Guard dog

A guard dog, sometimes called an attack dog,^[a] is a dog that is trained to watch for and guard against people or animals who should not be there.^[3] Their main job is to keep their owner and the owner's property safe from danger. A guard dog is not the same as a "watchdog". A watchdog will let its owner know that a stranger is coming by barking. Guard dogs, however, may be trained to attack if their owner tells them to.^[b] A guard dog may also be trained to attack if a stranger comes too close. If trained properly, they will give a warning before attacking. A different type of guard dog is a livestock guard dog. Certain breeds of dogs are natural guardians of livestock.^[5] Their job is to stay with and guard a flock or herd against predators.^[5]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} The Dog Trainer's Resource: APDT Chronicle of the Dog Collection, ed. Mychelle Blake (Wenatchee, WA: Dogwise Publishing, 2007), p. 105
2. ↑ "Attack Dog Training". guarddogtraining.com. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
3. ↑ "Types of Guard Dogs". ExpertSecurityTips.com. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} "Table of Dog Bite Strict Liability Statutes". Michigan State University. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "Livestock protection dogs". Sheep101. Retrieved 17 January 2016.