If you are an animal lover, dogs are impossible to live without.But sometimes when getting a dog, you think of other reasons apart from the fact that they are so cute, adorable and fun to have around. Some people are looking for dogs to protect them and their family. Below is a list of the best guard dogs breeds for you and your family.
# 1. Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is known as the world’s best guard dog and has an natural guardian instinct. He is very territorial and protective of his family and home. He doesn’t make friendships with strangers and he is very cautious with people he doesn’t know, until he is properly introduced to them. He tends to be aggressive when around other dogs, so you will have to keep an eye on him. He loves the company of his owner and wants to be around him/her all the time.
He is fond of children and behaves very protective with them and when he is with his family can be very playful which makes him one of the best guard dogs for families.He has an inborn intelligence and is a very fast learner. While Rottweiler can be excellent guard dogs, as watch dogs they are not so appropriate as watch dogs, as they don’t bark much. They are one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States.
# 2. Doberman Pinscher
The Doberman Pinscher, has been given many names, among which are “The Cadillac of Dogs” and “the dog with the human brain”. This bred has been initially bred as guard dogs and it makes a great protective family dog.Due to their reputation as dangerous dogs, which isn’t entirely true, the simple presence of a Doberman is sufficient to make evildoers think twice. However, Dobermans living in a loving and stable environment, are very obedient and loyal companions.
This is not a dog you get and chain in your yard to protect your home. Dobermans are people dogs and are very devoted. And need to be by your side. They are highly intelligent, intuitive, perceptive and sensitive, qualities that make him very easy to train. With Dobermans, you have to present yourself as very firm leader, otherwise they will assume the position. Dobermans are a very versatile breed, and can be family dogs, therapy dogs, police dog, seeing eye dog and are used to be very active.
They are fearless and need all the time mental stimulation. You have to know that this dog is a cuddler, so you might find him resting on your lap, while watching tv and will also try sleeping with you. When it comes to strangers, they are very reserved and have a naturally instinct of analyzing the situation and determining if their family is threatened. Dobermans love children and are very protective of the. Because of them being so energetic and intelligent, they are prone to behavior issues, but if the owners provide them with plenty of exercise, attention, care and training, should have them acting right. When it comes to this breed, you have to make time and put in a lot of commitment, as Dobermans are not for everyone, but they are certainly on of the best guard dogs.
# 3. German Shepherd
The German Shepherd is a courageous and bold dog and has a great self confidence, not to mention being fearless. If he is challenged, he won’t back down. They are very intelligent and have the ability of learning commands very easily. These high trainability qualities and courage, make him the number one dog in the world for police and military work. They are very protective of their families and homes, and if you let the guard down, he will assume the boss position and will become overly territorial and protective.
You need to let him know the rules from day one, and make sure he follows them. When it comes to strangers, they are very cold. They are very lovable with the children they has been raised with. German Shepherds are very active and need constant exercise and mental stimulation every day, if not, they get bored and might start destroying things around the house. If you want a dog to sit on the couch all day, this is not the breed. They are known, as being a “one man” dogs, as they bond tighter with one family member whom he trusts and respects. The German Shepherd can be called one of the best guard dog breeds.
# 4. Mastiff
In spite of his impressive physic, this next breed is one of the best family guard dogs. The Mastiff is a gentle dog that is a people lover and are extremely devoted, affectionate and protective with their families. They will seek being with their owner constantly, sleeping on their feet, or putting their giant head on their lap. They hate being left alone at home for hours as loneliness triggers anxiety and destructive behavior.
They require much affection and there’s nothing they love more, than cuddling and being hugged, and are known to beg for hugs often. These dogs are very calm and docile, who love to nap a lot. The Mastiff, was bred to be a guard dog and are a rare mix of kindness and power. They can be quite an intimidating presence and do not bark very much, unless they have a reason. They don’t require much exercise and are not much into fetching games. Most chances are that, if throwing a ball at a Mastiff, he might decide to nap on his way to fetch it.
They are a smart sensitive breed, willing to please you. They will certainly consider themselves as part of the family and will want to spend all their time with you. They are extremely patient with children, and are known for letting kids abuse them without a single problem. The only thing parents have to be careful bout, is for them not to accidentally knock over a small child while playing. The flaws they have, is that they snore, have the tendency to fart a lot and are diggers. They don’t like to wander around and prefer to remain close to their home and are very friendly and detached with other dogs.
Training a Mastiff can be demanding, as they are the hardest to train out of all breeds. He learns new commands very slowly and they require a lot of patience.
# 5. Bullmastiff
This next best guard dog will surely amaze you. Bullmastiffs are the dogs that could become your true best friend. They make great companions, in spite of their large and intimidating appearance, as they are very protective and loyal. They will want to be with you non stop and if not getting the attention they crave they very have fits. They love children and are very protective of them. They don’t bark much, but when they sense a danger, they will bark loudly. It is important to get them used to socializing with other dogs, because they might be aggressive when around them. Bullmastiffs are born guard dogs and are very territorial and will protect you with their life. These dogs have the tendency of being overly protective when other animals are trespassing on their property.
On the other hand, they are sensitive, faithful, intelligent and really want to please you and are famous for the unconditional love they show to their family. Unless they are threatened, Bullmastiffs are very laid back and docile. Sometimes they can be very stubborn. The one big flaw they have, is that they slobber, so you might prepare your rooms with slobber rags, and most certainly they will slobber on you as well. This dog breed is active but doesn’t need excessive exercise, and can be happy even living in an apartment as long as they have company and are given tons of attention.
# 6. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a people dog. He is extremely tolerant and patient with children, because of which he has received the nickname, “The Nanny Dog”. In spite of their reputation this breed is one of the best guard dogs for families.This is a strong, agile and athletic dog, who craves lots of attention and affection, and if not receiving it, he can have anxiety attacks. He hates being left alone and can turn destructive when this happens. He will want to do all the things with you, riding in the car, cuddling and sleeping in your bed. They really need daily exercise and love to play and go out for walks.
Be careful when exercising when is hot outside, as they can overheat very fast. Staffords are intelligent and are doing well with training, because they want to please their owner and can be good watchdogs, as they only bark when having a reason. They will defend their families when is the case, but are not very protective of the property. Their fearful look will chase away any intruder. You might find them chasing cats or other small animals. This breed has a reputation for being aggressive to other dogs, so it is very important to socialize as a puppy with other dogs and other animals.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is brave, courageous and trustworthy and can adapt to living anywhere. These dogsare loud and excited, and might be annoying, when you have guests. They are highly sensitive and there’s nothing more they want than your attention.
They are nor difficult or easy to train, they learn new commands on a moderate level.
# 7. Chow Chow
The Chow Chow is one of the oldest dog breeds in the world, a dog that is super loyal and reserved with his affection. Even though as a puppy they are very cuddly, when reaching 5/6 months they develop difficult behavior. They can get aggressive when eating and turn highly aggressive to protect their owner and territory. All these traits have been bred into them and it is extremely important that Chow Chow owners to start obedience training them, when they are puppies, in order to be able to control their behaviour.
Chow Chows are very independent and stubborn, so their owners will have to earn their respect from the beginning. They are very intelligent and will learn training rules fast, but sometimes they might choose not to listen. They are great as watchdogs, because they are very territorial.
Chows are reserved when it comes to strangers and their families will have to make their visitors aware of the fact that they can get fierce if a stranger enters his property. They are ok with children if they have been raised with them and if the child knows how to behave around him. Also, their peripheral vision is poor, so you must pay attention when approaching them from behind of side, as it might scare them and cause them to act defensive. They are not fans of playing fetch. They need to be kept on leash or in a yard with a fence, because they have no road sense and they will chase, maybe even kill, sheep, cats, squirrels or any other animal they consider prey. Same sex dogs, can also trigger their aggressiveness.
On the other side, they learn very fast, they don’t dig and have to tendencies in destroying the furniture. Chows will need constant access to fresh water and to be kept away from the sun and heat. If you are looking for a lap dog, this is not the one, and remember this is a breed that wants to have his last word.
# 8. Dogue de Bordeaux
The following best guard dog is the Dogue de Bordeaux, and is a fanatic guardian of his family. They are excellent guard dogs, but they don’t attack without a reason. They will bark if someone gets near your property, but they don’t tend to be problem barkers. When, not trying to protect you, they are gentle, calm, patient, overly affectionate and they will make you their god. Being the owner of this breed demands a serious amount of emotional commitment. Their impressive size and strength, training has to start early.DDB are intelligent and learn fast, but they are not so obedient, as they think for themselves and at times they can get stubborn and arrogant.
Their faces are super expressive, and are known for spending hours looking into their owners eyes. He will try every change he gets to sleep in your bed, and if you leave them alone, even for a very short amount of time, they get very sad and might find your house ravaged. DDB is one of the best family guard dogs, as they are incredibly patient and affectionate with children and they don’t get annoyed easily. Their dominant nature, makes them to be aggressive with other pets.
These dogs need daily moderate exercise and if they don’t get it, they get bored, but they are versatile and most probably will accept to play whatever you want. Each dog has its unique personality, but when it comes to this breed, two things are certain: they need tons of love and affection and they drool a lot.
# 9. Belgian Malinois
The Belgian Malinois is a dog with high energy levels and is very versatile. They can be awesome pets for very active families. They wont be entirely happy, unless they get their daily dose of exercise and is given a job to do. Because of their high trainability and intelligence, Malinois are used as police, military and home land security dogs. This breed excels at obedience, agility, Frisbee, herding, tracking and schutzhund. They don’t really care what their job is, as long as they have one.
This best guard dog breed, is constantly in motion and need more than just a daily walk to keep them busy and make great jogging partners. They definitely need a fenced yard where they could run around in, as in the house they might smash into things. Malinois are very protective of their owners without being aggressive and are reserved with strangers. They are great as watch dogs, as they are extraordinarily alert, and will notice everything that moves and have the tendency to chase cars.
When raised around children, Malinois have a good behavior with them, however, kids should be thought not to run past them , waving their hands and yelling, as they might bring out the dog’s prey drive. Also, because of them being very active , it might happen for them to run into a child by accident, more than just once. Malinois ar every sensitive and social dogs but if they feel neglected, they will find something to entertain him, which might involve your personal goods.
# 10. Giant Schnauzer
The Giant Schnauzers are energetic and spirited dogs, who love and protect his owners. They have a born territorial instinct. One of their “flaws” is that they love to bark more than necessary and they have been accused of being to loud and demanding. They are vigilant with strangers, but they usually have the ability to distinct between a friend and a foe. Because of their high energy, they require plenty of daily physical exercise, and we are talking about hours, but need, both physical and mental stimulation.
They are very obedient and are crazy about learning. If they get bored, they can get quite stubborn. Schnauzers love rally and agility competitions. They can be aggressive when around dogs of same sex and have a high prey drive and will chase any fast moving creature, then will dig and burrow and bark angry at their game. These dogs are good with children, but their big physic might pose a threat as they could by mistake knock them over, and this is the reason why many breeders will not let these dogs go to a house with small children.
Giant Schauzers do not like to be left alone and want to be with their families all the time and demand constant attention and love. If they don’t get the love they need, they will become grumpy and might loose respect for their owners. It’s the kind of breed that will turn incontrollable if not receiving the attention and discipline it needs. If you treat this best guard dog, like it should be treated you will have a loyal and loving companion that would do anything for you.
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