Want a Guard Dog? A First Time Owner’s Guide

Getting yourself a pet can largely be an act of love. However, your pet can also serve an essential purpose and become completely indispensable to your safety and convenience. This is especially true when it comes to guard dogs.

While they are adorable and beautiful animals dedicated to their masters, they are generally the kind that can be relied upon to tear apart intruders and protect you. However, getting a guard dog also comes with a number of responsibilities and considerations, and it will be wise to factor them all in before making a decision.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of those links, you won’t pay any extra penny, but I’ll get a small commission that encourages me to deliver more helpful content for you.  

Here is everything you need to think about before you get a guard dog.

What kind of guard dog are you looking for?

Guard dogs are all primarily trained for the purpose of providing an extra layer of protection. However, guard dogs can be specialized in the acts of attacking, detection, or protection. Different guard dogs are suited to different kinds of specialized training.

For example, you would want a more tame guard dog to be in charge of protecting your family home, and ferocity would be a priority for attack-type guard dogs in high-security areas. Detection dogs, again, would mandatorily have to have a keen sense of smell and situational awareness.

Where do you plan on keeping them?

The kind of guard dog you get will also be dependent on where they will be kept. If you are thinking of a guard dog that can look after the security of your family, for example, you will need a breed that is not aggressive towards its caregivers at all.

In a workplace, however, a comparatively less human-friendly guard dog would be ideal. So, where you plan to keep your guard dog is an important determining factor for the dog you eventually get and the purpose you need it to serve.

Remember, guard dogs require less attention. For instance, you need not take your dog for a stroll on the beach often. However, there’s a lot guard dog owners need to consider regarding training their pets appropriately.

What is the degree of training that they have?

Guard dog training should be comprehensive and holistic. You will either have to take in your dog as a puppy and train it adequately from a young age or find a fully trained dog. Again, guard dog training should be professionally provided because it is not the same as merely toilet-training your little puppy.

So, you also need to find out whether you are capable enough to provide the necessary training yourself, or you will have to hire a trainer for your puppy that will eventually grow into a guard dog. At the end of the day, however, you have to keep in mind that even a perfectly trained guard dog will need behavior reinforcement from time to time.

Will they be a hazard to your loved ones?

Of course, if the guard dog is trained in a manner that makes it entirely ill-disposed and aggressive toward all human beings, you might be putting your coworkers, friends, or family at risk.

This becomes even more important if you are getting a guard dog for your family home. In that case, make sure that the guard dog you get gets along well with its caregivers.

What is your budget?

Of course, finance and price play an important role in determining the kind of guard dog you can get. It would be helpful if you mapped out your budget in your head.

Don’t forget to factor in long-term costs, like your dog’s training requirements and sustenance, so that you know the degree of the financial obligation that comes along with getting a guard dog, and whether you are in a position to cover it.

Have you planned for guard dog insurance yet?

While your guard dog can add an extra layer of insulation against danger or intruders, your dog’s characteristic aggression can also become a liability for you. Sometimes, uncontrollable guard dogs end up causing serious accidents or mishaps, that might lead to the loss of property~ or maybe even worse.

Getting a guard dog also means coming to terms with shouldering the responsibility of sheltering a potentially dangerous creature, and getting guard dog insurance as a backup should be your number one priority. Guard dog insurance will cover the financial burden of any mishap involving your dog if something of that nature comes to pass.

Besides, there are other security measures that need to be implemented to keep your ferocious protector in check. Click here for more info on dog insurance.

Conclusion

Keeping a guard dog can give you a sense of relief, especially if you have children at home. You can leave them with your pets for hours without worrying about their safety. While guard dogs can be a little ferocious, they can be the best choice if you are looking for a loving, yet protective friend at home.

Read Next: 22 Reasons Old Dogs Start Panting at Night