For centuries, dogs have been trained by man to guard places or people: this is what we call the guard dog. But not just any dog can become a guard dog overnight. The first step is to choose a dog whose natural aptitudes predispose him to guarding: some breeds of dog are better suited than others. Then, you’ll need to train him to recognize intruders and visitors without malicious intent.
What characteristics should a good guard dog have?
A good watchdog is first and foremost a large, confident and strong dog, but also loyal and with well-developed instincts, so as to be able to defend his masters and protect them in the event of a burglary or break-in.
Contrary to popular belief, guard dogs are not necessarily aggressive. They have simply been trained to recognize threats and act accordingly. If the threat is major, the dog will bite; but if it’s minor, he won’t be dangerous.
However, training isn’t always enough: some breeds of dog make better guard dogs than others. These include the German Shepherd, the Belgian Shepherd, the Swiss White Shepherd, the Rottweiler and the American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff). Good guard dogs can also be found in far-off lands like Japan. The Tosa Inu in particular is renowned as an excellent watchdog. To find out more about Japanese dogs, visit: chien-japonais.fr.
Portrait of the Tosa Inu
The Tosa Inu is a Japanese dog from the former Japanese province of Tosa (now Kochi Prefecture). The F.C.I. Breed Nomenclature classifies them in Group II, which includes Pinscher and Schnauzer-type dogs. These large, molossoid-type dogs are between 55 and 70 cm tall, and weigh between 45 and 100 kg in adulthood. Life expectancy is between 10 and 12 years.
Muscular, elongated and hardy, the Tosa Inu has a coarse, short, hard coat. You can adopt one if you live in a temperate region. When taking them for a walk, we recommend muzzling them.
What makes the Tosa Inu a good watchdog?
The Tosa Inu is a large, well-balanced, patient, affectionate and quiet dog. He’s very loyal and will gladly protect you from intruders. But it’s also a dog that knows how to fight if need be: originally, the Japanese created this breed by crossing the Japanese dog breed Shikoku-ken with 6 Western breeds, including the English bulldog and the Saint Bernard, in order to use it for dog fighting. In Japan and Asia, the Tosa Inu is used primarily as a guard dog, and perhaps still today as a (clandestine) fighting dog.
The Tosa Inu is ideal as a guard dog in a home with children, as its calm temperament won’t frighten the little ones. However, because of its large size and weight, it can injure children unintentionally when playing with them, so you’ll need to keep an eye on it at all times.
However, the Tosa Inu is recommended only for people who are used to training large dogs, or for those who know the breed well. Very strong and vigorous, it can be controlled by a harness during training if you don’t have sufficient physical capacity. Finally, we also recommend him to those who have the time to look after him (he needs 2 to 3 walks a day) and who own a large house, preferably with a garden.
