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A strong big dog may pull you over when leash walking if not very well trained. One dog I had injured my hand years ago and now I'm paying the price in older age. Maybe get an older dog.
an adult Doberman would probably suit you well, they are Velcro dogs, incredibly attuned to their people, they love a good run, but a fenced in yard and plenty of mental stimulation would be fine for a matue dober.
an adult rotty would also be a great choice.
neither have to be "protective" (though most are naturally good judges of when they need to step in) because they LOOK scary enough that most wont een think about crossing ya lol
My dober is the biggest sweetest goofball in the world..but people still cross the street and give us a wide birth when they see us simply because shes a dober.
Agree on the Dobie thing. If OP's looking on the huge end, get a Great Dane. They are very protective, velcro dogs (my Danes want to help ME go potty,) and I give them a good walk twice a week, which suits them fine. Their huge size isn't a problem in the house because I trained them young to behave; they don't jump on people, counter surf, or get on the bed or off limits furniture. They are imposing enough to frighten off the most determined Jehovah's Witness
Why do you want a dog that "protects" you? I would think a dog that "alerts" you would be sufficient. Then you could get a smaller dog, one that you can pick up if you need to do so, and your life would be easier. Dogs that would protect you would need to be extremely well trained so as to know when that protection was appropriate and when it was not. If you are only looking for a dog that other people think might be a protector dog, but is really a sweetie, just get a big black lab. But as I get older, I realize a smaller dog is better in case it gets hurt and I need to carry it to the vet or something.
When my beloved Hobbs, lab mix, is gone, I might want another dog, but not sure which breeds to consider.
I'm 65 and don't want a high energy dog who requires a lot of heavy exercise, not a barker, but one that would be easy to train, and would be very protective of me. Any suggestions?
An Akita would work if you can find someone who isn't breeding them to be ridiculously oversized these days. Loved my Akitas...very quite sensible "one man" dogs. Unfortunately I've maintained a multi pet household for years with fosters coming and going from time to time and Akitas generally arent well suited temperment wise for that.
Akitas and all other breeds aside unless you also require an intimidating appearence in the equation it kind of comes down to the individual dog. I have a spaniel border collie type cross who I hung on to specifically because hes such a great watch dog and has a tremendously intimadating bark.
An adult Bullmastiff would probably be good.Theyre naturally quiet,but if something alerts them,the bark alone would frighten people off.They dont need mountains of exercise, quite a bit of mental stimulation though,and they dont do well being left alone a lot.Female dogs are better as well,as quite a few male Bullmastiffs are dominant with other dogs.some females are but a lot less.
Id also say a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.I dont know how easy they are to get in USA but here in the UK,sadly every rescue shelter will always have them.Now almost all Staffies are good with people,there have been a couple of high profile attacks but they are usually Staffie mixes.Most Staffies love even strangers,but they will defend you,without any thought to their own safety.If you do decide on one,get a dog friendly one,cos they have one drawback,many are awful with other dogs,and while some of it can be trained out of them,a lot of it is genetic but a reliable rescue shelter would pick you a dog friendly(well friendlier) out.They like a good walk but a lot of play is what they like best.Oh and sitting on your lap.
Thirdly there is a Chow Chow.i admit im personally a bit wary of them,but then i know strange Chows dont always like to be patted.they love their owners to bits,but arent really interested in anyone else.They are very quiet usually but will certainly bark if they hear something.If it gets to more than barking being enough,a Chow wont hesitate to attack.Chows need a LOT of socialisation then they know when things are really wrong instead of second guessing it.Chows even as pups are sensible,not wild but they do need bringing out of themselves
Well, other than the barking thing, a Great Pyrenees is a wonderful breed. They're big beautiful dogs whose size alone would intimidate a would be intruder. They aren't high energy but they do enjoy a good bark. They dig... a lot and can be a little stubborn. They must be either fenced in or leash trained, they will wander if allowed. I'm not sure if at your age I'd get one. I'm 58 and our Pyr, although well mannered, can pull pretty good if he sees something while I'm walking him. They're great dogs though.
My friend has 2 Pyreneans,i love them to bits.but nobody would be daft enough to break in.Mind if you go for a walk everyone from 5 to 95 wants a pat.Hers dont bark too much,they got a big garden and an enormous fence so they cant wander.In the (occasional) very hot weather she sleeps with the back door open and they sleep outside to keep cool.
When my beloved Hobbs, lab mix, is gone, I might want another dog, but not sure which breeds to consider.
I'm 65 and don't want a high energy dog who requires a lot of heavy exercise, not a barker, but one that would be easy to train, and would be very protective of me. Any suggestions?
More important than breed I would consider adopting a young adult dog from rescue. You will know the energy level, barking level, trainability, and so on.
I have three shelties, all from rescue but my "best" dog is the one I got as an adult. She was 3 yrs old, and is nearly silent (unheard of in shelties), high energy (which I wanted as we run agility), is easier to train than all of the border collies I owned previously, and appreciates us the most.
Don't get me wrong, I love my other two, especially the one I have had since he was 4 months old, but neither he nor his sister (who we got at 9 months) will ever compete in agility, though he is training in flyball, and the sister barks like a nut.
If temperment really matters, an adult is a much surer bet. Oh and I forgot, she came potty trained!
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