Good Small Watchdogs

The dogs listed below make really good small watchdogs. The reason that these little dogs make the very best watchdogs is because they are very perceptive and will bark at any minor disruption.

Although they do make excellent little watchdogs they can also become very annoying, as you would expect. All dogs bark anyway, but these small dogs bark more than most and will take some training to discourage them from doing so in certain situations.

If you live in a particular area of town where crime and burglaries are high getting one of these small dogs for protection could well be the answer to make you feel more secure in your own home.

We do have to warn you though, getting a dog for protection or for guarding your property alone is not a good reason to get a dog. You still have to want the dog, you have to have time to take it for walks, play with it and train it just like any other dog.

List of Good Small Watchdogs

1. Klein German Spitz 
2. German Hunting Terrier 
3. Coton De Tulear 
4. American Hairless Terrier 
5. Mexican Hairless (Toy) 
6. Dandie Dinmont Terrier 
7. American Eskimo Dog 
8. Smooth Fox Terrier 
9. Wire Fox Terrier 
10. Silky Terrier 
11. West Highland White Terrier 
12. Miniature Schnauzer 
13. Shih Tzu 
14. Poodle (Miniature & Toy) 
15. Yorkshire Terrier 

Which Small Watchdog is the Right One for You?

The Klein German Spitz makes a great little watchdog, but is this the right one for you and your family? These dogs are super feisty and do have problems with strangers, making them excellent small watchdogs. However, these dogs require a lot of work, their coat needs a lot of care and attention and they need a lot of play and exercise. If you are short on time then this is not the watchdog for you.

The German Hunting Terrier does make a great little watchdog, these too have high energy levels and require walks and lots of play time.

The Coton De Tulear dog is one of the best small watchdogs for families, they require lots of love and give lots of love in return. These lovely little dogs only require a walk once a day and are very loving, not with strangers though, they will bark at them alerting you of their presence.

The American Hairless Terrier are very protective making them a great watchdog. These small dogs do bark a lot, the good news is that you can train them rather easily to stop barking when you don’t want them to.

The Mexican Hairless Terrier dog needs a lot of attention and are good with big families. These feisty little dogs will stand up to strangers and will bark persistently at them. These dogs have a lot of energy and do require long walks quite often throughout the day.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is another small dog that has lots of energy and requires long walks. These dogs get very protective over their owners and will bark when a stranger comes near.

The American Eskimo Dog is a good family pet, but if you are out at work all day and there is no one at home with them for long periods they can have behavioural problems. This could lead to chewing and destroying your furniture around the home. These dogs will bark at a stanger making them one of the best small watchdogs for families.

The Smooth Fox Terrier is another rather energetic small dog breed that requires regular walks. However one long walk a day will suffice for them. These are not the best dogs to have around young children, this breed is rather easy to train and will probably only bark at a stranger and not at any other times.

The Wire Fox Terrier needs a lot of attention and are very protective. These dogs have a dominating bark that will be effective at scaring any intruder in your home. These dogs are not great with other pets, if you have a cat or bird then you should look at one of the other breeds.

The Silky Terrier breed of dogs require a lot of time and attention devoted to them, lots of walks and love required here with this breed. These dogs do not like strangers at all and have loud barks that would deter any intruder. This is another small dog that is not suited to families with smaller children in them.

The West Highland White Terrier dog requires and demands a lot of attention from their owner. You need to be there to fill their time and be willing to play with them often. If these dogs do not get your attention then they could show some destructive behaviour around the house. This is another small dog breed that is not recommended for families with small children. The Westie will bark at strangers and will stop when they become to know them.

The Miniature Schnauzer is a great small dog for young and older people living on their own, they make good bonds with individuals and make great companions. These are the best small watchdogs for older people living on their own and requiring companionship. These dogs do require at least one walk a day and are easy to train. When strangers appear these dogs will bark non stop until their owner lets them know that it is okay.

The Shih Tzu is another dog that is quite high maintenance, these dogs crave attention and left home alone for too long could become destructive. These dogs only need a short walk everyday and are quite happy to stay at home with you. These dogs are not good for families with younger children, if a child gets more attention than them then there could be problems. These dogs will bark if they sense danger or an intruder, they do make good little watchdogs.

The Miniature Poodle is another small dog breed that requires a lot of attention, if you have a big family then the dog will be very happy. These dogs do have a lot of energy and will require a lot of your time for play and walks. Poodles have been known to nip at small children, which might pose a problem for you. If they do come across someone they are unfamiliar with they will bark, and they will bark loudly.

The Yorkshire Terrier is a busy little dog that requires lots of attention, if they don’t get it then they will look for stuff to do for themselves, which could lead to problems around the house. This small dog breed is keen to please so should be very easy to train. This is another breed that should not be left alone with small children and could give them a little nip. The Yorkshire Terrier will bark at strangers, their bark is quite intimidating for such a little dog and will most probably deter most intruders from entering your house.