This strong guardian is a family friend.
Built to intimidate the most daring trespasser, the muscle-bound American Bulldog will stand his ground as a fearless guard dog when protecting his owner and property, says Jan M., an animal control officer and breeder in Washington.
“If I’m out on a walk and have Devon with me, and I see somebody and feel uncomfortable with that person, she picks right up on that,” Jan says of her 9-year-old American Bulldog. “She won’t attack somebody for no reason, but I feel her stiffen and pay attention. She won’t take her eyes off them.”
Once an owner signals that all’s well, the dog will transform into a sweet and gentle giant, she says. “It takes training, and you have to get a well-bred dog, but you can depend on these dogs’ stable temperament,” says Jan, who takes her dogs to elementary schools to teach dog-bite prevention and responsible dog ownership. “That’s one of the things I really love about this breed.”
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