Best Guard Dogs

Some breeds have natural guarding instincts. They have been used by people for years to protect villages, livestock, and property. These are the best of the best guard dog breeds, and all of them have shared characteristics.

Guard dog breeds have a specific set of skills and characteristics. Guard dogs should be large and powerful. They needed to be strong enough to defend livestock from some of the most dangerous natural predators like wolves, bears, cheetahs, leopards, and jackals. Guard dogs have powerful jaws and muscular bodies. These dogs will make fantastic family or property guards.

Akita Inu

Akita Inu dogs originate from Japan, and this dog is one of the largest from the Spitz group. This dog breed is also called Akita-Ken, Japanese Akita, and Great Ja...
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American Akita

The American Akita, or Akita, as it is called in the US, is a fearless and impressive dog breed that is known for their undying loyalty. These dogs have a dominant and extremely prote...
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American Bulldog

The American Bulldog breed is loyal and athletic with a friendly nature. They come from the Old English Bulldogs. Today, these dogs are mainly used as farm dogs, for dog sports, and a...
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Anatolian Shepherd (Kangal Shepherd Dog)

Anatolian Shepherd (Kangal) is a powerful and large dog breed mostly known for its impressive size and strong body which is covered by a thick hair of different shades of gray. His...
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Appenzeller Sennenhund

Appenzeller Sennenhund is a medium-sized, muscular, and agile dog that excels in agility, obedience, and herding. These dogs were true work dogs in their native land – Switze...
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Australian Shepherd

Despite his name, the Australian Shepherd (often called Aussie) is not at all an Australian dog! These dogs were originally developed in the USA to herd livestock....
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Beauceron

The Beauceron is a herding dog breed that originated in the Central part of France. It was named after the region of Beauce and is also known as Berger de Beauce and Bas Rouge. The...
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Belgian Laekenois

The Belgian Laekenois is a member of the Belgian Shepherd family of breeds. The American Kennel Club recognized it in July 2020, and the Laekenois became a fully recognized breed. It was pla...
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Belgian Malinois

The Belgian Malinois is a medium-sized shepherd dog initially developed in Malines, Belgium, in the late 1800s. The Belgian Malinois is one of the varieties of the Belgian Shepherd. All thes...
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Belgian Sheepdog Groenendael

The Belgian Sheepdog (Chien de Berger Belge) is a dog breed of medium-to-large-sized herding type. It originated in Belgium, and it is quite like other sheepdogs from that region, like the D...
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Belgian Tervuren

The Belgian Tervuren is a part of the Belgian Shepherd family that includes four distinct breeds; the Malinois, the Groenendael, the Laekenois, and the Tervuren. Out of the four breed...
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Bergamasco Shepherd

The Bergamasco Shepherd is an ancient, medium size shepherding breed with a rustic appearance that is believed to be originated in Persia (today that area is Iran)...
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Black Russian Terrier

The Black Russian Terrier (BRT or Blackie) is a large, intelligent, and powerful dog breed. He was created by the Russian army for guarding and protecting purposes in areas with ex...
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Boerboel

The Boerboel is a massive dog that originated from South Africa and is also known as the South African Mastiff. The dog’s name comes from the Dutch word for "farmer" (“...
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Bouvier des Ardennes

The Bouvier des Ardennes is a fairly rare Belgian dog breed. Originally, these powerful dogs were used for herding cattle. They are devoted and loyal, and because they are people-oriented, t...
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Bouvier des Flandres

The Bouvier des Flandres is a working dog breed that has an impeccable work ethic and was primarily bred as a versatile, working farm dog. This breed is very intel...
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Boxer

Boxer is a dog breed developed in Germany in the 1800s. They were bred for working purposes, especially for cart pulling, livestock herding, hunting, and, also, for dog fighting. T...
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Briard

Briard is a French dog breed whose original purpose was to guard, herd, and protect the flock against predators. These brave dogs weren’t only protecting flocks; they were used as mili...
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Broholmer

Broholmers are a fairly large, friendly, and loving dog breed originating in Denmark. Although they are good dogs, Broholmers are also watchful and confident. This dog is widely used...
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Bucovina Shepherd

Bucovina Shepherd is a large dog breed used primarily as a guard dog and a fierce livestock protector. It is thought that these dogs have existed since Roman Empire. Today Bucovina...
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Bullmastiff

Bullmastiff is a loyal, brave, and affectionate dog breed that can be a great family guardian. This dog is not afraid of anything, but he's got a soft spot for his family. In the w...
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Ca de Bou (Majorcan Mastiff)

Ca de Bou (Majorcan Mastiff) is a medium dog breed from the molosser family. They are also known as Spanish Bulldogs. Ca de Bou dogs have muscular bodies, and they...
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Canaan Dog

Canaan Dog is a medium-sized clever and confident dog that was used for guarding purposes. This is a pariah dog that many believe was used for herding and guarding in biblical time...
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Cane Corso

Cane Corso is an affectionate, majestic, and intelligent dog breed, and its name can roughly be translated from Latin as bodyguard-dog. Other names for this breed are Cane Corso It...
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