Guard breeds of dogs: types, selection and training

Everyone who wants to get a dog should think about their goals. Someone is looking for a companion and a true friend, for someone the appearance of the pet and joint participation in competitions is important, but someone is going to take a reliable guard to the house.

In order not to make a mistake with the choice, it is necessary to carefully study which dog breeds fall into the framework of this category, as well as get acquainted with some features of their temperament. In addition, special attention should be paid to the contact of the owner with the animal and the issue of education. Let us consider in more detail all the important nuances of the choice and interaction with dogs of the guard breeds.

Perhaps one does not have to wonder about the purpose when it comes to guard dogs. It's obvious that people bring such pets to protect apartments, house territories and private houses, as well as the life of the owner and his family. But this does not mean at all that such dogs are created exclusively for these purposes, and they do not manifest themselves in anything else.

This opinion is erroneous, since the four-legged "guards" are very smart and smart, they will be able to prove themselves during the game. And representatives of some breeds can even organize their leisure activities on their own, and after that involve family members in their game. In addition, like any other animal, a guard dog needs sweets for warming up teeth and toys.

Animals of protective breeds will become not only reliable protection for humans, but also true friends. By showing friendliness and love for a person, the dog will be able to win a place in his heart and will wait in return for a warm attitude, care and affection.

One cannot fail to note such a quality as fidelity. Of course, this trait is not inherent in a rare dog, but still there are exceptions. Fortunately, they in no way belong to the four-legged “watchmen,” since without faithfulness these animals would not be able to fully fulfill their functions and would have escaped when danger arose in order to save their own skin.

Besides, guard breeds of dogs have other features. For example, although their instincts contain the protection of their leader or master, the animals will still have to be taught some rules of human protection, and the owner, in turn, will need to learn to control the pet so that it does not harm anyone.

It is also necessary to monitor the physical development of the dog, as animals of this category must have a strong physique and powerful muscles. To maintain the necessary form, it is recommended to regularly engage with the dog on its own or in the presence of a dog handler.

There are many breeds of guard dogs that have both similarities and enormous differences. Animals can vary in size, color and other characteristics, in addition, some are very popular, while others shy away and are afraid to start in their home.

Consider the rating of the most popular breeds with names.

Large dogs, according to many, are the best in their field. There are several such breeds.

• Representatives of the Brazilian breed filo brasileiro are quite large, the growth at the withers can reach 75 centimeters, and the mark on the scales is 50 kilograms. This breed is characterized by the presence of skin folds, brown, red or darker color.

• Great Dane of Argentina It has a rather impressive and severe appearance. The dog is large, growth at the withers - up to 70 centimeters, and weight - up to 45 kilograms. It is worth noting that animals of this breed are prohibited in some countries, as they are considered overly aggressive. But with proper upbringing, the dog will be not only a good and faithful guard, but also an obedient, friendly and loving pet.

• Well developed physically, very smart, quick-witted and has many other positive qualities. Central asian shepherd dog. The animal has a thick coat, quite impressive sizes - also up to 70 centimeters at the withers, and up to 50 kilograms in weight.

• There is a specially derived view - serbian protective dog. Outwardly, the dog is quite large, although it is not very tall - up to 70 centimeters at the withers, its weight can still reach 70 kilograms.

Like the big ones, medium sized dogs also can be quite dangerous, especially fighting breeds.

• Lively temperament, a high level of intelligence, sensitivity, courage, poise and nobility - all these qualities are inherent schnauzers. The weight of the dog reaches a maximum mark of 20 kilograms, and height - 50 centimeters. Animals are always wary of strangers and to the last keep clear until they find the situation safe.

• Some people prefer fighting dogs, such as Staffordshire Terrier and American Pit Bull Terrier. Although they are medium in size, they are still quite strong and dangerous, therefore it is not recommended to start such dogs for owners who are not confident in their abilities.

You should never evaluate the quality of a dog by its size, and to be sure of this, consider the top of small breeds that are ideal for protection.

• Sometimes small or even the smallest dogs are the best guards for humans. For instance, terrier able to scare away not only small animals, but also other ill-wishers. The dog is very nimble and can inflict many painful bites in minutes.

• Weight boston terrier can reach a maximum mark of only 11 kilograms, and grew - 40 centimeters, but, despite its rather modest size, the animal is an excellent protector for a person and his home.

• It is not uncommon for representatives of other small breeds to defend their master. For instance, Spitz, Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terriers and other representatives of breeds, which can be attributed more to decorative than to protective.

Before you start a particular guard breed dog, you need to consider many factors. For example, living conditions of the animal and free space in the room. A large dog will be very crowded in a small apartment, and a small dog may be uncomfortable with the obligation to guard a huge house.

In addition, the number of family members, as well as the number of children, must be taken into account, since their contact with an oversized animal can be somewhat difficult. Even if the dog has a friendly disposition, there is no guarantee that the child will not be afraid of its size.

It is recommended to take the animal only in a good, proven kennel, where breeders vouch for the quality of the litter and the health of the puppies. Otherwise, you can run into scammers and become the owner of a dog with poor health. It is also necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of each breed, the structure of the coat and the behavioral reactions of the animal.

Let us consider in more detail the features of choosing pets for protection.

Undoubtedly, a dog with protective qualities living in an apartment is an advantage, because in such a company the owner and his family will feel safe. But it often happens that with the wrong choice of breed of a pet, everyone experiences discomfort, including the dog itself.

therefore do not pay attention to too large breeds that require a lot of space in apartmentse. Also, animals with a dense coat will feel discomfort, because it will simply be hot, and at a comfortable temperature for the dog, the owner will begin to freeze.

Representatives of small or medium breeds are perfect. For example, an airedale is quite compact in size, so keeping it in an apartment will not cause any particular difficulties. In addition, the animal has a slightly stiff coat, which does not need special care - just comb it regularly and, if necessary, remove dead skin.

Representatives of this breed have an enviable intellect, are very obedient and show unprecedented perseverance in the process of training and training.

In addition to the original appearance, the Giant Schnauzer also shows watchdog qualities and can always stand up for its owner. The dog is unpretentious in care, has a rather restrained character and compact size, so the animal of this breed is quite suitable for living in an apartment.

But it is worthwhile to be careful in matters of upbringing, since during a puppy's age, an animal can spoil the owner's things. But, thanks to the high level of mental abilities, the Giant Schnauzers very quickly realize their guilt and do everything to make amends for it.

Amazing but representatives of such a breed as a boxer also fit perfectly into the framework of living in an apartment. Despite its rather large size, the dog will not cause discomfort to other residents of the housing. Firstly, it is because of the wool, because a short pile falls out during molting in small quantities, giving no reason for frequent cleaning. Secondly, it is because of a meek and obedient character.

Also, sharpei, samoyed husky and chow chow, which possess the qualities of guard dogs, are quite suitable for keeping in the apartment. But if the content of the first animal does not cause difficulties, except for the care of skin folds, then for the representatives of the second and third breeds will have to get air conditioning.

To protect a person, it is completely optional to choose a large fluffy “bodyguard”. Dogs of small breeds are great, especially when it comes to families with small children. In this case, the advantage of small guard breeds is that the dog will not be able to harm the child, but will always defend its safety to the last forces.

A great option would be a Beagle breed whose sizes are between the category of small and medium dogs - at the withers, an adult dog can reach 40 centimeters. Outwardly, the dog looks quite strong, and with proper physical exertion, it has pronounced musculature. Among colors, the most common combination of three colors: white, brown and black.

This breed is characterized by a high level of activity, but at the same time very restrained in nature, so the dog will not conflict with others if it does not feel a threat to the owner or child.

Dwarf pinchers, which are sometimes called small copies of Dobermans, have good protective qualities. Dogs of this breed have a slender physique, small growth - only up to 30 centimeters at the withers, and low weight - about 10-15 kilograms. Most often it has a black-brown or black-red color. The dwarf pinscher is a very sociable and loving dog that shows independence in matters of games and the organization of its own leisure. As for the protective qualities, they are well expressed in the animal, but problems may arise due to the fact that the dog obeys only one owner, whom it recognizes.

Among the small breeds, French bulldogs and dachshunds can also be noted. Despite their pretty appearance, representatives of these breeds can provide the necessary safety to the owner and his family.

There are some large dogs that are quite suitable for families with children. For example, a very original and not quite ordinary breed of guard dogs bred in South Africa is a ridgeback. Dogs of this breed, despite the impressive size - up to 68 centimeters at the withers, are still very compact. They are famous for their unpretentiousness, have a pretty nice appearance and brown color with a slight darkening in the nose.

This breed is ideal for a family, because the dog will always try to fill the house with a friendly atmosphere, and also quite often will initiate games with representatives of younger generations.

Various types of shepherd dogs are also excellent guards., getting along well with a person in any territory. For example, Malinois, German or Australian Shepherd dogs, if properly trained, will become excellent companions for adults and best friends for children.

The choice of a "guard" for a private house must be approached with special responsibility, since often safety depends on the dog. The dog can prevent unwanted guests from entering the territory of the house and, if necessary, even attack adversaries and protect the family in which they live.

The aforementioned shepherd dogs are excellent for protecting a person and his family, as well as for protecting the territory of a country house. Most suitable for this variety is the Caucasian Shepherd. The animal has a very impressive size, powerful and strong physique and thick coat, which needs regular care.

The dog’s temper is peculiar, therefore, in the absence of the necessary education, a massive dog can become dangerous for people and animals around it. But with the right approach and competent interaction with the dog, it will become not only a faithful guard, but also an affectionate favorite of the family, and will also not show aggression towards other pets.

For reliable protection, the Bordeaux dog, which is famous for its strong grip, is perfect. The dog will not only stop the attackers by physical impact, but will also scare away other ill-wishers with its size and severe appearance. Adult growth can reach 60 centimeters, and weight - 55 kilograms.

The dog also has a very wayward character and can to some extent be harmful and arrogant. But, despite this, the dog will always be very kind, accurate and attentive to children, and with proper education it will not cause trouble to the owner.

An ideal option for guarding the courtyard of a country house is the Moscow guard dog. Such breeds as Alabai, Black Terrier, Moscow diver and Newfoundland are suitable. Representatives of all these breeds comply with the requirements declared for the protection of the yard, and also have sufficient wool to allow them to winter in the outdoors.

Animals of such breeds as Dobermann, Rottweiler, Great Dane, Cane Corso and Bullmastiff are also excellent guard dogs, but have rather short hair without warm downy undercoat.

A dog of not every breed can become a reliable, worthy guard, therefore it is very important to distinguish them from those who, in principle, are unable to protect a person or his home. Consider the categories of dogs that will become excellent pets, but will never be able to perform guard functions.

• It is believed that representatives of the Tibetan mastiff breed, despite their impressive size, are unable to protect the territory of the house. Dogs are too good-natured and will not be able to harm anyone, even in attempts to protect property.
• Also, sled dogs are not considered to be watch dogs, as they also have a rather friendly disposition and perform completely different functions. Therefore, huskies, huskies and malamutes will be wonderful pets, but not guards.
• Animals with pronounced hunting instincts are unable to be good, focused guards. If it comes to protecting the yard and livestock, such a dog will be the first to harm other animals.
• Rescue dogs and guide dogs will also not be able to fully protect a person, as they are excessively good-natured and will rejoice at any guest in the house. These breeds include Drathaars, Labradors, Golden Retriever and St. Bernards.
• And finally, small representatives of various breeds will not be able to perform a protective function, since they themselves are often quite shy and cowardly. For example, Toy Terriers, Pugs, Affen Pinschers, Shih Tzu, West Highland White Terriers, Bichon Frize or Chinese Crested. All these animals will be great friends for humans and children, but the guards from them, unfortunately, will not succeed.

Undoubtedly, the issue of raising and training guard dog breeds should be paramount. Due to the peculiarities of their temperament, big problems can arise with an untrained animal, since the dog will not only be uncontrollable, but even dangerous for others, and sometimes for the owners themselves.

therefore training processes should begin at an early age, from about 3 months. It is very important that your pet is recognized and mastered all the basic, most important commands in the first year of life, since adult dogs are trained and trained much worse.

In order to properly raise an animal, it is necessary to correctly build a training process. Since this is a guard breed pet, all minor teams can be relegated to the background, and it is very important to learn the main signals.

First of all, it is necessary to teach the animal the “place” command so that the dog immediately goes there if necessary. In order to learn this command, the puppy must understand that he has his own place in your home or in its adjacent area. Training takes place through encouragement and praise every time the puppy leaves for this place. Soon he will understand the effect of a positive reaction and will learn this command.

The second, no less important lesson will be teaching prohibitive teams, such as "fu" and "not," which will mean the immediate cessation of an action, whether it is aggression towards a person or simply lifting from the ground various objects that the dog intends to eat . This is the only team for training which will have to resort to punishment - the dog must have an appropriate reaction.

The basic teams that will need to train your pet relate to his position: "lie" and "sit". In this case, you may need a slight physical effect on the puppy's body - in order for him to sit, you will need to slightly press on the back of the back, and to lay down, you need to slightly direct the front of his body. In this way, you must act until the dog itself begins to carry out these commands.

Since the dog is designed to protect the territory and the person, it is also necessary to train it in the following teams.

• “Own” and “alien” - teams are used in case of emergency.For example, if someone is encroaching on your health or your home, as well as if the dog’s aggression is not justified.
• The “face” or “take” commands are used in cases where there is a direct threat to the life of the owner.

About the best guard dog breeds, see the next video.