Author: Dennis Fisher

The 6 best Guard Dog breeds.

By Dennis Fisher.

With the increasing levels of crime, that is often accompanied by acts of violence, it has become more and more important to have a dog that is both a loyal companion and also an excellent watchdog and protector.

There are a number of breeds of dog – even large animals – that make excellent. lovable pets but are quite useless as guard dogs. In some instances they welcome the criminal into your home like a long-lost friend!

In my experience the following six breeds will serve the dual purpose of being a loyal companion and also a fearsome guard and protector should the need ever arise.

1. GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG.

Top of my list is the German Shepherd Dog. This is a breed that has a long history of being a wonderful companion for children and also an intelligent, discriminating guard dog. A well-bred German Shepherd Dog knows instinctively when a situation is potentially dangerous. The dog instinctively reacts to your body language and your tone of voice. This comes from generations of breeding for this specific purpose.

But it is important to note that the dog must be well-bred. By the term “well-bred” I am not referring to show quality, but rather the temperament of the parents. If both the Sire and Dam of the pup you intend getting are stable, confident animals, there is every likelihood of your pup turning out to a good guard dog. If they are nervous and unsure of themselves, this is the type of temperament you are going to have with your pup and it will be quite useless as a guard dog.

2. ROTTWEILER

A well-bred Rottweiler is also an excellent choice as guard dog. But here again the question of being “well-bred” has to be taken into account. Generally speaking, Rottweilers are completely reliable, trustworthy dogs, and excellent with children, but there are some dogs that not as confident as they should be. Because of it’s size, strength and powerful jaws a good Rottweiler can be relied on to warn off any would-be criminal, or react appropriately should the need arise.

3. DOBERMANN PINSCHER

This is another breed of dogs that was originally bred as a watchdog. It is an agile, athletic and intelligent dog that that has a natural, inborn tendency to guard. But here again it is important to have a look at both parents of the pup you intend buying to make sure that their temperaments are sound. Unfortunately in recent years, many of the show winning Doberman Pinchers are not as confident as they used to be. Quite often the Dobe is a hyperactive, excitable animal which is not necessarily the type of dog you want in your home to be both a companion and guard dog.

4. RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK.

This large, well-muscled breed is not as common as the other breeds, but is becoming increasingly popular. Originally bred to assist in tracking lions, this breed is generally an extremely confident animal that is both and excellent family companion dog and a very reliable watch dog. The dog has a very stable temperament and is excellent with children. It is also an animal that can quite easily be trained to fit in a family environment. Generally speaking the Ridgeback is also not a fighter and get on well with other dogs. It is an attractive animal with a very unusual, distinctive ridge running along the back.

5. PYRENEES.

This very large breed with a beautiful white coat was originally bred to guard flocks of sheep. Because of its massive size and strength, it can ward off even the most aggressive intruder. It has excellent guarding characteristics. With a dog of this size early training is necessary to make certain it understands that it cannot have it’s own way and must listen to commands. It is an animal with a mind of its own but with appropriate training it can prove to be an excellent dual purpose dog -a reliable loyal companion and an excllent guard dog.

6. BULL MASTIFF

Bull breeds are generally excellent with children and the Bull Mastiff is no exception. It is an excellent family dog, and can also prove to be a wonderful guard. A useful feature of the Bull Mastiff is that, although it is a large dog, it is not a particularly active animals so that it does not need quite as much as space as the other large breeds of dogs. Because of its size and strength the bull mastiff will act as an excllent deterrent for any would-be criminal.

There are many other breeds of dogs that are sometimes excellent guard dogs, but because they have not been specifically bred as guard dog, they are not as consistently good guards as the above six. If you are interested in learning more about other breeds of dogs, you will find details of 70 different breeds on the following website: http://freedogadvice.com

About the Author:

Dennis Fisher has been involved with training dogs for many years and has owned a great variety of different dogs. As Chairman and director of training of his training Club, he has had the opportunity to train many different breeds. For more detailed information about seventy different breeds visit his website http://www.freedogadvice.com

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