Quiet Protective Dog Breeds for Guard Dogs

Dogs are honestly quite amazing little beings. They have been our companions for centuries upon centuries. These loyal canines have been by humanity’s side as pets, as working animals, and even service animals. With how much they do for humanity, it’s only right that we treat them lovingly and kindly. If you are thinking about getting a dog for your home, then we congratulate you because you are about to welcome a loving new family member who will remain loyal for life. If it’s your first dog, chances are you want one of the quiet protective dog breeds – one that can protect your home without being too loud and barking far too much and too often.

Some people purchase a protective dog breed to use as a guard dog but give up on the pooch when they realize the dog barks too loud. Other people say that they run into trouble when their neighbors complain that their dogs bark far too loud. If you are worried about excessive barking but you want a dog to love and protect you, then you will certainly need one of the quiet protective dog breeds. Luckily, we are here to help you find one – we put this list together of dog breeds that are loyal and protective that also bark rather infrequently.

Are you ready to decide on what kind of breed is the next addition to your family? Here we go!

Quiet Protective Dog Breeds

Doberman Pinscher

quiet protective dog breeds

The first breed on our list of quiet protective dog breeds that you can use as guard dogs is the Doberman Pinscher, hailing from Germany. This dog is somewhat popular worldwide, and as a result we are sure you have likely heard of them before. Dobermans are larger sized dogs and are basically the big version of mini pinschers. Here’s some more information about these protective animals.

Size:

Males are about 26 to 28 inches tall, while female Doberman Pinschers are roughly 24 to 26 inches in height.

Weight:

Males of this breed are about 75 to 100 pounds, while females are about 60 to 90 pounds in weight.

Temperament:

Doberman Pinschers are known to be alert, fearless, and loyal. They are rather protective, but usually only bark when they feel it is necessary. This breed is also highly intelligent, and as a result can be trained rather easily. They are known for being popular guard dogs.

Life span:

These large dogs have a life expectancy of ten to twelve years, but some have been known to live longer. With proper love and care, you will have this dog by your side for at least a decade.

Appearance:

Dobermans are built compactly – they are fast and powerful but also lean and muscular. Their body is usually sleek. They can have a red, blue, black or fawn coat – alongside rust markings. This breed looks elegant on the offset, making it one of the canine kingdom’s “royal” breeds. A well trained Doberman will easily deter intruders and ill-willed persons.

Care:

When it comes to the care and nutrition of a Doberman Pinscher, it’s important that you feed it only excellent dog food through its entire life. The food must be age appropriate, meaning if you have a puppy you will need to give it breed-approved puppy food (or any food approved by the breeder, or by your veterinarian). Treats are helpful when it comes to training, but be careful not to give too much because you might end up with an obese dobe! Make sure that you provide clean and fresh water at all times as well.

Dobermans are great because they do not require frequent bathing and grooming – and you will only need to brush them maybe once daily with grooming mitts or a brush with short bristles. They do shed regularly, however, so be ready for that. Make sure you brush your dog’s teeth regularly and trim his nails monthly. The Doberman’s pointed ears require wiping every few days – just use a paper towel with some baby oil.

As for exercise…well – as you may have expected, Dobermans do require plenty of exercise. You will need to provide this in the form of walks, probably twice daily. It’s good to have plenty of space for a dog this size as well, so if you have a tiny apartment think twice about adopting a Doberman!

Training:

Make sure that you give your dog daily exercise and training. Making sure that they are mentally and physically stimulated allows them to be more well behaved! Couple that with some training and you’ll have a great dog companion for life.

If you don’t train these dogs from the offset (as in, from puppyhood), you will end up with dogs that can be unmanageable, destructive, and pushy.

Akita

Next on this list of quiet protective dog breeds is the Akita. This breed has been growing in popularity in the recent decades, especially with the exposure it gets over the internet. Akitas hail from Japan and are fluffy and adorable, but they are well known as being protectors of the family.

Size:

Akitas are pretty large dogs, similar to Dobermans in size. Males reach heights of 26 to 28 inches while females can reach 24 to 26 inches.

Weight:

In terms of weight, the Akita’s double coat certainly can pile a few extra pounds on! Male akitas can be anywhere around one hundred to one hundred thirty pounds, while females are usually anywhere from seventy to one hundred pounds.

Temperament:

Akitas are dignified canines, known for their almost royal stature. These dogs are incredibly loyal – in fact, if you have heard of the movie Hachiko then you already know of Akitas (Hachiko, the incredibly loyal dog featured in the movie, was an Akita). These dogs are also rather courageous, which is why many choose this breed as a protector for their family.

These dogs are known to be fastidious but also quiet, making them an excellent choice for quiet protective dog breeds. Remember, however, that Akitas must be socialized well from birth – this is critical to having a well adjusted dog. This breed is often wary of other animals and strangers, which is why you have to make sure to socialize them if you want to be able to get guests at your home. The same follows if you want to be able to take your dog with you to places.

Life Span:

Akitas have a long average lifespan of ten to thirteen years. With the proper love and care, you can have an Akita for a decade, even more. Some dogs can reach up to fifteen years, while some rare cases can exceed this number.

Appearance:

Akitas are fluffy, a trait given them by their double coat. These dogs are somewhat burlier due to the heavy-set nature of their bones. Their coat can come in several different colors – even white. Their heads are broad with pointy ears, and their tails are curled over in the rear.

Care:

Akitas usually require dog food that is high in quality. It can be either commercially-sold dog food, or homemade food! However, if you want to offer your pet homemade kibble, you should take note that you must get veterinarian’s guidance to do so. Their diets should always be designed around their current life stage – be it puppy, adult, or elder. As Akitas age into year 7 and above, some vets will suggest to give them a lighter diet to help fight against possible kidney disease onset.

Note that being heavyset, Akitas are prone to becoming overweight. It is for this reason that you must make sure to watch their calorie intake – after all, you don’t want your pup to become obese.

In terms of grooming, you will need to give Akitas daily brushing, with occasional professional grooming. Due to their double coat, you should never fully shave Akitas if possible, to prevent their coat from growing wrong. Akitas don’t shed often, but once or twice a year their undercoat will shed incredibly profusely. When this begins to happen you will have to brush them more frequently to help the dead coat completely come out. Remember to trim nails once monthly, and brush teeth regularly.

Akitas are moderately active, requiring a daily walk. However, Akitas are fantastic even in smaller homes (as long as they get their daily walk). Akitas also love playtime, so be sure to spend some time playing with your pooch!

Training:

Akitas require socialization and training from puppyhood. This is important, because they have a natural instinct to be guardians. These dogs should also never be off leash, because they can be aggressive against other dogs. Interactions with other dogs must always be supervised.

Bullmastiff

quiet protective dog breeds

Third on this list of quiet protective dog breeds is the bullmastiff. This is another large dog that is well known worldwide and is popular for being a very protective dog. The bullmastiff is a rather popular dog so we wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve heard of this breed before. Fortunately, despite its size, this dog doesn’t bark that often, only barking when they deem it necessary.

Size:

Bullmastiffs are large dogs, with males getting from 25 to 27 inches in height and females ranging from 24 to 26 inches.

Weight:

These dogs are rather heavyset and burly, weighing up to one hundred and thirty pounds for males, and up to one hundred and twenty pounds for females.

Temperament:

These brave pooches are also very well known to be affectionate. If you want a dog that appreciates hugs and cuddles, this large breed is certainly a good one! Know that these protective bullmastiffs are also incredibly loyal, too.

Life Span:

Due to the nature of their breed, the life expectancy for bullmastiffs is somewhat shorter, at seven to nine years.

Appearance:

Bullmastiffs are basically a cross between mastiffs and bulldogs, leading to their large size and bulldog-like snout. This breed comes in fawn, red, or brindle coat.

Care:

When feeding bullmastiffs, you want to make sure you offer lifestage-appropriate food. This will allow your dog to grow at a steady and slow rate instead of them having a huge growth spurt which can be bad for them later on in life. Bullmastiffs are at a risk for bloat, so after you feed your pets it is good to allow them exercise immediately. These heavyset dogs have a risk of obesity so make sure you control feeding. Keeping them lean ensures they live healthy and long lives.

Grooming this breed is not that necessary – they only need the occasional bath (once a week or once every two weeks is enough, but bathe as needed if you must) and brushing. Make sure that you do monitor their coat and skin however because sometimes they can have issues with dryness and oiliness. Both can be caused by their diet or allergies.

Bullmastiffs need daily exercise, but because of their brachycephalic nature some choose to be more sedentary. You do have to make sure that if you keep your pet out in your yard you have a secure fence to make sure it can’t get out and no one can get in. Bullmastiffs can be aggressive toward strangers – part of their guard dog nature!

Note that bullmastiff puppies should not be over exercised, especially if they are currently in the midst of a growth spurt.

Training:

Like the other dogs on this list, it is critical to get early socialization and training for this pooch so that you can avoid any behavioral problems in the future.

Conclusion

There are many other quiet protective dog breeds out there that we haven’t mentioned, but we don’t want to make this article far too long. Perhaps we will make a part two of the next set of quiet protective dog breeds – just in case this list didn’t provide you enough options! We hope that you found this post helpful in your quest to find the right family dog for you. Finally, remember to take good care of your pup and give them high quality food and daily exercise – that way, they’ll be with you for many, many years to come!

Leave a Reply