Do Golden Retrievers Make Good Guard Dogs? 7 Best Practices

Golden Retrievers are well-reputed for being the loyal and friendly dog breeds out there. Perhaps that’s why you see them with most families.

I mean isn’t it hard to leave these cutest pups at home when you go to work? And surely not to forget, they come rushing through the door to you to rescue a bad day with an abundance of love.

Not just that, they are capable of accompanying people with physical abilities and loved by everyone around the world. Have you seen them with cats, these dogs are awesome with other pets, but the big question today is. Do Golden Retrievers Make Good Guard Dogs?

Keeping all of that aside, how great would it be if they guard your house along with being your perfect pet-companion, right? But are they even capable of protecting your house and possessions?

Whether you are planning to own one of these goldies or thinking of enhancing their importance in your life by having them as your guard dog, this question has certainly crossed your mind at least once.

Well, let’s find where they stand.

Golden Retrievers as Guard Dogs?

A simple answer would be YES, golden retrievers make good guard dogs. But the answer isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Golden Retrievers don’t possess the natural traits of a good guard dog.

However, they are tremendously fast learners – which means, with proper training they can excel in this practice and will do anything to make their owners happy.

The Reasons Why Golden Retrievers Make Good Guards Dogs

When we look at the bigger picture, all dogs are different and putting a presumed label is the last thing one could do to their dogs.

However, we can have a look at their characteristics that make them good guard dogs to have an idea of their potential.

1. Golden Retrievers are Obedient and Fast-Learners

Regardless of their natural incapability to guard, they are exceptionally obedient and fast learners which makes them excellent trainees and makes up for their not-so-aggressive nature.

Stories about these goldies rescuing their owners are all over the internet. So, why wouldn’t they do anything to protect their owner when it comes to guarding their house?

2. They are Relatively Large to Intimidate Intruders

Although these dogs aren’t considered to be the ideal guard dogs, however their size plays a significant role here.

The average male golden retriever can grow up to 23 to 24 inches and females 21 to 22 inches tall. Hence, it makes them a comparatively better choice when compared to other smaller dog breeds.

3. They are High-Energy Breeds

These dog breeds are highly energetic, active and certainly very protective for their owners. What’s the use of having an aggressive, yet lazy dog who just lounges around your hall all day?

Well, this isn’t the case when it comes to Goldies. Given their protective and loyal nature, they are known to cross their comfort boundaries to protect the lives of their owners.

4. They are Intelligent

Intelligence is a key characteristic when it comes to an ideal guard dog and guess what? Golden Retrievers make the cut here as well.

Not just that, intelligent dogs are the easiest to train and are capable of learning for themselves through past experiences. Because of that, they are able to differentiate strangers/intruders from family members.

What Makes them a Bad Choice?

If you are looking for information on which dog breed makes good guards, it might disappoint you to know that golden retriever isn’t the one.

Here’s why:

1. They Protect Everyone

While this comes under the list of perks, it can also cost you a great deal – or worse, they might end up greeting a stranger with a smile than with suspicion.

It is likely to happen if you’ve trained your pal to be compassionate towards others.

2. They are Usually Silent and Peaceful

These peaceful creatures are relatively quiet dogs when compared to other breeds. This is one of the reasons why they are preferred to be ideal dog breeds for families with young children.

Hence, the chances for them to alert you when an intruder breaks in is very unlikely.

3. They are Utterly Affectionate

If you think it’s a good trait for a dog to guard your house, think again. They love goofing around and effortlessly showering humans with affection.

Other than that, not only do they protect their owners, but they never fail to go the extra mile to protect strangers as well.

How to Train Golden Retrievers to be Good Guard Dogs?

Now, here comes the good news!

Anything can be attained through training and since these goldies are known for people-pleasing and high intelligence, training seems like the easiest option to overcome all the cons.

So, if you’re adamant to train your dogs, we have done all the research for you! Here are two methods that you can use to train your dog.

Method 1: Day-One Method

This is something you can start from scratch. You can get down to the process when your Golden is still a puppy. Call out to him and command him to bark when a stranger is at the door.

You can take it to another level by making strangers offer treat upon approach and then commanding your dog to leave it.

If you already have a fully-grown dog then we’ve got just the right solution for you!

Method 2: “Bark On Command” Method

The primary goal here is to teach your dog to bark unless there is a response or the human/object disappears. You can start by inviting strangers into the house and making them banging and do other suspicious acts.

Later, you can command your Golden to bark and alert the owners until the stranger is gone.

Despite any method, it’s important that you award your Golden to motivate them to do something they aren’t naturally born with.

Our Final Thought: Dog Golden Retrievers Make Good Guard Dogs?

Although there have been sufficient examples of golden retrievers who’re trained to guard all types of jobs.

You can read the stories where the Navy trains a Golden Retriever to guard the Navy’s base perimeter and search cars.

However, if you are willing to put the time and effort into training, there is a high chance that you can turn your pup to the protector of your home in no time.

However, it’s important to bear in mind, they aren’t the intimidating dog breeds out there. From German Shepherds to Bullmastiffs there are plenty of dogs bred for this job, whereas Golden Retrievers are better off being your best pet-companions.