Choosing the Best Breed for a Guard Dog

 Subsequently, the German Shepherd's mixture of
As most dog owners will know, all dogs have anloyalty, intelligence and willingness to please make it a
innate desire to protect their home and the rest of theirfirm favorite family pet and guard dog.
pack, which, in the case of a domestic pooch, is its 
human family. However, if you are looking for a goodGreat Dane
guard dog, then there are some breeds that are more 
suited to the role than others.An extremely large dog, the Great Dane's presence
Traditionally, it is the larger breeds that are used asand very loud bark is often a wonderful deterrent to
guard dogs, partly because the physical presence actsprospective intruders. However, despite its fearsome
as a deterrent. This does not mean that smaller dogsstature, the Great Dane is, in fact, a gentle giant.
are ineffective though. Small breeds, such as JackConsequently, the Great Dane makes a wonderful
Russell, Chihuahua or King Charles Spaniel, will be quickfamily pet and, like the German Shepherd, is particularly
to raise the alarm if they sense danger. Therefore,fond of children.
although a smaller breed lacks the physical capability to 
protect its home, it will be quick to make the presenceRottweiler
of an intruder known. 
When choosing the right dog for you, it is important toAnother intimidating breed, the Rottweiler is incredibly
consider the amount of space you can offer a petstrong and will do much to deter potential intruders. In
and your financial situation. If you are looking for aaddition, the Rottweiler is very intelligent and has a
good guard dog, here are just some of the breedsreputation for being a fast learner. With family
you may like to consider:members, Rottweilers will tend to be affectionate and
 very loyal. As with any potential guard dog, however, it
Doberman Pinscheris imperative that these animals are trained correctly to
 avoid unwanted aggression and issues with owner
One of the most popular guard dogs, the Dobermanauthority.
Pinscher can have an intimidating demeanor. In addition, 
the breed is known to be very intelligent and can runBoxer
very quickly. Many people assume that, because a 
Doberman is often used as a guard dog, it isThe Boxer may not seem like an ideal guard dog
aggressive and hard to handle. However, this could notgiven that the breed is known for being playful,
be further from the truth. Dobermans are very loyalenergetic and a great lover of people. Nevertheless,
and can make great family pets; it is poor orBoxers are also very good at judging a person's
irresponsible training, which leads to an aggressive dog.character. Therefore, a Boxer is intuitive and will raise
 the alarm if danger is sensed.
German ShepherdBefore acquiring a guard dog, regardless of the breed
 you choose, it is important to remember that training is
For a number of decades, the German Shepherd hasall important. There are few dogs that are known for
been among the most popular breeds of dog. Used inbeing completely non-aggressive. Therefore, it is
police work, they are both intelligent and eager toessential that you train your dog properly to ensure
please. Like the Doberman, German Shepherds arethat he, or she, does not cause concern to your
often used as guard dogs thanks to their ability to beneighbors or injury to an innocent passer-by. If trained
physically intimidating to an intruder. However, when itresponsibly, your dog will learn to protect your home
comes to family life, the German Shepherd is a realand family when necessary, but adopt an affection
softy. In particular, female German Shepherds have aand easy going demeanor at all other times.
wonderful relationship with the children of the family.