Watch/Guard Dogs

Status
Not open for further replies.
My dad has a Jack Russel/Beagle mix that definitely sounds the alarm if you are within 50 yards of the house. My dad gets irritated with it sometimes but he just lets it go because he knows that it is an added defensive measure for the house.

I own a bullmastiff and st. bernard. The st. bernard is the watchdog and the bullmastiff definitely does the guarding.
 
I'm coming up on 49 and lived in the country all my life. there were very few times I did not have a dog. The most watch doggish was a mini Schnauzer. He was 10 lbs and thought he was 210 lbs ..absolutely fearless. The best I ever owned was a boxer mastiff mix. Better than 120 muscled out pounds with crushing jaws and a bark that stopped people before they got to door... and absolutely the biggest baby with family and friends. Benz passed last September at 13 years and he will be missed for a long long time.

Just rescued a Saint Bernard / hound mix pup a couple months ago. 90 lbs at 7 months old now. He has big shoes to fill.
 
I know a lot of people will probably laugh at this...but my Golden Retriever is fantastic. I know, not exactly what one would consider a fierce breed, or a good guard dog. But he's ridiculously loyal and loving, and the best part about him is that he gives graduated warnings - growling softly at far-off noises, progressing to constant growling and, finally, full-blown barks as that unknown sound gets closer. And even though he's 90 pounds of fur-wrapped butter around people, the bark coming out of the keg he has for a chest can rattle windows. At night, if he sees that the growl isn't waking me up, I'm treated to a cold, wet nose smack in the middle of my forehead, which always works. His bark sounds absolutely terrifying...until he finally gets scared and sticks his head between my legs to hide. Sigh. Not so great for potentially attacking BGs, but fantastic for alerting me to their presence.
 
I love my Doberman, they will always be at the top of the list for me. Best Dogs on the planet imo.
 
seriously a small beagle is a great dog and nobody will ever sneak up on mine

I have had 3 beagles. Super watch dogs. During the time I had them, no one ever approached my home without us knowing it well before they arrived at the door. They have a great disposition, are great with kids and are eager to please and easy to train.

Beside that I can't tell you how I miss being greeted with that soulful bay when I park in front of the house every evening.
 
Beside that I can't tell you how I miss being greeted with that soulful bay when I park in front of the house every evening.

Yes and that soulful bay at 1AM, 1:30, 2:45, 3:18, 3:49, 4:01, 4:23, 4:58, and wake up at 5:00 :D
 
I've only had boxers and bulldog type dogs. My last boy I had to put down last June. Witht he arrival of a new little one, we decided to wait on a pup. The little fella will be two in October and I am already planning on getting the pup. No knock on my boxers, but after I the last one (he was the best dog I ever had), I decided to go in a different direction.

I wanted an all around guard/watch dog that would be physically intimidating, very vocal when some one approaches, actually go to town on someone if the need arose, and good with my boys. The conclusion I came to was an Akita.

If anyone has one, I'd love to hear from you.
 

Attachments

  • FawnBrindle.jpg
    FawnBrindle.jpg
    22.7 KB · Views: 135
Ladykilla, my sister has an Akita. He is a 5 year old male named Loki. One of the best guard/companion dogs i've ever been around. He never tugs on the leash. My sister and fiance have him right by their side whenever they take him for a walk.

One night my sister's ex boyfriend (ex piece of garbage) raised his hand at her. The dog had him pinned in the corner and wouldn't let him out. I showed up a few minutes later and that is only when Loki let him out. I guess he knew that he was tagging me in haha.

They get to about 120 (the males) so proper training is a must.
 
thanks for the reply dumptruck. Both my wife and I agree that training is a must. The more I read about the breed, the more interested I am getting.
 
That said, my next dog will be a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Anything that hunts lions has to be tough.

My grandfather always owned Rhodies. They're great watchdogs. If I ever move into a house with a yard, I'll definitely be getting one of those or a Rottweiler (my other favorite breed.)
 
I own two Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and they're fantastic dogs. The breed is large, though, and requires a strong pack leader. They are also active when young and require a lot of stimulation/activity because they're smart and full of energy.

The female we have is old, and not as aware as she used to be. That's why we got the pup. He's needed training, but he's really smart, aware, and he scares people who come to the door. If we allow someone in, he chills right out and takes cues well.

They're an exceptional breed and are quite protective of their families, and require no real guard training or they can become aggressive.
 
Ive got 3 dogs- The Beagle leads the pack in terms of sheer dB level. His bark resounds through the house. It is enough to wake you from a dead sleep easy. And he doesn't like other people. My cheseapeake retriever is a sweetheart with a very scary deep bark of her own. And oh yeah the Viszla, Kahlua, will tackle you. But it'll be with a tennis ball in his mouth loll
 
I can attest to the hearing abilities of the miniature Dachsund.

A neighbor has a lab. When I commuted on foot, he always let the neighborhood know I was coming when I was in a foul mood. After a while, he lay silent on the days I was cheery. I can only imagine he was picking up on my pheromones or something...

I have a Rottweiler-Dogo mix, good dog. Very sociable, sweet, and utterly non-aggressive. Great family dog, but he loves playing with our cats and other dogs when he can. VERY athletic and strong! He's about 100 pounds at 11 months and he lets us know when something's up. His bark is frightening. I once got locked out of the house and tried to shimmy my way in through the back and he lit the place up with a massive, powerful bark that scared the **** out of me. He's basically a Molosser breed so like any good Molosser he will first knock you down by tackling, and by God he can do it! Good luck to anyone who gets into it with him...

Your best bet is to get a smallish dog to sound the alarm and a big dog to back him up. They'll keep each other company as well. I had a greyhound when I was growing up and he was the perfect dog, obviously incredibly athletic and fast, he loved to play but he was basically a 90 pound lap dog. They require no maintenance (they are happy to sleep all day or cuddle) but he stopped two attempted burglaries quick, and one time the cops were at the house he went ballistic. He terrified my friends due to his size and musculature, but he only went off when necessary.

For a big dog, the Scottish Deerhound is a great choice. They're huge dogs, but they're as athletic as anything out there and are nearly as fast as greyhounds which they are closely related to. Unlike greyhounds they're great fighting dogs, and are also in love with game coursing. The Australians found they were the only breed that could both chase down a wild ozzie boar and kill it. Other breeds could do one but not the other. Great breed.

Good luck.
 
Keep in mind some dobe breeders / rescues will not adopt out a male to you if (they know) you have another male dog in the house.

I bred and raised Dobermans for over a decade. During that time I added adult male dogs to my herd many times. And never had one single bit of trouble. No, I had trouble with my females. Had an alpha female. Added a new adult bitch who kicked her butt seriously. Former alpha female kept attempting to reclaim her lost position. New alpha female finally got tired of it and the fights became serious. Came home one night, petted the dogs, and my fingers went into the girl's neck up to my palm. Had to separate them which was a major irritant.
 
My GF brought over her golden doodle (golden retriever/standard poodle mix) last night to meet my dogs & spend the night for the first time. Mac is a big boy (105 lbs), and has a voice like a sonic boom. He was very alert & picked up noises before my other two. The first time he spoke up, I jumped a bit. :eek:

Golden doodles are also non-shedding dogs (or very very light shedders), which is a plus for those who might be allergic or have partners/kids who are allergic to dog hair. I don't know if all golden doodles are equally alert, if it's a breed characteristic or not, but this one was on point all night.
 
i own a so called weiner dog and it is a great guard dog. but it barks at almost anything that is out of place. likes waking me up at night because of rodents outside. and she is a one and a half person dog - tolerates my wife but no one else.
 
Any excuse to post a picture of my (rescue) Boxer, who is a terrific watchman. Very noisy, very scarey, but no danger of him biting anyone. I would never want a dog of mine to get physically involved with a thug, never. His life is worth more to me than any possesions. If a thief isn't frightened of my dog he can have my TV etc, and I'll call the insurance company.



DSCF2312.jpg
 
My biggest contribution to this thread is another one to add to list of breeds to skip.
I plan on getting a "useful" dog before too long. I love this guy to death, but he can't even catch a treat tossed to him. It'll bounce off his face and he'll eat it off the floor. If you throw something he'll get half way to it, catch a scent forget everything.

My Basset Hound:
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0367.JPG
    IMG_0367.JPG
    146.1 KB · Views: 107
A few people mentioned dauchshunds & beagles. i'd recommend against that. Although hounds will bark at anything they are very aloof and friendly dogs by nature and probably would not attack an intuder. Hounds are bred to relentlesly follow game with their eyes or nose. They are not possesive of their pack (ie. you and your family) or very territorial. Hounds are wonderful dogs; they're full of personallity but they make a poor guard dog. I've got a 70 lbs Coonhound that has a menacing bark, but he's a big 'ol baby.

hawn028.jpg


I'd recommend a shepard. they are extremely territorial and will make a great watchdog with little or no training.
 
Last edited:
We have two dogs. My wife has a toy poodle that hears every little thing. Then we have a mutt that is Great Pyrenees/boxer and he has the bark/bite. Matter of fact he is my wife's as well. Today the big dog earned his kibble. Two guys show up looking to sell magazines for school, but it is during school hours and on a school day. My wife grabs the .45 and tells them to go away through the door. She never opened the door. They start asking her to let them in and the big dog starts barking. They left the property right away. 5 minutes later the sheriffs department is canvasing the neighborhood looking for them. I have had a dog since I was 5 years old. I will god willing always have a dog at my side.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top