Dogs have been working with humans in performing multiple roles. They help hunters retrieve prey, farmers herd their livestock, and protect them from predators. Larger breeds help pull carts and sleds. Right now, many dog breeds still work as military and police dogs, therapy and companion dogs.
Guarding our homes, farms, and things is something many terriers do instinctively. Whether you want a guard dog to be with your family all day, or to be a companion for you and a home security system for your home when you are away.
Some qualities of good guard dog breeds are that they should be well-behaved and alert, as well as reliable. If your dog is prone to barking, it’ll be a case of crying wolf, and you won’t be alert when the dog is alerting you to a real threat.
Terriers fit this requirement as they are energetic and well-behaved with strong protective instincts.
Best Terrier Guard Dog Breeds
1. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
The “staffy” is a medium-sized, muscular dog with a strong body. They reach up to 16 inches at the shoulder and weigh up to 40 pounds. They have broad heads, unique folded, short ears, and a short, smooth coat. Their usual colors are brindle, red, fawn, black, blue, or a mix of these colors.
The breed is known for being loving and loyal pets. They are affectionate and protective dogs that can be very good guard dogs with the proper training and socialization. They bond strongly with their family members and flourish on companionship and attention.
When trained to recognize threats and friends, they can prove to be excellent guard dogs. They need to be trained as early as 6 months to be properly trained. What is good is that they will get along with other dogs and pets.
2. American Staffordshire Terrier
This larger, medium-sized dog can be as tall as 19 inches and weigh up to 70 pounds. Also called the Am Staff for short, as well as the pitbull terrier, they have thick-set, powerful bodies with a lot of muscle. They have broad heads, strong jaws, short, erect ears, usually dark eyes, wide mouths, and a short, thick, stiff fur coat.
These powerful dogs have a strong protective nature and make excellent guard dogs.
These are intelligent, hard-working, and stoic dogs. They are easily trainable and have a natural instinct to be suspicious of strangers. This can be trained into appropriate guarding behaviors like barking or alerting their owners in some other way. These dogs are naturally protective of family members, according to WebMD, and are very good-natured pets to have.
With their short, stiff coats, they need minimal grooming, with a weekly brushing enough to maintain their coats. Exercise sessions should be short, as they tend to get overheated in summer. They enjoy walks, playing fetch, as well as agility courses.
3. Miniature Bull Terrier
These are quirky-looking dogs with an oval or egg-shaped head, stocky bodies, short tails, and short, coarse fur. These grow to be up to 14 inches tall and can be red, white, fawn, brindle, as well as black and white or pure black.
These toy dogs have an affectionate temperament and are great protection dogs as they are highly intelligent and trainable. Those not used as guard dogs need to be trained NOT to adopt guarding behavior towards strangers.
They make the best family guard dogs due to their extra loyal and naturally wary temperament. They thrive when around people most of the time and make for great pets for older children. They need a lot of exercise as well as mental stimulation to avoid boredom.
Several walks a day, as well as multiple games, are needed to keep them happy. Grooming is fairly simple as their coats require minimal maintenance.
4. Bull Terrier
This is a medium dog with the standard ball-shaped head, short, smooth coat, and small, pointed eyes and ears. Originally bred for dog fighting, these are now goofy and entertaining pets to have. They are entertaining and energetic pets that make good guard dogs as well.
Like most terriers, these dogs are great family pets and are usually well-behaved around kids and can be socialized to be around other pets. They need at least two hours of exercise daily and enjoy multiple games like fetch and agility games.
Grooming needs are minimal as their short coats just need regular brushing to reduce shedding. Their guarding instincts are so strong that they are often unable to go to dog parks. Early training and socialization can help control this behavior, according to Orvis.
5. Jack Russell Terrier
These small dogs were originally bred to hunt foxes. They grow up to 12 inches in height and can weigh up to 17 pounds. They have short legs, V-shaped ears, and a white coat with black, tan, or brown patches. The coats can be smooth, broken, or rough and have short fur.
These are one of the most energetic breeds and have a lively personality. This gives them an edge as guard dogs, and they are alert and extremely protective of their families and children. Naturally alert and vigilant, these little live wires are quick to notice changes in their surroundings and react immediately.
They are prone to barking, as they react to any perceived threat by barking. This can be overcome by proper socialization and training.
These intelligent dogs need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to avoid boredom. They have minimal grooming needs and need regular brushing to control shedding.
6. Welsh Terrier
This medium-sized breed can grow up to 15 inches and weigh around 22 pounds. They have a dense, wiry, rough coat. They have long faces, small ears, and dark eyes. These are independent, friendly, and brave dogs.
With strong personalities, these terriers are not overly affectionate and are usually independent, but they are incredibly loyal and are fun and lively playmates.
Intelligent and independent make for a troubling mix in most dogs, but the breed does well in family life, but would be better in a family with older children.
Their extremely protective natures can lead to resource guarding as well as herding behavior towards smaller kids. They need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation, and early socialization to properly train them as guard dogs.
Grooming needs are minimal, and weekly maintenance brushing should be enough to manage their wiry coats.
7. Airedale Terrier
This medium-sized dog is also called the “king of terriers” by the AKC. They have the classic terrier head, V-shaped small ears, erect tail, long muscular legs, and dark eyes. These dogs grow up to 24 inches and have a hard, wiry, dense coat which is usually tan or brown with black or darker grizzle.
These are one of the most fiercely loyal dog breeds, and can be affectionate, but are not really cuddly dogs. They are good around children and other animals, and tend to be aloof around strangers. These can be demanding pets, but good guard dogs.
They need at least an hour of exercise, as well as plenty of mental stimulation, as well as chew toys to keep them occupied and happy. Grooming needs are minimal as their coats need regular brushing to remove dead hair.
Conclusion
These terrier breeds are all extremely intelligent and make for good guard dogs with their natural instincts to protect their loved ones and homes. With proper training and early socialization, this can be fine-tuned to meet your requirements.
Consistency in training and commands, as well as positive reinforcement, helps to train these dogs to be great guard dogs.
