Our German Shepherd only barks at strangers that actually come up to the door. He's 100 lbs. worth of goofiness otherwise, and is great with ALL kids, not just mine. Shedding is an issue, but we stay on top of it with weekly brushing, a Dyson and a Roomba that runs daily and has been the best money I ever spent.

Anonymous wrote:Regular Golden is great for barking if someone is approaching the house too. Sheds like the MF though.

I guess I have a wrong golden. He never barks

get the one from Cujo

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a hound. They’re great with kids, the shelters are full of them, and they’re loud as f&@k.

This. My hound barks SO loudly “protecting” the house but is the biggest docile baby otherwise. The best dogs with kids ever too.

We have a beagle that doesn't bark when strange people enter our house. Unless she sniffs or licks them to death we wouldn't know if anyone enters.

That is so strange! Every beagle I know including my own is LOUD and obnoxious when someone comes to the door. I’m kind of jealous yours is quiet.

chiming in to say we have two hounds (one has beagle in her) that never bark and would also lick or sniff a stranger to death. they are useless guard dogs but fabulous family dogs. the only thing that ever gets one of them going are the neighborhood cats.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our standard poodle definitely sounds the alarm when strangers approach, and she's big enough to give them pause. She's the most docile, tolerant animal with our toddler. We got her as a puppy right before the baby was born so they are basically growing up together. Bonus is that she doesn't shed either.

Us too! Highly recommend!

Third from me!

Another vote for a boxer, but get a female since they are protective towards children.

As a dog walker, the barkers have been (in order of most ferocious soundin) German Shepherd, standard poodle, golden doodle, Doberman, and a labradoodle(crazy as f&$k and would probably eat a person). All of them bark at any person at the door. The one I walk that only barks at strangers that come to the door is a Great Dane...super sweet and friendly but will protect her home and her people.

Our neighbors have a mutt dog that has growled at me and snapped at my son. He didn’t do them any good when burglars got into their house and completely ransacked it. The burglars just put the dog in a bedroom and closed the door.

12:52 again - we also used to have a chow mix. She was not a cuddly type who loved people. She was a bit standoffish but she sure barked at anything that went by. Before she passed, we'd hear her start to bark at someone walking by and then the pit mix would decide it was important and she'd better help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any dog that lives with your family will be a good watch dog.

This. You want a dog that barks an alert, not a "guard dog" that bites. The latter is a huge liability.

Any dog can alert. A decent sized dog, like a lab or hound, will be sufficient to scare off burglers even if it doesn't bark.

- owner of a barky 50 lb mutt

Agree. Having a dog of any kind is a deterrent. I don't think you have to have what one considers a typical "guard" dog. Burglars don't want to deal with dogs at all so that's a help. However, if you want to consider a breed, we have an adorable pit mix whose deterrent value is more her breed than her barking. People do get scared of pits because of the breed alone. But because of that having a pit is problematic if you're trying to rent a house or live in a place where they're outlawed. Plus your kids' friends' parents probably won't want their kid to come over and play.

Anyway, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about getting a "guard" dog. I'd just get a dog.

My yorkie barks at the sound of a squeaky floorboard. Drives me nuts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a hound. They’re great with kids, the shelters are full of them, and they’re loud as f&@k.

This. My hound barks SO loudly “protecting” the house but is the biggest docile baby otherwise. The best dogs with kids ever too.

We have a beagle that doesn't bark when strange people enter our house. Unless she sniffs or licks them to death we wouldn't know if anyone enters.

That is so strange! Every beagle I know including my own is LOUD and obnoxious when someone comes to the door. I’m kind of jealous yours is quiet.

PP is very lucky! My beagle is a crazy, unrepentant barker. Mine barks if the wind blows the wrong way.

My Samoyed does not bark at the window or when anyone knocks or even when he’s in the yard. He is very loving of all people and other dogs.

I wasn’t in for a “guard” dog. We don’t live in a high crime area and if I had a dog that barked anytime somebody went by the window/walked by the house, I’d lose my mind.

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you American, or new to the country? Do you come from a culture that values dogs?

I ask before I'm familiar with cultures that don't value dogs. If you're looking for a guard dog that you're going to stick in a kennel all day long and then release onto your property to guard it at night, that's not a fair life for a dog. I urge you to reconsider getting a dog.

If you're getting a dog, make sure you treat it fairly. Make sure it has companions, and company - be it your family, or at least another dog. It's very cruel to isolate a dog and treat it like a machine, not a living, sensitive, feeling creature.

Lol yes I am from this country and no one loves dogs more than me so no worries that I would be unkind. As I said earlier in the thread - I think I mispoke and am looking for more of a watch dog rather than some fierce guard dog. I grew up with goldens so didn’t know what other breeds would fit the bill. I love the idea of a hound though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a hound. They’re great with kids, the shelters are full of them, and they’re loud as f&@k.

This. My hound barks SO loudly “protecting” the house but is the biggest docile baby otherwise. The best dogs with kids ever too.

We have a beagle that doesn't bark when strange people enter our house. Unless she sniffs or licks them to death we wouldn't know if anyone enters.

That is so strange! Every beagle I know including my own is LOUD and obnoxious when someone comes to the door. I’m kind of jealous yours is quiet.