with whatever you decide.

Dave

NawlensGator · Apr 20, 2009

Best dog I ever had that fit your description was a Blue Tick.

New best friend needed

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