Belgian Malinois
The Malinois (pictured), Groenendael, Laekenois and Tervuren – according to the classification of the International Cynological Federation, all of these dogs are representatives of a single breed, the Belgian Shepherd, although in some countries they are designated as separate breeds. They differ from one another in color, as well as in the texture and length of their coat.
The Belgian Malinois resembles the German Shepherd in appearance, but is smaller in size and has a shorter coat. It belongs to the herding breeds, and with proper training they make excellent police and guard dogs. They are easy to train, but require training from the very earliest puppy age – otherwise the dog may grow up overly aggressive, since it instinctively regards strangers with suspicion.
Rhodesian Ridgeback
The only officially recognized dog breed from South Africa. It was originally bred as a hunting dog, but since it is easy to train, they also make good watchdogs.
A characteristic feature of the breed is the ridge along its back: on a strip running from the neck to the tail, their hair grows in the opposite direction.
The Ridgeback is an intelligent and devoted dog that guards its family members well and keeps its distance warily from unfamiliar people. At the same time, they rarely bark, only if they really do detect something unusual.
Puli
A medium-sized herding dog bred in Hungary. It is known for its unusual coat in the form of twisted cords. Pulik are bold and brave, as well as very devoted to their owners – caring for all members of the family is genetically ingrained in them.
They are very vigilant and bark at anything that may seem unusual to them. They are wary of strangers, so without proper upbringing such a dog may grow up overly suspicious and prone to biting.
Komondor
Also a Hungarian breed of sheepdog, originally bred to help shepherds tend sheep. So do not be surprised if such a dog treats your family like a small flock and, during rest in the outdoors, tries to herd all the household members into a cluster.
Dogs of this breed are distinguished by a calm disposition and are suitable for families with small children. They are very devoted, and they treat unfamiliar people with wariness. They can weigh up to 50 kg, and their height exceeds 60 cm at the withers – such a dog will drive off intruders by its size alone.
Rottweiler
The muscular, fearless and vigilant Rottweiler commands respect by its very appearance. It can make an excellent guard dog for your family, but it is worth remembering that a dog of this breed grows up obedient only with proper training. They also need early socialization, since Rottweilers tend to display dominant behavior toward other dogs.
By temperament such dogs are calm, and they enjoy boisterous play only at puppy age, so they are comfortable to keep in an apartment. They are easy to train.
Akita Inu
A Japanese dog breed, originally bred as a hunting dog, and for large game at that. The devotion of dogs of this breed gained widespread fame after the 2009 film «Hachi: A Dog's Tale» starring Richard Gere.
The breed is difficult to raise, but a well-trained Akita can make an excellent guard dog. The dog does not bark without good reason; it is affectionate and friendly toward all members of the family. Toward strangers, however, the Akita is unsympathetic, and when necessary it stands up to defend its owners. So do not let its cute appearance deceive you.
German Shepherd
Representatives of this breed have an excellent reputation as guard and police dogs. In addition to loyalty and protective instincts, they are also distinguished by intelligence and quick-wittedness – training dogs of this breed is usually not difficult.
The breed was originally developed in Germany to help herd sheep, so you can be sure it will warn you of anything unusual with its bark. German Shepherds are large, so they protect their owners by their very appearance.
Giant Schnauzer
The largest representative of the schnauzer group (it is also called the «giant schnauzer») is an intelligent and brave dog, as has been repeatedly confirmed by its service in the police and the armed forces as far back as the First World War. In our country, the Black Russian Terrier and the Moscow Water Dog were bred with the participation of dogs of this breed.
Giant Schnauzers are distinguished by their large size, as well as by being easy to train. Devotion to their owners and strong territorial instincts help them become excellent guard dogs.
Doberman
Energetic, vigilant, intelligent and devoted, Dobermans are popular as guard and police dogs. When raising such a dog, you should treat it as a real member of the family, and then a strong bond will form, and guarding the household members will become the Doberman's main goal. Without proper training, a Doberman may grow up overly aggressive toward strangers.
They are easy to train, so much so that during training you should exercise caution not to accidentally instill an incorrect habit in the dog – it will be very difficult to break. Dobermans usually do not show aggression toward other types of animals, so they can be kept with cats and other pets.
Bullmastiff
Perhaps the best choice if you are looking specifically for a guard dog breed. It was bred in the mid-19th century by crossing the English Mastiff with the Old English Bulldog. The Bullmastiff is very devoted to its owners, neutral toward people familiar to it and extremely wary of strangers.
Weighing almost 60 kg, a Bullmastiff can easily pin an adult man to the ground. True, it will first try to warn of its intentions with a menacing growl. For all its formidability, the Bullmastiff gets along excellently both with small children and with other pets.
