Which is the Best Dog for Home Security?

There are many different opinions on which is the best dog for home security, or, to put it another way, the best guard dog. What is not in doubt is the usefulness of having a dog to guard a home - or any other piece of property, for that matter. Chinese palaces over a thousand years ago were guarded by dogs, while the gates of Hades were protected by Cerebus. Dogs can be extremely loyal and will often naturally bark at anyone they don’t know. They may also have other characteristics that make them perfect for the function of guard dog.

Everyone is familiar with the image of a trained Doberman Pinscher or German Shepherd police dog as a guard dog. Certainly, those breeds make excellent guard dogs, when properly trained. They have the size, the temperament and the teeth to keep anyone out. There are other candidates for the role of best dog for home security, such as Bull Mastiffs and Rottweilers.

German Shepherds and others can be taught to discriminate between those who are allowed in the home and those who are not. They operate by sight and smell and distinguish not only family members but ‘authorized’ visitors. Friends are greeted with a friendly tail wag, strangers receive a warning growl. Continuing advances by strangers get a bark, followed by a nasty bite if they persist.

Though any dog can be put down by poison or a gun, very few burglars are going to go that far. Most, once they become aware of the presence of a guard dog, will simply pick an easier target. There are, after all, plenty to choose from. Larger dogs represent, at least psychologically, a bigger threat and you increase the protection with a specialized dog.

But even much smaller breeds can serve well as guard dogs, provided they’re trained properly and their environment is correctly arranged. In the end, whether you choose a big or small dog will often depend on your family characteristics and what type of dog you feel better with.

One type that is certainly not the best dog for home security is one that barks at everything. Though it might make some burglars nervous, if the owner is used to ignoring the warning because of too many false alarms, the basic purpose is defeated. Training can solve that problem with most breeds. Most dogs can be taught to bark only at likely threats.

Arranging the environment to maximize your guard dog’s effectiveness is equally important. Some stay outside almost all the time. Some are predominantly indoor dogs. Both methods have their pros and cons. But a dog that is allowed both inside and out can cover the entire area.

One key is making access available to the dog, but not potential intruders. Some doggie doors make home intrusion ridiculously easy. A doggie door can allow most breeds access to the outside, for bathroom breaks and to patrol. At the same time, they can usually be made large enough for the dog, but too small for most men. Also, if you can’t place them far enough away from the door handle to prevent unlocking, consider a two-sided key system deadbolt. That locks the door from the inside, requiring a key to unlock it, not just a twist.

Of course, a clearly visible - and well illuminated - sign that your house is indeed guarded by a dog is absolutely essential and a great deterrent. Many thieves will be impressed enough with that, without the need to find out for themselves if it’s true or not. Most others will probably proceed with caution until they hear the first bark, when they will usually decide to go and try somewhere else.

We have seen, then, that almost any dog can be a good guard dog. Therefore, the most appropriate thing we can say is that the best dog for home security is the dog you would prefer to have in your home!