Will my German Shepherd protect me even if not trained as a guard?

If you are seeking a dog specifically to bark at strangers, your best bet would be not to introduce him to others outside of your immediate family. If you allow him to mingle with lots of other animals and people, he will likely become a well adjusted dog that gets along with most people. German Shepherds are definitely known for their protectiveness, especially towards their family and property. Unfortunately they are also known for their neurotic behavior and destructiveness when not given an appropriate job. Because of their high level of intelligence, German Shepherds tend to do better when they have a purpose. Oscar might benefit from some training in some type of dog related activity. German Shepherds are known for their acumen in Schutzhund. I would suggest you watch some videos online about this, and see if it is something you are interested in pursuing with your dog.

There is no agreed-upon consensus in the dog world as to which one, single breed is "best" at this - so I'm afraid it's not really possible to give you this kind of answer :) Much also has to do with the particular breeding lines you get your dog from, as well as the way the puppy is raised and trained. A Caucasian shepherd would be a very reasonable breed choice for a guard or protection dog, so if this breed appeals to you, go for it! Depending on your lifestyle and specific needs, you could also consider a Great Pyrenees or German Shepherd. If it's important to you that the dog be a good protection dog, I would also strongly recommend seeking training from a professional in your area to ensure that the dog understands what you want.

German shepherd. They are extensively used in military and police forces around the world. They can be fierce. They need careful training so that they will also be safe around family and friends, and be able to be examined by a veterinarian.

Almost any dog can be dangerous, if it's not properly trained and socialized. German Shepherds are powerful dogs, and because they are often used for security and police work, they may be perceived as dangerous. However, in general they are not dangerous dogs, and typically they're just doing their job and getting the bad guys if they're being aggressive.

That would ultimately depend on what you plan to achieve with you guard dog. Husky's are certain large, loud, and have an acute sense of hearing. They appear to be scary to some people. These are all characteristics of good guard dogs. However, Huskies are not the easiest dogs to train. If you are trying to obtain a guard dog that will not only have the abovementioned characteristics but also are somewhat easier to train, I would think more along the lines of German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, or Doberman Pinscher.

Great question! This is a bit of a tough question in that a number of breeds of dogs who are good guard dogs are also difficult. For example, a German Shepherd. Good guard dogs, but require a lot of training and are not for a first time dog owner. If you don't know how to handle them, they can be aggressive to humans and small animals. They are also high energy dogs. Personally, I would recommend a Golden Retriever. They are absolutely lovely dogs, extremely loyal, very easy to train, excellent with humans and small animals, and if need be, could defend the owner. I had a Golden for 12 years, and she was honestly the best dog I have ever owned. So sweet and caring, but I knew that if I was ever in trouble, she would defend me. Goldens are a large breed dog, and large breed dogs can be intimidating to strangers. My Minnie would bark if someone came to the door and knocked, but otherwise didn't bark much. Sometimes a bark is enough to scare someone off. I would look into getting a Golden Retriever for the reasons I listed above. I hope this helps!

Bruno will continue to be friendly towards strangers if he is introduced to them on a regular basis. If you truly are using him to be a guard dog rather than a companion or family pet, having him spend time with lots of strangers is not going to make him effective at performing his job. This will make him well-socialized and ultimately a friendly well adjusted dog. If you haven't already considered it, I would recommend looking into Schutzhund training. There is a ton of literature and media on this available, which will demonstrate how to train Bruno into being a good protector. German Shepherds are generally better dogs when they have a job do, and this type of training will provide just that type of stimulation.