The Difference Between a Guard Dog and a Watch Dog

In addition to providing companionship, (some) dogs are also hard workers. For example, some breeds are excellent at herding sheep or cattle, while others use their heightened sense of smell to sniff out drugs or diseases.

And many dogs—whether they’re trained to do so or not—act as furry, four-legged doorbells, alerting their humans if they sense something is amiss in or around their home. (Or, that the mail carrier had the audacity to deliver the mail again—after they scared them away the day before.)

These pooches are either guard dogs or watch dogs—and yes, there’s a difference between the two. Here’s what to know.

The difference between a guard dog and a watch dog

If you’re looking to add a dog to your household and want one that makes your home a bit more secure, you may be considering a guard dog or watch dog. Here’s the difference between the two:

Guard dogs

Bark as an alert
Bark, growl, and display other intimidating behavior as a deterrent, while holding their ground
Also capable of acting like their owner’s bodyguard
Go through special training

Watch dogs

One job: Alert their owner if they detect something unusual
Size of the dog doesn’t matter
Ability to bark loudly helps

What are attack dogs?

It’s important to note that guard dogs and watch dogs are not attack dogs. Attack dogs are trained not only to alert their owners to a potential danger—they’re also trained to act, either on-command, or when a person they perceive as an intruder enters the property.

And, as the Davis Law Group points out, when attack dogs are not properly trained or used to attack for reasons other than providing protection, they are capable of inflicting serious damage. Because of this, some state and local authorities have prohibitions or regulations on certain breeds.