Guard dogs have always provided protection to man, be it his family or his property. This article contains a list of not only those dogs who natural guardians, but also those who are potential protectors, if well trained.
Someone has rightly said, “Dogs are miracles with paws“. A loving dog is nothing but the most rightful member of the family, as it showers love in its purest form and safeguards all its members till its last breath. Guard dogs are born with supreme devotion towards their master, surpassing bravery and extreme pain bearing ability. “Man is a dog’s idea of what God should be.” Well, this is what these dogs truly believe. This list is not in any order of superiority, it simply provides names of some guard dog breeds.
Doberman Pinscher
With a royal look, the Doberman pinscher is one of the most famous guard dog breeds. This dog is highly-powerful, with an elegant body, having a well-proportioned chest, muscular neck, well-toned legs, developed teeth, and clever dark eyes. It is amazingly alert and dexterous. A pinscher is a mixture of a Rottweiler, Greyhound, and some Terrier breeds. It absolutely loves its family and can do anything to protect its members. It is ranked as the world’s fifth smartest dog.
Rottweiler
A Rottweiler is famous for its unparalleled strength, extraordinary stamina, and pain resistance. Training makes this dog a perfect choice for every dog lover as it is an ultimate family pet, having boundless love for its family. It is known to protect its family to the last breath and can do anything for its master. Rottweilers are also used as therapy and service dogs due to their high intelligence level.
Fila Brasileiro (Brazilian)
A wonderful Brazilian breed, its love towards its owner is distinctive. There is a Brazilian saying, “Loyal as a Fila”, so you can very well imagine its boundless loyalty. The Fila is extremely loving and a wonderful family dog, however, it shows just the opposite streak towards strangers. It does not accept strangers and is famous for challenging anyone suspicious. This huge, beautiful dog is of the Molosser breed, with large bones and loose skin. It is a natural guardian dog and if you wish to know what is ‘true love’, it’s time you gift yourself a Fila puppy.
German Shepherd
The Loving GSD is considered to be one of the most favorite of pets. Along with being an amazingly cheerful pet and a great family dog, it is one of the most intelligent breeds in the world. A trained German Shepherd is highly successful as a police dog and also a watchdog. Its body is well-proportioned, with a strong bone structure and a rounded forehead. The feet are strong, thighs are sturdy, and the teeth have a strong scissor bite. It is highly-alert, courageous, and obedient. The ears are pointed upwards and the tail is highly bushy, which is one of the most striking features of this breed. There are three varieties of this breed, namely, rough-coated, long rough-coated, and long-haired.
Bulldog (American)
Belonging to the devoted lot, the beautiful American Bulldog is a descendant of the British Bulldog, which was a working dog meant for guarding the master’s property. Though the original Brit breed is not found anymore, its nearest relative is quite common in the US. It is a loving pet and loves its master and all the other pets owned by him. It is extraordinarily brave and is known to hunt everything from birds to bears. It is athletic, with a strong, muscular body, well-structured jaws, and a smart temperament. It is fearless and quite a danger for intruders.
Bullmastiff
The Bullmastiff is a powerful dog, bred for hunting down poachers. It is a cross between the English Mastiff and the old English Bulldog. An independent dog by nature, it loves to take its own decisions. In recent times, however, a bull mastiff is becoming popular as a family dog which awaits its master’s permission to act. This dog is the least aggressive, though very good at guarding. A Bullmastiff has all the inborn dog characteristics, namely, loyalty, courage, and a high devotion towards its family.
Boxer (German)
A cross of the English Bulldog and the Bullenbeisser (now extinct), it is a powerful, medium-sized dog that is extremely useful for guarding. The Boxer is one of the most common breeds (sixth most popular in the US), and is famous for its faithfulness and devotion. It is highly loving in a family, but not very fond of strangers. A boxer is supposedly a very clean and hygienic dog, very intelligent and tactful. Its devotion towards its family continues to grow even in its old age. It’s the most playful breed and the perfect choice for children.
Tibetan Mastiff
One of the oldest breeds, a Tibetan Mastiff is a domestic breed of dog which guards the home at night. It is a big and ferocious dog and shows no reluctance whatsoever, even to face leopards and wolves. This primitive breed is perfect for guarding and is also an ideal home dog; its behavior is entirely dependent upon training (or no training).
Black Russian Terrier (Russian)
A smart and intelligent dog breed, the black Russian Terrier is strong, brave, and athletic. It was originally bred as a police and guard dog, and has been recognized recently outside its home country. A great companion, this dog is calm, loyal, and extremely confident.
Belgian Shepherd Dog
As the name suggests, this breed originates from Belgium and is mainly a shepherd dog. It was meant for herding and has all the characteristics of a brave and strong guarding breed. The breed has four varieties, Groenendael, Laekenois, Tervuren, and Malinois. It is a highly-intelligent and brave breed and is known for bonding with its family. It is highly-trainable and a perfect family dog.
Staffordshire Terrier (American)
Lovingly known as Staffie, this breed is not a ‘very friendly’ dog and is quite famous for its not-so-social behavioral outbursts. Though it’s highly protective and attacks when it finds any of its family members in danger, the dog must be trained to socialize at the puppy stage. The breed was mainly created for bear and bull fighting.
Giant Schnauzer
Counted among the most ideal guards, this breed is huge, strong, and extremely loyal. The dog must be trained with an iron hand as it is mischievous to the highest extent. Proper and continuous training turns this naughty canine into one of the most responsible and alert guard dogs.
Rhodesian Ridgeback (African)
This smart breed has a highly-distinctive attitude as it chooses what it really wishes to do. Though mainly meant for guarding, it is highly successful in hunting down its prey. A word of caution – do not leave a Rhodesian Ridgeback alone at home as it hates being lonely and is quite messy if it is forced to be.
Puli
‘Looks are deceptive’ applies perfectly to this breed. The lovely looking Puli is an alert, watchful, and intelligent dog, originally meant for sheep herding. It is not very aggressive but has shown signs of a sharp and strong instinctive mind.
Komondor (Hungarian)
Considered as the national treasure of Hungary, this unique-looking breed is known for its natural guarding instincts. It is a huge, strong, and smart dog, meant for guarding livestock and other property. It has a long, corded coat which disguises it among the sheep flock and also protects it from the hot and cold weather.
Kuvasz
A very friendly and beautiful breed, this dog loves to be cuddled and pampered by its family. However, don’t go by the soft looks, as it is a highly-strong and territorial breed and has natural guarding instincts.
Some Rare Breeds
The following is a list of rare breeds, which are also amazing as guard dogs.
- Caucasian Ovcharka (Russian)
- Chippiparai (Indian)
- Combai (Indian)
- Formosan Mountain Dog (Taiwanese)
- Kanni (Indian)
- Rajapalayam Dog (Indian)
- Serbian Defensive Dog (Serbian)
Other Guards
- Anatolian Shepherd (American)
- Shar Pei
- Cane Corso (Italian)
- Akita Inu (Japanese)
- American Pit Bull Terrier (American)
- Chow Chow (Chinese)
- Kunming Wolfdog (Asian)
- Antebellum Bulldog (American)
- Great Dane
- Saint Bernard
- Boerboel (South African)
- Sharr Mountain Dog (Macedonian)
- Australian Cattle Dog (Australian)
- Bull Terrier (British)
- Bandog (American)
- Danish Broholmer (Danish)
- Alano Español
- Cão de Castro Laboreiro (Portuguese)
- Argentine Dogo (Argentinian)
- Beauceron (French)
- Dutch Shepherd Dog (Dutch)
- Canis Panther (American)
- British Mastiff (British)
- Great Swiss Mountain Dog (Swiss)
- Karelian Bear Dog (Finnish)
- Mioritic (Romanian)
- Moscow Watchdog (Russian)
- Shiloh Shepherd (American)
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier (British)
- Swinford (American)
- Weimaraner (German)
Incomparable with anything on the earth, a dog is the most adorable and loving companion. The above information would have given you an idea about the commitment and chivalry of such dogs. A timeless quote aptly summarizes it all, “My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am”.
