Boxers are known to be loveable family pets that fit in well with most households. If you want to adopt a Boxer, one question you may have is “are Boxers good guard dogs?“
Boxers are excellent guard dogs that are very protective of their owners. These loyal dogs are very alert and that observant behavior allows them to be great watchdogs. If a Boxer believes someone (or something) is threatening its owner, it will go out of its way to protect them from danger.
There are many reasons why people choose to adopt Boxers, and being a good guard dog is one of them. On this page, we’re going to discuss why Boxers are such good guard dogs and what their owners need to know. Keep reading to learn more.
Are Boxers Good Guard Dogs?
Boxers are known to be very good guard dogs. There are three important traits that the Boxer breed has that make them superior guard dogs:
- Loyalty to their owners/ family
- Attention to detail
- Alert nature
Because of these traits, Boxers are known to be more protective over their owners. The dog breed has also been used for protection work. When Boxers are trained for protection work, they tend to catch on very quickly. Even if a Boxer hasn’t been trained to guard, it will still be protective by nature.
Boxers are very observant because they want to keep their loved ones safe. Some dog owners have noticed that Boxers are so observant that they tend to be nosy. While this may seem annoying when you’re trying to have a harmless conversation with the delivery driver, your Boxer does have your best interest in mind.
While Boxers are great guard dogs, you don’t have to fear how they behave when company comes around. Of course, you can expect the dog to bark and act tough when a visitor it’s unfamiliar with the approach. In most cases, you will not need to be worried. Boxers can sense if a person is threatening and won’t act protective over you if the visitor is calm.
A Boxer’s History With Protection
An interesting fact about Boxers is that they were bred to be versatile and do a number of different jobs. This is why Boxers are talented work dogs. While a Boxer is an excellent protection dog, it is also great at racing, hunting, fighting, and pulling. Boxers are a large breed of dog, where some can grow as big as 80 lbs.
On top of their big size, these dogs are also very strong. One of the tasks that Boxers were bred for was hunting large game. These dogs would be used to catch prey such as wild boars and bears. It takes a lot of strength to bring down such a large game, which Boxers excel at.
Now, if we’re going way back into the Boxer’s history, we’ll find that the breed is an ancient descendent of the Bullenbeosser dog. This dog is now extinct, but it was used for many types of work. The Bullenbeosser’s main tasks were to hunt and guard. Boxers continue to exhibit these traits today, even if they aren’t used as working dogs.
Boxers have a reputation for being brave and fearless. For this reason, they were specifically bred to work as guard dogs and war dogs during the 1800s.
Should Visitors Be Afraid of Boxers?
One thing to know about Boxers is that they are skilled at being both guard dogs and watchdogs. However, these two terms get thrown around a lot to the point where people easily confuse one with the other. Guard dogs and watchdogs have two separate responsibilities.
A guard dog’s main goal is to protect its owners from a possible threat. On the other hand, a watchdog’s responsibility is to alert its owners when there is action on their territory. When a watchdog spots someone, even if they are really far away, approaching your territory, it will bark loudly to alert you.
Boxers are very alert, so even if you’re expecting someone to arrive, the dog will notice before you have a chance. Your dog will bark to warn you, which may startle your visitor. However, Boxers are very friendly with people. When you react positively to your visitor, your dog will as well.
When a Boxer is well-trained, it shouldn’t give your visitors anything to be afraid of. Even though the dog’s instinct is to keep you protected, it won’t try to act threatening just for the sake of keeping other people away. However, if you start playing a physical game with your visitor, the Boxer may try to keep you protected.
Why Your Boxer is a Great Guard Dog
Above, we listed three of the top traits that make Boxers great guard dogs. However, the list doesn’t end there. There are many qualities that a Boxer dog has that lead to it being an excellent guard dog. Let’s take a look at some of the other reasons your Boxer is a good guard dog.
Boxers are Fit
Boxers are known for having very high energy levels. For this reason, it’s essential that they get at least 90 minutes of exercise in every day. They enjoy all sorts of activities, such as running, swimming, games like fetch, or even a long walk. Since these dogs get so much exercise on a daily basis, they tend to be in very good shape.
A Boxer’s figure is very muscular. Your Boxer may not weigh as much as the person or animal it is trying to protect you from, but it does have the strength to put up (and very likely win) a fight to keep you safe.
Boxers Love People
Boxers have become a very popular choice to adopt as a family pet. This is because of how good the breed is with people. If a Boxer is properly socialized as a puppy, it will enjoy spending time around people. Since this breed is adaptable, it does well forming bonds with adults, children, and seniors.
It’s in a Boxer’s nature to protect those that it loves. For this reason, you will likely always be where the people are. Dog owners will notice their dog follows the pack to be around the people. When the Boxer is near people it cares about, it can be on the alert to ensure they are safe.
Boxers are Territorial
Your Boxer will always bark when there’s suspicious activity happening on its territory. It barks to send a warning to both you and the person or animal approaching the territory. If the Boxer was trained and socialized as a puppy, it won’t be aggressive unless there is a threat.
The bark can make the dog appear threatening or aggressive. This is a tactic of the dog in order to keep its territory protected.
Can Boxers Be Trained to be Good Guard Dogs?
Training is very important for Boxers to ensure that they are obedient and understand commands. When it comes to a Boxer’s ability to be a good guard dog, most of it is in the dog’s nature.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can skip out on training. Training the dog is very important because you will need to use commands when the dog is being protective over you in situations where you want it to be calm. For example, if you need to sign for a package from UPS, you will need the dog to behave calmly around the delivery driver so you can handle business.
Boxers are capable of understanding many commands, which is why they are excellent work dogs. However, in many cases, the dog’s stubbornness will take over. When you are training a Boxer, you will need to be very patient and consistent. While Boxers are smart, they are known to take longer to learn a command.
Another thing to keep in mind about Boxers when you’re training them is that these dogs have a mind of their own. Boxers are independent thinkers that get bored easily. They are likely to get playful while you’re training them and start creating their own versions of what the command is.
Final Thoughts
Are Boxers good guard dogs? Boxers are one of the best choices when you want to adopt a guard dog. They form very good relationships with their owners, which causes them to become very protective. Boxers have a very keen sense of intention. If another person or animal poses a threat to the dog’s owner, it will act very protective of them to keep them safe.
A well-trained and socialized Boxer typically isn’t aggressive. While it may bark at visitors when they approach, it won’t lunge or snap at them. The only time it will act this way is if it believes you’re in danger. In that situation, the Boxer will fight to keep you protected. While Boxers are friendly and good around family, they also want to make sure their territory is guarded.