small protective dog?

Question
Hey I was wondering if there is a small-medium small breed that would make a good family pet and family guardian? Anywhere from 15-30 pounds? perfer a dog that is *Not savagely agressive to strangers but wont let them on property and would protect family if threatened. is the mini bull terrier hated by the pulic as much as pitbulls are? are there any other genrally healthy breeds around that size? I don't want the dog just for guard...I want a family companion first but would like a dog that is protective.

Answer
Hi Leah,

You forgot to mention in your message how much time you can devote to training a dog. Guard dogs aren't born, they're trained to be that way. Just as a dog needs to be well socialized in order for it to be a good family pet.

Just about any breed of dog can be trained as a guard dog. You shouldn't rule out mixed breeds either. They are every bit as loving, faithful, and trainable as their pure bred cousins, plus they're often healthier than an pure bred dogs, and less expensive to buy.

Breeds you may want to consider are:

Australian Terrier
Border Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Jack Russell Terrier
Miniature Pinscher
Schipperke
Standard Schnauzer
Scottish Terrier
Shiba Inu
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

The Mini Bull Terrier is not related to Pit Bull/Staffordshire Terrier in any way. They are a completely separate breed of dog.

If you're never owned a dog before, a Bull Terrier might not be a good choice. This breed requires firm and consistent leadership, meaning if this breed does not perceive you as being the "pack leader" you can have a host of behavioral issues to deal with. If however you have owned a dog before and know how to train a dog, the Bull Terrier breed is a wonderful companion. Read about the Bull Terrier breed, as well as other breeds I've listed that may interest you, here:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/purebred.htm

Take the time to learn about breeds that interest you. Just the same, keep in mind that there are plenty of dogs that are not "standard" to their breed descriptions. There are lots of aggressive Golden Retrievers, and sweet docile Pit Bulls out there. So much of how well a dog turns out depends on the breeding stock it's descended from, and how well it's socialized and trained!

You should know that just about every breed of dog has health concerns associated with that breed. After choosing a breed, you would benefit from reading up on the health problems common to that breed, and buy from a breeder, rather than a pet store. A reputable breeder is aware of the health concerns of their particular breed, and takes pains to test their breeding stock to breed healthy puppies. Good breeders also breed for temperament. You can read about how to find a reputable dog breeder here:
http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/Good_breeder.pdf

Try these free on line breed selectors which take into account your lifestyle and needs when suggesting dog breeds:

http://www.iams.com/iams/breed-information.jsp

http://www.breederretriever.com/breedselector.php

Feel free to get back to me if I can be of further help.
Best of luck,

Patti