What is a good breed of dog to have that is loyal, etc....?

Question

What is a good breed of dog that is loyal, does what you want it too, and is protective. Like he or she sees someone messing with you and does not like it. Also, my husband wants to be able to tell the dog when if he leaves the house but I'm not, to stay and protect me.

My hubby justs wants to the do to be able to protect me. Security systems don't always work. Mainly, I just want company. But he had his requirements of protection and listens well.

Answer 1

If you want protection, get a security system.

The amount of training that goes into a true protection dog is huge... you have to understand that these dogs are hyper-socialized since they are puppies so that they are not actually scared of any types of people or situations whatsoever. Then they are taught bite commands in a game fashion (research Schutzund and French Ring sport) with very specific rules so that when they are biting a decoy, it is never out of fear, but is as simple of a command as 'sit'. That way the owner is always in control and can 'out' the dog on command as well. And the dog would then be completely comfortable with the person they were just 'biting'. It also involves teaching superb bite inhibition... these dogs can deliver a crushing bite, but can also hold a raw egg in their mouth without breaking the shell. It takes years of training to train a reliable protection dog that is not simply a dangerous dog and a liability to the rest of the public.

A dog that is aggressive towards strangers on its own is simply a dangerous dog and a detriment to its breed.

However, simply having a dog, any kind of larger dog even a golden can act as the type of security system that I assume you want..... Most people in general will not bother a dog that is barking at them no matter what breed. Again, make sure your dog is actually well socialized to people first and then you can simply teach him/her to 'speak' (bark) on command. Get one of Ian Dunbar's books (After You Get Your Puppy or How to Teach And Old Dog New Tricks) to learn how.

Then if you are walking alone with your dog at night at a person who makes you feel weird is approaching, you could give your dog the 'speak' command. Personally, I would make the command something like, "who's that?" or "be nice".... Now imagine what the person approaching is seeing.... they see you with a large dog and you saying 'be nice' to your dog as your dog then starts barking it's head off and the more you ask it to 'be nice' the crazier their barking gets.... not many people would still want to mess with you. The best thing is that as soon as the weird person is far enough away, you can ask your dog to 'shush' and give him a treat! That way you have a dog that is in control and not simply a fearful/aggressive dog barking uncontrollably at strangers all the time.

But again, I cannot stress the importance of actually having a totally people friendly and reliable dog that is trained to perform certain behaviors on cue. Otherwise all you will have is a dangerous dog.

Answer 2

You are right most all breeds are loyal but I think there are some that are more loyal than others and then on top of that there are just some individual dogs that are more loyal than others. I have a lot of experience with different breeds from APBTs to German Shepherds to Rottweilers to Dobermans To Akita, to corgi to Collies to Border Collies to Aussie Cattle dogs, to Boxer, Chow Chow, Siberian Husky, Malamutes, mixes, Saint Bernards, Labrador Retrievers and the list actually goes on. Many of the breeds my family bred for generations. I do not just mean I was around one dog of that breed but several and from experience I would really have to say that the Labrador Retrievers, the Akita, and the German Shepherds are some of the most devoted and loyal. They use Labs and Goldens the most in service work because they are so loyal and form such close bonds with people. Akita will defend you to the death and tend to form extremely tight bonds with one person. I know my family APBts and others that really did not form that extreme bond with one person I would never give them the title of being the most loyal. They can be loving if raised right but they really at that point are happy to be with anyone.

Answer 3

A Rotti Even though I'm not really fond of the breed if raised right with good Sit, Stay Down Comands they are VERY protective oof their Humans naturaly.It doesnt have to be taught its in the breed!Believe it or not small dogs are great Yappers(Watchdogs) I have a Cockapoo that would Try to Kill Someone if they hurt me,,,Of Course Someone could stomp them in the ground...Most of the Working/Herding Dogs will protect you until the bitter end and Lots of Mixes(Shelter Dogs) Labs and Retivers Would Probably Lick someone to death But They can be easily Trained to do What you want....Be Careful in your Pick and Good luck

Answer 4

Really, all breeds are loyal. What you don't want is a biting dog - one that looks intimidating and is somewhat aloof with strangers will work without the legal and insurance hassles. You will also have to be careful not to encourage him at being aggressive with strangers and people entering your house - he should only react if he senses fear in you and needs to be highly trained in obedience. As for breeds with this sort of reputation:

German Shepherd Dogs
Rottweilers
Giant Schnauzers
Weimereimers

I'd stay away from:

Chow Chows - low pain tolerance (quick to bite)
Doberman Pinchers
Belgian Shepherds (Malinois, Laekenois, Tervauren, Groenendael) - not enough reserve
Pit Bulls/American Stafordshire Terriers - great dogs but their reputation will lead to problems

Answer 5

If you own your own home, the first thing you should do is check with your homeowners insurance to see if they have any dog breed restrictions. There are many banned breeds due to all the bite incidences that have become widely publicized.

If you rent... you really need to check with your landlord as to whether he would prefer you not to have certain breeds (for his insurance purposes).

My insurance bans Rotts, Pits, German Shepherds, Akitas, Huskies, Dobermans, Any mixes of these, wolf hybrids, etc.

That being said, a bullmastiff might be the dog you want. If you read about their history as the "gamekeepers dog" you will see that they were bred to soundlessly take down poachers and sit on them until the landowner could get to them. They do not tolerate tresspassers or threats to their family or property. You do however, need to be dilligent with their training so they are properly socialized and completely under your control. You also have to do your breeder research extremely well, since these dogs can be prone to hip dysplasia, bloat, eye problems, thyroid problems, etc.

I also think a Doberman would be an excellent choice as long as it was properly socialized. They have a tendency to be shy and lash out (fear biters) so would need to be extremely well socialized as a young pup to prevent this.

Answer 6

Unlike a lot of people I would recommend the pit bull. At least if you want to take the time to train him right. He should have a very stable temperment, one that does not lash out for no reason. He will NOT be human aggressive, but in a pit bull, that is a very good thing. The pit bull is KNOWN to be loyal to their owner/handler, almost to a fault. They learn pretty quickly (because they strive to please their owner) and are generally pretty smart dogs.

However, any dog will need proper training to maintain reasonably. If you, nor your husband are looking for that kind of commitment, I suggest a security/alarm system. No needing to make headlines over an improperly trained dog.

Answer 7

The most loyal protective dog that is safe with children is the Boxer. I was raised with one, no one got in the house. Mom had to tie her up to spank me! :>)

The Boston terrier is smaller and is very loyal, but not always protective. I have 4 of them and only one will protect me, but they all are devoted to me.

Answer 8

I am fond of German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois (if you are an experienced dog owner as they can be a challenge) for protection. I have a Malinois that attacked a man who broke into my house a few years ago, and it turned out that the man was a convicted rapist. But, I have heard of Shepherds doing the same, and they are a little easier to handle, and are easier to find.

Answer 9

I have a Mini Schnauzer, there small but very smart,sweet,outgoing,have a personality,lovable and they also will protect you... if anyone is messing around Ur house or anywhere they will sure let you know, trust me there great dogs!

Answer 10

i have had the best of luck with Border collies, my neighbor has one and i use to have one, well with my neighbors dog she is protective of my kids if she is outside and my kids are in the yard and if some one walks by she "lets" them know they are not allowed near the kids she is not mean she just barks loud enough to alert attention and if my 2yr old walks past the gate the dog will nudge her back into the yard