By Amy Fry

Which guard dog is the leader of the pack?

Dogs are not only loving companions, but they’re also loyal defenders of their owners and their homes. From the smallest to the largest, dogs are naturally inclined to care for their ‘pack’. Not all hounds are suited to being actually guard dogs though – a Chihuahua isn’t going to do much against a robber no matter how much it snarls. The infographic below ranks ten of the best breeds for guarding your home and family.

If you’re after some intimidating breeds, then take a look at the Caucasian Shepherd and Rottweiler breeds. The former might be one you’ve not seen before, originally being bred in Caucasus regions to ward off bears and wolves from livestock. Their massive size should do the job if a burglar comes calling. The latter are well known to us and while they’re nice and friendly when around people in general, this changes quickly when intruders are involved.

If you’re after a ferocious, but deceptively cute looking pup, then there’s a couple of breeds here for you too. The Komondor, which looks my like a broom made out of dreadlocks, is quite the guard dog. Why does it have fur like that? So that it isn’t harmed by wolf bites. The Akita Inu, a great Japanese breed, looks more like a cuddly toy, but even the toughest intruder will think twice when seeing it angry.

There’s also some very intelligent breeds too, in particularly the German Shepherd. Not only will they learn trick and your commands easily, they are also trained to be used by the military and police. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a smarter dog than this one. The Doberman Pinscher has also got shedloads of intelligence while being pretty scary to boot.

So, take a look through the top ten and see if there’s a guard dog for you.

For more information on security you can also visit:  http://www.protection1.com/