Poodles arguably have a reputation for being frou-frou dogs. With their fancy hairstyles and friendly personalities, you wouldn’t immediately peg them for being good at security. But Poodles are very devoted to their families and can be trained to protect them. The breed has some surprising attributes that make them more than capable as a guard dog.
Poodles have been around for centuries, according to the American Kennel Club. They are the national dog of France, where they are known as “Caniche”. This roughly translates to “duck dog”. But despite sometimes being known as a “French Poodle”, the breed traces back to Germany. The word “Poodle” is an adaptation of the word “pudelin”, meaning to splash in the water.
Poodles come in three sizes: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. But all Poodle sizes are known for their incredible intelligence and trainability. Read on for reasons why Poodles are the perfect guard dog.
1. They Are Highly Intelligent
Poodles are quick learners and can typically understand a variety of commands.
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Poodles are known to be one of the smartest dog breeds. They consistently rank right behind Border Collies for their level of intelligence.
What makes them so smart? Poodles are highly trainable and are known to be fast learners. They are particularly good at problem-solving. For better or worse, they can be independent thinkers who will judge how to best handle various scenarios, especially if left to make their own decisions.
2. They Are Extremely Alert
Poodles have good focus, which helps them master new commands fairly quickly as well as be aware of their surroundings.
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Poodles are a sensitive breed, often very in tune with what’s happening around them. They are especially good at assessing their surroundings and noticing if something is different. This helps make them great watchdogs.
3. Poodles Are Adaptable
From the show ring to the family home, Poodles can easily fit into several environments.
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The breed can happily live everywhere from farms to city apartment dwellings. Poodles seem to be able to change their behavior to fit various scenarios, such as being on show in the rink to retrieving ducks. With proper training and ownership, they can easily go into guard dog mode and then back to everybody’s best friend within minutes.
4. They Can Be Very Vocal
Poodles are not typically one of the quieter breeds. They are more likely to bark to alert you of incoming visitors than some other breeds.
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Poodles can be extremely talkative. Standard Poodles, especially, may have a loud, booming bark, thanks to possessing deep chests. This can sound way more threatening and intense than the Poodle intends it to be, which can serve them well as watchdogs. Though their bark may be high-pitched, smaller Poodles are also adept at alerting their owners to somebody approaching the home.
5. They Are Versatile
Poodles are surprisingly good water retrievers, among their many other talents.
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Poodles have such a variety of talents, It’s no wonder acting as a guard dog is on the list of their abilities. The breed’s waterfowl retrieving skills can rival many other breeds of retrievers. Besides the show ring, Poodles participate in sports such as dock diving, nose work, agility, and obedience. They even are known to make excellent service dogs.
6. They Are Not Naturally Aggressive
Poodles are not known to be an aggressive breed, but they can be trained to act protective in certain situations.
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Some Poodles may act cautious or even slightly standoffish when meeting new people. But they are not typically an aggressive breed. This is a good thing if you’re considering a Poodle for protection. A well-trained Poodle will be able to assess what is a true threat and what isn’t, making them a particularly good watchdog for families. Their nature is to please their owners. They can typically easily switch out of protective mode if their owner requests that they call the behavior off.
7. Their Size Can Be an Advantage
Standard Poodles are large enough to look quite imposing.
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Poodles aren’t just pocket-sized fluff balls. Standard Poodles can be fairly large. This biggest variety of Poodle can reach over 15 inches tall at the withers. They can weigh over 70 pounds. Poodles are extremely athletic, with long legs that sometimes make them look even taller than they are.
Their impressive size and the deep bark that accompanies it may be enough of a deterrent for intruders, even if the Poodle is not trained for security.
Summary of Reasons Why Poodles Are Good Guard Dogs
| 1. | They Are Highly Intelligent |
| 2. | They Are Extremely Alert |
| 3. | Poodles Are Adaptable |
| 4. | They Can Be Very Vocal |
| 5. | They Are Versatile |
| 6. | They Are Not Naturally Aggressive |
| 7. | Their Size Can Be an Advantage |
