Frequently Asked Questions

1 – What is a Guard Dog and Protector of his family?

It is a very balanced and affectionate dog with his family members that would have no hesitation in protecting his family against anyone who might want to intrude into his territory.

2 – When is he indispensable?

A Guard Dog for the protection of his family and property is absolutely indispensable for those who have a detached property with a large garden, while it would be absolutely not recommended for those who live in an apartment or in a semi/terraced house in a built up area.

3 – What is the difference between a Natural Guardian Dog or a Personal Protection Dog?

In short a natural guardian dog, is a dog with an innate instinct that protects his territory and family (pack) independently without the need for command.
A Personal Protection dog, is a dog that prefers command, and therefore easily trained to do a job be it protecting a human.

4 – Which are the best breeds to employ for the protection of family and property?

Without doubt all the breeds that have been used for thousands of years for the protection of life stock. Their breeding has been aimed at certain characteristics needed for the absolute trustworthiness towards its livestock. Its elevated natural instinct to protect its livestock (for example the sheep and lambs that it lives with). Its rusticity, its independence giving it the capability to make its own decision, to be well balanced, to be courageous and strong, and to have an innate distrust of those that don’t belong to the family (pack members)
These are all the absolute necessities needed for a guard dog for the protection of its family and property.

5 – Why does a dog guard and protect its family?

It is a natural instinct of territoriality and the need to belong to a pack, characteristics that it inherits from its ancestor the Wolf. They share the need to reproduce in order for the species to survive.

6 – Can any dog that barks at a stranger be considered a Guard Dog for the protection of its family and property?

It doesn’t necessarily mean that the barking of a dog will deter somebody wanting to come into your property, regardless if it is a friend or an intruder at the gate. Some dogs just bark with excitement at anything and anyone that arrives only then to allow himself to be stroked and befriended.

7 – Is it better to have a dog that just barks, or one that if necessary will deter an intruder wanting to come in?

I guess it depends on the kind of dog that you need for the protection of your family and property. A dog that limits itself to just growling and barking, without any courage to deter if necessary are good as a deterrent, normally females of livestock guardians are best suited for this task as in their natural habitat they would be the ones to alarm against predators
A dog that would bark and fiercely deter an intruder should he want to enter, would enable his family to organize themselves in order to defend and call for help if the need should arise.
Of course such a dog would need proper management, a proper and safe enclosure in order to keep anyone that may enter the property without any malice safe.
The responsibilities are far greater.

8 – Such a dog that is aggressive against any strangers wanting to enter its territory, could it in fact also become aggressive and dangerous towards his family members?

It has been agreed by many experts that there is no relationship between aggression towards strangers where a dog might feel threatened by an intruder and his attachment that he feels for his pack family that he would defend. Often that is why he shows so much irritation and distrust to those who are not part of the family (pack). It is a perfect example of how a livestock guardian guards his sheep and lambs with so much ferocity to keep away the predator that may kill the fragile or weak, while showing much patience and love towards his flock. We mustn’t forget also that these fragile animals could be a source of nutrition for these dogs, even though at times of minimal food they will stay alongside the flock protecting them. Some experts confirm that for most social pack animals (like its ancestor the Wolf) to have a strong bond towards the pack both the stronger and weaker members represents one of the principal objectives for their existence. So it seems an absurd and false belief that a dog able to show so much aggression towards an intruder could be described as a more dangerous dog than that dog that is accepting of anyone and everything. In my opinion millennia of livestock guardians have always been bred for their trustworthiness towards their fragile flock, therefore it is actually often the case that they are more trustworthy towards their family. In most cases of aggression towards family members it is often the humble dog, the family dog that shows no aggression towards anything and anyone. It is often a humanized dog.

9 – What is the most important job for a guard dog to do to protect his family and property?

To deter anyone wishing to intrude into his territory using all his dynamic speed, growling and barking aggressively, in the hope that they won’t intrude.

10 – What is the principal instinct that it should have?

It’s natural distrust of anyone wanting to approach his territory, an attitude that should be innate territoriality. It is of no use to have a big strong dog that only shows aggression when provoked. A good natural guard dog should be very protective of his territory and would do anything to deter anyone from intruding.

If all requirements are met and you would like one of our dogs please call Nino on 07956 589059 Or email ninoloraso@yahoo.com to arrange a meeting or to visit us.