Do you regularly lose animals to predator attacks? Do you hear coyotes howling every night? Do you have injured livestock in the mornings? Are you concerned for your herd or flocks' safety but don't want to put up a super expensive fence? Are the neighbors taking your republican presidential signs out of the ground? If you can answer yes to any of these questions than getting a guard dog may be worth looking into.

For thousands of years people have been using dogs to protect their food supply(animals) and to guard their homes, camps, or towns.

There are many benefits of having a dog as a guard animal. They are loyal to their people, bond strongly to the animals they guard and, if you get a larger guard dog, they will be capable of defending your belongings against all the large predators in the U.S.A.

All breeds of guard dogs require training, food, attention, and equipment (collars, bowls, leashes, and in some cases fencing) but certain breeds will require more in terms of training and fencing.

It's recommended you get a guard dog as a puppy, that way the dog can grow up with the livestock and by the time he/she is big enough to guard the animals the dog will know the property, and what animals do and do not belong on the property.

Not all dogs have to be outside with the animals at all times, especially if the dog is going to be both a farm guard and a family guard dog you will want to bring her inside and spend time with her and train her to obey your commands.

Sometimes even the presence of a big dog on the property will keep people and animal intruders off the property.

No one means of predator protection is 100% fool proof, so even if you have a guard dog you may still want electric fencing if the predator problem is out of control. Since dogs are living protectors, they are a lot less likely to fail, they don't have batteries that could die, and they work even if it's a cloudy day.

Something to remember when deciding whether or not you need a guard dog is that most dogs will seem to guard the property just fine, but dogs specifically bred for the job will far surpass what a herding or family dog can or will do.

That's not saying that some people's family dogs, or their herding dogs don't make good animal guards, but they would be the exceptions.

Below we will look at some of the most popular guard dog breeds and also some less popular but effective ones.

German Shepherds

German Shepherds are the most popular breed of dog in the world, traditionally bred as family and farm guards these dogs are extremely effective in keeping unwanted prowlers off your land.

These dogs are known for being always on the job, courageous, trustworthy, with a devotion to duty.

Modernly used, and often bred specifically for military, police, and service dogs, German Shepherds still retain their protective instincts. German Shepards are loyal to their owners and are highly trainable. Since they were bred to work with their owners (as opposed to Great Pyrenees who were bred to guard the herd alone) they are less likely to roam, bark all night, and are typically less stubborn and independent than Pyrenees.

German Shepherds also have short coats which makes them a better choice for people who live in warmer states.

Since these dogs can easily learn to control themselves when they grow up, they can be trained to ignore or even guard chickens and ducks, just remember that all puppies can get rowdy and should not be trusted around small "prey" animals.

German Shepherds are a multi-purpose breed, not only can your dog guard you, your family, farm, and animals, but also, since they are both guard dogs and herding dogs, they can learn to herd your livestock as well as guard them.

German Shepherds are a good choice if you want a dog who not only guards the farm but also the family, they form strong bonds with their owners, enjoy and protect children they know, are easy to train as guards, have nice temperaments, and are intimidating to strangers, they can be considered the most universal guard dog.

Great Pyrenees

Great Pyrenees are the most popular livestock guard dog.

They were bred to defend farms against wolves, and bears, they will also protect your farm against coyote's, bobcats, stray dogs and human intruders.

Working lines of Great Pyrenees are easy to find as almost all Pyrenees are still born and raised on farms. These dogs are calm and focused when adults but need to be controlled as puppies, (someone we knew had their great Pyrenees kill several of their chickens when he was a puppy). These dogs aren't overly strong willed and once trained they can be very trustworthy.

Because Pyrenees have such strong guarding instincts, they tend to roam a lot, this can be an issue if the dog decides not to come home or roam all day instead of guarding his farm, properly bonding the dog to the herd will greatly reduce the amount of time he wants to spend away from the livestock and farm.

It is a good idea to keep your new puppy fenced or tied until he is bonded to the herd.

Great Pyrenees have thick fur that requires brushing. Their long fur also makes them not the best candidate for warm weather, but great guard dogs in cooler states!

Great Pyrenees, being traditional guard dogs, bark a lot at night which can be an issue if your neighbors don't particularly like barking dogs.

Great Pyrenees are not the best breed for a family protector as they are too independent, I'm sure there are exceptions but generally these dogs are happiest if they can spend their days with the flock. Remember, if you need one dog who can both herd and protect` your animals Pyrenees will not work as they are solely guard dogs.

Anatolian Shepherd

Anatolian shepherds look similar to Pyrenees as adults and are often crossed with Pyrenees to create a better guard dog, slightly smaller, a bit lighter framed than Pyrenees and having a larger range of coat colors Anatolians may be a better choice for someone who wants a dog with more interest, and also one that eats(slightly!) less. Harder to find than most guard dogs they will likely cost more to purchase. Similar in temperament and function to Pyrenees.

Rottweiler

The rottweiler is both a bold guardian and an intelligent companion, traditionally used as a rough cattle drover and guarder, this may not be the best breed for someone with chicks.

This dog thrills in challenges and is aloof with strangers making him an ideal guard.

Since Rottweilers are not raised as livestock guards anymore you will need to do some more training with him than you would with the other guard dogs, but no training's needed to get this dog to bark at strangers.

If you own, or want to own one of these guard dogs, a fenced property would be a good idea to help your dog in his guarding efforts. The idea behind fencing a guard dog in, is that dogs are much more likely to defend an enclosed area.

This breed is a good choice for someone who wants a dog who scares potential trespassers and predators by his presence but doesn't need the dog to bond to the animals. Such a situation might be someone who owns chickens or rabbits and just needs the property kept free of intruders.

Bernese Mountain Dog

This big, sweet dog is traditionally used as a farm guardian. Child loving, eager to please and easy to train this dog is ideal for a family needing a guard dog but mostly a gentle family pet.

These dogs do make good guards if not spoiled, they get along well with other animals and due to their huge size, deep bark, and general shyness of strangers they will make trespassers and predators think twice before crossing the fence.

Just keep in mind that if you get one of these dogs you will have a really hard time keeping it outside as a puppy to bond with the animals as they are so cute!

Australian Cattle Dog

Australian Cattle Dogs (often incorrectly called heelers) are well known for being fierce farm protectors and are said to be as aggressive as geese when their property or people are threatened.

If you have a problem with human or stray dog intruders, this dog may be a great choice. They will not be able to keep a determined large predator such as a coyote or bear from getting your livestock as they are too small.

These dogs are also used as cattle herders and happy farm companions.

Australian cattle dogs are a good choice if you are looking for a small house/farm protector that will not let you down.

Hopefully this blog helped you decide on the perfect guard dog for your needs! If you own any of these breeds and think the information in this blog could be more accurate don't hesitate to let us know!