Top 5 Best Guard Dogs For First Time Owners

The Akita breed was developed in Japan, and they represent happiness, health, and long life. The Akita Inu often has orange and white coats, while the American Akita is well-known for its black and white. They are strong and heavyweight dogs with impressive sizes. Akitas are soft but fastidious, so you can see they freely show their silly and affection with family and friends. However, Akitas often become more hostile and intolerant of strangers and other animals. Therefore, they must be well socialized with people and other dogs from an early age. These independent and brave dogs are always willing to protect those they love.

Height: 24-28 inches

Weight: 70 - 130 pounds

Life expectancy: 10 -14 years

In ancient times, the Anatolian Shepherd was an iconic flock guardian. Their protective, intelligent, patient, and extremely loyal, along with their muscular body, make them perfect and unmatchable guard dogs. Anatolian owners, especially first-time dog owners, must prepare themselves as strong and influential leaders in order to handle such dominating and high-demanding dogs. They are also famous for their intelligence, devotion, and adaptability; hence, many owners are so touched by their protectiveness over the family members, children, and even the other felines at home.

Height: 27-29 inches

Weight: 80 - 150 pounds

Life expectancy: 11 -13 years

The Appenzeller Sennenhund is a little smaller compared to the other two dogs. They are medium-sized and almost built balanced. According to the AKC, the Appenzeller Mountain Dog or Appenzell Cattle Dog are their other famous names. Thanks to their intelligence, this breed is fond of learning and has a high ability to learn new things. However, because of their curiosity and exercise needs, dog owners must spend a lot of time training and playing with them. And apartments or tiny houses are probably not a well-suited living environment for this breed.

Height: 19-22 inches

Weight: 48 - 70 pounds

Life expectancy: 12 -15 years

This beautiful breed has its own interesting story - “a European breed perfected in California by way of Australia.” The Australian Shepherd stands out for its unique coat. They come in various coat styles and are often adorned with some speckled pattern of contrasting colors such as red or blue. This breed is hyperactive and maybe too much for a sedentary pet owner. They are even too smart and sometimes can trick their owners in very unexpected ways. Australian Shepherd is one of the best guard dogs for first-time dog owners who want to challenge themselves and tame these brilliant and protective dogs.

Height: 18-23 inches

Weight: 40 - 65 pounds

Life expectancy: 12 -15 years

Boxers are often known as a whole doggy package thanks to their combination of loyalty, affection, protection, and intelligence. They have been on the top list of America’s most popular dog breeds for a long time. Their faces often have a curious look because of their dark brown eyes and wrinkled forehead. They are super athletic like the athletes they are named for: powerful and playful. Several good feedback from other dog owners about how friendly, patient, and protective they are with family, especially with children. They love their job as a family guardian and will do their best if they “smell” threats. Letting them socialize in early puppyhood is also an excellent way to help train them better later.

Height: 21.5-25 inches

Weight: 65 - 80 pounds

Life expectancy: 10 -12 years