Editing Guard dog

{{Short description|Working dog}}{{more footnotes|date=February 2013}}{{For|the 2004 film|Guard Dog (film)}}
{{Redirect|Guardian dog|the statues|Chinese guardian lion|the dogs in the role of livestock guardians/protection
|Livestock guardian dog}}
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[[File:Obrona.jpg|thumb|250x250px|[[Perro de Presa Canario|Presa Canario]] undergoing guard dog training]]
A '''guard dog''' or '''watchdog''' (not to be confused with an [[attack dog]]) is a [[dog]] used to watch for and guard people or property against unwanted human or animal intruders.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/pets/dogs/guard-dogs|title=Guard dogs|first=Jobs|last=Department of Economic Development|website=agriculture.vic.gov.au|access-date=3 May 2019|archive-date=17 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317191738/http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/pets/dogs/guard-dogs|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guard+dog|title=Definition of GUARD DOG|website=www.merriam-webster.com|access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Lilibeo. Cave canem.jpg|thumb|Roman mosaic of a large chained dog (with [[Cropping (animal)|cropped ears]] and [[Docking (animal)|docked tail]]) at the Archaeological Park of Lilybaeum, [[Marsala]], Sicily]]
[[File:A raggedly dressed man being bitten by a guard dog Wellcome L0049795.jpg|thumb|A raggedly dressed man being bitten by a house guard dog. Etching by [[Thomas Lord Busby]], ca. 1826.]]
Dogs have been used as guardians since ancient times. The ancient Romans placed ''Cave canem'' mosaics at the entrance of homes to warn visitors and intruders of the presence of dangerous dogs at the property.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33677957|title=Pompeii guard dog mosaic back on show|date=27 July 2015|access-date=17 July 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref>

One of the first dog types used as guardians were [[Mastiff]]-type [[landrace]]s of [[livestock guardian dog]]s, which protected livestock against large predators such as [[wolves]], [[Brown bear|bears]] and [[leopard]]s.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/sheep/facts/10-033.htm|title=Livestock Guardian Dogs and Their Care in Winter|website=www.omafra.gov.on.ca|access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref> In [[Greek mythology]], [[Orthrus]] is an example of a livestock guardian dog known for guarding [[Geryon]]'s red cattle. In more urban areas, some ancient guard dogs, such as the extinct [[bandog]]ges, were chained during the day and released at night<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/generalhistory00bewi|title=A General History of Quadrupeds: The Figures Engraved on Wood|last=Beilby|first=Ralph|date=1792|publisher=S. Hodgson, R. Beilby, & T. Bewick|language=en}}</ref> to protect properties, camps and villages.

==Barking==
[[File:Beware of the poseur - geograph.org.uk - 1183105.jpg|thumb|[[German Shepherd]] dog guarding property]]
Guard dogs [[Bark (utterance)|bark]] loudly to alert their owners of an intruder's presence and to scare away the intruder.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TvOWH7U3y80C&q=guard+dog+definition&pg=PA47|title=The Dog Law Handbook|first=Paul|last=Clayden|date=1 May 2011|publisher=Sweet & Maxwell|isbn=9780414048188}}</ref>

[[Livestock guardian dog]]s are often large enough—{{convert|100-200|lbs|kg}}—and strong enough to attack and drive away livestock [[predator]]s.<ref name=":0" /> Guard dogs bark to alert their master and to warn of approaching animal or human threats prior to their interception of the trespasser.

Specifically, livestock guardian dogs such as the [[Kangal Shepherd Dog|Kangal]] use loud alarm barks as a first line of defense against presumed threats; if these do not deter a perceived foe, other displays, such as bluffing and charging, are employed. For livestock guardians, proactive forms of defense such as biting are only used if all other forms of deterrence fail.

If the risk is from human intruders, a suitable dog can be trained to be aggressive towards unrecognized humans and then tethered or enclosed in an area that the owner wishes to protect when he is not around (such as at night).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/12/us/12dogs.html|title=For the Executive With Everything, a $230,000 Dog to Protect It|first=John|last=Tierney|newspaper=The New York Times |date=11 June 2011|access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref>

== Breeds ==
Many currently prominent guard dogs started as general purpose [[Dog type|farm dogs]], but gradually developed into guard breeds. However, dog breeds such as the [[Dobermann]] and the [[Dogue Brasileiro]] were specifically bred to guard.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dpca.org/breed/breed_history.php|title=DPCA {{!}} The Doberman {{!}} History|website=dpca.org|access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://animalsadda.com/brazilian-dogo-facts-pictures-puppies-temperament/|title=Brazilian Dogo – Facts, Pictures, Puppies, Price, Temperament, Breeders {{!}} Animals Adda|date=19 April 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=17 July 2019}}</ref>{{rs|date=March 2022}} Guard dog breeds tend to be territorial, averse to strangers, dominant, and protective and loyal.
==Legality==

The laws regarding ownership and usage of guard dogs vary from country to country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/50/data.htm|title=Guard Dogs Act 1975|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/townofrangely/permits-and-housing-guard-dogs-610|title=Permits and Housing of Guard Dogs – 6.10|date=30 March 2016|website=Town of Rangely|access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="auto"/> In England, the main legislation relating to the use of guard dogs on commercial premises are contained within the 1975 Guard Dogs Act. The act specifies the requirements of kennels and the need to display [[Beware of the dog|guard dog warning signs]] at the entrance to sites.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1975/50/contents/data.htm|title=Guard Dogs Act 1975|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|access-date=17 August 2019}}</ref>

== See also ==
<!-- Please maintain in alphabetical order -->
* {{annotated link|Attack dog}}
* {{annotated link|Bandog}}
* {{annotated link|Beware of the dog}}
* {{annotated link|Dogs in warfare}}
* ''[[Faithful Ruslan]]''
* {{annotated link|Livestock guardian dog}}
* {{annotated link|Working dog}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Guard dogs}}

{{Dog nav}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Guard Dog}}
[[Category:Working dogs]]
[[Category:Dogs in warfare]]