4 Best Guard Dogs

Living alone can be dangerous. You risk having to protect yourself in case someone breaks into your home. As such, you may want to consider getting a guard dog to help watch over you. Fortunately, there are hundreds of dog breeds to choose from when picking out a guard dog. Most of the time, new owners choose dogs that are large and intimidating. Below are a few breeds that are commonly used as guard dogs or even police and military dogs.

German Shepherds

German Shepherds are known as dogs that can definitely protect you. These large dogs originated in Germany and bear a close resemblance to wolves. They are by far the number one breed used for military and police services. Health wise, these dogs do not really have many health issues, but they are known to develop degenerative myelopathy and hip problems during their senior years.

Rottweiler

Rottweilers are wonderful dogs that prefer to observe then bark and scare. They usually just sit and watch what is going on before they actually do something. They can sneak up on you and you won’t even realize that they are there. These dogs have the most powerful jaws amongst all the other dog breeds, and once they lock their jaws, it is going to be difficult to order them to let go. Rotts have been known to have hip and heart problems, but with proper nutrition, you can avoid these.

Doberman

Dobermans are like slimmer versions of Rottweilers. These dogs are very fast and can take down a fully grown man very easily. Dobermans are very intelligent and easy to train. They will need a lot of exercise though, but they do not shed since they have very short coats. These dogs are also prone to degenerative myelopathy.

Caucasian Mountain Dog

This breed has been around for a long time in Russia, however, they are relatively new to the United States. These dogs are massive, weighing up to 180 pounds and reaching to about 6 feet in height when they stand on their hind legs. They are naturally aggressive, which is both a good and bad trait. Many find it challenging to handle these dogs because of their sheer strength and size.

With these four breeds, you will need plenty of time and patience to train these dogs and socialize them to know when to be relaxed and when to be on guard.

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Taking care of a German Shepherd

A wonderful and loyal dog, German Shepherds are known to be one of the best family and guard dogs around. Originating from Germany, these dogs are a well known breed. Popular amongst the army and police, these dogs are also known to be trained as attack dogs, as well as bomb and drugs sniffing dogs. If you are thinking of getting one of these beautiful dogs, there are a few things that you should know when it comes to taking care of it.

Health

German Shepherds are generally healthy dogs. However, they are the breed that is known to be most prone to DM in dogs. This is a genetic illness that damages the dog’s nerves. DM in dogs develops when the dog is older, so as a puppy, there really is no way to tell if it will develop it. Another common health problem German Shepherds have is hip dysplasia, which is an illness that targets the dog’s hip joint.

Exercise

German Shepherds are active dogs. Since these dogs where bred as working dogs, they need a lot of exercise to keep their muscles and bones healthy. You will need to invest a few hours every week to make sure that your German Shepherd is getting enough exercise.

Diet

A protein heavy diet is advisable for a German Shepherd, but keep an eye on their weight. Overweight dogs are more prone to illnesses and will have shorter life spans. Pick out dog food that has a good protein content or you can give them beef as a main protein souse.

Housing
German Shepherds can basically live anywhere. They are territorial animals so give them their own personal spot where they can sleep and lounge around. A big lawn is preferred so that the dog is able to run around and play, but they do not really have issues with living in apartments in the city.

Temperament and Training

These dogs have a pretty powerful bite so you will need to socialize these dogs with people and other animals at a young age. Fortunately, basic obedience training is a breeze since German Shepherds are ranked as one of the smartest dog breeds around.

Fur Care

German Shepherds have thick coats and they do shed, so get ready to clean up any fur that falls off them. Keep them clean by giving them regular baths and brushing their coats. They are not really that hard to take care of when it comes to cleanliness.

 

What is the Best Guard Dog?

The “best” in determining the best guard dog breed is highly relative, dependent on different variables including the number of members in a household, the presence of children, and the available area upon which guard dogs have to keep watch over.

However, a list of ideal guard dog breeds does exist, made to help those in search of guard dogs easily assess and finger out the best guard dog for their needs.

Here are some of the world’s most popular guard dog breeds to help you find out what is the best guard dog for you and your home.

Do well in finding out which of these guard dog breeds best suit your needs.

The Bullmastiff – originally a cross between the Old English Bulldog and the English Mastiff, the Bullmastiff is popular as a family pet and effective as a guard dog. It was originally bred to deal with poachers given its size, a powerful dog that can immobilize cat burglars yet be nurturing to household members and friends.

The Rottweiler – known for its medium-to-large size, the Rottweiler is another ideal guard dog breed, originally from Rottwiel, Germany. They were often identified as “Butcher’s dogs” and were useful in herding livestock and even in pulling carts with meat and other products. Modern breeds of Rottweilers are known for their relatively low hunting instinct, their astute intelligence, and their capacity for analytic skills.

The Doberman Pinscher – also known as Doberman, the Doberman Pinscher is known for its guarding skills, often associated as the poster-dog for guard dogs. A breed developed by Karl Friedrich Dobermann, the breed’s temperament is well documented, but recent developments and careful breeding have yielded energetic and cool dispositions in Dobermans.

The German Shepherd – as a medium-sized dog, the German Shepherd is defined as a relatively new breed, known for its intelligence and guarding skills. Originally a working-class dog used in herding sheep, the German Shepherd’s strength and abilities make it a favorable household pet, as well as an effective, reliable guard dog.

The Giant Schnauzer – one of the three known Schnauzer breeds, the Giant Schnauzer is a large powerful dog, intelligent and capable enough in handling guard duties for homes and households.

Solid Black Colored German Shepherds?

German Shepherds are among the most recognized dog breeds in the world, physically characterized to have bushy tails, upright ears, long black colored muzzles, black colored masks and black colored body markings over tan or reddish hued coats.

Known for their intelligence, agility, stamina and loyalty, they have somewhat become the ideal dog for just about anyone, from family households, visually impaired persons, sanctioned enforcement agencies, and police force units.

Emphasis on the breed’s popularity seems to be moot at this point, since - for sure - you know what German Shepherds are, how smart they are, and how they generally look like.

But what if someone tells you that he got a new German Shepherd, showing you a solid black colored dog that bears all the physical qualities of the breed minus its typical color pattern?

Would you tell him that he got his dog’s breed wrong since German Shepherds don’t come in solid black coats?

If by any chance you would, you’d be in the wrong since there are actually solid black colored German Shepherds in existence. In fact, there are even all-white, liver-hued, sable, and blue-hued German Shepherds.

Considered to be a rare variety, solid black German Shepherds are known to have the personality and physical attributes of the breed, only that it is all black in color.

All-black and sable-hued German Shepherds are generally accepted by most breeder and kennel standards, while not all standards accept liver-colored and blue-hued German Shepherds, being very critical about breeding faults. All-white German Shepherds are often automatically disqualified as German Shepherds by breeding/kennel standards.

The popularity of the German Shepherd comes from its innate intelligence, keen on respecting owners but wary when it comes to strangers. Originally bred to keep watch over sheep pens, the breed is so popular, yet not everyone is aware of that they come in different colors, other than the well-known black on tan/reddish coat.

So when you do meet someone showing off some black colored do which bears a lot of German Shepherd qualities, you’ll know that he isn’t pulling your leg when  he says it’s a German Shepherd.

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