Choosing the Best Guard Dog for Your Family
When choosing a family protector dog, you should consider various factors. These factors include their compatibility with children and other pets, size, and energy level. Below, we've chosen our recommended options to assist you in selecting a new addition to your family.
German Shepherd
These dogs display bravery, gentleness, and affection, and they actively guard and protect their loved ones, which makes them an excellent fit for families. When you train this breed effectively, it excels in learning, listening, and following commands.
When you visit the breeders to adopt this dog, ensure their reputation is solid, and if feasible, meet the dog's parents to confirm they come from a healthy environment.
Rottweilers
Rottweilers are excellent guard dogs, and if they are trained well, they can become loving family pets, even for small kids. They are among the smartest breeds in the world, and if appropriately trained, they will be loyal and obey the commands you give them.
When considering adding a Rottweiler to your family, especially if you have young children, ensure they receive proper training. Without this training, they may display aggression. Additionally, it's advisable to regularly socialize them as puppies because they tend to be naturally cautious around unfamiliar individuals.
Doberman pinscher
This dog breed displays high intelligence, often exuding an intimidating appearance and a tendency to be cautious around strangers, contributing to their suitability as guard dogs. They exhibit unwavering loyalty and, when subjected to proper obedience training, readily follow your commands. Their athleticism and abundant energy necessitate daily exercise and activity.
If you want to bring a Doberman pinscher into a family with kids, you should raise them from a puppy in the family environment instead of getting one home once it has grown. This dog can be very destructive, so it's very important to have this dog well-trained from a young age.
Boxer
What makes this dog a great guard dog is its menacing look and talent for sensing people's intentions. For families, this medium to large size dog is friendly and fun-loving and will use its athleticism to protect its owners. They don't have a violent streak and often seek love and attention.
Although boxers have a lot of energy from the beginning and require lots of exercise from their owners.
Bernese Mountain Dog
This dog excels as a watchdog, even though the breed typically doesn't actively seek to confront intruders. Instead, they bark when they sense something suspicious and exhibit caution around strangers. Furthermore, this sizable dog thoroughly enjoys the company of children and readily engages in playful interactions, making it an ideal choice as a family pet. However, it's important to note that this dog boasts a thick coat, requiring regular brushing and grooming to keep it well-maintained.
Giant Schnauzer
They are loyal and intelligent and grow to be very large with an intimidating look that can ward off strangers. If you raise this dog from a puppy alongside your kids and family, they will also be very good with children. However, you do need to brush and groom them daily.
Great Dane
Great Danes are very big and have a loud bark, making them good at scaring away intruders. However, this dog is very gentle and patient with kids, as well as makes friends easily. They are better watchdogs than they are protectors because of their kind nature.
This breed requires lots of exercise through daily walks and lots of positive reinforcement obedience training from the beginning. They also need lots of attention and supervision until they are used to the rules and become accustomed to your home.
Great Pyrenees
With proper training and guidance, this large, furry breed can become a loyal and protective guard dog. They exhibit gentleness and an ability to adapt to your family's dynamics and home environment. However, they tend to be cautious around guests and intruders, which can make them an excellent companion and guard.
The reason this dog doesn't top the list is due to its training challenges. It requires early training with love and attention, as they tend to bark and growl when young, a habit that can persist without proper training. Additionally, they may challenge their owners' leadership, making them somewhat harder to train.
Saint Bernard
This exceptionally large dog typically excels with kids and families and displays a very friendly nature, which makes it unsuitable for guard duty. Nevertheless, their imposing size and resounding bark can effectively deter potential intruders from approaching your home. This makes them an excellent choice if you seek a gentle-mannered dog with a bark that matches their impressive stature.
Saint Bernards tend to be clumsy dogs until they are fully grown and don't understand their size, so they may accidentally knock down small children. We recommend this dog for families that have children that are a bit older. They can also be more challenging to train and tend to eat more than other dogs, but they only need to be walked and brushed a few times a week.
Bullmastiff
It doesn't take them long to recognize their owners as their pack, and they will do anything to protect you. They also look intimidating and are always aware of what is going on around them, making them excellent guard dogs without putting your children at risk. This dog shows great attacking qualities and can easily take down a full-grown man. If you raise this dog from a puppy with your kids and family and provide them with constant training, they can make a great, loving family member.
This dog does require stern training from a young age to obey your orders and get along with others. Without it, they will become aggressive. They also need strict orders and lots of exercise.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.
