Definition of what makes a watchdog

So you love dogs. You also love your safety. So you decide it’s time to get yourself a watchdog. But do you really want a pet to take care of you?

Defining the difference between a “guard dog” and a “guard dog” is the first step in making a decision about using an animal for home security. Too many people use the terms interchangeably. You may just want a pet to keep an eye out for strangers and alert you with a bark that company is here. If that’s what you’re looking for, a watchdog is what you need. I’m not talking about a little nibbling chihuahua sitting in the front yard barking at everything that goes by, but an animal trained to bark and alert you when someone tries to enter the property. Any standard dog breed can be trained to handle this role effectively and they don’t need to be a big junkie dog to alert you when someone is on your property.

If you’re looking for more, looking for something that will respond to these intruders, and responding, attacking, then you want a watchdog. Training is essential from the start and it is best to hire a specialist to work with you, and I suggest you consult one before purchasing a puppy. You might be tempted to take the easy route and go find a large, menacing dog at your local shelter and dump it in your backyard; but this is not the best idea as it will be difficult to train this dog to know the difference with strangers and family.

Training a guard dog can be as easy as getting a few books from the library or finding a few articles on the internet. Training should begin when the pup is ten to twelve weeks old. Also, obedience training goes hand in hand with guard dog training, so both can be done at the same time.

For training, I would start at the same age as the guard dogs, I would also start obedience training, but then I would find a professional. A guard dog is designed to attack intruders and it is best, especially if you have a family, to seek the guidance of a specialized trainer. It’s good to have a trained animal that can tell the difference in scent and tracks of its family and then a vicious untrained pet. Pit bulls tend to be the epitome of an untrained killer, while dogs like German Shepherds and Doberman Pinschers are instinctively bred to recognize family intruders.

The key is that before purchasing a dog to protect your family, it is best to decide what role the animal will play with your family and property and what role the pet will play with intruders. This decision is important not only for you, but also for the new puppy you are bringing into your life. Make the decision that is best for both of you.