Dogs are best described as man’s best friend, they come in different shapes and sizes. They are used to perform different tasks varying from herding livestock, guarding buildings, pulling sleighs, and also serving as companions to men.
In this article, we’ll be looking at ten dog breeds that are best for protection.
1.
The German Shepherd is a working dog of medium or large size. Originally originating in Germany, the breed was discovered by Mark von Stephanitz using different traditional german breeds to create it in 1899.
The German Shepherd has a lifespan of 9 to 13 years and weighs around 30-40 kg in males and 22-32 kg in females with a height of 60-65cm for males and 50-60cm for females. They are the second most popular dog breeds in the United States of America (USA), they were originally used as herding dogs to herd flocks in Germany, but over the years they’ve been used for search and rescue, police work, disability assistance, and warfare. It is also kept as a companion dog.
The German Shepherds are loyal, loving, friendly, intelligent, aggressive when necessary, and can be trusted around children making the ideal dog breed for protection.
2.
The Belgian Malinois also known as Better Shepherd is a breed of medium-sized herding dog in Belgium. The breed comes from a common type of shepherd dog found throughout Western Europe that includes modern breeds such as the Dutch Shepherd and The German Shepherd but smaller than them.
The Belgian Malinois has a lifespan of 12 to 14 years and a weight of 25-30 kg amongst the males while the females weigh 20-25kg with a height of 60-66cm (males) and 56-62 kg (females).
In addition to their historical role in herding dog dogs, they have also been used as assistance dogs, guard dogs, police dogs, search and rescue dogs, etc. It also has a notable history of serving in the military and also in the world wars even to this day, they are still being used by the military.
The Belgian Malinois is a smart and obedient dog that has strong territorial and protective instincts, when socialized from an early age, they are instinctively protective. They are trusted around children too.
3.
The Doberman Pinscher is a medium-sized breed of dog that was developed in 1890 by a tax collector named Louis Doberman in Germany. The Doberman Pinscher has a lifespan of 9 to 12 years, and height of 68-72 cm (male),63 -68cm (female), and a weight of 40-45 kg (male), 30-35 kg (female).
Dobermans are known to be very intelligent, alert, tenaciously loyal, and guard dogs. Dobermans have been used over the years as war dogs, search and rescue, and police dogs guard dogs and they are trusted around children if trained properly.
With great trainability, the Dobermans are known to have a much more and even good temperament as well as extreme loyalty, high intelligence, speed, and agility. They are also watchful, fearless, and energetic making them an ideal breed for protection.
4.
Rottweiler is a breed of domestic dog regarded as medium to large, originally from Germany and native to a small town called Rottweil where they used to herd flocks and pull carts to the market for butchers. Over the years this breed has advanced and they are now used as search and rescue dogs, police dogs, and guard dogs. They were also used during the war to carry messages across to soldiers on the war front and also carried wounded soldiers back to camp.
The lifespan of a rottweiler is usually 8-10 years. They weigh about 50-60kg (male) and 35-48 kg (female) with heights of 61-69cm (male) and 56-63cm (female).
The Rottweiler has been described as a calm confident and courageous dog with a self-assured aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships.
The Rottweiler is a very territorial animal which means it has to be properly socialized to control its territorial aggressiveness. The aggression in Rottweiler correlates with their watchfulness and territorial instincts.
5.
The Boxer is a medium-large sized dog that was bred in Germany, it has a strong jaw and a very powerful bite ideal for hanging onto larger prey. The Boxer was bred from the old English Bulldog and the now-extinct Bullenbeisser.
This breed usually has a lifespan of 9-15 years, with a height of 56-64cm (male) 53-61cm(female), and a weight of 66-79 lb (male) 55-61 lb (female).
Boxers are friendly and are popular as family dogs, they are being used as search and rescue dogs, guard dogs, therapy dogs, and police dogs in K9 units. They have also been used by the military to send messages and convey wounded soldiers back to camp.
They do fit in well as protection dogs, as they would do everything to protect their family from danger.
6.
The Great Dane is a large-sized breed originating from Germany, the Great Dane descended from hunting dogs of the middle ages used to hunt wild boars and deer. It is one of the largest dog breeds in the world alongside its relative the Irish Wolfhound.
Great Danes are friendly, loving, gentle, reserved, confident, and devoted.
Great Danes are usually referred to as gentle giants, due to their large size but calm and gentle nature. They do well around children and can also serve as guard dogs too.
They have a lifespan of 8-10 years and a height of 71–84 cm(female), 76–90 cm(Male)
Weight: Female: 45–59 kg, Male: 54–90 kg.
7.
The Cane Corso is an Italian breed of mastiff. it is usually kept as a guard dog or companion dog. It can also be used to protect livestock. In the past, it was used for hunting and also in times of war.
The Cane Corso has an average lifespan of 9 years varying the different skin colors, some live up to 10 years. According to the international standard, dogs should stand some 62–70 cm at the withers and weigh 45–50 kg; females are about 4 cm smaller and weigh some 5 kg less.
The dog has been subject to a working trial, for them to qualify as guard dogs they must show tranquility in the presence of offensive strangers and aggressive defense of the owner against an attacker.
8.
The Boerboel is a South African breed of mastiff that is often used as a family guard dog. The breed is known for its short coat, strong bone structure, and well-developed muscles.
Boerboel has a lifespan of 9-11 years with a height of around 55–69 cm (male) and females reaching 61 cm in height. They weigh
68–91 kg (150–200 lb).
They are reliable for security purposes, due to their well-muscled bodies which they use to pin people to the ground. They do not do well with children due to their aggressive temperament.
9.
Dogo Argentino otherwise known as the Argentine mastiff is a breed of mastiff that came from Argentina where it was used to hunt pumas and wild boars. Apart from hunting big games, it was used for dog fighting- an illegal sport where dogs are made to fight each other with people betting on them.
Dogo Argentino is a big hunter and is also trained for search and rescue, police dogs, service dogs, guides for the blind, and military work.
The Dogo Argentino is an intelligent and courageous dog with a strong instinct to protect its home and family. It is a very social dog and happiest when included in family activities. This breed makes a strong distinction between familiar people and strangers.
The Dogo Argentino has been successfully used in police protection work.
They have a life expectancy of 10 to 12 years.
10.
The Bullmastiff is a British breed of mastiff, it was developed as a guard dog with the English Mastiff and the now-extinct Old English Bulldog.
They have a life expectancy of 8-12 years.
The Bullmastiff is a large dog. Bitches stand some 61–66 cm at the withers, and usually weigh 41–50 kg; on average, dogs stand about 3 cm taller and weigh 9 kg more.
The dogs are suitable for work, and guarding people and their property.
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