When people are searching for the ideal dog to become their own or their family’s perfect companion, there are certain qualities that they look for. The most common qualities that they search for, especially in medium to large sized dogs, are loyalty and protectiveness. These qualities are important for those who want their canines to also serve as efficient guard dogs, aside from being a loyal and loving pet for the whole family.
One of the most popular dogs is the Golden Retriever, ranked at No. 3 in the American Kennel Club’s Most Popular Dogs list. Known for its playful, loving, and often goofy nature, the question that begs to be asked about the breed is this: ARE GOLDEN RETRIEVERS LOYAL AND PROTECTIVE? Can they make good guard dogs?
Traits of Ideal Guard Dogs
Generally speaking, dogs should have specific traits to make them ideal guard dogs for you, your family, and your home.
They should be of a large enough size to frighten strangers and intruders. This makes medium- to large-sized dogs good choices for intimidating people with bad intent.
Guard dogs should be alert and move fast at any sign of danger. They are intelligent and watchful, capable of sensing, judging and assessing if there is real danger. In the face of danger, they should be staunchly loyal, always staying at the owner’s side and not be swayed by offers of treats or threatening gestures. They should also be fearless and brave, ready to attack to defend their owner and family.
Instinct and good obedience training also play huge roles in a dog’s becoming a family protector. They should possess instinctual protective behaviors. Such behaviors include growling and barking non-stop at any potential danger and jumping between the owner and the source of danger. With good obedience training, a good guard dog should heed their owner’s command to sit or stay if the danger is misjudged or attack if the danger is real.
The Pros of Golden Retrievers As Guard Dogs
This brings us to the Golden Retriever. What qualities do Goldens possess that can make them potentially good guard dogs?
Going in the breed’s favor is that they are medium-sized dogs. Goldens are about the same size as standard guard dogs like Rottweilers. Golden Retrievers are also fast because they possess the high energy that was bred into them as retriever dogs.
The loyalty and devotion of a Golden Retriever toward their owner and their families cannot be questioned. This is due to the strong bond that they forge with their beloved humans. This loyalty is instinctive so they will always have your back.
They are alert and can readily sense danger, just like other dog breeds. They alert their humans to potential danger by making insistent, growling noises, calling for their immediate attention. In addition, Goldens have the loudest barks, according to the Guinness World Records. One such Golden Retriever, named Charlie, registered a bark measuring 113.1 decibels.
Golden Retrievers are intelligent and thus can be taught to become good guard dogs. They also have high adaptive intelligence, meaning they can learn from past experiences and they can be able to distinguish between a stranger with good intentions and a harmful intruder.
The Cons of Golden Retrievers As Guard Dogs
Despite the many positive qualities that point to Goldens having the makings of being good guard dogs, there are certain drawbacks that you need to know.
Perhaps the most important is that Golden Retrievers are instinctively friendly and non-aggressive toward all humans. Rather than attack, they will try pulling you away from the source of danger or more likely get between you and a bad person. Many Goldens have died or have suffered serious injuries because of their instinct for defense, rather than offense.
Because they are compassionate dogs, they may choose to offer help even to a thief or home intruder. In some cases, they may even offer a robber their toy.
While Goldens do have very loud barks, they don’t bark frequently. In fact, they are often said to be very quiet dogs.
Is It Possible to Train Golden Retrievers to Become Guard Dogs?
Yes, they can be trained to become guard dogs, but not at the same level of aggressiveness as Rottweilers, German Shepherds, or Dobermans because it runs contrary to their natural friendliness.
To overcome their instinctive good nature, Golden Retrievers ideally should be trained early, preferably when still a puppy. One training method, known as the Day One Method, aims to help your puppy distinguish between “good” and “bad” people through whispered or visual cues (Ex. Threatening or harmful gestures). For older dogs, you have the Boundaries Method which teaches the dog to identify and protect the boundaries of the home. Similar to the Day One Method but also taught to older dogs, the Bark Method or Verbal Cue Method teaches your Golden to bark non-stop at potential dangers.
If you wish your Golden Retriever to function as a guard dog, it is possible to do so, but you will need the help of an expert trainer so that their “duties” will not run contrary to their natural compassionate and friendly nature.
