Dogs are wonderful companions who can also help us feel safe, especially if they’ve been bred to protect the homestead. However, many such breeds tend to be quite active and high energy, which can be hard to handle if you work full-time, have a family, or otherwise don’t have a lot of free time.
If you’re looking for a calm guard dog, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve created a list of some of the best guardian breeds with manageable amounts of energy. However, just because these breeds are low energy does not mean they don’t take any work.
These breeds are quite the commitment up front, but once they’ve been fully trained, you’ll be able to enjoy the companionship and peace of mind your furry friend brings without having to spend hours exercising them every day. If that sounds good to you, then keep reading!
Before we get into our list, it’s important to talk about aggression. Some dogs that were bred to be guard dogs may be more aloof or suspicious of strange people and animals. This can lead to a type of defensive aggression where the dog deems unknown visitors (whether dog or human) as a threat and attempts to protect the home.
Dogs are smart, but they aren’t always the best judges of character. What they deem as a threat may simply be someone they don’t recognize. It may be a family friend the dog has never met. It may be someone who is holding an umbrella because the dog has never seen an umbrella before.
For this reason, it’s imperative that you take the appropriate steps via training and socialization to prevent aggressive behavior. Even in guard dogs, aggression should never be encouraged. Aggression leads only to tragedy.
If you teach your dog to be aggressive in the hopes that they will guard you, you will never be able to have visitors. Your dog will be a risk to the entire community. In the worst-case scenario, your dog could hurt or kill another person or dog, which may also lead to your dog being euthanized.
Do not try to teach a dog to be aggressive or attack someone.
This list includes breeds that are known for being guardians and protectors. You’re likely looking for a low energy breed because you don’t have a lot of time to spend on exercise and mental enrichment, which is understandable.
However, you must recognize that until a guard dog is fully trained, you’re taking on a huge commitment. Many guardian breeds are large. Many of them are wary of strangers. This means you will need to be completely devoted to training in order to produce a dog that is safe to be around.
Large-breed dogs can easily knock people down or pull them over, which is why obedience and manners training are so important. As we mentioned, guardian breeds may become overprotective or even aggressive without proper training.
These low energy dogs are going to require a lot of work upfront. Once they’re trained, then you can enjoy life with a calm, low energy dog who helps you feel safe.
Historically, great Pyrenees guarded livestock from predators like wolves, bears, and even would-be thieves. As such, Pyrs are known for their courage. As part of their watchdog nature, they tend to bark a lot. Pair their booming bark with their intimidating size, and most people won’t want to mess with this dog.
Their size may be intimidating, but great Pyrenees are not aggressive. In fact, they’re rather calm and tend to be quite affectionate with their family members. They do well with respectful children – just beware that the Pyrenees can easily knock a child over on accident. The great Pyrenees is not a very active breed and requires only moderate daily exercise such as a walk.
Health risks observed in great Pyrenees include (but are not limited to) hip and elbow dysplasia, luxating patellas, bloat, Addison’s disease, entropion and other eye problems, and osteosarcoma.
Great Pyrenees are shedders, but how much grooming you want to do is up to you. Their coat is generally dirt and tangle-resistant, so it does not need a lot of maintenance. However, weekly brushing can help with the shedding.
Newfoundlands can be great family pets because they have sweet, affectionate temperaments and are good with kids. Though they’re friendly when meeting new people, that doesn’t mean they aren’t good guard dogs.
Newfoundlands are immensely courageous. It is said a Newfoundland named Seaman guarded famous explorers Lewis and Clark and even chased away a rogue buffalo that had been charging their camp.
Historically, these dogs worked on fishing boats and one of their duties was to rescue drowning sailors and fishermen. Newfies have a great love for humanity and will absolutely put their lives on the line to protect loved ones.
Newfoundlands enjoy activities such as swimming, hiking, long walks, and cart pulling. They require at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day.
Health risks observed in Newfoundlands include but are not limited to hip and elbow dysplasia, cardiac disease, cystinuria, bloat, osteosarcoma, and dilated cardiomyopathy.
The Newfoundland’s thick coat needs to be brushed out thoroughly at least once a week. Those that are sterilized may shed more frequently and may require brushing multiple times per week.
Saint Bernards are gentle giants who love their families deeply. They’re good with children but care must be taken due to their giant size. Historically, they were used as search and rescue dogs, livestock guardians, and herders.
Saint Bernards are quick learners but they have an independent streak – without proper motivation, they may not be interested in what you want them to do. Positive reinforcement is a good approach for this breed.
Though the Saint Bernard can enjoy more intense activities like hiking and cart pulling, they’re happy with a moderate amount of exercise per day. A long walk or 30-minute play session is usually enough to satisfy them.
Health risks observed in Saint Bernards include but are not limited to hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat, eye diseases, heatstroke, dilated cardiomyopathy, osteosarcoma, lymphoma, entropion, and Wobbler Syndrome.
Saint Bernards can be either long or short-haired, but both types only need to be brushed about once a week. Twice per year they will shed their coats and require more frequent grooming.
Kuvaszok are loyal, calm, and affectionate. They were initially bred to guard livestock and were even used as bodyguards for King Matthias I of Hungary, so they do have protective instincts. They do better with older children who know how to be respectful.
This breed can be somewhat challenging to train and is not recommended for first-time dog owners. Due to their protective tendencies, kuvaszok don’t always get along with other dogs. They require lots of socialization while young to ensure that they grow into well-behaved dogs that are not suspicious of others.
Kuvaszok have a moderate amount of energy and require about 40 minutes of exercise every day. They’re happy to go for walks or jogs. However, be sure not to overdo it as too vigorous of exercise can be hard on their joints.
Health risks observed in kuvaszok include but are not limited to hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, autoimmune thyroiditis, progressive renal atrophy, cardiac conditions such as aortic stenosis, and bloat.
Kuvaszok are moderate shedders that shed out their coats seasonally. During shedding season, they’ll need more frequent brushing. Otherwise, brushing them once a week is enough.
Great Danes are sweethearts who are quite affectionate toward their family members. They tend to be patient with children but because of their giant size are better suited to families with older children.
Historically, Great Danes were used as boar hunters and protection dogs. Though they’re generally friendly and sweet, they are courageous dogs that will step in to protect their families when needed.
The Great Dane is quite adaptable when it comes to activity levels. They’re happy to join you for walks, jogs, or hikes, but they’re also happy to lay around the house. Still, Great Danes should enjoy daily walks for their physical and mental well-being.
Be aware that a Great Dane cannot participate in vigorous activities like jogs or hikes until they reach at least two years of age. Before then, their joints are still growing and can be injured by such activities.
Health risks observed in the Great Dane include but are not limited to hip dysplasia, dilated cardiomyopathy, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, and bloat.
It is estimated that 37-42% of Great Danes experience bloat in their lifetimes, with many dying of it. Should you adopt a Great Dane, you’ll want to research the steps you can take to prevent bloat as well as what to do if it happens.
Great Danes are moderate shedders. They’ll need to be brushed about once a week, but may need brushing more often when shedding season comes around.
Komondorok were historically used as livestock guardians, so they do have some protective tendencies. Though they can get along with housemates, they can also be picky about which dogs they get along with. Socialization is important to teach them that other dogs are friends rather than threats.
Komondorok are affectionate members of the family. They do well with older, more respectful children. They are independent thinkers and can be difficult to train, which can lead to unwanted behaviors such as overprotectiveness. Komondorok have an average amount of energy and need 20-40 minutes of exercise per day.
Komonodorok are a surprisingly healthy breed and, according to the AKC, have no known health problems. However, conditions that have been seen in the breed include hip dysplasia, entropion, juvenile cataracts, and bloat.
Because the fur grows in cords similar to dreadlocks, this breed requires a fair bit of grooming. Bathing this breed takes quite a long time as you need to ensure all the cords are separate, and afterward, you’ll need to put in quite a lot of effort to dry the dog. Alternatively, you can choose to keep a Komondor shaved.
Mastiffs are quite loving toward their family members, but they have a natural wariness of strangers which can be problematic without proper training. They’re courageous and protective of their families but are usually quite calm and placid. They do well with older children.
Mastiffs have such low energy levels that, despite their size, they’d be fine living in an apartment. A mile-long walk per day is often enough to satisfy a mastiff, and it is said that this breed is so lazy that they will plop down whenever they get too tired, so make sure not to walk them too far!
Health risks observed in mastiffs include but are not limited to ectropion, entropion, osteosarcoma and other cancers, hip dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, epilepsy, von Willebrand’s disease, and bloat.
Mastiffs are quite low-maintenance and can be brushed as needed. However, their facial wrinkles should be regularly inspected and cleaned to prevent infections.
Canaan dogs are brilliant, alert, and watchful. They tend to be territorial and wary of strangers. These behaviors make them great guard dogs. However, they have also retained some of their wild tendencies from before they were re-domesticated in the 20th century. As such, this breed requires an owner who has experience training challenging dogs.
Canaan dogs do well when raised with older children who are respectful of them. The breed is rather athletic, but they only need about an hour of exercise every day. They’re great companions for jogs and hikes.
Health risks observed in Caanan dogs include but are not limited to hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, progressive renal atrophy, and hypothyroidism.
Caanan dogs are low-maintenance when it comes to grooming. You can simply brush them as needed, though they may need more frequent brushing during shedding season.
When people say they want a guard dog, they’re usually looking for a dog with protective tendencies that will hopefully protect their homes and families from intruders. Or, they’re looking for a watchdog that will alert them to any strangers on the property. Sometimes, they just want a large, imposing dog that will keep people away simply by looking intimidating.
Finally, some people want a dog that they can train to attack other people. Training a dog to attack people is incredibly dangerous and has to be handled with utmost caution. Many of the people who adopt imposing guardian breeds are not qualified to train dogs in this way.
If you are interested in a dog that can be trained to attack someone, then what you’re looking for is technically referred to as a protection dog. This kind of dog must be trained with the help of a professional protection dog trainer. Protection training does not encourage dogs to be aggressive.
On the contrary, protection training uses games and other positive stimuli to teach dogs to bite on command, and more importantly, to let go on command. For the dog, it’s not aggression, but play.
While it’s understandable that many people are concerned for their safety, training a dog for your protection is not a game. Do not attempt to do it yourself, and do not attempt to teach a guard dog to be aggressive.
A properly-trained protection dog is not a danger to those around you. On the contrary, protection dogs can be quite friendly and docile, even toward strangers. However, they are highly obedient and have been taught how to react to certain situations, or to only attack someone upon command.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs every year. This is why it is especially important to work on aggression prevention in breeds that have guarding tendencies and are sometimes wary of other people.
If you plan to adopt any of the breeds we’ve listed today, we would highly recommend working with a professional dog trainer. With their help and your own dedication, you’ll be able to train your dog to be a safe, well-mannered member of the community.
Many of the breeds on our list must undergo extensive socialization. They need to be exposed to as many sights, sounds, people, dogs, and objects as possible. Socialization should be a positive experience for your dog so that they learn to create positive associations with different stimuli.
It is vital that this socialization happens while the dog is between 3 and 14 weeks of age. This time period is critical for socialization as dogs are open to new experiences; it is during this time that they learn things are normal rather than scary or dangerous. After this period, dogs are more likely to be wary and suspicious of new stimuli.
There are many dog breeds that have moderate to low energy levels and can be great guardians of the home and family. Just be aware that many guarding breeds have the tendency to be wary of strangers.
You will need to be vigilant about training and socialization so that your dog does not become a threat to those around you. You want a guard dog that helps you feel safe and makes would-be intruders think twice. You do not want a dog that is so overprotective your friends can’t even come over.
With proper training and socialization, you can have a guard dog that keeps you safe and doesn’t run you ragged.