What is the best guard dog that's good with smaller dogs and kids?

Although there are breeds known for their ability to be excellent guard dogs, no dog is born as an automatic guard dog. To get a true guard dog, it must be trained to do the job properly which includes the most important aspect -- listening to the direction given to them by their owners.

Generally speaking, most breeds will be protective of their territory and their (human) pack. There are many, many breeds that are good with smaller dogs and children. It is very hard to pinpoint one as the best. If you wait long enough, you will probably get a lot of people weighing in to tell you what they believe is the best dog to get. I believe this is truly a personal choice. It all really depends on what kind of personality & temperament you feel will fit in well in your home. There are a few web sites out there that will help you determine what breed will be the best fit based on your answering a number of questions. Here is one of them that should give you a good start on your search:
Animal Planet :: Guides :: Dog Breed Selector

I would suggest after taking the test and seeing what breeds are best suited for you and your family, that you do a search of those breeds of dogs that are available for adoption through Petfinder.com: Adopt a pet and help an animal shelter rescue a puppy or kitten.. Most of those dogs have been temperament tested and if you work with one of the shelters or rescue operations that you find online, you will have a higher degree of success finding a good match for your family, rather than buying a puppy from a backyard breeder or pet store. Those options cannot guarantee temperament or freedom from medical problems later as they age. As I am sure you are aware, millions of dogs are euthanized every year in the U.S. due to lack of homes. If they don't get adopted within a certain time frame, shelters must put them down to make space for the newer additions. So, in addition to knowing up front the temperament of a dog you choose, you will also have the satisfaction of knowing that you have saved a life.

Many of the smaller dogs will sound the alarm at any intrusion. As Rubypitbull pointed out, the correct training is important. That is a specialized area that I lack experience in. My daughter has shared much of my experience. She hasn't done too well with her little terrier mix. He raised a great fuss this afternoon when the garage men came. That is not what you want. I am afraid you may need to read some books. The ones at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251804 are good books, but I am not sure any of them cover guard dog training. If you found a good professional dog trainer, they would be good too.

Try a rescue dog. One of the best sources for dogs with a predictable personality is the rescue dogs. These are dogs that lost their home, but were taken into a foster home to be retrained as necessary and placed in the right home for them. You may find a rescue near you starting at American Kennel Club - Breed Rescue dog dogs puppy puppies The rescues charge a fee to help cover their expenses, but is much less than the price of a puppy plus all its medical expenses the first year.

The best guard dog is one you can train to your needs. No one breed is automatically the best. I have a female Rottweiler that is very good and yet some people are scared to death of her, because she is a Rottweiler. Check your area for trainers and do not be afraid to ask about techniques in teaching, follow-up training, etc. When you find a dog that suits your family and lifestyle, go from there. And the very best of luck to you. Every good dog deserves a good home.

Plus, you need to define what you mean by "guard dog". Do you just want a dog that is going to alert if strangers come up to the door? Or do you want a trained attack dog? Unless you are very specific in describing the behaviors that you are looking for, you will not get what you want. And having one set of traits when you are looking for a different set is likely to cause problems in the family.

I think the correct answer is, what exactly are you looking for a guard dog or a watch dog? Most any breed will make an excellent watch dog, even a nice Chocolate Lab with it's deep bark will disuade most intruders from entering upon your property.. As for a Guard dog you would need a Rotty, German Shepherd, Begian Malewaus (don't know how to spell that one) and have them trained in zund.. (don't know how to spell that one either)..

I would suggest after taking the test and seeing what breeds are best suited for you and your family, that you do a search of those breeds of dogs that are available for adoption through Petfinder.com: Adopt a pet and help an animal shelter rescue a puppy or kitten.. Most of those dogs have been temperament tested and if you work with one of the shelters or rescue operations that you find online, you will have a higher degree of success finding a good match for your family

Cattle dogs make decent guard dogs, and so do Rott's. Pit's, shepard's and Mastiffs. The only problem is that if they aren't trained right, they will not make a good guard dog. Also the animals at petfinder.com have been temperament tested, but they aim for animals with a gentle demeanor. If you actually want a GUARD dog instead of a WATCH dog, then your best bet would be to go through a trainer and see if they have any. As for getting along with small animals and kids, it depends on the dog and how well they have been socialized.