What breed do you recommend as a guard dog?  

Three years ago we moved to Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. We were fortunate to find a nice house with a beautiful garden and together with our two kids still living at home decided to get a dog. In the end we actually got two dogs, Snoop and Rocky. Snoop is a gorgeous Rhodesian Ridgeback and Rock is a melange, with his mother a pure Golden Retriever and father a half Rhodesian Ridgeback and half Boxer.

They are both wonderful dogs, each in their own way. Snoop, the Ridgeback, is friendly and affectionate, loyal and intelligent, and extremely protective of our family members and our property. He is very reserved with strangers and has a calm nature that makes him almost seem serene. Rocky on the other hand is all brawn and energy, with a friendliness that borders on the manic. His tongue is always in overdrive, licking vigorously whoever makes the mistake of giving him even a bit of attention and he doesn't wag his tail - he wags his whole butt-area with vigor.

Now it should also be mentioned that although our prime motive was to get the dogs as pets (we finally had a garden and could no longer dissuade the kids) we also got them as a deterrent for thieves as crime is a real problem in Nairobi. They both became big animals with equally big voices and our assumption was that as such they would be good guard dogs.

Eventually, they were both put to the test. One week-end when we were all on a holiday away from Nairobi, approximately 5 men entered our compound with what must have been the intent to rob our house. They scaled the fence at the lower end of the garden and were making their way up to the house. Our security guard was immediately alerted to their presence when both dogs started to bark vociferously. He subsequently saw the intruders climbing the steps to the upper garden, with Snoop following in attack mode and voice. The security guard immediately sounded the alarm, requesting the security company for back-up and challenged the intruders. Most of the thieves immediately fled, jumping back over the fence from where they had come, but two of them continued to advance, with Snoop in toe, and attacked our security guard with a long metal club.

The security back-up arrived within 5 minutes at which point the two thieves, turned attackers, also fled and the whole incident was over as quickly as it had begun. In the aftermath, our security guard was injured on the lower leg where he had taken a particularly nasty blow. Rocky was also injured on his fore paw. It should be noted that the security guard was especially grateful to Snoop, who according to him had maintained an aggressive posture towards the intruders throughout the incident and as such he was absolutely convinced that the dog had saved his life. Rocky on the other hand had clearly approached the criminals in his usual enthusiastic fashion, in search of affection and ultimately had received a blow instead.

Although we continue to love both dogs dearly and are grateful that they both survived the ordeal, it is Snoop who clearly vindicated himself as a trusted and sound guard dog. Rocky on the other hand proved totally useless and even a danger unto himself.

Do you have any advice on other breeds, regarding their competence as guard dogs??