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Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 2nd 07, 01:38 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
[email protected]
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Posts: 4
Default 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?

  #2  
Old January 2nd 07, 01:59 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Shelly
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Posts: 3,103
Default 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
  #3  
Old January 2nd 07, 02:05 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Lynne
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Default 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
  #4  
Old January 2nd 07, 02:11 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Shelly
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Default 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
  #5  
Old January 2nd 07, 02:28 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Lynne
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Default 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
  #6  
Old January 2nd 07, 02:52 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Suja
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Default 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


  #7  
Old January 2nd 07, 03:20 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Paula
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Default 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
  #8  
Old January 2nd 07, 03:48 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Michael A. Ball
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Posts: 311
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

On Tue, 02 Jan 2007 02:20:09 GMT, Paula
wrote:

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.


Is Gunther darker, or perhaps have a darker muzzle?



________________________
Whatever it takes.
  #9  
Old January 16th 07, 08:15 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Sionnach
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Posts: 427
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?


"Lynne" wrote:

I always think of Mastiffs when I hear the term 'gentle giant.' But I am
not intimately familiar with the breed,


Which Mastiff breed? There are several breeds with "Mastiff" as part of
the breed name - Bullmastiff, English Mastiff (which, IIRC, the AKC & UKC
call just "Mastiff"), Neopolitan Mastiff, Pyrenean Mastiff, etc., and they
vary quite a bit in size and temperament, with some variation in looks, as
well.
IIRC, there are also breeds which are mastiffs, but which don't have the
word "mastiff" in the official breed name, such as the Cane Corso and Presa
Canario; not to mention that the UKC classifies the Great Dane & the
Doberman Pinscher as mastiffs. (The UKC has a "guardian dog" group, which is
subdivided into "flock guardians" and "mastiffs".)

And as I understand it, nearly all Mastiff breeds were originally guardian
and/or war dogs.


  #10  
Old January 16th 07, 10:04 PM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Lynne
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Posts: 2,609
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:15:24 GMT, "Sionnach" wrote:

"Lynne" wrote:

I always think of Mastiffs when I hear the term 'gentle giant.' But
I am not intimately familiar with the breed,


Which Mastiff breed? There are several breeds with "Mastiff" as part
of
the breed name - Bullmastiff, English Mastiff (which, IIRC, the AKC &
UKC call just "Mastiff"), Neopolitan Mastiff, Pyrenean Mastiff, etc.,
and they vary quite a bit in size and temperament, with some variation
in looks, as well.


English Mastiff

IIRC, there are also breeds which are mastiffs, but which don't have
the
word "mastiff" in the official breed name, such as the Cane Corso and
Presa Canario; not to mention that the UKC classifies the Great Dane &
the Doberman Pinscher as mastiffs. (The UKC has a "guardian dog"
group, which is subdivided into "flock guardians" and "mastiffs".)

And as I understand it, nearly all Mastiff breeds were originally
guardian and/or war dogs.


Yeah, I really don't know much at all about the breed. I've just had a
couple of friends with Mastiffs who really were gentle giants. I had no
business recommending a breed to this person, though.

--
Lynne
 




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