Akita
Coming to us from Japan is a dog breed that some people may overlook when they think about protective dogs.
Brave and attentive, the Akita is also know for its incredible loyalty to its owner and family.
The story of Hachiko helps demonstrate this.
Every day, Hachiko greeted his owner at the train station. When the owner passed away suddenly, Hachiko maintained his schedule, waiting every day at the train station for an owner who would never return home.
Today, owners of an Akita know this breed makes for a good guard dog.
Their alertness means they check out any strange sounds and they have a knack for searching high and low to make sure no one and nothing has intruded on their territory.
This is likely a result of the fact that Akitas were bred as hunting dogs, a characteristic which is passed on from generation to generation.
In addition to a very strong prey drive, an Akita sees its owner and family as part of a larger pack.
Its natural instinct is to protect this pack, and the Akita will almost always place itself between its owner and any perceived threat.