Dogs have a lot of different jobs in our society, such as guiding the blind, helping people who have been hurt, or even helping their police masters catch criminals.
There is a certain kind of dog called a guard dog. It’s defined as “a dog trained to protect a place,” but this means that the dog has to take an active part in protecting the place, so it has to attack and scare away any dangers that try to get in. A dog that just barks when someone comes to the door is not a guard dog. A guard dog is ready to defend the home if someone breaks in. So here are the top 15 types of guard dogs.
1)ROTTWEILER
People usually think of Rottweilers when they hear the term “guard dog,” and for good reason. Because they were originally bred by the Romans to pull carts, herd sheep, and even follow soldiers into war, they have been protecting people and their things since the breed was made.
They are also pretty smart, and they love their families a lot—maybe even too much. Rottweilers are brave and smart, but they also have strong emotional bonds with their owners. So, what’s wrong with it? Well, they pick up on their owner’s feelings, so an ignorant owner could unintentionally make the dog feel bad. They also need a lot of attention and exercise to stay healthy, so you shouldn’t leave them alone for long amounts of time.
2)GERMAN SHEPHERD
German Shepherds are often used by cops and the military all over the world. This is because they have a lot of the best traits you want in a guard dog, like amazing intelligence that lets them be trained to recognize and sniff out objects for security reasons.
Even though they are big and strong, they rarely weigh more than 100 pounds, so they don’t have the physical problems that come with being bigger. Like good guard dogs, they have big, pointed ears that help them listen to their surroundings and find danger.
3)DOBERMAN PINSCHER
Dobermans were first bred to protect people, just like Rottweilers. Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a German tax collector, had a dog pound and bred the Doberman Pinscher so he could take it with him on his trips. Most people think that German Shepherds and Rottweilers were used to make the Doberman through breeding.
Because they were made to be strong, smart, and hard, they make great guard dogs in the modern world. They are taller than most Rottweilers and German Shepherds, which makes them a good travel companion but also means that they need more exercise and room to live.
As the other guard dogs stated, they are also sensitive to their owner’s feelings because they are smarter. This makes them loyal to their families, but it also makes them more likely to act badly if they don’t get much attention from their owners.
4)BULLMASTIFF
The Bullmastiff was first bred in England in the 1800s. It was made by crossing bulldogs and mastiffs. They were used to watch over farms and get rid of poachers who were hunting on the land without permission. They have also been used to protect diamond mines in South Africa, where they were brought in.
They are known for having a big body and a flat nose, and they often weigh more than 110 pounds, making them the biggest breed so far. Bullmastiffs aren’t as emotionally attached to their owners as the first three guard dog types we’ve talked about. They are also made to carry heavy loads, which means they don’t need as much exercise to stay in fighting shape.
We wouldn’t suggest them for a first-time dog owner because, even though they aren’t clingy, their independence needs to be tamed and controlled so the dog doesn’t act up. Also, they drool a lot.
5)GIANT SCHNAUZER
Giant Schnauzers, which are related to the more famous Miniature Schnauzer, are good guard dogs. They were made to herd animals, and the Great Dane genes that made them so big gave them an impressive size. From there, they were brought to cities to protect shops. During the World Wars, they were used as military dogs and sent all over the world.
Giant Schnauzers are different from the other types we’ve talked about so far because their thick coats protect them from small animals and bad weather. People also often say that this breed is smarter than most other types and can get into trouble because of it. This means that it will be hard for a beginner to keep the dog in line.
6)AKITA
This Japanese breed is known for being big, living a long time, and being cute all the time. The American Akita is also a different breed, but it has many of the same traits as the Japanese Akita. In the mountainous parts of Japan, the Japanese Akita was used to kill elks, boars, and even brown bears. Samurai also took them with them when they went on their travels. They are a hardy breed that was almost wiped out twice during the World Wars, but they survived. The story of Hachiko helped bring the Japanese Akita to the attention of people all over the world.
People say that, dogs, they are pretty quiet. They are called Silent Hunters because people say they only bark when there’s a good reason to. This doesn’t mean they can’t have fun, though. When they are with people they love and trust, they often play in a silly way. They need to learn early on how to get along with other dogs.
7)GREAT PYRENEES
The Great Pyrenees is another wild dog. As you might guess from the name, it comes from the mountain range between France and Spain called the Pyrenees. They have been used for a long time in both the Pyrenees and the Alps to keep animals like wolves and bears away from high-altitude areas. They have many names, but in the United States, they are called Great Pyrenees because they were brought there to protect cow flocks on farms.
They need to be taught how to be guard dogs. They are loyal and brave, and they are big enough to scare things away. However, they are also independent and standoffish, which needs to be fixed. Because they are so independent, they don’t need as much mental care as other guard dog breeds.
8)GREAT DANE
Great Danes are known all over the world for being the biggest dogs. Like the three main guard dog types we’ve talked about, they were used as hunting dogs in Germany since the Middle Ages. Even though this breed can easily weigh between 150 and 200 pounds, they are not very defensive. A Great Dane is usually a gentle giant when it isn’t taught, so it needs to be trained to act defensively.
Of course, just seeing them is enough to keep most places safe. Everyone knows a Great Dane when they see one, and the thought of getting on its bad side is enough to make people stay away from them. They are known to form strong bonds with their owners, which means they need more care and upkeep to stay calm and well-behaved.
9)BELGIAN MALINOIS
The Belgian Malinois, also called the Belgian Shepherd, is another breed of police and a military dog that is often confused with German Shepherds. They look a lot like German Shepherds, but their bodies are usually bigger and their coats are shaggier. They have a past of being guard dogs, especially in the United States, and are better known as work dogs than as pets.
This is because they are even more energetic than most German Shepherds, so it can be hard for the normal family to train and control this breed. They need to be worked out often so they stay calm and listen to orders.
10)KOMONDOR
Komondors are Hungarian Sheepdogs with shaggy hair that people often compare to dreadlocks or mop heads. They have a thick, white coat, but underneath that is a big, strong working dog that has been used to protect animals for hundreds of years. They can be too guarded around the people they love, so they will need to learn how to get along with other people from a young age.
11)CANE CORSO
Cane Corso dogs are an Italian type of mastiff. Like other dogs in the mastiff family, they have always been used to protect and watch over people. They usually weigh around 100 pounds, which is a good size for a lot of guard dog types. They carry this weight with a calm and aloof personality, like Bullmastiffs and other similar dogs. The big, thick head that these mastiffs are known for is also a good way to keep people away.
Cane Corso dogs are more active than other mastiff types, so their owners should have a fenced-in yard where the dog can run around. Because of this, people who own guard dogs should know how to take care of them and have a lot of time to play with them.
12)AMERICAN BULLDOG
American Bulldogs are bigger versions of bulldogs that were used to drive cattle and bait bulls. They spread throughout the southern United States because they were good at hunting wild hogs, which is still a problem today. They have been raised and trained to control bigger animals, which takes the guts and determination that make a good guard dog.
They always have to be doing something, even if it’s just a daily walk around the yard because they’re workaholics. American Bulldogs come in many shapes and sizes, but one thing they all have in common is that they are easy to train.
13)BOXER
Boxer dogs are known for their sagging jowls and the drool they constantly make in them. They are in the mastiff family, but the Old English Bulldog was also used in their breeding, so they are related to the American Bulldog.
Compared to the other types here, they’re pretty small to use as a guard dogs, but they have a long history of keeping people and property safe. They make up for it by being full of energy, which makes them fast, strong, and hard to catch for people who might try to break in. They’re also easy to train and known to be good with kids, but both the child and the dog should be taught how to act around each other.
14)RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is another type of guard dog that was brought to South Africa because it was good at hunting. It was used as a hunting dog to find and kill the big game in Africa. It has even killed baboons on its own. It was also used to “bay” lions, which means to confuse them with hit-and-run attacks while their hunters lined up a shot.
Modern Rhodesian Ridgebacks are used for defense because they are so strong and smart. They have a natural desire to protect their family and their territory. It’s also the only breed here for which guard dog training might be too much because it might make them too defensive. Basic behavior training and getting the dog used to people are always necessary, though.
15)BEAUCERON
The last horse is the Beauceron. If they look familiar, it’s because Doberman Pinschers were raised on them. They look like a cross between a Labrador and a Doberman. They are related to the German Doberman and Rottweiler, but they are from France. Depending on the dog, they weigh between 80 and 100 pounds and tend to keep their distance from people they don’t know. Because of this, they make good watchdogs, but they will need more training to deal with people who break in.
They are known for being stubborn, which is not a good trait for a guard dog. They also have a strong need to hunt, which means they shouldn’t be kept with smaller animals.
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