Tag archives: Guard Dog

One of the most intimidating dogs, the Doberman is also one of the most intelligent. Created in the 1890s as a guard dog, the Doberman has a storied history as protector but is now considered a great family and companion dog in addition to being one of the best guard dogs.

Developed by Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann in Germany, Dobermans were created to protect their owner. Dobermann himself was a tax collector who also ran the town’s dog pound. His access to dogs allowed him to mix and match various breeds to create a dog that was intimidating and aggressive enough to fight off bandits and others that would seek to harm the money-carrying tax man. It’s believed that he used German shepherd, Weimaraner, German shorthaired pointer, Manchester terrier, Great Dane, German pinscher and greyhound, among others. 

The result was an intelligent dog with enough trainability to keep it under control, yet a dog that would aggressively protect its owner on command. It maintained these traits, as well as being athletic, strong, fast, loyal and ferocious, and has been employed as a war dog, police dog and personal protection dog. 

Like many breeds, the war and post-war eras ...

Large and imposing, the mastiff is a docile giant, despite its use throughout history in warfare, bear baiting and utilization as a guard dog. It’s also an ancient breed that has been a part of the foundation for several breeds of dog.

One of the largest dogs registered by the AKC, the mastiff should stand at least 30-inches tall at the shoulder (females at least 27-½ inches) and can weigh up to 250 pounds without being overweight. The one-time world record for heaviest dog belonged to a mastiff named Zorba, who weighed a massive 343 pounds and stood 35-inches tall.

Large mastiff-like dogs appear in artwork dating to 6^th Century BC (and perhaps even earlier), and throughout history the large dogs have been used for fighting and guarding. From lions, tigers, bears and gladiators to use in war by the Britons and Romans, mastiffs fought ferociously. However, as vicious as they were in battle, they were just as gentle with and protective of their owners. It’s been noted that in battle, mastiffs would fight the enemy, but seemingly knew for which side they fought – and when the battle was over, they would return to a docile state. If ...

Throughout the evolution of the modern canine, one of the most important symbiotic relationships with humans has been as the role of protector by the dog.

Those wolves that stuck close to humans in hopes of scavenging leftovers, and which slowly evolved into modern canines, provided early man with advanced warning systems and protection when other wild creatures in nature provided a much greater threat than they do today.

However, not much has changed in tens of thousands of years. Today’s dogs are used by the military, businesses and in homes throughout the country (and world), for protection and guard duty.

In fact, the right dog in a home can be a greater deterrent for criminals than the presence of a firearm. In a study that involved 589 convicted property offenders, the question was asked: “How effective is each of the following likely to be in preventing burglary, breaking and entering and grand theft?”

The results were:

0: not effective; 1: somewhat effective; 2: very effective

Monitored burglar alarms: 1.51
Electronic sensors in windows: 1.35
Closed circuit TV cameras in stores: 1.31
Private security patrols: 1.14
DOG IN HOUSE: 1.11
Weapons in home: 1 ...