top 9 guard dog breeds in the world

from pups that were originally trained to hunt lions to majestic protectors that heard livestock here are nine of the best guard dog breeds in the world.

9-bullmastiff:

bull mastiffs are large dogs weighing up to 130 pounds and they put this weight to good use in protecting their families in fact they were pretty much bred to guard those that they cared for but the combination of this breed's appearance including its ears and deep eyes make it clear that you're looking into an intelligent animal these factors mean that you can rely on a bullmastiff to keep your family safe they have come to be known as the gamekeepers night dog and for good reason in the 19th century these dogs were bred to protect the land around huge aristocratic mansions which often contained lots of game this made them the prime target for poachers the bull mastiff was the perfect combination to scare these poachers away given that they were bred to keep others out they can be a little fearful and aloof around strangers but they're so relaxed around their families that they're even well poised to be a guard dog for an apartment crazy to think that a dog this big could do so well in an apartment huh

8-staffordshire bull terrier: 

if you need a great guard dog but you just don't have enough room for one of the bigger breeds then the staffordshire bull terrier is definitely the dog for you they tend to only clock in at around 40 pounds but if you look at them you can see that they're built with an

incredibly muscular frame you might even call them buff but if you look into its puppy dog eyes then you'll know you have a friend for life the staffordshire bull terrier has a

pretty rough history however during the 18th and early 19th centuries dogfighting was pretty popular around england people would go to these fights and bet on which dog would win these gamblers bred together bulldogs and various terriers to create the staffordshire bull terrier which is a pretty fearless breed thankfully they made it through the years and were further bred with care to create a very loving puppy but that doesn't mean that they did away with all of their admirably athletic traits they're still very courageous but they're more frisky than combative nowadays even if they look like they're gym rats they've also learned to trust and love people over the years and they're super friendly with kids

7-puli:

 you'd never think it but the heavily dreaded poli breed is actually super effective as a guard dog however the first thing you're inclined to notice when you look at them are those luscious locks of corded hair in fact when they're sitting down they look more like a mop than a dog however given the pulley's history these dogs are excellent at working together with humans toward a common goal so they're great as guard dogs the

pollock plural for pulley have been around for quite some time most experts think that a nomadic group from asia named the magyars brought the breed to europe from their home and these dogs were integral to the magyar's living arrangements the pullock were bred to herd sheep around the plains of hungary but it gets pretty cold and hungry hence the development of their heavy coat of hair this coat is actually distinctive among all dog breeds their undercoat is a heavy layer meant to keep them warm whereas their outer coat of hair is shaggy and dreads after they grow up but these pups aren't out to impress anyone because they know they're good at what they do through years of developing their herding skills and intelligence they'll make an excellent addition to

your home and will guard it well

6-boxer:

 boxers are some of the most beloved dogs in the world they're known for their spirited and

bubbly personalities and i would say they're quite handsome pups but don't underestimate them on the basis of their qualities they're also incredibly loyal and willing to do

anything for their facilities they're since they're so jolly and loyal they're recognized as being some of the best dogs for kids they know how to keep everyone safe in

terms of their history boxers are pretty young some estimates place their origins at somewhere around the beginning of the 20th century they were bred by german dog breeders from a bigger breed named bolenbyser which is german for bull biter since they were often used to hunt big animals like bison in aristocratic hunting games but thankfully at least we got the sleeker and kinder boxer out of these games the boxer has some other positive qualities to boot they're pretty easy to take care of requiring very little in the way of grooming their affectionate qualities also extend outside of their families they're pretty people loving unless they're threatened however they don't respond well to overly severe training so make sure to be gentle with them they will listen and learn

5-doberman:

dobermans look sharp when they notice that something's going on they'll perk their ears

straight up into the air this lets you know they are completely aware of their surroundings and what's more they can take this awareness and combine it with their large muscular frames to protect their families that's why these doberman pinschers are known worldwide for being excellent guard dogs dobermans were initially bred by a german man named louis doberman a tax collector in upholda since people didn't take too kindly to having their taxes collected lewis decided it might be in his best interest to breed a dog to protect him on his roots and wouldn't you know it he accomplished his task breeding the doberman into the dog that we all know and love today now they don't only guard tax collectors but everyone else they're used both in therapy and in various workforces since they were bred to protect particular people these dogs are excellent guard dogs but this also means that they have a lot of pent-up energy meaning that if you're going to get one you'll need to keep it active and they'll try to take over the role as the household leader if you aren't careful make sure to train them well from the get-go

4-akita:

 akitas are pretty big dogs sometimes weighing up to 130 pounds moreover their heavy coats of fur make them look even bigger than their already muscular frames would suggest but akitas are gentle giants in fact in their native homeland of japan they're regarded as quite dignified creatures indeed the combination of size strength and softness has made them something of a national symbol of courage and work ethic akitas have also been around for a long time they were initially bred sometime around the beginning of the 17th century as the story goes the emperor forced an aristocrat into exile in the akita region when he arrived he commanded his underlings to breed a dog for hunting purposes through generations of breeding the akita came into being they were good at hunting and did so with attention to detail often going after boars and occasionally even yezo bears although they were once for royals only people now know them all over the world but they still have a distinctive rank for the japanese because of their dignified fearless nature combined with their predisposition to hunting they make excellent family guard dogs however know what you're getting into they shed and drool a lot and they aren't immediately kind around strangers but they love their families to death

3-rhodesian ridgeback:

 the rhodesian ridgeback was originally bred to hunt after lions so it's no wonder that they're so adept at protecting their families from harm but that's not the only thing that these pups have going for them most people recognize the ridgeback based on the fact that they have a large ridge running down their backs these dogs are also well known for their athletic frames if you're going to get one of these be prepared to keep up with them the rhodesian ridgeback was originally bred in africa as a mix between a few european hunting breeds and a koikoi breed which was native to the area these forces combined led to a breed well adapted to its environment not only could it navigate the african terrain without falling prey to its various pests but it had the hunting instincts to track down whatever was in its way because of this these dogs were put to use in hunting down but not killing large games such as lions bears and boar nowadays you're not going to see these dogs taking on game like that although they definitely still have the drive in them they're very happy with their families and will guard them at all costs but they still have a free spirit and a tendency to chase after things but aside from this their history makes them simultaneously protective and amenable to their family's commands but only get one if you know what you're doing they can have a mind of their own

2-german shepherd:

 if you're like me then one of the first dogs that comes to mind when you think about protection is the german shepherd this is definitely no mistake they've been the quintessential police dog for decades and it seems that they're heavily predisposed to protecting others especially their families they're also quite renowned for being one of the

smartest dog breeds in the world the breed has pretty humble beginnings german shepherds descended from a group of german dogs whose purpose was to herd sheep however these breeds were pretty disparate from one another however in the late 1800s a group of breeders worked together to breed the german shepherd you'd think that the german shepherd had to go through a bunch of police training to earn its reputation but actually it got it from herding sheep but over and above their intelligence and strength they are known to be incredibly loving towards their families and even towards strangers that's why they've been known to protect both the police and the families of which they are apart in fact they're so protective that they'll often go into a guarding mode when it's not even called for but since they're so smart if you train them to listen to what you say they'll learn to respond quickly

1-rottweiler:

rottweilers are big and they can be a lot for introductory dog owners to handle but they're arguably the best breed of guard dog in the world given their original breeding purposes

their temperament makes sense they were originally intended to herd cattle and sometimes they were even enlisted to help butchers drive heavy carts they were also some of the first dogs to work with police forces even though they've often been depicted in the media as angry and aggressive most experts say that rottweilers are super friendly even if they can be a little bit skittish around other dogs and strangers when they're with the families they're eager to help out and they love spending time with those that they know best that might be why they're so good at protection they're so attached to those that they love that they'll guard them at all costs rottweilers have held many roles over their long history they've helped serve the blind and during disasters they've been essential at assisting rescue workers navigate dangerous  you'd expect a dog with such great versatility to have split off into a few different breeds but somehow the rottweiler has stayed very much the same over its breeding history and for good reason these dogs are excellent at everything they do