Are Huskies Good Guard Dogs? [2024 updated guide]

If you are looking for effective guard dogs, then huskies aren’t one of them. They are a dog breed that lacks inherent aggression and ease of trainability. They are playful, energetic, and loving. Not sharp, fierce, and intensely territorial. They can be friendly towards strangers.

We have started this article around the query “do huskies make good guard dogs?” with a truth bomb. If you plan to have a husky as a guard dog, we suggest you introspect about the need for a dog. If family guard dogs are what you are looking for, it is better to reconsider the breed.

On the other hand, if you need a canine friend with whom you love to work out and play games, huskies can suit the purpose. They can be an active and entertaining addition to the family and gel well with young kids.

Here we will understand why the husky is not the perfect guarding dog. We will list out a few other breeds, which are far better options, and so on.

Reasons Why The Husky Isn’t Your Ideal Guard Dog

If you’re a husky owner, you would know that multiple traits prove that your buddy is not meant for safeguarding your home from strangers and other mishaps. We will list the primary reasons in this section.

Huskies Love For Socializing

The Siberian husky was initially bred as packs by the Chukchi clan in Siberia, making huskies pack dogs. They developed a close bond with other canines in their group and the owners too. This scenario shaped them into a social and friendly breed.

They love playing and interacting with humans, and this makes them fun companions to have at home. Their playfulness and fun-loving attitude make them get along with kids quickly. They can also be curious dogs.

Although there is a downside to this social behavior, their behavior can take a turn for the worse if left alone for long durations. This phenomenon is commonly called Separation Anxiety. They can even get into a destructive spree and ruin your property. We suggest you put them in a crate if you’re gone for more than an hour or so.

Lack Of Suspicion Towards Strangers

A good guard dog is alert and always treats a stranger’s entry into their territory with immense fierceness(Naturally suspicious). A husky, on the other hand, may dash to them and start licking them.

The inherent loving mentality and affection in a husky will prevent them from acting how a typical guard dog should handle strangers.

Not Protective About Home Territory

The ideal guard dog is a hugely protective and territorial being. They can not withstand an alien entity entering their area of jurisdiction.

However, the husky’s attitude is a bit different in this regard. They lack natural aggression that is much needed for a protection dog. This is exactly what weakens their prospects of protecting your home.

In addition, they are possessive towards their loving owners. They will feel jealous if you show affection to some other family member or pet instead of them. However, unwanted aggression or violence is never shown by them, even in such circumstances.

Stubborn and Unreliable

We expect the average guard dog to be obedient and easily trainable to basic obedience commands. Huskies, in contrast, do what they please and often don’t care to obey your commands. As a result, teaching huskies and giving them training lessons can be a tedious affair indeed.

In emergencies, there is no guarantee of what kind of behavior they will portray. You can not risk your home and family on the line with such dog traits.

So far, we have seen why huskies do not have what it takes to be a good guard dog. In the next section on guard dogs, we will delve into details on those breeds that make the cut with ease.

Breeds That Make Good Guard Dogs

The dog breeds with an instinct to protect their owner’s family and property qualify as the best in the business. Sharp observation, alertness, and mercilessness to strangers are their characteristic traits.

They will alert you and try their utmost best to ensure no harm befalls you or your loved ones. Here is the list of some canine breeds that make killer guard dogs:

Rottweiler

Fierce, territorial, and immensely loyal, Rottweilers are among the most trainable dogs and a fantastic breed of guard dogs. They are intelligent, energetic, and obedient in general. They make good family dogs, too, due to the particular way they deal with kids at home. Rotties make the perfect blend of adorable and fierce.

Doberman Pinscher

Well-built, agile, and loyal, the Doberman is one of the most popular breeds of guard dogs worldwide. One of the top reasons behind this is their intimidating looks and how well they respond to obedience training sessions. Unfortunately, this makes the Doberman a dangerous dog for intruders.

Their barking and growling cause terror in any person’s mind trying to break into your property. If adopted as a pup, start training them right away. Doberman can gel well with kids at home and make a fun family dog as well.

German Shepherd

They are designed for learning and obeying commands. The German Shepherds have been service/working dogs for ages due to their intense looks and deep-rooted loyalty.

They will show no mercy towards strangers and will go to any extremes to ensure their master is safe and sound. They can control aggressive behavior as needed if trained properly with positive reinforcement.

Bullmastiff

The Bullmastiff is a quick learner and will go all out to guarantee their pack’s safety. Keen observers and naturally aggressive when needed, this breed will exceed your expectations from a guard dog.

They can be raised to be gentle and loving if adopted during the puppy phase. Starting their training from this time can mold them into loyal and effective canine guardians of your home.

Boxer

The boxer is a high-energy, agile breed with a keen sense of intuition of other’s behavior. They can sense what your next move will be on most occasions. From a physical stature point of view, they may not be as big as the others on this list. Nonetheless, they are still focused, smart, and protective of their homes, making them decent guardian breeds.

You can count on a boxer to get the job done in an emergency. Their menacing looks also give an advantage in scaring strangers.

Based on what we have described so far, let’s summarize the key characteristics a guard dog must possess.

Proactiveness / High Energy

Ease of trainability

Sharp observation

Protectiveness

Confidence

Assertiveness
Loyalty

Siberian huskies, at best, can be trained to be good watchdogs. Their high-pitched whines or growling are more than enough to alert you whenever a strange entity gets into your property. Their wolf-like appearance can also act as a deterrent for intruders from invading your private space.

When you are training your dog for safeguarding purposes, take extra care to make them differentiate between real and false emergencies. Training exercises done wrong can often lead to unwanted outcomes where you or others at home can get hurt due to your dog.

Unwanted assaults by your dogs on innocent people in your locality can land you in some serious legal trouble. Of course, that is the last outcome you expect from a dog training exercise.

If you are new to dog parenting and training, we strongly recommend you seek the help of an experienced dog trainer. They will guide you in deriving an effective obedience training regime for your dog and shape them into killer guard dogs.

In the following section, let’s quickly check out some alternatives to dogs for ensuring safety at your home.

Alternatives For Home Safety Apart From Guard Dogs

Modern Sensor-based alarm systems
CCTV Security cameras
Well-constructed locking systems for door and windows
Interior and exterior security lights
Warning Signs – “Beware of Ferocious Dogs!”

These are some methods and intelligent investments you can employ to make your home security standards robust.

You can also upskill yourself in self-defense techniques such as martial arts. They will help you keep your loved ones protected and safe in case of any intrusions or thefts/attacks.

How Huskies Can Help In Home Security

Huskies are not the traditional guard dogs, but they can help in this regard in specific ways such as follows:

Huskies can announce a stranger’s arrival in a loud fashion. They will give out an uneasy and high-pitched noise as if they are conversing. This response makes it practically impossible for intruders to come in and out quietly.
Robbers would need extra time to tame the dog while attempting the crime. They would need to pat, give belly rubs, and play with the huskies without making much noise to sneak out safely.
The criminals will find it hard to prove their innocence. There will be dog fur everywhere-clothes, shoes, bags, etc. if they enter your home. It is not easy to eliminate all the fur easily. A simple DNA test can prove they intruded on your home.

The husky, Millie, in our dog training center once helped catch a street burglar across the road. She noticed an older woman who was robbed and gave continuous howls for several minutes. This grabbed the attention of a couple of police officials standing in the opposite corner of the road. They chased down the convict and helped out the poor old lady.

So, in a way, huskies can be of help, isn’t it?

Wrapping It Up

There are certain character traits associated with a typical guard dog, such as alertness, controlled aggression, protectiveness, and so on, as we have seen earlier. However, huskies are more of a social dog breed instead of a ferocious one.

We advise you to move back and analyze the driving factor behind owning a dog. If you’re looking for a playful, loving, and friendly pup, the husky is tailor-made for you and your family. In contrast, if you want a dog to improve home safety, several other breeds will execute that role to near perfection. A Rottie or a German Shepherd are our top picks.

They can be good watchdogs to alert you of any unwanted entry. However, training them may not be a cakewalk.

We hope you gained some valuable guard dog insights from this article. In case you need additional help, do not hesitate to seek the guidance of a professional dog trainer. They can help you out with selecting and training the ideal guard dog for your home or office premises.