3. Giant Schnauzer

Any home intruder who has ever crept through a window and seen a miniature schnauzer within the home knows that the small dogs are not quite the best at looking menacing or acting protective. When it comes to their giant cousins, on the other hand, a burglar will be certain to think twice before creeping into a home occupied by one of these huge work dogs.

A giant schnauzer can weigh as much as 100 pounds and the breed has been put to practical use for centuries as work dogs capable of helping farmers take their livestock to the market, helping to guard homes or buildings, and working with police to smell out narcotics or explosives. Their thick, shaggy coat has been grown out over the years in order to make them more difficult to grab onto, whether by an intruder or by another dog or by a bigger animal.

These are particularly quiet dogs that rarely bark unless they feel threatened, making them an excellent choice for families that want a source of protection without needing to tell their dog to stay silent. These dogs maintain a suspicion of strangers, however, so they must be acclimated to new faces and have the behavior reinforced or else they may act aggressively to whoever comes in your door.

With an intelligent disposition, furthermore, they grow bored easily and may be less interested in learning new tricks if the tricks do not change up. Any person interested in attaining a giant schnauzer for watching over their home needs to ensure that they are not left alone often, since their energy can lead to destructive behavior like chewing objects within the home. If properly trained and well-mannered, however, they have a calm demeanor even in the presence of new people, and that makes them very friendly and dependable.