The special bond between a man a dog was formed a very long time ago. Ever since the ancient times a domestic dog’s main responsibility has been to provide protection to his owner, family and the house they live in. Furthermore, dogs were bred to guard not only the house, but farmers trained them to be cattle-protective. Guard dogs of many breeds have proved themselves as the most loyal and life-guarding animals. Despite their courage, they are capable to grow extremely fond of their masters. It brings great pleasure and relief to have such emotionally attached to you animal who can only offer you worship, affection and loyalty.
Domestic dogs adore their masters. They express behavior motivated by love and for that reason their alertness and protective skills are highly elevated.
Guard dogs should never be trained to be cruel or aggressive in any way that can harm or put in danger humans.
Now, allow me to introduce you a few of the most famous protective dog breed of all time:
Doberman Pinscher
If you own a house or some large piece of property that needs daily protection, having a Doberman Pinscher would be the right choice. Dogs of this breed are incredibly fast and strong, they can identify an intruder in surprisingly short amount of time. If a burglar comes across their path he will be shocked to realize that he has to deal with a dreadful host who doesn't like uninvited guests coming around.
Rottweiler
Rottweilers are extremely active animals known to be one of the most intelligent and loyal type of dogs. They are extremely reliable protectors. Having not been properly introduced to strangers they can be aloof, showing aggressiveness. However, with regard of the fact that they are quick learners, further problems should not take place as long as the strangers prove themselves as family friends and not make any unnecessary reactions to rise suspicion on the first place.
German Shepherd
German Shepherd is the perfect watchdog. Originally they were bred to hunt and protect cattle. They can learn new tricks and commands fast due to their high intelligence, which is amazing. Quite soon enough they become skilled, obedient and strictly following commands. German Shepherds are reliable, bold, faithful and fearless. Therefore, they are favorite police and military dogs.
Bullmastiff
Bullmastiffs are not only impressive due to their size, but they also stun with physical strength, braveness, protection instincts and last but probably most important - they can offer unconditional allegiance and commitment to the ones they love. Bullmastiffs are remarkable animals! Their true willingness to do anything to protect their families never ceases to amaze owners, vets, breeders and researchers. These dogs don't need to be trained to guard their family because they already have inherited strong protective instincts. You may look throughout all dog breeds but you will never find animals more reliable than Bullmastiffs. In addition, they are able to express fierce loyalty to their masters and tend to become over-protective when there are kids around.
Installing alarm system in your house can cost an arm and a leg. Far fewer property owners have money to burn. On the other hand, there is no 100% guarantee that no one might decrypt your alarm code and break your home security. Therefore, you may find it useful to have a guard dog in order to increase the chances for your home to remain safe and protected. In this case, you not only would have a committed keeper but also a loyal friend for a lifetime.
This is a great article! A few years ago I wanted to get a guard dog and I started reading a lot on the topic. If you want to get one you should always keep in mind that owning a guard dog is a huge responsibility. This means that you are not only getting a new family pet, these dogs have a lot of strength and you need to make sure that the dog receives the proper training in full detail and to ensure that it knows who the master is! If you are not a 100% ready for this kind of commitment I suggest you get a watchdog, such as Terriers, Shin Tzu or Dachshund. These dogs are sharp and always alert in a case of potential danger and make great household protectors.
If you are really into the real deal and you think you’re ready for a challenge like that I can suggest some more additional breeds that make great guards. For example, the Rhodesian Ridgeback. This is very independent and yet insanely loyal dog that needs a very detailed training in order to be obedient. And although they sometimes might think that they are lapdogs and love to cuddle all the time always keep in mind that they were bred for hunting lions.
Another great breed that makes an incredible guard dog is the Staffordshire Terrier. These bull-fighting bred dogs are mostly mistaken for American Pit Bulls but have some major differences. You need to start training them at a very early age because they are more aggressive /and even ruthless at times/ than other breeds, especially when they feel that their owners need protection.
In any case I suggest you read more on the subject as it is very important to know exactly what you are doing and to make the best choice possible. Here are some more great breeds that make a splendid watchdog and some interesting facts about guard dogs in general: http://www.cesarsway.com/dog-behavior/basics/top-10-dog-breeds-for-protection