Quote Originally Posted by Earl Tudor
While I agree with most of your points, I do think there is a difference in a yard dog and one that has been raised in the house in the family environment, not saying all can be raised that way though. But doesn't your preface above dissent from this one?
I don't think so.

Being a loving dog under controlled situations is one thing. But any bulldog (that has true "contact experience" and is fully-started) can get into a "geeked-up" state under the right circumstances. This is precisely the reason I personally would never leave any combat dog alone with a child, for even if the dog normally loved the child and was trustworthy by nature, in certain special circumstances I believe that the dog could be triggered into a "geeked-up" state (a cat at the window, etc.), where its normal judgment and discrimination go out the window.

In the end, no matter how well-bred and well-socialized, we're talking about DOGS here ... predators that have been highly-specialized for combat through selective breeding.

However, Pistol mentioned "prey drive" but prey drive is NOT the same thing as gameness. I have seen dogs with incredible prey drive that were not game, and I have seen some pretty mellow old dogs (who wouldn't even chase a hide), but who (once attacked and motivated into action) proved themselves deeply game indeed.

I suppose a truly mellow, calm game dog (withOUT a high prey drive) would make for the most trustworthy dogs around children.

Jack