Are all dogs good keepers? Not really, some breeds are more likely to perform this task
No doubt they are man’s best friends but are the dogs all good guardians? The answer is “ni.
The dog has always accompanied the man in different areas of life, initially he was tamed for work.
A process that started about 15,000 years ago and today has left us many different dog breeds,each with special attitudes.
Over time the various breeds have been selected and perfected to fulfill a task and it is only from a few hundred years that the dog has become part of the family as a simple companion.
Therefore there are dogs that are great for the guard,others that are excellent defense dogs as well as dogs that are trained for hunting.
Today we also have breeds of dogs employed and trained for rescue at sea or for the search and recovery of the missing in the event of natural and non-natural disasters.
By that we do not mean that all dogs are good guardians or that none of them are. By nature they are, but some breeds are more predisposed and effectiveness as watchdogs also depends on training.
Not all dogs are good guardians
Putting aside the talk of canine instinct for a moment, we cannot say that all dogs are good keepers and for different reasons.
Some breeds of dogs are by their nature more docile and prone to human contact,so much so that they can safely socialize even with people they do not know.
And that’s a trait that doesn’t make them great watchdogs. Rather, Fido is likely to befriend the intruder, rather than kick him out!
The watchdog must be strongly territorial,fond of the owner and the family but above all inclined to protect the boundaries of his home.
He establishes a relationship of close trust and respect with his human and at the same time considers the domestic environment as his own territory, so every time an intruder approaches he wastes no time barking and alerting the master of his presence.
Just make a simple example: the Labrador Retriever is a dog with contagious cheerfulness and is famous precisely for its kindness, for the fact that it practically never barks and that empathizes with any human being.
The same goes for the Golden Retriever, so much so that both are dogs so prone to contact with people that they are trained for rescue and as guide dogs for the blind.
These breeds of dogs would not be very useful for the guard of the house and property because when they meet new people they waste no time in approaching them even just for a cuddle.
Even all Bulldogs aren’t exactly good keepers, although they’re dogs with a massive, robust physique and a big jaw that might strike a bit of fear.
American, English or French, it doesn’t matter because these dogs are sociable and adore the company of humans.
Features of a good watchdog
Before you understand how to choose a good watchdog it is right to make a distinction: watchdog does not mean defense dog.
Many mistakenly believe that the two words are synonyms but they are not so, they are dogs with different attitudes.
The defence dog,in fact, is a four-legged friend by its territorial nature that protects the house and property even if it is not trained for such a task.
The watchdog, on the other hand, receives specific training to carry out the task of guardian of the house and the family.
The reactions of the two types of dogs we are talking about are very different, although Fido could still be a very good defense dog but also a guard.
In essence, the watchdog simply alerts the owner in case of intruders barking and without reacting while the defense dog in addition to barking and showing teeth tries in every way to block the stranger even with bites.
Given this we understand well that dogs are not all good guardians not so much for a matter of physical, but of character and personality.
The perfect watchdog is very territorial, self-confident and brave to the point that you don’t think twice about protecting the house from a person or a big animal.
It is true that the physique helps but it is not fundamental and you will be surprised to know that even small breeds can be excellent guard dogs because they alert the master in the presence of any danger.
Are all dogs good keepers? Training issue
To say that dogs are all good guardians is true in part,often the breeds are not very predisposed to this task.
But it’s primarily good training that affects Fido’s ability to protect the home and family.
Regardless of race we can train any dog for the guard but we must remember that the best must have very specific characteristics.
We have to choose dogs that are confident and not afraid of anything, intelligent and attentive so that we can distinguish the intruder from the trusted people.
And of course they must be dogs that bond a lot with the master,faithful and easy to train.
The first part of the watchdog’s training involves teaching basic commands that are also useful in everyday life.
After that you can proceed with targeted commands that serve precisely to its activity as a guardian: the dog must learn to signal the presence of an intruder or a danger.
Simply put, we must teach him to bark on command by associating the word “bark” or “speak” with the presence of a stranger.
The dog must only make a sound and not start barking like a fortuitous by throwing himself at the person in front.
Whenever the dog barks once to report the intruder, let’s give him a reward and let him know that he’s done a good job (positive reinforcement).
Another thing the good keeper must absolutely learn is never eat food found on the ground.
Unfortunately, thieves often throw poisoned food at the guard dogs so they can enter the property undisturbed.
The best breeds for the guard
With good training (almost) all dogs are good keepers, but some breeds are by their nature more likely to perform this task.
Shepherd dogs,for example, have always been tasked with protecting flocks from predators. They are territorial dogs and very intelligent so much that they do not need the master to take the initiative and act when necessary.
To give a few examples we can mention the German Shepherd,Pastor Maremmano, the Pastor of the Caucasus and the Pastor of Central Asia.
Shepherd dogs, however, are often solitary and do not establish a particularly close bond with the owner. They can do without it!
Therefore, in reality, for the guard and defense of man and the house it is better to choose more faithful races, willing to sacrifice themselves for their own family.
The Dobermann, the Schnauzer or the Pinscher,for example, but we can also add to the list the molossi such as the Argentine Dogo, the Course Dog, the Bullmastiff, the Boxer, the Neapolitan Hound, originally used as hunting dogs.