Best watch dog?

tylerjones553

Hi everybody I need to know which dog breed is a best watch dog breed

Boxer
German Shepherd
Rottweiler
Bulldog
Labrador

I have heard lot of German Shepherd of being the best but I didn't like hairy dogs.

mymo

It not necessarily a breed thing, it depends more on the personality of the dog.
I don't have any of those breeds, my dog is springer size and will go nuts at anyone that enters my property, but if I invite someone in he will sit on them for a cuddle. My guy would never touch anyone but does make the right noise.
Many of the best guard dogs are Jack russell or terrier types in my opinion, I wouldn't enter where one of those was loose and making a noise.

Do you want a pet that will be a good watch dog, or do you want a guard dog?

fiona12

Defo German Sheperd, no one will come close to my house with her! And they are so easy to train & very intelligent

easychair

As a wireless fan, I once heard a burglar on Radio4 say that the only house he wouldn't burgle was one with a Jack Russell terrier inside. "Most dogs will bite" he said " but a Jack Russell keeps hanging on and won't let go"

carleigh

I agree with Mymo. Our Cocker Spaniel will let you know if he sees someone coming in the front gate, but our Rottweiler is so relaxed if someone came in the back with a trailer he would say 'fellas, take what you like, just dont make any noise or touch my teddy'.

EvesBlogg

It can depend on the dogs personality but if you are getting a new dog or a pup you wont know. Depends also if you want a watch dog or a guard dog - most breeds make good enough watch dogs but the Alsatians and rottweilers will make the best guard dogs generally speaking. Though if Alsatians are too hairy you may also want to consider a boxer, I have been thinking of getting one myself for the same purpose - they are a good all rounder too.

portgirl123

my GSD, well my sons, would more likely lick a person to death, thats if she could be bothered to wake up. my yorkie on the other hand is a defferent story.

portgirl123

EvesBlogg wrote: »

It can depend on the dogs personality but if you are getting a new dog or a pup you wont know. Depends also if you want a watch dog or a guard dog - most breeds make good enough watch dogs but the Alsatians and rottweilers will make the best guard dogs generally speaking. Though if Alsatians are too hairy you may also want to consider a boxer, I have been thinking of getting one myself for the same purpose - they are a good all rounder too.

Re. the shedding, either though the gsd has long hair i fi9nd a brush a day stops them shedding all over the place. ours never leaves hair around because of this. on the other hand my mate has boxers and her place is covered in hairs, they never stop shedding. she gives them a brush over everyday to try and stay on top of it but still u always walk out of there covered in little short hairs. they remind me of JRT in that respect.

djd80

Our family and cousins have boxers and they are as good as anything...They have a great personality and are great with kids but will bark like a loonatic whenever they hear anyone arriving to the gate...

The worst they might ever do to someone is actually lick them to death but that's besides the point really....

ISDW

Siberian Huskies are the world's best watch dogs.


They will watch the burglar take your TV, DVD player, stereo:D

gregers85

German Shepherd all the way although my Jack-Russel is a legend to bark haha

are you serious

OP What exactly do you want this watch dog for? Will it be a pet also or is it purely for security purposes?

There are breeders who specifically breed lines of each dog who would have a higher drive to protect or watch over you...

wobbles

My parents have had loads of dogs over the years. Lots of different breeds and cross breeds. The breed has nothing to do with how good a watch dog will be. At the moment, they have a scottish terrier cross who will make loads of noise when someone comes into the yard. He will not bite but he will stand his ground not letting them move. They also have a black German Shepard, that will sometimes bark, but will always circle the car/person at a little distance keeping an eye on them. Kinda of scary if you didnt know the dogs. One makes the noise and the other intimidates. Great combination but its their personalitys that make it good, not exactly breed

Devi

Both my Lab and Rottie are pretty good watch dogs but you can definitely see that it comes more naturally for the rottie. Were as the lab only guards selectively (say with men only) the rottie is more consistent.

Sigma Force

It's hard to say do you need a dog for just giving a bark or one that is trained to alert you. There's a bit of a difference and if it's a pet you want that will bark at intruders then you have to be careful you train the dog right so that it doesn't go nuts every time the door knocks.

TooManyDogs

The 2 JRTs in my house are the best watch dogs, no-one gets near the house without them alerting the rest of us

Bullseye1

Most dogs can be trained to be a good watch dog. The breeds you have listed are more suited to guard dogs where you also want to intimidate any would be burglar.

Bullseye1

I believe Geese and Peacocks also make good watch animals.

mymo

A big yes for geese, my granny had them and some locals used to cut across her field to the pub for years, stopped straight away once the geese arrived, one guy even came around to complain and show my grandad his bruises.

Plenum

Norwegian elkhounds are excellent watch dogs and great pets...however they do shed a lot...but once you hear an elkhounds bark you never forget it.
As regards guard dogs elkies bark is def worse than their bite

trio

+2 for Geese, when I was a child a house down the road had a Guard-Goose in the garden and I used to actually have to cross the bloody road just to get past the house! They're terrifying!

But on the doggie front, I also vote JRT. They're very affectionate with people, they're too small to take food off the kitchen counter, and they are ever vigilant.

They're like bloody Gandalf - YOU SHALL NOT PAAAAASSS!!!

Worztron

What would be the best small guard/watch dog? A dog about the size of a Jack Russell Terrier?

Chris_Heilong

Worztron wrote: »

What would be the best small guard/watch dog? A dog about the size of a Jack Russell Terrier?

A Pomeranian, they were origionally breed for the job, well before Queen Victoria got her hands on them, they dont shed all year round like some people reported but do blow their caots once to twice a year, the postman was scarred to deliver letters to my house so that is my first hand experiance with them being good watch dogs.

Worztron

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

A Pomeranian, they were origionally breed for the job, well before Queen Victoria got her hands on them, they dont shed all year round like some people reported but do blow their caots once to twice a year, the postman was scarred to deliver letters to my house so that is my first hand experiance with them being good watch dogs.

I'd rather opt for a short haired dog.

biko

Any terrier breed/small yappy type dog.

I assume now when you say small you don't want the dog to attack an intruder, just wake you up?

Worztron

biko wrote: »

Any terrier breed/small yappy type dog.

I assume now when you say small you don't want the dog to attack an intruder, just wake you up?

How about a Jack Russell Terrier?

are you serious

as you said Worztron a JRT is perfect!!

trio

Plus, JRT puppies are usually very easy to come by in dog rescues, so you're doing a good deed too!

Long Road 8378

We have a black Labrador. He looks quite scary (granted he's on the plump side and that adds to his mean look) and we even got him a studded collar to complete his ensemble! NOBODY comes in our gate, (we had zero canvassers at our door for the election!) he has a big bark on him and he's quite intimidating. The same boy would lick you to death and often runs behind our legs if he hears anything strange.... but if it's a watchdog your looking for you can't go wrong with a black dog. Even on his walks people are wary of walking past him.

R P McMurphy

Out of the list definitely the German shepherd but in general it would have to be the Belgian malinois. They a tough, strong, protective and intelligent but are difficult to train and not for novices. Need serious control or could be accidents with them. Like the GSD they can have long or short hair. Both breeds are the business though

psycho-hope

it really depends on where you live and what kind of dog you wants, if you have the space,two friends who are in the gardai swear by a JRT and a german sheppard , " the JRT to notice something is going on and the Sheppard to do something about it"

the bf has a JRT and up ontill six months ago she was even catching mice and birds so it wasnt just burglars who had to be careful:rolleyes:

Justask

fiona12 wrote: »

Defo German Sheperd, no one will come close to my house with her! And they are so easy to train & very intelligent

Really :eek:

I think we left our guys brains at the breeders :rolleyes:

Hes the furthest thing from a guard dog I know, our cat would be a better guard cat lol

(I think i've just spoiled him )

chris139ryan

if i were you since it seems like you want a big watchdog id look into something like a bullmastiff, they are unbelievable watch dogs. no one will enter if they see a 90-120lb bullmastiff staring at them, apart from them id pick a doberman or rottweiller

chris139ryan

Worztron wrote: »

What would be the best small guard/watch dog? A dog about the size of a Jack Russell Terrier?

mini bull terrier would be good to go for but they are very very rare and quiet pricey,

Goldenegg

My little girl is brilliant. She is a shihtzu. The slightest noise that are not detectable to humans and she is on it... But to look at her, she is like a teddy. She lies about all day having a snooze but as soon as she hears someone or something...she goes into protective mode.

I have to stay in my house alone while my bf sometimes works nights and I'm no where near as worries anymore as I have her.

star-pants

Goldenegg wrote: »

My little girl is brilliant. She is a shihtzu. The slightest noise that are not detectable to humans and she is on it... But to look at her, she is like a teddy. She lies about all day having a snooze but as soon as she hears someone or something...she goes into protective mode.

I have two Lhasas - they're the same, fluffy and cute but if they hear something/someone, every will know about it. They're very protective especially of my mother.
They used to bark like mad when the postman would call at the door, one day my mother told him to look down the hallway at the 'monsters', soon as he did they legged it :pac: