Plan on building a house and living on site in a mobile during construction. Since animal senses are superior to humans, I was wondering which animal would be best suited and economically practical to alert me when when someone was on the job site at night. For liability reasons, do not want a mean and aggressive animal. Just something that sounds that way or raises a rucus when a stranger is around. Any suggestions?

-- ken ballard (steelframme@yahoo.com), August 05, 2001

Answers

Response to Guard Animals

Hi, Ken. I'd go for a well known guard dog breed. I prefer German Shepherds, myself. I know you say you don't want to deal with an aggressive dog, but I think that's mainly in how you raise the dog. Properly socialized to be a "people friendly" dog they should give no problems. Now, this is why you need the well known breed: no one getting onto your place at night is going to do it cold. They are going to have looked the place over in the daytime first. Having that well known dog breed there, the one that says to people "don't mess with me" is going to take care of 95% of any would be burglars. The dog can be friendly as the devil, and people will still stay away just because they don't know for sure. I've had a lot of people say to me, "oh, you have that big German Shepherd", and these are people I just met. They drive by my place and they see the dog. I don't have a GSD right now, last one died two years ago. I'm down to the two Border Collies, which do NOT have the reputation as a dog to stay away from, even though they are much more likely to bite than any of the GSDs I've had. Any dog will be a noise maker, but a recognized guard breed will keep people out.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), August 05, 2001.

Response to Guard Animals

Ken,

Consider a non-animal solution. If you get your electric drop done first, you can then run some motion sensors around your perimeter (four ought to do it, no more than six). The obvious thing is to have them attached to lights. If you want to be awakened when something triggers them, simply run a wire back to your mobile and plug in a radio to that line. When the motion detectors sense movement, power will go to the lights AND to the radio alerting you. Personally, I'd wire them so any sensor set off all lights along with your radio. You ought to be able to do this fairly inexpensively and you'll be able to use the motion sensors and lights when your home is complete, too. If you want to get really fancy, you can even hook up video cameras and record the action, but that gets into some money. Either way, you don't have to feed or water or clean up after the lights. ;o) I hope this helps.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), August 05, 2001.

Response to Guard Animals

Had to chuckle Gary. When we moved out to our virgin woods, first electricity was a year away, but secondly, every squirrel, deer, and racoon would have had me gun in hand, looking out into the dark, all night! I was a basket case as it was! Now I could easily walk most of the property with just the moon as light, but when we started out here, I was afraid of my own shawdow!

Ken go for the dog, and even though I am a Rhodesian Ridgeback fan, for guardians, farm protection and big loveable sweethearts, my daughters little yappy weeny/terrier, has always been the best alarm we ever had! If anyone wants to steal your building material they will just kill your dog anyway, I stayed very close to home the 3 years it took us to build. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 05, 2001.

Response to Guard Animals

How about getting a flock of Geese. They won't give you the liability problems, they won't give a bad bite like a dog. Are very loud when straingers are around and most people are scard of them like Me!! My girlfirend had some and I use to drive up her driveway looking for them, jumping out of the car fast as I could and get inside the house fence LOL. They give quite a pinch and they come at you so agressive!!

-- Teresa (c3ranch@socket.net), August 05, 2001.

Most labs and golden retrievers make good pets and are very alert. They are real barkers when anybody comes around, but are not considered dangerous. Get a pair and their combined barking will really give an intruder something to think about. We have two Great Pyrenees. They are as gentle as can be, but bark at anything or anybody that comes by. Their size is intimidating to people who don't know better. If you are planning on getting livestock eventually, livestock guardian dogs like the Great Pyrenees or Anatolian Shephards would be a good choice. We have two Prys that live out with the goat herd. Although they are big, they are low energy dogs and don't eat us out of house and home.

-- Skip in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), August 05, 2001.

I second the vote for geese. They are nosey enough that nothing gets past them. I would suggest about four of a large breed. In a group, they are afraid of nothing.

-- Mona in OK (modoc@ipa.net), August 05, 2001.

Lot of good points here, but I've got to agree with Vicki - there is no better watch dog (as opposed to guard dog) than an officious yappy little terrier. Preferably not one of those animated dishmops, although that's a matter of personal taste - fox terriers or maybe Jack Russells are good - real dog as opposed to toy or lapdog. Doesn't need to be pure-bred - just fairly close to type. Incidentally an excellent pet for anyone, but particularly for children. Just recognise that they've been bred to be killers of vermin and small game - if you're going to have small livestock - poultry particularly - you need to either do some intensive training or some extensive fencing. And you really don't want them wandering to the neighbours poultry.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 06, 2001.

I would look seriously at the geese, what Don says about the little dogs is true but ours (Australian Terrier) used to spend all night barking at every passing cat, possum, hedge hog etc etc, except when she was asleep on our bed of course.

Geese were good enough to alert the sentries in the Tower Of London and I am sure they would still do a good job.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), August 06, 2001.

Hi Ken,

It would be good if the breed of dog you choose would also suit your lifestyle once you are done building. I'm assuming you will be homesteading. Any animals in the future? If so you might want a dog that would complement this. My farmcollies have proven to be great guardians of our place. My male for example is fairly intimidating when he comes up barking but he is friendly once he knows that the stranger is accepted by us. He also has the added ability to help move stock if they escape, hunt and erradicate pests and predators and be an all around nice dog to have as a family companion (we have 6 kids so thats important). The American Working Farmcollie Assn. website is a good place to get info on the breed.(www.geocities.com/farmcollie1) We also have a litter with pups ready later this month if you are interested.

-- Amy (gshep@aeroinc.net), August 06, 2001.

Best 'alarms' I ever had was my dachshunds!They also keep you feet warm at night :)! But I agree that geese are good watch animals! They will also eat young mice and snakes! Good luck!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), August 06, 2001.

The Romans used to think highly of geese as watch-animals; so they've got an extended period of history at it.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 07, 2001.

I would vote for the dog unless you are interested in ducks or geese. In the past, my flock of ducks didn't sleep through ANYTHING and always raised a ruckus when anything came around. Works best if you don't keep them confined at night. BTW Vicky, we have been looking for a Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder that doesn't charge $1500 to $2500 for a puppy! Do you know of any? Would appreciate any leads. Our dog of 7 yrs dissapeared... and we desperately want another! Thanks in advance! T.

-- T. Dolittle (dolittle@starband.net), August 07, 2001.

I heard that Guinies(sp)"those strange birds",are the best alarm system. I live in the middle of the woods, and get few visitors, and my dog doesn't bark, and sometimes never lifts his head. My point being, that all dogs are different and some need trained. OAK

-- OAK (strugglingoak@aol.com), August 10, 2001.