What dog breed would be good for a fictional sleuth?

External Since: Feb 04, 2008 Posts: 56

wildhack <mont....TakeThisOut@wildhack.com.invalid> wrote:
> STJensen <RecreationalPo....TakeThisOut@gmail.com> said:
> > How are they at being guard dogs? How they be at being left alone in
> > a foreign guest room for the good part of a day and given the task of
> > guarding it and not ripping it apart? How light of a sleeper are
> > they? Could they help guard their master as he sleeps? How much of a
> > barker are they? If they're barkers, could one be realistically
> > trained to at most give off one bark? They (sleuth and dog) are
> > guests in a client's house so the dog cannot be barking up a storm all
> > the time.
>
> Setters are not renown for being great guard dogs. Irish Setters that I
> have met (anecdotal info. only) have been happy, social butterfly-type
> goofballs.

I'm sorry. I knew I should have put in "[Great Danes]" after the
first "they" after I posted the reply. The above questions are only
in regards to Great Danes.

Scott

External Since: Feb 04, 2008 Posts: 56

Do note that the dog breed being discussed below are Great Danes.

diddy <none> wrote:
> STJensen <RecreationalPo....DeleteThis@gmail.com> spoke
> > diddy <none> wrote:
> >> None were ditzy. None airheads. All wonderful dogs, and very
> >> suitable for the character as described.
>
> > How are they at being guard dogs? How they be at being left alone in
> > a foreign guest room for the good part of a day and given the task of
> > guarding it and not ripping it apart?
>
> Depends on their TRAINING. I'm assuming the dog will be trained.

Very well trained and the sleuth will be an excellent master for a
dog. The sleuth will never mistreat the dog nor purposely send it
into peril without a very good (and naturally dramatic) reason. The
sleuth views the dog as both a working guard dog and a companion
(sometimes the only one he trusts where he's at).

> > How light of a sleeper are they? Could they help guard their
> > master as he sleeps?
>
> You bet. They were Kings dogs in their history. They were guard dogs
> that filled EXACTLY that post.

Excellent. How do they compare to Doberman Pinchers for the roles I
am seeking for the sleuth's dog.

> No one but royalty had them, and were given as
> lavish gifts to other royals. A treasured and valued dog.

The history of the breed (whichever dog breed is the sleuth's dog)
will be thoroughly discussed by the sleuth again and again in the
novel series. However, it doesn't have to have a fantastic history or
even much of one. I'm just stating that it will be discussed whatever
history it possesses.

> > How much of a barker are they? If they're barkers, could one
> > be realistically trained to at most give off one bark?
>
> Also depends on training. I happen to own a breed that is considered a
> "barking breed"
>
> My dogs are taught to alert silently. They come up and bump me with their
> nose. Tuck, my current dog, gives one muffled "woof" and looks to me so I
> can acknowledge his alert.

This is the type of communication I'd like the sleuth's dog to have
when it wakes its master at night.

> (They are not Great Danes) But Great Danes are not known to be
> of a barking breed, and if my dogs can be trained, certainly a GD
> can be.

Ah, I see your point. Thanks.

Scott