ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

As above, i'm off to look at some cane corso pups, and i'm after some tips on picking a good dog, this one is going to be a guard/personal protection, so those are the traits i'm looking for.

pslewis

One rule only ......

Make sure the puppies are well away from you and call to them - the first to arrive is the one you want ..... you want the brave, forward, inquisitive one.

All other tests are meaningless IMO.

David Lock

I would also do some research on the breed characteristics and looks and try and find the right kind of looks in the puppy although this is difficult when they are so small! But it's very personal so go for the one that appeals. Good luck. dl

Spoon

The traits you say you are looking for should be in the parents. A puppy with no inherited drives from a proven bloodline will be like training a sock.

A guard dog is a liability dog, usually a dog that hates everyone but 1 person, and is usually kept from any socializing whatsoever. More akin to the 70s scrap yard hound left outside in a wooden shed and chained up.

A trained protection dog is a completely different dog with a temperament like no other. That trait is usually passed down from the parent/s and won't be found in your average breeders litter.

A Cane Corso for your first dog is an ambitious move too and not one I'd recommend. http://www.k-9classifieds.com/k9-for-sale/l0497.php

Adrian F

i have meet some of them and would be very worried about that as a first dog

there are various methods of choosing a puppy including scientific tests etc one of the important things is seeing both parents in a strange environment like a busy boot sale to see how their temperament is with kids and dogs around them and lots of noise and crowds because if the parents cant cope the puppy probably wont so you will end up with a dog you cant trust around visitors or out side the house

i have now chosen 4 dogs over 35 years and now look for certain traits i want but i take a couple of visits totaling 4-5 hours so to get to know the puppies and their parents

it will also depend where you are in the pecking order all good breeders will have a waiting list before doing a mating no list means it probably isn't a good breeder in small breeds like this

you might not want a bold pushy puppy if you haven't a lot of experience with dog training, but a protection dog requires to be confident and controlled or will bite randomly

have you lined up a good puppy class as you will want to be going to training from 10 weeks onwards if not earlier early socialisation before 12 weeks of age are absolutely critical for a well adjusted adult dog, if it isnt well adjusted it will just be a liability

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Don't worry guy's it's far from my first dog, in fact i have never been without a dog for all of my 46yrs, but believe it or not i have never been able to choose a dog from a litter, so was just after some pointers and other peoples experience.

As regards socialising, i don't want it socialising because as i said it will be a guard dog for my mountain hideaway where it will live, so the less people and dogs it meets the better.

I have done lots of obedience training and have a couple of very obedient jack russells, so training won't be a problem, it will do everything i tell it to.

I also know all about the breed, which is the reason i want one, and i have spent time around one which is what put me on to them.

As for breeding/ pedigree, i'm not concerned as some of the best dogs i've had were heinz 57, that said the lines are good and direct from italy, but no kc ect just good in the know locals, so probably better than the show ponies in the uk and else where for my purposes.

so now thats cleared up, keep the tips coming.

Just as a side, here they recon to take the pups away from the mother and the first one she picks up and takes back is the one to have, because she will always pick the best one, which kind of makes sense.

GazTheHat

In hindsight we should've followed this approach and been less naive. We'd travelled 8 hrs and i think made our mind up we were taking him. Let's just say he didn't do the above and we've got a lot of hard work.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Any more tips.

TelBoy

Sounds cruel to me

Kwik

iTrader: (10)

Make sure it has 4 legs.

billythekid

Where are you? UK?

A protection dog is not a guard dog...

ScoobyDoo555

FWIW, I let my dog/puppy come to me - in fact he barged his way through the litter to get to me.

He chose me. Not the other way round.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

please explain whats cruel.

TelBoy

Piking a puppy

jonc

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=piking
you sick puppy!!

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

The dog is in croatia, and i have some germans i know of that train dobermans for the german police out here very close to me, so was going to maybe do some training with them, depending on price.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

lmao, you freaks, i have never heard of that, had some waste gate chatter going off while i was composing the thread.

wayne9t9

I thought it meant you were getting it from a pikey

TelBoy

If it's a "protection" dog he could well be...

Spoon

My first thought. Have you considered an alarm with CCTV viewable on your smart phone? A cheaper option and certainly less maintenance. Then there's the fact a dog doesn't suffer or lose out on a fulfilling life.

However, if you insist then Pack dynamics will show you behavioural characteristics of individual puppies. Remember no two are alike. Some are submissive while others dominate etc. Determine your need prior. Drive is important to you for example. You want a puppy that has vigour, determination, an alert outgoing, a stand alone personality while the others fall back & tend to be timid or reserved.

Confidence can be instilled in a K9 but drive can not. Play with the puppies with tug toys. The one that keeps his attention on the task is the brightest of the bunch. He will consistently show interest in following your lead until he's too tired to go on or he kills said toy with fierce determination. This puppy has the drive you're looking for. He's curious, inquisitive and aware of his surroundings.

Barking is not a good indicator, it manifests fear and fear is a poor trait. Aggression is a maladaptive behaviour so the golden rule is love your selection by giving him a nurturing environment building confidence with positive reinforcement. Protective instincts are natural not artificial.

Those breeders who intimidate dogs or rough them up to be more aggressive are no less than idiots. Avoid those litters and people. Go with a kind kennel that cares to the infant needs of puppies clean, socialized, and above all well bred.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

I have an alarm but the nature of the location is such that it's more of a deterrent than anything else and no one to hear it.

The dog will be very well looked after and a member of my family, it will be free to roam and do at least 6 miles a day with me running free, i don't believe in keeping a dog chained or even on a lead, i only ever carry one for the benefit of others, my dogs don't need them.

I always spend lots of time on obedience training, i keep it simple with only a few commands that are 100%, i will use other dogs for socialisation and a few trusted people, but i chose the breed because they are aloof, loyal and protective they also have the kind of presence i'm after, as well as being bred for hunting originally.

thanks for the advice spoon that was exactly what i was after.

ScoobyWon't

How would you suggest going about choosing a Newfoundland?

We've been promised the pick of the litter, so we'd want one who is water orientated, will swim and follow instructions from a handler, who may be in water or on land, and be comfortable being sent to strangers. Obviously at 5 weeks, you can't dunk them in a lake to see who swims longest.

Spoon

Pretty much all I've said to Ditchmyster to highlight a decent personality

I'd say though 5 weeks is too early to really assess a puppy to then expect it to be suitable for your chosen application, ie SAR. You are looking for a puppy with good scenting and tracking ability as opposed to protection but observing the litter for a period of time will still give you some idea which puppy you will choose. The trouble with having the pick of the litter means a decision has to be made quite soon or the breeders can't sell the other puppies.

Going back after 7 weeks would be more telling when you could possibly hide and whistle the litter and further observe if one or more finds you. Make a fuss of it/them if it happens.

I am assuming the puppies pedigree is what it should be and you've satified that side of things yourself.

jods

Totally 100% agreement with the above

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Went to pick a pup today, there were 7 in the litter but because i was after a male i only had 4 to chose from, which was a bit of a shame because one of the ones i liked was female.

Spent about an hour with them and once they settled down i was able to filter them out one by one, with the help of the breeder.

So followed some of the guide lines i was given and was left with a choice of two that seemed to be the more dominant ones, both were inquisative and forward as well as being quite determined, in the end i went with the more persistant one that kept coming back to me and was generally more interested in me.

As it happens it was also the one that caught my eye first of all, but it is tan and the rest are brindle or black, so i think that played a part, because of that i was a tad reluctant to take it based on looks alone, but i recon it chose me in part too, the other one was a tad too chewey and bitey for me, and the breeder said it was the one always attacking the others, so i figured that it could turn out to be dog aggressive and cause me problems when other dogs are around, and the last thing i need is a dog that chews my neighbours dog to pieces.

It was really quite interesting watching them all and slowly getting to the one i wanted, all that remains to be seen know is how he turns out, lovely looking and going to be a fair size if the parents are anything to go by, they are both pretty big.

off to the pet shop tomorrow and got to make a run for him before i pick him up on tuesday.

mattvortex

I used to think the same- until i read that the strongest, top dog is the one that holds back and lets his lessers do the investigating.

I cant remember exactly where i read it but i do know it was by a top breeder and aniamal behavourist of some kind.