My dog Drako
Not your average list for best protection dogs for families with children.
A friend of mine asked me this question the other day. They have 2 children and are trying not to be the typical helicopter parents but still, want to protect their children.
This is not your average list for best protection dogs families with children. It has a mix of intelligent protection breeds with some most people have not thought of. Not everyone wants that typical German Shepherd or Mastiff. Some do not have the time needed to train all the time. Others will enjoy training and finding a great activity for the whole family. There’s a little of both worlds here in this list.
I will start with a quick list of some breeds and then go into detail about each one. As a reminder, every dog has its own individual character. As with any dog you choose you must remember it is an animal and can never be controlled 100% of the time. Good training for any dog is a must as is constantly reinforcing that training over and over. Only work with a trainer that uses positive reinforcement at this level.
Harder trainers and the use of stronger corrections are only to be used by professional k9 trainers working with very strong drive so-called Alpha dogs. Like police or military dogs, Not family dogs.
These dogs are great with children and can be trained and handled by a novice owner with practice.
German Shepherd
Doberman Pinscher
Giant / Standard Poodle
Giant Schnauzer
American Bulldog
Dogo Argentino
Eurasier
What qualities to look for in a protection dog for the family
Loving Affectionate Nature
All good protection dogs can be fearless and brave in a dangerous situation, but the best dogs are the ones that act like little puppies wagging and licking like crazy or lazy lap dogs when they are with their family. You want a dog that protects when it’s time to protect and loves when it is time to love.
Courage
Your dog must be brave or what we call the confidence and drive needed to face danger and protect you and your family. 90% of the time a strong stance, growling, and barking will deter most threats. But when the time is needed to bite and protect the courage needs to be there.
Loyalty
Most of us think dogs as pack animals. There are many dogs that seem overly friendly with strangers. You want to find a dog that will bond with you and your family. He or she will be either aloft or Nonchalant with strangers and let people pet him or her. This is the dog that will prefer to be by your side than anyone else’s.
Intelligence
Good protection dogs must be trained and obedient, while able to respond to at the these basic of commands, such as sit, lay down, stay and heel. In addition, intelligence will help your dog be able to distinguish between threatening and merely stimuli that are out of the norm. This also will cut your training time down considerably and allow you to do more advanced protection training.
Territorial Instincts
Dogs that strongly identify with their home as their pack’s territory and naturally want to protect it from intruders are obviously better suited for protection work than those who do not care if anyone comes or goes.
Here are my 7 choices for best protection dogs for first time owners with children. These are listed as a guide and should not be taken as the end all be all. It is a list of breeds that I have had experience with and feel would make the best choices for newbies that will put in the effort to learn more and become a responsible protection dog owner.
You will see the majority are considered very or extremely intelligent. Now I did list two mastiff breeds in this list. Mastiffs are not known to be very intelligent breeds. They are among the oldest type of dog breeds. I will talk more about these 2 breeds and why they made the list under each one.
It is also very important to slowly introduce and socialize any dog with its new family and never leave a dog with a baby unattended.
Young adults are great to bring into a family who has been somewhat trained and have been properly socialized by a professional trainer. If you get a puppy I recommend you get them and let them bond with the family for at least six months before sending them away to more formal training. You also should join a local club for the type of sports dog training you prefer. These are perfect for the novice first-time protection dog owner to hone their skills and have a great support group to help.
I do not train my dogs for any of these one types of sport dog types such as Schutzhund or French Ring etc. I use a combination of these techniques geared more toward the real world and everyday modern living.
German Shepherd or GSD
I must let you know I am extremely biased when it comes to owning and working a GSD. They are hands down my favorite breed. These dogs have been around since the late 1800s and you would have to have been living under a rock if you have never heard of them. (Or in the UK where they are called: the Alsatian. It’s a WWII thing.) I prefer a GSD from European bloodlines over American or Canadian bloodlines. The latter being bread more for show and looking pretty than protecting the family or temperament. More so the old Eastern Block countries Like East Germany and the Czech Republic are my first choice. But I must note most of the Czech bloodlines are not for beginners! Work with a reputable breeder to find the right bloodline for your level and your family.
GSDs have long been valued for its intelligence, focus, loyalty and, tenacity. They can be easily trained and are willing to please their owner. They also work well in most family settings. Because of their intelligence protection, training and exercise are great for this breed. It keeps their brain stimulated and active, helping to prevent bad behaviors.
Doberman Pinscher
My high school buddy had some of most beautiful and smart Dobies, I have ever seen. I love these dogs, not as much as the GSD but they do run a close second. I do not know a person alive that will not stop in fear when they first see a Doberman in front of them. Like the GSD they are very intelligent and make great family protection dogs. Their short coats minimize the shedding hassles unlike those of other breeds.
Although the Doberman has a reputation as a sinister even devil-like and sharp dog, many families consider them one of the most loyal and loving of companions. Now “loyal” isn’t just a power word for “only likes his one owner.” It’s the real deal, a tremendous bond between dog and family, which lies at the core of the Doberman’s enduring popularity. A good Doberman for protecting the family and in general is a friendly and stable dog unless someone is threatening his or her family.
Giant / Standard Poodle
Many people do not think or know a Standard Poodle makes a great protection dog. They are one if not the most intelligent dog breeds out there. They have a strong bite and the weight behind it to stop most aggressors in their tracks. Plus you don’t have to worry too much about things like homeowner insurance issues, city breed bans etc.
Now throw in the fact that they are the lightest-shedding, most hypoallergenic of all coated breeds and these dogs can fit in 99% of family lifestyles. Try to stay away from the pure show lines they tend to be too nervous. They also need a lot of exercise and attention.
(Source:){https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Schnauzer}
Giant Schnauzer
What a strong intelligent German breed with personality. There are very few limits to the abilities or capabilities of a Giant Schnauzer. You might have seen them trained for tracking, obedience, agility, herding and even carting, are among the dog sports them competing in. They can be a little stubborn.
Originally they were used to drive cattle to market, these dogs will often excel as a police and protection dog. This is truly a gentle and loving family companion dog, the Giant Schnauzer’s favorite thing to do is being with the family he or she loves.
It is very important to the success of living with a Giant Schnauzer include proper socialization, training, and getting plenty of physical and mental stimulation. These dogs will need all of these to become well-rounded and well mannered.
(Source:)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bulldog]
American Bulldog
Here is the first mastiff breed on the list. The American Bulldog makes for a great family dog that has that tough dog appearance few people will want to mess with. This is an active and strong working dog that is best suited to life on a farm or land with acreage, where he or she can assist with herding livestock and patrolling the property.
With work, they can be well trained for bully breeds. As full out trained protection dogs they are not the best but for a family, their natural abilities and temperament will be all that is needed. They have no problem coming to the rescue of their family and biting a threat. At the same time, it is rare they will charge and bite someone just passing by.
(Source:)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bulldog]
Dogo Argentino
This is a truly special breed and though the second mastiff breed on this list it is one of the best family dogs I have ever seen. Often confused for a tall pit-bull the Dogo was bread to be a family hunting dog.
They can be trained for protection with work but again the natural temperament of this breed makes for a perfect match for those that want a good protection without all the hours and hours of training. I have seen a few Dogos trained in Schutzhund and they did quite well.
They will bond with the whole family but become lifelong guardians of children and are even better than the Boxer breed.
(Source:)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasier]
Eurasier
This is not a dog for real protection work. Eurasiers are even-tempered, calm, dogs. They are however alert and watchful. They tend to be reserved towards strangers without being aggressive or timid.
I have included this breed here for the true novice dog owner who does not want to learn more about protection dog training nor has the time. Eurasiers do form a strong bond with their families when their needs for constant close contact with its family are met. The Eurasier is a combination of Samoyed, the Keeshond, and Chow Chow.
Eurasiers were bred as companion dogs; as such they do perfectly in an indoor family setting. Training should always be done through family members, not by dog trainers or handlers. Both the males and females can be quiet and calm indoors. While outdoors they become lively and enjoy running around. One thing, Eurasiers will rarely bark but when they do, they usually have a good reason.
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Great article. I can verify from first hand experience your recommendation of the German Shepherd and American bulldog.
Thanks I wanted to build a list that would work for all types of family settings and experience levels.
Nice article.