Are Golden Retrievers Good Guard Dogs? Vet Reviewed Breed Facts
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Sometimes, it’s said that Golden Retrievers make poor guard dogs because they are always happy to see everybody. It is certainly true that this is one breed that tends to get along with family, friends, strangers, and delivery workers, but they can make good guard dogs because they are intelligent and easy to train, loyal, and always looking for ways to please their guardian. However, they do require training because they are not naturally aggressive.
About Golden Retrievers
The Golden Retriever is related to the Labrador, and between them, they make up two of the most popular breeds of dogs in the world. They are known for being loving, playful, loyal, and intelligent. This is not only shown by their popularity as a family pet, especially with families that have young children, but also in their use as service dogs, sniffer dogs, therapy dogs, and in a huge variety of other service roles.
They are quite energetic, and their long coat requires some maintenance to prevent it from getting easily knotted and matted. However, for those that are willing to get a brush out once or twice a week, they repay the effort tenfold. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that they make good guard dogs.
Are Golden Retrievers Good Guard Dogs?
One of the reasons for the popularity of Golden Retrievers is how friendly they are, and friendliness is not necessarily a desirable trait for a guard dog. While you don’t necessarily want a guard dog that will attack those it doesn’t recognize, they need to be wary, inquisitive, and at least prepared to bark a warning at those that approach and to let you know of an impending threat.
Golden Retrievers do not usually bark at strangers unless they are trying to attract affection or encourage play. However, the breed is very loyal to its and is usually willing to try and please. It is also intelligent, and the Golden Retriever is known for being more attentive than its Labrador cousin. They are also a large dog breed, which means that they can be an intimidating or imposing figure for anybody that dares break into your home at night.
Start training your retriever from a young age. They are more receptive to training when puppies, and it also makes it easier to continue training them when they are adults. The saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks isn’t necessarily true, but it is a lot easier to teach a puppy.
You should never teach a dog to be overtly aggressive, but you can teach them to watch out for strangers and to bark a warning. Even Golden Retrievers, which are really not known for their barking, can be taught this.
Top 5 Breeds Commonly Used as Guard Dogs
If you are looking for a pure guard dog, you can consider one of the following breeds, which are used for this purpose throughout the world and in a variety of situations.
1. German Shepherd Dogs
The German Shepherd is arguably the most widely used of all service dogs, especially as a guard dog and for armed service and police work. They are a large breed, easy to train, and fiercely loyal. They have high levels of concentration, and they don’t panic easily. Fortunately, they are also great family pets because they love their family members, enjoy playing, and especially enjoy an active and outdoor lifestyle.
2. Cane Corso
The Cane Corso is not a dog breed for beginners, and families are usually discouraged from having this breed, especially around small or young children. It is a very large breed when you consider its muscular size and was originally bred as a fighting dog during the Roman era. Like any breed, the Cane Corso can make a good family pet, but it really isn’t a good choice for beginners.
3. Akita
The Akita is another breed that isn’t good for beginners and not the ideal choice for families, but it does make a good guard dog. They were bred for that very purpose and protected members of Japanese royalty. They are suspicious dogs that will want to investigate everything to check it’s safe. They are also loyal to their loved ones and are sometimes preferred to breeds like the Cane Corso because they are smaller and easier to handle.
4. Doberman Pinscher
The Doberman is perhaps the epitome of guard dogs and it gained something of a negative reputation for being aggressive as a result of its popularity for this purpose. It is a German breed and was originally bred to protect its tax collector owner, Louis Dobermann. This is another highly intelligent breed and the Doberman can make a great family pet, but it does need a lot of mental stimulation and physical exercise.
5. Giant Schnauzer
The Giant Schnauzer is best recognized for its incredible facial hair, but it has a lot of other great features. It is a cattle herder by nature, so it is brave and not easily spooked. This also means that it has stamina and concentration levels that will eclipse most other breeds. It is smaller than the large guard dog breeds and is very wary of people it doesn’t know—good attributes for a pet that will double as a guard dog.
Conclusion
The Golden Retriever is one of the world’s most popular dog breeds. It is known for being loving, affectionate, and gentle. It is also intelligent and is regularly used as a service dog in a host of different applications. Its intelligence and loyalty mean that it can also be trained to be an effective guard dog, although it will need training from an early age, and training must be consistent if you want to be assured of the best results. Other breeds to consider include the German Shepherd and the Doberman Pinscher, both of German origin and both well-known as guard dogs historically.
Featured Image Credit: EB Adventure Photography, Shutterstock
