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-   -   Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception? (http://www.dogbanter.com/showthread.php?t=30909)

[email protected] January 2nd 07 01:38 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 
Does anyone know if there have been any studies/polls that measure what
the "general public" thinks of as a "scary" dog?

I'm ruling out the most obvious that I 'hear' about (Pit Bulls,
Dobermans, and Rottweilers) for the purposes of this post.

In the future (next year or so) I want to add another dog to our family
and I want a dog that, on looks alone, will be a deterrent to any
uninvited person attempting to enter our fenced yard/closed gate.

I am not looking for a dog who will be aggressive, but rather a dog
who, if outside in the yard and someone was thinking of coming over the
fence, would bark and frighten just by appearance. If they growled
that would be great too but I'm not counting on it. This dog will be a
family member just like our other two. The "scary" factor will just be
an added bonus. The dog will have access to both yard and inside via
a doggy door, no "outside dogs" here at our house.

My lab mix, although black and about 60 lbs, is obviously not "scary"
looking as I've had 3 people come uninvited into my gated yard within
the past year while she was right there barking her head off, but while
she goes "nuts" barking, she retreats the entire time. Once the cable
guy, another the water company guy, and a third time some dummy that
the landlady sent over to inspect the roof without warning me first.
All three just waltzed on in without ringing the bell even though I
have a doorbell on the gate clearly saying "Please ring bell!". :-(
I'm guessing they saw that she's a lab and assumed she was all bark, no
bite (and they were correct). Lucky for them she didn't get out and
get lost or I'd be the one to fear! Anyway, I don't want a "biter", I
want a dog that people will ASSUME might bite and not chance it.

I will repeat that I don't want a dog that is by nature going to be
difficult to "control" (natural aggression/dominance issues).... I want
a large dog that is a "big baby" but still scares the pants off someone
who doesnt' know the dog.

Boxers? Great Danes? What else "looks scary" that I've overlooked?


Shelly January 2nd 07 01:59 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 
wrote in
ups.com:

What else "looks scary" that I've overlooked?


http://www.thisplaceisazoo.com/produ...bit.html#1264G

It may not scare visitors itself, but the crazy factor alone should
do wonders for making anyone think twice before entering your
property.

("Look at the bo-o-o-o-o-ones!")

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

I imagine that yes is the only living thing.
-- e.e. cummings

Lynne January 2nd 07 02:05 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 
on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 00:38:23 GMT,
wrote:

I want
a large dog that is a "big baby"


I always think of Mastiffs when I hear the term 'gentle giant.' But I am
not intimately familiar with the breed, only with the few I have met and
known.

My neighbor has 2 very sweet Great Danes and NO ONE goes in her yard when
they are out, though they could.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

"First get your facts; then you may distort them at your leisure."
-- Mark Twain

Shelly January 2nd 07 02:11 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 
Lynne wrote in
m:

My neighbor has 2 very sweet Great Danes and NO ONE goes in her
yard when they are out, though they could.


It seems to me that it would be cheaper and easier to put a lock on
the gate than to get a new dog. And, really, if folks are able to
come into your yard at random, a lock is needed for the dogs'
safety. Getting a new dog, unless they really *want* another dog,
is not the way to go about it. Besides, there's always going to be
someone out there who is not afraid of their big, bad baby.

Case in point: The first time I was hired to house sit my mom's
neighbor's Great Danes, they had to leave town before I had a
chance to go over and meet the dogs. I was left a key and
instructions, and that's it. The dogs just about slobbered me to
death when I went in the door. I can't say that I found the
presence of three dogs who were *each* larger than I am to be
scary. At all.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

Ladies, girls, call us what you will. We prefer the label "Poster
Hags from Bad Girls' School!"
-- Melora Creager

Shelly January 2nd 07 02:13 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 
diddy wrote in
:

I choose either a Chihuahua as the world's scariest dog or a
Chinese Crested.
http://www.samugliestdog.com/


Oh yeah. I remember seeing photos of that dog awhile back. Boy,
was he ever some kind of ugly!

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

One eye sees, the other feels.
-- Paul Klee

Lynne January 2nd 07 02:28 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 
on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 01:11:43 GMT, Shelly wrote:

It seems to me that it would be cheaper and easier to put a lock on
the gate than to get a new dog. And, really, if folks are able to
come into your yard at random, a lock is needed for the dogs'
safety. Getting a new dog, unless they really *want* another dog,
is not the way to go about it. Besides, there's always going to be
someone out there who is not afraid of their big, bad baby.


I agree. I have locks for my gates but never lock them since my dogs
aren't outside without me.

If someone wants on your property with malicious intentions and is afraid
of your dog, I'm guessing they will kill your dog regardless of its size.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

"First get your facts; then you may distort them at your leisure."
-- Mark Twain

Tara January 2nd 07 02:29 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 
wrote in
ups.com:

What else "looks scary" that I've overlooked?


Anything on this site

http://justalittleguy.blogspot.com/

Tara

Suja January 2nd 07 02:52 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 

"Shelly" wrote in message:

The dogs just about slobbered me to
death when I went in the door.


When I am out and about with my dogs, little kids would, without hesitation,
walk up and pet Pan, give her hugs, kisses, etc. It's a very rare kid who
would do that with Khan, and people *always* ask if he would bite (he's got
teeth, so I suppose....).

Suja



Paula January 2nd 07 03:20 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 
"Suja" wrote in
:


"Shelly" wrote in message:

The dogs just about slobbered me to
death when I went in the door.


When I am out and about with my dogs, little kids would, without
hesitation, walk up and pet Pan, give her hugs, kisses, etc. It's a
very rare kid who would do that with Khan, and people *always* ask if
he would bite (he's got teeth, so I suppose....).

Suja


People who come to our house are always leery of our GSD's. Oddly
enough, they tend to be more afraid of Gunther than Molly even though
Molly is very protective while Gunther has never met a person he didn't
want to walk right up and talk into petting him.

Paula

[email protected] January 2nd 07 03:21 AM

Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?
 

Good grief.

With the exception of the Mastiff/Great Dane recommendation, what was
the point of most of those other replies?

Don't you people think that perhaps I'm wanting another dog because
first and foremost I WANT ANOTHER DOG, love dogs, and figure while I'm
AT it I might get one that "looks intimidating"? Not as a "lock
replacement"? Benefit of the doubt, please?

FYI, I have a lock on the gate, but we mostly lock it up when we LEAVE.
The dogs are in/out at their leisure and it's not feasible with six
people in the family and someone coming/going at all times to
constantly be locking/unlocking the gate. We lock it when we are all
going to be gone at once and at night after everyone is home/settled.

I work from home and while it's not possible to always lock it up
because someone else will be home soon or is just running to the store,
when I'm home alone I'd still like to feel a bit better about the
likelihood of someone walking in the gate. We currently rent so we are
unable to modify to have the type of lock(s) we'd really prefer. That
will change in the near future (buying a house most likely). I was not
thinking of getting another dog until then.

As for the example of the Great Danes that the poster was not fearful
of... well if I'd been hired to go to someone's home and they felt
totally comfy with me walking in to their yard and didn't warn me to
the contrary, I'd *assume* there was no need to fear the dogs either.
That's quite different from approaching a stranger's house.

As for someone killing my dogs, while that is a HORRIFYING thought, my
goal is not really about trying to deter the rare and random evil
homicidal maniac. I want to keep out everyone who cannot show some
basic respect for my home, property, and personal space (i.e. ring the
damn doorbell, for example, and a closed gate should be enough when
there is a doorbell outside it) and who has no business in my yard. If
they have no appointment, no invitation, no suitable business purpose
(i.e. meter reading), then they have no business in my yard. Call me
territorial.

In the instances I mentioned this year about people in the yard, all
three "violators" had my phone number, had access to a perfectly
working doorbell, could have rang the bell or called or both and I
would have gladly met them and escorted them in. It was just rudeness
and stupidity that caused them to just waltz on in. None had
appointments or anything like that. Having had unfortunate experience
related to stalking and domestic violence in the past, this sort of
rudeness sends my anxiety levels through the roof and it's unnecessary.


I want to be in my home safe in the knowledge that for the most part
there is no chance of someone peeking in windows (happened), banging on
the "wrong" door in a drunken stupor (happened), or trying to sell me
something. A *combination* of fences/locks/security AND a dog who
happens to look "menacing", when the dog is outside of course, would
accomplish this purpose.

The people who've recently sauntered in, and people like them, are my
"targets" here. No, I dont' want anyone getting bit, I just want
people to think twice, use the doorbell, pick up the phone and CALL to
say they are coming, that sort of thing. Random solicitors, public
service workers, Jehovah's witnesses, etc.

I adore my dogs, they are part of my family, and I would never "use"
them for the sole purpose of "security" nor have I ever had an "outside
dog". I just don't see any reason why it (size, appearance) shouldn't
be considered as a bonus when choosing a new pet, and since I am fond
of large and small breeds equally, why not?



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