What are Guard Dog Puppy Characteristics?

Q: Guard Dog Puppy Temperament and Basic Training?
When looking for a guard dog puppy, what characteristics should I be looking for?
For basic training, what would you teach the puppy/dog?
I have a Neapolitan Mastiff and a Siberian Husky. I intend to get a Great Dane and a Doberman Pinscher later on.
Guard dogs are pets. For me and my family, that is the main purpose of having a dog but if someone breaks in I'd prefer to know my little ones are safe and that I am well informed of the intruder.

Photo Credit: Angel T./Flickr CC

Answers and Views:

Answer by Rayven ~ SCAdian girl
You either want a watchdog or a guard dog. the dogs you have now are fully capable of letting you know someone is around, especially the Nea.
you want a guard dog? you sell out several grand for a fully trained adult or you spend several thousand on a pup with potential and then several thousand more in that guard puppy's training.

Finding a working Doberman these days is pretty hard. And again you want a real guard dog that is 100% reliable and will get involved when commanded? Then pay for one. Any old dog will not due.

Answer by Greek God AKA Greekman
The breeds you are interested in are absolutely useless for the purpose you want, regardless of what the AKC and their BS has to say.
Choose a dog already trained if you have the money needed or buy a puppy, take a chance and still spend serious money on training it.

Answer by GermanMalinois88
The breed and what the original intent of the breed matters and choosing from working lines is very smart and can make it more likely you’ll end up with a good chance of having a dog who wants to work for you. Just because you choose from guarding breeds doesn’t mean you’ll have a puppy good for guarding. It has much to do with temperament and nerves. You can raise a shy puppy the same as a confident puppy and still have only one that will protect you.

Socialization is critical as you don’t want a dog who has out of control aggression. This is a common misconception that you only keep the puppy around you and family it will be a better guard but no, it’s best to show puppy other people and that there is nothing to fear from humans. A dog doesn’t have to hate humans to protect its family. A dog who is afraid will be constantly having false alarms and could have handler aggression.

It’s best to pick the friendliest and most confident puppy who likes people, it will bond with you faster and will have no fear. It benefits from the first time they can that they are exposed to loud sounds and continues to experience new locations and sounds to further develop intelligence and confidence. Take your puppy with you in the car and inside pet-friendly locations. The more the puppy loves and views you as a provider and leader the more confident and protective puppy will be. Be kind and fair and never betray their trust and they will work for you.

Answer by Dutch unplugged
Best to venture into other guard puppy breeds before worrying about how to pick one. Nothing to look at in those 3

• What is a Friendly and Non-Shedding Guard Dog Breed?
• How Can I Train My Labrador Into a Guard Dog?
• What Kind of Dogs Can Guard Chickens?
• Moscow Watchdog, the Gentle Giant

Answer by R
A guard dog that couples as a good family dog should have an even temperament. It should not be nervous, shaky, easily provoked, sensitive to noise or touch. I would not buy a nervous or shy puppy because older dogs that have the same traits tend to bite for minor offenses, and if you imagine the poking and prodding a young child might deliver this might not end well. You want a dog that can easily tolerate the ear pulling and loud cries a child would deliver.

A guard dog puppy characteristic you want to look for is a confident and perhaps vocal puppy. This puppy should be easy to read (tail wagging, playful stances, whining, barking, growling). This makes it easier for you and your family to anticipate your dog's actions. A dog will deliver warning signs before attacking, and as its owner, you should be aware of them. Some dog owners try to discourage growling, but it is a warning sign a dog is giving, and if discourages, a dog may consequently just attack without warning. So it is very good that your dog is easy to read.

Another good thing to look for in your dog is a deterrent factor, perhaps the color of the dog's fur. Pure black dogs are more intimidating than pure white dogs. Rotties and Dobermans share the full black, with tan markings and serve as an excellent deterrent. Some German shepherds, commonly used for guarding, look more intimidating when their markings have more black in them than tan. Even the German's red eyes look frightening. A hardy bark is also a good deterrent. It may not even have to deliver a bite to the intruder.

Another important characteristic when choosing your guard puppy is the dog's ability to understand property. Some breeds do this better than others, and some dogs are more opt to protect what they deem theirs more than others. You may not be able to detect this personality wise in a puppy, but breed research can help you understand which ones exceed in this area. Herding breeds do especially well here, the German Shepherd to name one.

After you get your puppy I would get them accustomed to the people it will be seeing the most of. Make sure it is well socialized with children, neighbors, other dogs, other pets, family, and friends. Watch and evaluate its behavior and ask yourself if this is a good dog to start guard training with. When the puppy is fully grown and follows basic commands quickly and properly then you are ready to start training it for protection. Why this wait? Well, simple the dog is not fully mature yet, and you must make it a priority that it follows the most important rules of how to behave in your household before you can take it up a notch.

Remember make it a good citizen first, then train for protection. And a really good way to train your dog is to get it to listen from a distance. Some dogs are visual, many read hand signal commands way better than vocal commands, but this visual tool isn't always available when your dog is distracted by something. So get your dog accustomed to listening from afar. Try putting your guard puppy on a leash and tether to something and step away and give commands it already knows. Increase the distance, try in a different room, environment. Remember to keep sessions short, diverse, and end on a positive note.

Answer by ladystang
up to dogs breeder and professional trainer
guard dogs aren't pets
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