M118LR

To those of the Brown Water Navy this shall just be a boring Historical rehash, others may need to take a minute to research.
The guard dog sentry/alarm systems in war torn Vietnam got to be such a problem that it prompted the U.S. Navy to incorporate a special version of the S&W Model 39 pistol dubbed the "Hush Puppy". A modified version of the Model 39 with a wider grip frame to accommodate a 14-round magazine was used by Naval Special Warfare units during the Vietnam War.[3] It was issued to officers-in-charge (OICs) of MST-2 detachments as their sidearm. SEAL Teams used either the Model 39 without modification or a modified version, the Mk 22 Mod 0, which was called the "hush puppy".[3] The modified pistol had a suppressor with a slide lock (which kept the slide from moving backwards upon firing, thereby decreasing produced noise) The Mk 22 Mod 0 had raised iron sights, to provide easier sighting over a bulky suppressor. The gun's purpose was to eliminate sentry dogs or guards without alarming the main target.[1][2]
Now the honest version of these WIKI-tales is the indigenous Bar-headed goose. But Hush-Goose just isn't as catchy as "Hush-Puppy", so the legend lives on.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar-headed_goose

Purposely used WIKI, deeper research shall add credence to implications.
Anyone wish to purchase a Model 39 Hush Puppy from US Navy inventory?

CaptainGyro

That would be the original Wonder Nine, the Model 59.

M118LR

Perhaps I didn't stress the highlights?

8 or 14 round capacity in a pistol designed not to cycle, what's the difference?

Best guard dogs during Vietnam turn out to be geese.

Isn't it amazing how practical application overshadows common knowledge? High capacity pistols & large awe inspiring canines should have ruled the Battlefield.

t-star

THEY ALWAYS LEAVE A HOLE IN YOUR HEART , don't they- I\m on 3rd shep, and I hate to think when that day comes

blessing3

Humans, we are very funny sometimes, I also hate to think the day I will go, I hate to think of the day my father will go or my brother and yet we will all go and also are best friends (Dogs). preparation will make it much easier.

IrishCop

I always say that I'll never get another dog...that their passing is always such a loss.

Then after a while, I get a whiff of puppy breath and I'm sucked right back in.

SpecialEd

It often seems the best way to fill that void is to get another puppy to help take your mind off the one you lost. Though good dogs are never "replaced," they all take a place in our hearts.

IrishCop

+1...and a million.

blessing3

Yes they is just the one you can never replace.

ArtherRay

My favorite guard dog would be a dobie.

stand watie

ArtherRay,

Certainly as a Personal Protection Dog, the Doberman is HARD to beat.
(Besides, given "The Doberman Myth", many a thugs will choose to go elsewhere if they just SEE a Dobie walking quietly on a lead.)

I've owned a pair of spayed/well-trained Doberman bitches & never worried for a second about Star or Belle's response to a "call to duty" OR their ability to complete the mission. = "The Girls" were litter-mates & seemed to have an invisible link to know what needed doing & worked together seamlessly.
(Btw, Dobermans are generally an "in your pocket" sort of k9 & thus seem to always be PRESENT when they are needed.)

yours, sw

stand watie

To All,

I mentioned "The Girls" earlier but the BEST 'working pair" that I've ever known in 7 decades is my buddy's pair of Kerry Blue Terriers. = Talk about "seamless cooperation", Sally & Wilma have it in spades.

About 2 years ago, while Ross was "out & about", an armed thug (with a long string of sex assaults & 2 periods in prison for rape) broke into the house & threatened Marta with a knife.

The home-invader was "well chewed" when the county patrol arrived, after Marta called 911. = Before being tried/convicted. he spent numerous days in the local hospital.
(A CPT with the local SD said, "Well, I'd say he got some of what he deserved.")

yours, sw

CaptainGyro

I worked for an idyllic summer a long time ago as a swordfish spotter pilot on Cape Cod. Since summer housing on the Cape is brutally expensive I lived in a little compound of tiny rental shacks, and the guy in the next shack had two of the most amazing dogs I've ever seen: a pair of black labs named Satan and Sabbath. This pair's favorite pastime was retrieving sticks thrown by their master, Bob, and they could spend hours at the beach swimming out to get driftwood thrown into the surf.

One day we had a picnic at the compound, and there was a little boy of about five with one of those skinny whiffle ball bats. This was about the best thing Satan had ever seen, and every time the tyke picked it up, Satan charged over and took it away from him, then dropped it a few yards away. The kid went over and picked it up, and the cycle repeated.

After about three takeaways the kid was frustrated, and as Satan charged the fourth time, the kid just tossed the bat up onto the roof of the shack. Satan had never experienced this, and looked at Bob for guidance. Bob said one word: "GO".

Now the shack was built into the side of a hill, and the gutters at the back were only about seven feet off the ground, but still, it appeared to be an impossible jump. Just the same, Satan took of with a running start, made a mighty leap, hooked his front paws into the gutter, and, with a mighty effort of rear legs pistoning against the wood siding, managed to pull himself onto the roof. He trotted over to the bat, picked it up, then turned around and sat down, wagging his tail and making perfect eye contact with the kid.

I have never seen a more perfect "f*** you" look.

William R. Moore

A hearty AMEN on individual over breed. Now comes the qualifier: there are breed lines where the original purpose of the breed has been maintained through very careful breeding. I had a shep out of a line littered (can't resist the pun) with dogs who earned very high Schutzhund certifications. He was outstanding. On the other hand, my son has a shep from back 40 breeders who's afraid of the dark. He is most attentive to the grand kids though. I've seen the same thing from some show dog lines in a couple of breeds-sheps included.

The downside of the really, really good bloodlines is cost.

About 10-12 years ago, my wife's herd of Corgies ran off a burglary crew after they broke a window.

GunGeek

Okay since we're talking guard dogs, let's take things back to basics.

To secure anything/place, you want to do 4 things (this is the bodyguard in me coming back...so bear with me).

1 - Deter
2 - Detect
3 - Delay
4 - Respond

Now the right dog can do all 4 of those, but as a former bodyguard let me tell you; there is a LOT of unwanted baggage that comes with "attack-dogs". And 99% of the time, they're WAY more trouble than they're worth.

Deterrence - Often this can be done with simply posting "Beware of dog" signs. Or smaller dogs behind a fence that have a big dog bark. I've seen several breeds of very friendly, family appropriate dogs in the 30-40lb range that bark like a great dane.

Detect- This is what a dog is particularly brilliant at, and honestly its often the smaller breeds that are best in this category. I have a 12lb dachshund that very well could be the dumbest dog alive...The fact he remembers to breath astounds me; he's that dumb. Honestly, I could go on for 20 minutes with stories of this dogs tremendous stupidity.
Beside being a world class poop dispenser, the dog does have ONE redeeming value...He has very impressive hearing, and will alert us to someone outside earlier than any dog I have ever owned. In my book, this makes him the best guard dog I have ever had; because "detect" is what I seek out first in a "guard dog".

Delay - Providing additional deterrence, or just some "pause" to someone trying to force their way in; a dog with a great deal of loyalty and protection can be a great asset.

Respond - Now this can be anywhere from barking loud and with a sense or urgency, ensuring that EVERYONE in the house is alerted, to a dog who actually sinks it's teeth into a perpetrator. Unfortunately there is a LOT of legal liability for a dog who does attack...and it rarely goes your way in court. In all my years of doing bodyguard work (and I was always a part time guy, not my primary career), I never once ran into a situation where an attack dog was worth it. They're just a bad idea.
Now that doesn't mean dogs WOULDN'T attack when the time came; many would have. But they would only do so when a stranger opened the dance with violence. A protective dog is a VERY different thing than an attack dog. Still, how "protective" a dog is, brings on different kinds of liability...or safety issues around the house.

All that said, when it comes to dogs; the smartest dogs always seem to be the mutt's. Just like CapnGyro said; dog breeding is for aesthetics and it's almost always to the detriment of the breed. Now that said, I have had some outstanding pure-bred Lab's...but myself, and most everyone I know...when you ask them about the "best" dog they ever had, it's almost ALWAYS a mutt.

From there, it's how much you put into the dog. If you're not good at training dogs (I suck at it), then you have someone else do it for you, at least to a point where you can competently take over. From there, it's just spending time with your dog...LOTS of time. It's all about quality time. For a dog, YOU are that dog's entire world. The more you're a part of it, the more that dog will stand up for you, and try to please you.

Personally I have found the best "guard" dogs, are a mid-sized dog who is extremely well loved. That dog will protect those who give it food and love. And the more love you give, the more the dog will protect. And this without any actual protective training. Alerting comes natural, and attacking someone doing harm to the family often comes naturally also. You just have to be very careful about that second part.

Just love the dog and spend time with it, and they will just naturally do what dogs do...after all, they ARE man's best friend.

GunGeek

My great grandmother lived in a not so great neighborhood. One of those ones where everyone has a cyclone fence around their whole house. And she had a guard goose... And let me tell you, as a kid, I quickly found out how mean a goose is! They are very effective in the guard dog role.

csmkersh

The dog I had as a kid was a Terrier mix with 2 distinct backs. One you'd just tell Snooks to shut up and she would. The other bark you better see what's she's upset about.

Both geese for guards and ginny hens for noise work well. And they both do well on the dinner table too.

M118LR

Depending on who and where your setting up to table, camp dogs especially black ones, FIDO has Historically been the main course.