best dog breed for the woods

[Haakon]

Alright so im talking a big dog that has the potential to fight off bears wolves cougars. Throw out some suggestions and some pictures of your dog that you prefer as your woods companion would be super

I don't have one (yet) but a Norwegian Elkhound will stand off a bear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fb78UR10CM they have been bred to hold large dangerous game (mainly moose) at bay until the hunter gets there. Quick, strong, smart.

My malamute is fearless around bears and would charge right into them of he was let off leash or got out of the fence. He goes nuts when a bear comes around, one surely isn't going to sneak up on me with him around.

 

[sasha]

I always had Dobermans. Love how they are my last dobie would backpack for days with me. Lets not forget a big dog needs lots of food and even more so when the are on a trail all day long. I wont consider him a bear killer or a mountain lion killer. But if anything or anyone comes close to my camp i would know it just from his body position. He didnt used to bark much. Just watch something that most people found more scary as one guy said he just knew that Amour was ready to attack. Now my dad got a german shepard she is 8 month old and cant walk anywhere if it gets hot. She is very alart and wont let anyone come close as she wont stop barking. I would still take Amour as a backpacker if nothing more then the stemina to walk and run for hours with a 15 min break and back at it. Same time if i had to do it again i would go the shelter find a dog that someone throw away. Many times you can see and get the feel for the individual dog personalty. Not all small dogs are push over and not all big dogs are fearless.
Trust me when you save that dog he knows it and would make one of the best dogs out there. He might not kill that bear but he would die defending you no matter what and would never back down. The breed of the dog makes a diffrence but he personalty of the dog is everything. How you teach him and how you treat him are make it or break it.

Sasha

 

[Bhamster]

I used to own a borzoi. It looked huge until you gave it a bath and then it looked like an oversize greyhound. Borzoi can look pretty fierce bit they run so fast that they can be gone in a blink and may take their time getting home. They are basically sprinters and were not released in wolf hunts until scenthounds tracked the wolf/wolves and they were visible. The the borzoi (plural) were released. A big part of their fighting success was their practice of running full bore at the wolf and launching themselves at it full speed while biting for the animals neck. In a closed quarter 1-1 fight I think a wolf would win handily. I would think in New England and the East Coast, your biggest threat would be coyotes and then wolves. Black bear seem to like to leave humans alone, I have encountered them abruptly a good half dozen times in the woods of Maine and New Hampshire and a great deal of jumping and screaming or banging pans turned them away. Another reason borzoi are good is because women seem to crazy for them. Still not a great trail dog though. I think your best bet would be 6-8 jack russell terriers.

 

[joesrx]

I got a male Vizsla. I wanted a dog to run and walk and you can not out run them. He is still a pup so he is working. They are extremely smart, loyal and good as a watch dog. I have no ideas of him fighting a cat or bear, let him bark and I will at least be prepared.

 

[Bumppo]

Look Up "Caucasian Dog" Not very lovey, but ideal for big critter defense if you know what you are doing and are definitely an Alpha personality. They are cold weather dogs though.

 

[dalefuller]

I always had Dobermans. Love how they are my last dobie would backpack for days with me. Lets not forget a big dog needs lots of food and even more so when the are on a trail all day long. I wont consider him a bear killer or a mountain lion killer. But if anything or anyone comes close to my camp i would know it just from his body position. He didnt used to bark much. Just watch something that most people found more scary as one guy said he just knew that Amour was ready to attack. Now my dad got a german shepard she is 8 month old and cant walk anywhere if it gets hot. She is very alart and wont let anyone come close as she wont stop barking. I would still take Amour as a backpacker if nothing more then the stemina to walk and run for hours with a 15 min break and back at it. Same time if i had to do it again i would go the shelter find a dog that someone throw away. Many times you can see and get the feel for the individual dog personalty. Not all small dogs are push over and not all big dogs are fearless.
Trust me when you save that dog he knows it and would make one of the best dogs out there. He might not kill that bear but he would die defending you no matter what and would never back down. The breed of the dog makes a diffrence but he personalty of the dog is everything. How you teach him and how you treat him are make it or break it.

Sasha

Well said. Molly in my post above is a Doberman. She's the best in our pack at actual attacks. She's Belgian and Danish and her parents were both working police dogs. She will go on command and hit the decoy hard and fast and she absolutely will not let go until something comes off or she's ordered to.

But in the woods, I'll take Murphy as my fav. He's a rescue and he doesn't attack on command like Molly does, but he's Godzilla defending our campsite or car or territory. He can also go all day with a pack and I trust him off lead to stay with us and not run a 30 yard "perimeter" all the time like Molly does.

 

[sweet]

My nephews use Plott Hounds for pig hunting...I'll have to get some photos of them next time I'm over at their place

 

[softrockrenegade]

Lol I don't think any dog can fight off a bear wolf or large cat !!! but +1 on them noticing threats in the woods !!! Last spring camping on the Delaware my pup kept us away from a Timber rattlesnake on a hike and made us aware of a black bear creeping around our campsite and pretty much scared it off !!! She is a rottie mix btw !!!

 

[pitdog]

This is my security against bears and wolves, hopefully she would get stuck in their throat while I made my get-a-way !

 

[dialton]

Been around a lot of dogs. Owned a couple of Rotty's, had buddys with pits and Dobies. I worked for a major phone company for 30 years and have been in many a yard with dogs. All that to say I am not really scared of dogs. My neighbor's son had one of these Fila's and it was the scariest dog I have EVER seen. Very loyal to the family but wow bad assed. Looked like a slightly shorter but way more muscled up Great Dane. This picture makes it look short but believe me, his was a monster. Fila Brasileiro

Wilkie says:
The Fila Brasileiro is an excellent estate guardian. It does not hide its dislike towards strangers, but these dogs are not disqualified from the show ring for showing aggression to the judges. Such aversion is instinctive in Filas, so much so that the Brazilian breed standard advises judges not to touch the dog. However, the FCI standard allows for disqualification of excessively aggressive dogs, mainly when the owner doesn't have enough control to show them in public areas. The breed is renowned for their faithfulness to family and friends, but this is not a breed for everyone. The Fila needs a confident, experienced, savvy owner who is aware of the breed's innate tendencies. Filas are not well suited to busy household which entertain many guests, as they do not interact well with strangers. The Fila is a natural guardian breed.

Filas bond strongly with their immediate families and show extreme loyalty and protectiveness towards them. They live to protect their loved ones, including children and other pets. Very few will accept strangers. Many Filas will never tolerate any stranger. Despite their aversion towards strangers they are excellent family dogs, devoted to the children in their family.

So: I don't know about tigers and bears but people do not wana mess wid a Fila and I suspect anything that threatens its folks are in big trouble.

 

[scotchleaf]

Presa Canario (the fighting dog of the Canary Islands)

 

[Rotte]

Dunno, Pitdog. I think she could take a wolf.

Never underestimate a terrier.....

 

[mkhop]

A well trained Airedale might be a good choice they are as fierce in a fight and smart to boot , used some on black bears .

 

[dogboye]

Let's get real for a second. Bears have been known to be stood down by terriers, due to incessant barking. And the bottom line is, a bear just isn't going to want to deal with a dog, so pretty much any dog is going to keep a bear away from you. Unless you get between a sow(?) and cubs, then no dog is going to keep the bear at bay, and it will be a very rare dog indeed that will even survive a direct attack from a pissed-off momma.

Wolves? Forget it. They're going to work in a pack, so no single dog is going to stand a chance. Fortunately, they're rarely a problem anywhere in the lower 48. Rarely. And I think if you check the statistics, you might not be able to find a documented attack on humans by wolves. If you can, I would bet it won't be many.

Coyotes? They're not going to bother anything equal to their size or larger. Not worth the risk. They're opportunists. So anything 70 pounds or so isn't going to be attacked by a coyote, unless it is working in a pack. Then you're back to the same problem as with wolves. But again.... I don't know if I've EVER heard of a coyote or pack thereof being a problem against a person. But, I could be wrong.

Cougar? Forget it. If it is a determined, hungry cat, you're going to need a dog twice the size of the cat to even slow it down. With a male averaging about 140 lbs., and a female averaging 93 lbs., good luck finding and then feeding THAT dog.

So what it comes down to, IMO, is pick the dog based on what you like, something between 60 and 110 lbs., and enjoy your companion. Treat ANY dog the way it should be treated, and you'll have a companion loyal to death. Obviously certain things have to be taken into consideration, like temperament around kids, and other dogs. But whatever dog you get, be sure to study it, learn how and train it (yourself), be sure to socialize it. And remember, the bigger the dog, the less margin for error you're going to be allowed by our culture.

 

[Rogue01]

My Alaskan Malamute had incredible strength and lots of stamina. We would be hiking all day and he would still be hyper after setting up camp. I think those dogs are naturally ADHD positive.

 

[HaydnN]

As a present dog owner & canine hunting enthusiast my personal opinion of a well rounded finder/bailer/holder would be a line-bred mixture. Wolfhound/Scots American Bulldog/Pitbull/Australian Cattle Dog. I enjoy boar hunting a few times a year, no guns. Something well bred along those lines will be hard to find but also hard as any "wild" animal. Sensible enough with a good nose and plenty of stamina. Line breeding would be the key thing because traits are kept and dismissed over around 15-40 years. Resulting in a fairly consistant hunting companion. Agression and a "big head" aren't required. A strong drive with brains strength & speed are. As for bears not even 5 really hard dogs would stand a chance against a male grizzly. I've heard they swipe at what's in front and just grind whats behind them into the ground under their own weight. (see google for bear vs dog's)

I have a Johnson Bulldog x English Staffordshire at the moment. She's 5 yr old (same age as my son) and has been a great dog.(companion, guard, pet & pocket rocket hunter at 26kgs fit) As a hunter she has a very good nose and staunch as i've ever had but would like have more legs as an all-rounder:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=49560&id=1652057632&l=a58fc4d320

Always good to read & hear about other people's hounds and just thought i'd put in my 2c worth..

 

[Hawkeye5]

Check out the Black Mouth Cur. They are a pioneers dog bred for hunting bear, hog, deer, squirrel, and to protect livestock, property and the family. In Texas they use them to herd cattle. In the south they hunt bear, boar, squirrel, coon, and deer. In the West we use them to hunt Coyotes.

They are considered one of the most well rounded "multi-purpose" dogs known. They are definately all "outdoor dogs" but will acclimate to inside "family" living with proper daily outdoor exercise. They are most definately a family dog!

They can track human or animals using both ground and air scent as well as any hound. Plus they do not bark until their on their prey if you're into stealth hunting. My dog has a Garmin GPS unit on him when in the woods. They are bred for the woods and outdoors. These are not dogs imported and bred for other purposes but rather are an American dog bred to deal with the hazards and lifestyle of wilderness Americans, Farmers, Pioneers, and Homesteaders. They are extremely intelligent and train well. Old Yeller was a cur.

While no single dog is going to probably be 100% successful with a Mtn Lion or Bear...these dogs will not give up and they will die defending their "pack." They are tenacious, bold, courageous, confident, and strong depending upon which breeder you select. Knowing this - this is no lap dog. They need plenty of exercise, they need plenty of physical and mental challenges or they will go "bonkers". When not in the woods, I keep my dog challenge with various tracking and searching exercies. He is going to start Schutzhund (protection, tracking, & obedience) training starting next Spring.

I agree with the cur dog.:thumbup:I know this dog sounds to good to be true,,.But there are what they are.All the things Quirt said about them.They are too big a dog for me but I am a squirrel hunter.We don't have bears and wolves where I live.

Hawkeye

 

[beanbag]

Same time if i had to do it again i would go the shelter find a dog that someone throw away.
Trust me when you save that dog he knows it and would make one of the best dogs out there. He might not kill that bear but he would die defending you no matter what and would never back down. The breed of the dog makes a diffrence but he personalty of the dog is everything. How you teach him and how you treat him are make it or break it.Sasha

I second rescuing a shelter dog.

This is Skipper and he was rescued from a kill shelter is south Carolina. He was about a year old when we got him. He's three he almost four now.

He can hike for hours and responds well to commands in the bush. He is very protective of me and my family.

People that concern themselves with breeds say he is predominantly Wheaton Terrier/Yellow Lab. He's the best dog I've ever had.

 

[amflud]

Catahoula Leopard Dog. Great companions, excellant endurance, extremely protective. I also tend to lean toward the thick coated varieties: Akita, German Shepard Dog, etc. Their coat provides excellent protection against bites, they provide a mouth full of hair.

 

[Hoodcanal5]

I like the akita alot. They seem like very good dogs. Rhodesian ridgebacks seem like a good option too. Mich be cool to get both since i wanted to get two dogs. I need a dog that will get along with my mini schnauzer who is very tenacious and kinda dog aggressive. Maybe thats because he's never gotten his ass kicked.