Owners of country houses and summer cottages have often thought about the question: which dog to choose to protect their property and family members? An ideal guard dog should be large or medium in size, have an athletic build, be well versed in the terrain, have a tough character, be fearless and hardy, distrustful of strangers, be easy to care for, and the animal must be able to adapt to any weather conditions.
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A guard dog must first of all warn its owners about the danger, and only then launch an attack on the enemy. At the same time, such an animal, having a set of necessary qualities for protecting a private home, needs training and physical endurance training.
You should choose a dog to guard your home carefully:
- First of all, you need to pay attention to the character of the animal and its preparation. The watchdog must be smart enough to determine that intruders have entered the house and notify the owners of the danger with a loud bark.
- It is also worth paying attention to the coat. It should be thick and warm the dog even in frosty winter.
- It is better to choose a large animal so that the watchman’s appearance alone will scare off ill-wishers.
- And finally, the dog must have good health and be unpretentious in its maintenance.
Having studied websites about dogs, reviews from dog handlers and dog lovers, our experts have compiled a rating of the best dog breeds that are ideal for guarding a private home.
Rating:
- German Shepherd
- Akita Inu
- Caucasian Shepherd Dog
- Doberman
- Tibetan mastiff
- Moscow watchdog
- Giant Schnauzer
- Rottweiler
- German dog
- Russian Black Terrier
Size and breed
Guard dogs come in giant, large, medium and small varieties. Giant and large ones are best suited for a country house or business; medium and small ones can also be kept in an apartment; they make not only guards, but also good companions.
Breeds of especially large guard dogs:
- Brazilian Fila;
- bullmastiff;
- black terrier (Russian);
- Dogue de Bordeaux and Dogo Argentino;
- Giant Schnauzer;
- Moscow watchdog;
- Caucasian and Central Asian Shepherd Dogs.
Such animals are considered the most powerful fighters; they are able to cope with humans. The downside is stubbornness, which can be overcome with training.
Large breeds:
- German and Belgian shepherds;
- Rottweiler;
- Doberman;
- Cane Corso;
- Boerboel;
- German boxer.
They are highly intelligent and amenable to training.
Medium-sized four-legged guards:
- American Pit Bull Terrier;
- Airedale;
- Miniature Schnauzer.
Despite their protective qualities, these are quite kind breeds. Their aggression is replaced by distrust of strangers.
Guard dogs of small stature (short at the withers):
- miniature schnauzer;
- Boston Terrier;
- Jagdterrier;
- Akita Inu.
They have a strong character, are loyal, devoted to their owner, and are always ready to protect him. They also make excellent hunters, especially Jagdterriers: they are able to search, track foxes and other animals for a long time, and drive them away.
A guard dog, no matter what breed it is, must be controllable and clearly and unquestioningly carry out the commands of its owner.
Dog breeds
As a result of natural selection, the first breeds appeared that were best suited for hunting, guarding, and herding. Gradually these breeds improved. This is how modern breeds appeared. Today there are more than four hundred dog breeds. Of these, 3 main groups can be distinguished:
- hunting
- official
- decorative
Hunting dogs
They use their hunting instincts.
- Hounds and greyhounds. When hunting, this breed of dog follows the scent of the animal being hunted.
- Coppers and setters participate in bird hunting.
- Spaniels are used in hunting waterfowl.
- Laikas are the best helpers when hunting fur-bearing animals.
- Small, funny dachshunds on short legs pull out prey from holes, often exceeding their size. These dogs need to exercise a lot. Otherwise, they begin to have health problems.
Service dogs
Service dogs are powerful, strong, hardy animals, endlessly devoted to humans. They must have acute vision, hearing, and smell. Must be angry, but controlled, with a stable psyche.
- They are entrusted with the protection of important objects. Here you can name the Caucasian Shepherd Dog, the Moscow Watchdog. They are looking for criminals. They serve at customs. These are border guard dogs. The best breeds are German, East European Shepherd, Rottweiler.
- Shepherd dogs that protect livestock from predators. This is a Scottish Shepherd, and in areas with a large number of predators, the Caucasian and South Russian Shepherd are used. They protect the flock from wolves, even without a shepherd. They wear a collar with spikes facing outwards to protect their necks from predators.
- Search and rescue dogs are used to search for people during earthquakes and avalanches. The dog must have a special sense. These are husky, collie, German shepherd and, of course, St. Bernard.
This rescue dog was bred in the 14th century by monks at the monastery of St. Bernard in Switzerland. Saint Bernard feels buried in an avalanche under 6 m of snow. Thanks to these dogs, about 2,000 people were saved. In the mountainous regions of the Pamirs, 1.5 thousand years ago, a rock painting was made - a dog saves a man.
- Sled dogs. They are used in the Far North to avoid traps, deliver fuel, food, and mail. A team of 12 dogs runs 80 km per day. These are husky, malomute, and samoyed.
These incredibly resilient dogs competed in the Great Race of Mercy in 1925. A snowstorm prevented the plane from delivering anti-diphtheria serum from the city of Nenana to the settlement of Nome in Alaska. The serum was transported 1085 km by dog teams in difficult weather conditions. In total, 150 dogs and 20 mushers took part in the rescue expedition.
First, racer Leonard Sepalla with a team led by the experienced twelve-year-old leader Togo. One time the dog almost died. Then the sled overturned, and the box with medicines was hardly taken out from under the layer of snow. Togo received severe frostbite, but recovered and lived to be 16 years old.
On the last section of 52 km, the serum was carried by the team of Gunnar Kassen with the leader Balto. Diphtheria was stopped in five days. All the glory went to Balto, the only one out of 150 dogs. There is a statue of the brave dog in New York's Central Park. In memory of the rescue expedition, an 1,800 km sled dog race is held annually in Alaska.
- Guide dogs. These are German Shepherd, Labrador, Golden Retriever, Giant Schnauzer, Collie, Rottweiler. Guide dog schools were founded 100 years ago by the German Red Cross to rehabilitate soldiers who had lost their sight. As a result of a thorough check, a quarter of the dogs selected for training are rejected. The dog must carefully remember the route, not be distracted by dogs and cats, not be afraid of city noise, and notice even an overhead obstacle, for example, a hanging branch. A guide must be loyal to his master under any circumstances.
There was a case when a guide dog bit a passerby on the hand in which he was holding a phone, so that he would notice that its owner was feeling unwell and call the rescue service. Guide dog Dorado led his owner on September 11, 2001 from the 71st floor of the World Trade Center. Another guide dog shielded its owner from the speeding bus, taking the first blow.
Decorative dogs
These are dogs for the soul, dogs for your home. Many people consider decorative dogs to be useless. Yes, these are not hunters. They don't guard the flock. These are not special service dogs. These are not ferocious guardians of your property.
But their service is probably the most important. They are companions who protect a person from stress and negative emotions in our harsh world, where very often man is a wolf to man. A lap dog is the best doctor. Helps you relax after a hard day at work, reduces blood pressure, calms the nervous system, and heals the soul.
In a home where there are pets, children grow up kind and compassionate.
