Yard dog options, a 'scary' type

[Kunoichi73]

a family member into boating told us a story of a fellow boating mate having his leg broken from a swan‘s wing!

I use to kayak with a bloke who was knocked out by a swan when he paddled past too close to it's nest!

 

[Barton Bounty]

How about a cane corso? Adorable and guardy enough

 

[AmyMay]

How about a cane corso? Adorable and guardy enough

Really?

 

[Barton Bounty]

Really?

Yes, my friend has three at the yard I am at. She has an 8 year old daughter and has just had a litter of puppies, they are amazing dogs but you won’t know that unless your around them and if you haven’t ever been around them you couldnt possible know

 

[Honey08]

When I was a teen we had a GSD, possibly crossed with something else . He was the most wonderful family dog, soft as mush, wouldn’t hurt a fly, but he had a heck of a bark. People were scared walking past the house if he was loose and he barked.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'm kinda reticent to recommend a guard type these days but if you're not used to large guarding/working type then a boxer is a good shout to start off, a puppy from health tested parents.

A Rott is another good idea but again, do your reseach and go for steady Eddie lines.

And that's from someone who's spent all day doing obedience and protection training with GSDs, mali, dobe, rott?

This is a very important job for the dog, do not rush! Get a dog you like/that fits the brief.

 

[JoannaC]

I really miss my lurcher, she would bark aggressively at anyone near the house and looked seriously vicious, in fact she was a real softy and once introduced couldn't be sweeter with anyone and everyone.

 

[Jenko109]

Yes, my friend has three at the yard I am at. She has an 8 year old daughter and has just had a litter of puppies, they are amazing dogs but you won’t know that unless your around them and if you haven’t ever been around them you couldnt possible know

The OP wants something as chill as possible at home. From my (albeit limited) experience of these dogs, they arent the type to laze about and are keen to be busy.

 

[JBM]

German Shepard would be my shout from the ones I’ve meet they’re intimidating but big cuddly babies (obviously if I was trying to rob the place they might be a bit rougher with me!)
Good size and bark but good around kids! Can be quite lazy too!

personally I have a Samoyed they’re good alert dogs but are not intimidating or aggressive but will bark a hell of a lot to let you know someone’s about ? he barks on command and one of the postmen refuses to get out of the van while he’s around (the other one plays fetch with him ??‍)

 

[Barton Bounty]

The OP wants something as chill as possible at home. From my (albeit limited) experience of these dogs, they arent the type to laze about and are keen to be busy.

One is a busy , other two are chilled ?

 

[stangs]

If you're willing to deal with a thick coat and drool, and you don't live in too warm an area, then a St Bernard or a Newfie would be my line of thinking as you said you didn't want too guard-y a breed.

 

[twiggy2]

Honestly the best guard dogs are the ones that make a noise and announce their presence.
The people you dont want around tend to leave the area if dogs are shouting. In my experience rotties can be quiet and not always announce their presence, yes they tend to be protective but often your best to keep unwanted people out rather than the dog staying silent but dealing with unwanteds when they are in.
I also don't think size is such a big thing especially if you have multiple dogs.
All my terriers kept unwanted out of everywhere and also saw them off if they did come to close but so did my first lurcher, the collies do too. My current lurcher is useless and I swear she would invite people in especially men, she loves men, she does however have a big bark and guards the van if we are sleeping in it.

 

[honetpot]

I have a rottiX, she is lovely, but people would literally cross the road when we lived in a village, and people see her in the front yard and never come through the gate. She has a very loud deep bark, mainly used to try and scare the USAF away.
My mother had a Dobermann, the dog was smarter than her, lovely dog great with my children, but again people would give you at least six feet when you walked her.

 

[throwaway2022]

I have a rottiX, she is lovely, but people would literally cross the road when we lived in a village, and people see her in the front yard and never come through the gate. She has a very loud deep bark, mainly used to try and scare the USAF away.
My mother had a Dobermann, the dog was smarter than her, lovely dog great with my children, but again people would give you at least six feet when you walked her.

After the last couple of days I’m done with people so quite like the sound of that ?

 

[Moobli]

I would recommend a GSD puppy from a reputable breeder who breeds for health and temperament. GSDs are incredible family dogs, and their reputation alone is enough to deter most ne’er do wells. They are great watch dogs and have a lovely deep bark so will announce their presence long before any intruders are on your property. They are extremely loyal so are likely to shadow you around the yard, giving that feeling of security. If you do plenty with them, then a working line or mix of show/working might suit. There are also more pet bred lines that will still look the part but who will need less in terms of training and physical exercise. With GSDs suffering a variety of health issues, it’s imperative to buy from generations of health tested stock. If you like the longcoated GSDs then invest in a blaster which makes coat care much easier.

 

[GSD Woman]

I'm biased, but a well bred GSD can fit the bill. I had a lovely working/old fashioned European GSD. He helped me raise Rudy. He was great with children, cats, and other dogs. He was actually quite friendly. In the park where we used to walk when it was getting dark, as we came back to the car he would go visit the homeless people waiting to sleep in the park. But, I was threatened once and he told that man to move along.
Another good breed, if you don't mind the grooming, is a standard Schnauzer. If you're the sort to have nice clippers around you can do the grooming yourself.
Here, the police recommend a mid to large black dog. Apparently American thugs are more afraid of black dogs.

 

[Clodagh]

I’m not sure I’d want to get a guardy type breed and encourage it to be threatening.

 

[Quigleyandme]

My mum lived alone in a big detached house in it’s own grounds. She had a tri-colour Cardigan corgi. He had a deep bark and was a corgi so loved the sound of his own voice. Mum reckoned his bark coupled with his shepherd like snout thrust through the cat flap was a pretty good deterrent.

 

[P3LH]

The best guard dogs we ever had were collies, also very cat friendly but all our collies were raised from pups with the cats and young children too. Having said that one of our labradors that we got as a three year old is an extremely threatening and protective guard dog. So much so we have to watch her very carefully when strangers come to the house. She is as soft as a kitten with us though, so nothing we have trained her to do, just naturally very defensive of us and our property. Our vet thinks that is why she was probably a failed show dog, far too reactive to being handled by and around unknown people etc. and rejected for breeding that temperament on too. So any breed can be a bit of a gamble I think.

I think I would choose your breed and go for a puppy and train it how you want it with cats and guarding etc. I certainly wouldn't risk getting an older dog that is already guarding, a bit risky IMO.

The best/scariest guard dogs I’ve ever known have all been collies. From bum biters to car tyre destroyers - they certainly like to keep their people out of perceived harms way.

 

[blackcob]

Honestly the best guard dogs are the ones that make a noise and announce their presence.
The people you dont want around tend to leave the area if dogs are shouting.

I also don't think size is such a big thing especially if you have multiple dogs.

Can confirm, family recently had an attempted yard break-in which was thwarted by two thick, soft show type cocker spaniels barking and a self-described mad middle-aged woman in her dressing gown.

 

[P3LH]

My mum lived alone in a big detached house in its own grounds. She had a tri-colour Cardigan corgi. He had a deep bark and was a corgi so loved the sound of his own voice. Mum reckoned his bark coupled with his shepherd like snout thrust through the cat flap was a pretty good deterrent.

We have two Pembrokes, their barks are incredibly deep and incredibly loud. They are natural watch dogs and don’t miss a trick.

Our bitch isn’t all mouth and no trousers either - has held window cleaners hostage up ladders, refused entry to people she knows who’ve come through the rear gate when then back door has been open and they’re mooching around whilst we’ve day been upstairs or in the bathroom purely because we’re not there to say it’s ok, and recently destroyed all the blinds when car was being broken into in our ‘very desirable area’.

Should add any callers who don’t know what dogs we have never guess corgis/small dogs. Ironically my remaining rough collie has a very high pitched/small dog sounding bark.

 

[Aru]

How much training and time can you commit to?
Have you much experience with any of the big guarding breeds?

I have to admit I am not a rottweiler fan as have met to many who were unpredictable aggressive in a veterinary situation. (To the point they scare me now because I've seen them go from acting friendly to bite with minimal body posture changes) so I'd be wary of advising them to a home that didn't consider the potential need for management of that side of things. They can be aggressive and protective, not just barking. guarding-some do the oh so fun let you in not let you leave routine.
I do appreciate they tend to love their humans...but with kids at the home I'd worry for their friends visiting etc with some of the rotts.
Plus dying of osteosarcoma bone cancer or haemangiosarcoma is scarily common at relatively young ages.
Cane corso I've only only met two. One had to be rabies poled to euthanise because we couldnt get anywhere near it and the owner couldn't control or muzzle it. It had killed a few dogs and bitten multiple people at this point.The other was a love bug who acted like a massive english staffy temperment wise. I've not heard great things for temperment across the breed though.

I prefer the ridgebacks, most of the mastiffs or I'd strongly consider a large black lab for the intimidating larger looking dog who will act as a deterrent.

I prefer my dogs not to actually want to bite or maul intruders though. Just be enough deterrent to convince them to pick a different house if they are scoping houses out.
Dogs don't always see the right people as intruders/dangerous.

 

[Moobli]

The best guard dogs we ever had were collies, also very cat friendly but all our collies were raised from pups with the cats and young children too. Having said that one of our labradors that we got as a three year old is an extremely threatening and protective guard dog. So much so we have to watch her very carefully when strangers come to the house. She is as soft as a kitten with us though, so nothing we have trained her to do, just naturally very defensive of us and our property. Our vet thinks that is why she was probably a failed show dog, far too reactive to being handled by and around unknown people etc. and rejected for breeding that temperament on too. So any breed can be a bit of a gamble I think.

I think I would choose your breed and go for a puppy and train it how you want it with cats and guarding etc. I certainly wouldn't risk getting an older dog that is already guarding, a bit risky IMO.

Lots of collies definitely show that inbuilt guarding instinct by barking when strange people enter “their” space (be it yard, garden etc) but I’ve seen a marked difference in hill walkers demeanour when they have encountered our working sheepdogs to when they see my GSDs, so as a deterrent on looks alone I’d say GSD over collie. Also collies are more likely to go self employed if left to their own devices, whereas my GSDs have always enjoyed hanging out wherever I am.

 

[Goldenstar]

Well I would go for a Rottie or a GSD but you will have to but work in.
Its a tremendous responsibility to keep a dog for protection.
Owning an overly guardy dog can be an uncomfortable experience we had one Labrador dog that my father bred who we kept .
He good in that he was noisy I never fully trusted him I think he would have bitten a stranger if things lined up that way .

 

[marmalade76]

I wouldn’t recommend a Long haired German Shepherd. I have one and the mud she collects is extreme! She also takes all day to dry so not a great dog for being in fields in the winter. Apart from that she’s an ideal guard dog.

On that basis, I’d say a short haired dog would be best.

Agreed, I have a collie and she's the same. There are short coated GSDs, though and TBH I much prefer them.

 

[Moobli]

I didn’t read the OP post as wanting a dog to bite people or even to encourage it to be threatening. A bark on command is useful I’ve found, but not to threaten people. More just to alert people a dog is present or as a fun trick. Just the presence of one of the larger “guarding” type breeds (GSD, Rott, Dobe etc) can be enough to make someone think twice about approaching and to help the OP feel a little more relaxed when in her yard alone.

Edit : typo

 

[Archangel]

I have a black Lab x Rotti and it is a fabulous cross - gentle as anything, loves the cats, but one hell of a bark and looks the part when roused.

Regularly has her photo taken accepting parcels from couriers (who have opened the door and walked into the house. despite her going ballistic the other side ). On the other hand, when a man jumped out at me in the woods thinking it was funny to make me jump, my personal bodyguard came barrelling up looking like she was going to eat him (she wasn't but she was ready for any nonsense).

 

[P3LH]

I don’t see the issue with wanting a dog that looks the part and is well raised and well loved. My mum used to have dobes for this exact reason - she could go stomping off through fields no matter what time of day it was, and never felt worried. They never did anything as were dopey as but nobody would have ever looked twice at diminutive little 5ft woman with dobes walking off lead to heel beside her.

 

[marmalade76]

My mum lived alone in a big detached house in it’s own grounds. She had a tri-colour Cardigan corgi. He had a deep bark and was a corgi so loved the sound of his own voice. Mum reckoned his bark coupled with his shepherd like snout thrust through the cat flap was a pretty good deterrent.

My nan had one, was always barking and it was a loud bark too.

 

[malwhit]

If I lived in the middle of knowhere, my choice would be between a show bred black Labrador ( they are chunky and bigger than the working ones) and a German Shepherd.
I used to own Mini Schnauzers, and if it wasn't for the grooming, a Standard or Giant Schnauzer would be perfect.