Are you seeking a dog that can protect your home with a powerful, frightening bark? An intimidating bark can be a surprising tool against intruders and those with unsavory intentions.
So, what dogs are well-known for this quality? Here are some dog breeds with scary barks.
Dog Breeds With Scary Barks
A lot of dogs well-known for being intimidating have fittingly scary barks. But there are some dogs that you may not expect to be that frightening that also manage to fit the bill!
Here is a list of some dogs with the scary barks:
- Rottweiler
- Great Pyrenees
- German Shepherd
- Yellow Labrador
- Bullmastiff
- Weimaraner
- Great Dane
- Beagle
We will dive into each of these breeds individually below!
1. Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is almost synonymous with intimidation. They’re medium-to-large in size and have a striking silhouette, with dark fur and immense strength. They always look ready to attack.
Rottweilers were originally used to either herd livestock or help to pull butcher’s carts. Their role has since evolved and expanded to include many working positions.
They’re known for being rowdy, aggressive, reserved, and extremely loyal to family, with a strong protective instinct that has made them perfect guard dogs over the years.
A Rottweiler’s barks are unforgiving in their scariness. These barks are typically accompanied by a litany of many snarls and growls, with teeth fiercely bared and glistening to add more to that frightening effect.
They also bark often, with no reservations about letting loose on any threat they see.
The barks themselves are very loud and fierce, messily and quickly escaping in bursts of many barks, one after the other.
Rottweilers aren’t afraid to lunge and dart forward in time with their fearsome barks, either. Intruders will be wary of them!
2. Great Pyrenees
The Great Pyrenees is a formidable dog with an equally formidable bark. It’s no surprise that this livestock guardian dog is equipped with the full force of vocal power necessary to defend a flock!
This is a large dog with a thick coat, hailing from France and with a proud legacy of warding off wolves and coyotes – even to this day.
The Great Pyrenees is very strong and does a great job of deterring potential intruders, whether they’re animals or humans.
They can look quite cute because of their light, fluffy coat, but their large size adds some intimidation. These dogs are also known for their endless, nonstop barking – they’re highly communicative guardian dogs, after all!
This dog is gentle and affectionate and makes an amazing family dog, but it won’t hesitate to show its fierce side to defend its loved ones.
Its bark is deep, loud, and very scary, echoing across entire houses in its rough, sharp nature. It tends to bark very suddenly, too, which makes it all the scarier.
3. German Shepherd
German Shepherds have distinct barks and are known for being dogs that you just don’t mess with. They bark more often than the average of other large dogs, with no hesitation when it comes to barking at potential threats.
German Shepherds are known as all-purpose working dogs, with a reputation for extremely high intelligence, great adaptability, and a willingness to learn in training.
Their breeding comes from their herding dog ancestors, and now they’re capable of doing pretty much anything!
These dogs have always been quite scary in appearance, and most intruders know to stay well away from a German Shepherd.
They’re of medium-to-large size, are fast and athletic, and have a lot of strength in their bodies. They’re loyal to those they love but can be reserved around strangers.
German Shepherds don’t have the absolute scariest barks on this list, but the barks are loud and frightening enough to deter most intruders. They’re deep and quite powerful, and the barks can even feel deafening in close proximity.
The fear factor is especially true due to the growls that they tend to perform in deep, gravelly voices before each bark, showcasing their protective qualities.
4. Labrador
It’s hard to believe that these incredibly lovable dogs have terrifying barks, but a 2016 survey in Britain revealed that they top the list of most frightening barks!
Labradors date back to the 1830s, developed as a retriever gun dog for sport and hunting, bred from fishing dogs.
They’re well-known for being playful, friendly, loyal, and very obedient, and that’s made them one of the most popular companion dogs across the globe.
Labradors are medium-large breeds, but unfortunately, they’re really not really very intimidating in appearance. They’re also not particularly barky dogs and are often quiet.
However, they do bark in response to threats, and their cute and kindly appearance can be offset by how fierce their bark is.
Their bark has a deep tone and often has a raspy, growl-like quality as it booms from them in sharp, harsh bursts.
5. Bullmastiff
Bullmastiffs were bred as guard dogs, so it’s no surprise that these short-muzzled, large dogs have a powerful bark to go with that purpose.
Bullmastiffs were commonly used in the 19th century as protective dogs, to keep people and their property safe.
They’re a good blend between overly aggressive and too patient, making them a nice, balanced breed for most people’s guarding needs. However, they have a negative reputation for aggression, as many mastiffs do.
Despite their protectiveness, Bullmastiff dogs are known for being very loyal and affectionate. They’re reliable and can be easygoing, which surprises many. But through all this, they’re also very brave.
This bravery allows them to be great guard dogs, as they won’t back down from something that scares them – they’ll just keep barking!
Bullmastiffs have a typical “protective” bark – big, booming, loud, and fierce, often measured and released at regular intervals of high volume. They don’t bark unnecessarily but will immediately bark at any potential threat that they sense.
Their voices are quite deep and can scare off a lot of potential intruders. Most importantly, they will not stop barking until they’re sure the threat is gone, so they’re not the kind to let up!
6. Weimaraner
It’s not so surprising to think of the light-coated Weimaraner as a scary dog, and their barks are the second scariest in the aforementioned survey that placed Labradors first.
Weimaraners were bred as hunting dogs, a large breed designed to hunt game of many impressive sizes. They’re known by a rather impressive name, called “grey ghosts” because they’re so stealthy in their hunting.
They’re athletic, energetic, and have a ton of endurance that makes them more intimidating.
These dogs are obedient and love listening to training, which makes them great to train for protection. They’re also fearless, as evidenced by their hunting days, and will take on intruders bravely with little hesitation.
Weimaraners are communicative dogs and are known to bark a lot. Their barks are husky, raspy, and deep, with a loudness to them that is quickly frightening.
They’re relentless and will keep barking for as long as they think is necessary, which will really ward off threats!
7. Great Dane
Great Danes have the kinds of barks that are perfect for scary movies and jumpscares. They’re often loud enough to be hard from several houses over and are enough to send most people running.
Great Danes are historic German dogs, long-legged and descended from great hunting breeds. They’re sweet, gentle giants with surprising patience and a soft heart that has made them beloved by many.
In terms of intimidation, Great Danes have their giant size going for them – they’re taller than most people when they stand on their hind legs, according to the American Kennel Club. They have a lot of strength and weight, which makes them additionally scary to passersby and would-be intruders.
Great Danes are not quick to bark, as they’re often calm, peace-loving pups. However, they are naturally communicative and can be quite protective.
When they sense a threat, their barks are absolutely terrifying: deep and gravelly, with a force and volume that can make furniture vibrate! Intruders will be quaking in their boots!
8. Beagle
It’s surprising to see a beagle of all dogs on a list of scary barks, as you’d usually expect only large dogs to make more frightening noises. But this is far from the case, and the Beagle is the exception to this common theme.
So if you want a scary bark with a dog of manageable size, here’s where to look!
Beagles are scent hounds, bred as small dogs with a very curious and friendly personality. They’re extremely intelligent escape artists and make for excellent hunting dogs as well as highly loyal companions.
They’re not the most protective of dogs, but they do react to most things with their barks, which is good for guarding.
Beagles bark a lot. They’re constantly using this as a form of communication, both non-aggressively and aggressively. They won’t hesitate to bark at the first sign of a potential threat and it can be difficult to deter them from non-stop protective barking.
The bark of a Beagle is quite unique. It’s surprisingly loud and deep for a small dog, with sharp, harsh beats, and is often accompanied by fierce howling. In cases of higher tension, there may even be growls and angry snarls with its barks.
Conclusion
A good, scary dog bark is a fantastic deterrent for potential intruders and threats. Many dogs have frightening barks that will both alert you of a threat and send unsavory people and animals running away!
This list will help you to determine what kind of dog you’ll want that can provide this quality to your satisfaction.