The aptitude test
We mentioned that most trainers do tests to estimate how good a guard dog a puppy will be. These tests can be conducted when the puppy is only six weeks old. That is the same age a pup is almost ready to leave their mother and join their new family.
A confident breeder is a transparent breeder, and they should be open to having pups tested.
That way, you can make a more informed decision and improve the chances of getting a good guard dog.
So, what kind of dog will defend me from an intruder?
We have mentioned a few of the most natural guardians, such as close-quarter guard dogs, perimeter guardians, and livestock guarding breeds. And we have also touched on why getting one of these breeds can be a bad idea.
As these are independent and powerful dogs, they can be dangerous to humans.
For instance, a dog with too strong of a guarding instinct does not always know the difference between a child climbing into your yard to fetch a lost ball and an intruder.
So, these types of breeds are only recommended to highly responsible and experienced owners who can socialize and train them consistently.
But what about your traditional protection guard dogs? Won’t a German Shepherd or a Doberman Pinscher protect me?
True working protection dogs come from specialized working bloodlines. They undergo stringent testing and have been bred for generations to handle stress and pressure from a potential attacker.
Here is a video that clearly displays how puppies as young as six weeks old can already show the signs of a good protection dog:
As you can see, these puppies display fearlessness at an age that is too young to be taught.
Whether it’s loud noises, cracking whips, or bigger dogs, they do not flinch or recoil as most puppies would. This is the genetic blueprint they were born with.
But even within a breed like the German Shepherd, most dogs are not bred for this type of fearlessness.
Dogs that are not bred for temperament can develop extreme nervousness or hypersensitivity problems.
These dogs usually do not have the mental resilience to defend you in an attack. This video is an example of a German Shepherd not bred for protection work.
Just like German Shepherds, many of the traditional guard dogs and protection dogs like the Doberman Pinscher and Bullmastiff have been bred as pets and show dogs for too long. Now they are no longer always ideal guard dogs.
This is why when considering a dog to protect you, it is vital to consider the bloodline.
The Dog Continually Cuddles Up to Its Keeper
One of the most obvious signs of attachment between a dog and the keeper is snuggling. Dogs that tend to reach out to their keeper during the day for gentle touches or snuggling usually means that they feel a strong bond.
Snuggling mimics maternal attachment between the dog and its original mom, so its common for a dog to do this with people its closest to.
Would your dog protect you during a break-in?
Answer: It highly depends on the individual case. Compared with the untrained dogs, trained dogs tend to protect their owners if attacked. But it doesn’t necessarily meant that a normal family pet dog would do nothing when a break-in happens. Some of family dogs would also try their best to defend their owners.