You may be surprised at how friendly some of our guard dog breeds are because they have a dangerous reputation. Others look cuddly but can be badass when it counts.
Let our top protector dogs surprise you.
9 family-friendly guard dogs at a glance
First of all – there are dogs that can be considered family-friendly due to their tolerance threshold or their attachment.
But actually every dog can learn to tolerate children – it depends on the upbringing!
Conversely, the same applies: Any dog described as “child-friendly” can burst its collar if its needs are not taken into account.
That’s why the same applies to family-friendly watchdogs: create a safe retreat for them where they can relax undisturbed from the family hustle and bustle, and ideally never leave children and dogs alone.
Then you can take almost any dog into the family – maybe one of the following guard dogs?
Newfoundland
The Newfoundland impresses above all with its enormous size (up to 71 cm).
He comes from the Canadian island of Newfoundland, where he was a working dog for fishermen.
His love for the wet element has remained – the Newfoundland has even developed webbed toes from being in the water so much.
But he is not only in a good mood when he is in the water, he is also enthusiastic, good-natured and loving when he is out and about with his family.
He is considered to be one of the gentlest dog breeds and doesn’t let himself be disturbed by wild children’s romp. Not only does he love children, but he also gets along great with other family pets – including cats.
When threatened, the jovial Newfoundland can react at lightning speed. If his family is threatened, he will protect them. This makes it one of the best, family-friendly guard dog breeds out there.
Bullmastiff
The Bullmastiff is already impressive because of its strong, muscular build and angular head. His confident demeanor is no coincidence – the Bullmastiff knows what he’s capable of.
That’s why he doesn’t need to bark wildly. If he senses danger, he frowns and fixes the threat with his eyes – in the sense of «if looks could kill».
His great self-confidence makes him one of the best guard dogs. However, it also requires consistent training. The Bullmastiff is not for beginners.
If you have previous dog experience and are a strong pack leader, your Bullmastiff will be happy to be submissive.
Underneath the tough shell lies a highly humane and friendly core. His composure also makes him a child-friendly protector dog.
Bernese Mountain Dog
The faithful gaze of a Bernese Mountain Dog melts everyone’s heart.
The fluffy giants have a friendly nature and a very high stimulus threshold – they can hardly be disturbed by children’s screams. This makes them one of the most family-friendly dog breeds out there.
The former farm dog from Switzerland does not tend to bark excessively, although it was used on farms as a draft and guard dog.
Is the Bernese Mountain Dog also a protector dog?
Aggressive behavior is rather foreign to him. This may not sound like the typical watchdog at first, but it has great advantages. He observes strangers peacefully from a distance – it’s much more pleasant for visitors than being pierced by piercing dog eyes.
In most cases, his bulky demeanor is enough to garner respect. With a weight of up to 70 kg, it is one of the largest dog breeds in the world. Its stocky body is covered with long, three-colored fur – you can recognize it from afar by its classic coat pattern.
If this imposing appearance should not be enough, the Bernese Mountain Dog also proves to be a courageous and loyal protector of its family.
Giant Schnauzer
The bearded gentlemen with bushy eyebrows come from Germany and accompanied traveling traders as carriage dogs in the Middle Ages. One of their tasks was to guard the carriages.
Due to this task, he is distant to suspicious of strangers and stands up to them self-confidently. Especially when its owner or his family is threatened.
This shows that he is a very loyal dog. His intelligence earns him jobs as a police and rescue dog these days.
He is very affectionate towards his own family and likes to cuddle. This also pleases the kids, towards whom he behaves in a friendly manner.
However, you should be careful with smaller children. The giant schnauzer doesn’t mean it badly, but is too impetuous and strong for the lightweight two-legged friends.
doberman
The elegant Doberman is one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the world, he loves to learn and work.
He was bred as a guard dog – earlier they were particularly aggressive and sharp Dogs selected for breeding. That’s probably where its rather bad reputation comes from.
Nowadays, however, attention is paid to somewhat moderate characters. Despite this, the Doberman is the first to boldly defend his family.
As suspicious as he is of strangers, he is as affectionate and cuddly towards his own family. He likes to be everywhere!
Its stimulation threshold is rather low, which is why it is not for families with very small children. With older children, good upbringing is imperative to create a harmonious family atmosphere.
But that should happen with a Doberman anyway – lovingly consistent upbringing ensures you a loyal and smart protector and friend for life.
Good to know:
It used to be considered chic to dock the tail to make the Doberman look even more dangerous. This intervention, which is relevant to animal welfare, is prohibited in Germany, and the FCI is now also threatening to exclude breeding dogs from docking.
Broholmer
The Broholmer is a Danish mastiff breed that almost became extinct due to competition from the popular Great Dane. Lovers took care of him and ensured the continued existence of the royal hunting and guard dogs.
The Broholmer combines alertness and tolerance, making it the perfect family-friendly watchdog.
He shows long-suffering towards children and allows almost everything to be done with him. Well behaved, he is an easygoing dog and a relaxed family member.
But when his family is threatened, he boldly intervenes by shielding the threat with his body. It’s not a bad tactic, after all, Bornholmers get really big – males can reach up to 75 cm and weigh 70 kg.
Since the Broholmer is anything but aggressive, he will not continue to attack the attacker. A pleasant trait for a family-friendly protector dog.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
It probably doesn’t surprise you to see the burly Staffordshire Bull Terrier on a list of the best guard dog breeds – but is this German-listed four-legged friend supposed to be family-friendly?
Oh yeah! It’s not for nothing that he’s called the «Nanny Dog» in his native England. In experienced hands, the Bull Terrier becomes an absolutely reliable and friendly companion who is very gentle with children.
As is so often the case, it is not the race that is the problem, but the upbringing. If you meet a dog of this breed aggressively, his friendliness will immediately change and he will fight back.
His dominant nature, coupled with a low stimulus threshold, can definitely make him a fighting dog. This is due to insecurity and inconsistency in upbringing – or even deliberate training.
Experienced dog owners can educate the actually very sensitive Staffordshire Bull Terrier with a lot of love, consistency and self-confidence to become wonderful family members – babysitter dogs, so to speak.
Leonberger
With a size of up to 80 cm, the «Leonberger Löwe» is the largest guard dog in our list. The long fur, the muscular build and the proud gait make the Leonberger look majestic.
Leonbergers are extremely playful and love to run around with their family. They also like to be surrounded by children. Thanks to its coolness and sensitivity to noise, it doesn’t bother children squealing or fidgeting.
The serenity also proves its worth when dealing with new things and strangers. If the self-confident dog recognizes a danger, he protects his family without ifs and buts, but without aggressiveness.
With all the good qualities, it is not surprising that this guard dog breed was a sought-after dog at court – even Empress Sissi is said to have owned a Leonberger.
rottweiler
As butcher dogs, the Rottweiler looked after the cattle in the butcher’s shop in the Middle Ages and protected their belongings. The Rottweiler wore the money he had collected on a leather strap around his neck – no thief could get at it.
Because the Rottweiler has a pronounced protective instinct and fearlessly defends both itself and its human pack against attackers.
The Rottweiler needs a good upbringing to know when to back off. Luckily, he enjoys working with confident people and is obedient and affectionate.
That and his strong nerves, fitness and physical strength also make the Rottweiler a popular police dog.
He is open-minded and gentle with children – but be careful, a young Rottweiler cannot yet assess his strength and reacts a bit cocky when he is happy.