10. Saint Bernard
St. Bernards are generally friendly and great with families. The best thing St. Bernards have going for them is their size, as they can often grow to as much as 180 pounds. St. Bernards will not do well as attack dogs. Their friendly nature will do little once a burglar is in your home, but the size of the dog and the size of the bark will do well to intimidate intruders from breaking in. We will caution about having small children around St. Bernards as they develop because this breed is generally clumsy and will unintentionally knock children down as they grow to understand their size.
9. Great Pyrenees
Great Pyrenees are generally thought of as great guardians for livestock, but in many cases, they can be great guard dogs for families if given the proper training and attention. Their thick fur and large stature allows the Pyrenees to work great outdoors or indoors. The Pyrenees is a gentle breed that is both loyal and protective without being overbearing.
8. Bernese Mountain Dogs
Bernese Mountain Dogs are another large breed of dog whose roots in guarding and protecting trace back to Roman times. They have in recent years become less associated with guarding, but they are very smart and very wary of people they are unfamiliar with. This aspect makes them great to have around the home, as they will surely alert owners if something suspicious is going on around the home.
7. The Brazillian Mastiff
the Brazillian Mastiff, is a less common breed of dog, and it should be noted that only experienced dog owners should undertake raising and having one around the house. While extremely loyal, the Fila is extremely protective and have been known to attack intruders if they feel alarmed.
6. Boxers
Boxers are a highenergy breed of dog that do a surprisingly great job at reading peoples intentions. Boxers are often times smaller than some of the other dogs on this list, but can grow to well over 100 pounds. Boxers look more menacing than they actually are, which is good if you want your guard dog to look intimidating without actually having a violent streak.
5. Great Dane
Also known as the German Mastiff, the Great Dane is intimidating in stature, but gentle in nature. They are surprisingly great around children and have an even temperament toward other dog breeds. Their strength is well balanced, as they are not clumsy and generally have a great idea of their size and place around a home. The Great Dane is much more of a “watchdog” than a “guard dog.” The phrase “it’s bark is worse than it’s bite” is very applicable to the Dane, as their bark is quite intimidating, but will do very little to actually deter an intruder if one got into your home.
4. Doberman Pincher
Doberman Pinchers are extremely loyal and very well tuned to their owners commands if properly trained. Pinchers are a great size, very agile and athletic. The breed is very alert and cautious of people it is not familiar with, but will respect the command of their owner and this makes them great for protecting families. Their growl and bark are equally intimidating, and intruders will certainly think twice before entering your home.
3. Bullmastiff
The Bullmastiff has excellent instincts and thrives in family settings, as they learn quickly who their “pack” is and will do everything they can to protect it. They are very aware of everything going on around them, and their intimidating look makes them a great choice at fending off intruders without putting your children at risk. Whereas some guard dogs will growl and bark, if threatened, the Bullmastiff will show great attacking qualities and can easily take a fullgrown man to the ground. To get the most out of this breed, it should be raised early with the family and trained constantly through its growing stages.
2. Rottweiler
The Rottweiler, if not properly trained, is too aggressive of a breed to have around small children. However, if properly trained, this is certainly one of the best options for protecting a family and their home. They are described to be one of the smartest dog breeds in the world, and can be trained to be fantastic guard dogs. This is one breed we encourage to have professionally trained. The Rottweiler is great with families if brought up properly, and even small children are safe under the right conditions.
1. German Shepard
German Shepherds, in our opinion, top the list of best family guard dogs due to their natural instincts to listen, learn, and obey. They are both menacing in their appearance, and loving in their nature, but will respond to a command on any moments notice.