Dogs have been by our side for generations; in many cases, they are always ready to step in and save us. Many breeds have an instinct to protect their owners and other humans. Here are some examples of the best breeds that have been saving us for generations.
Labrador Retrievers
There’s a reason why Labradors are some of the most popular dogs on the planet. The intelligent and loyal breed is excellent for therapy and search and rescue. A perfect example is during 9/11, when a guide dog named Roselle led her blind owner down 78 flights of stairs, saving their lives.
German Shepherd
German Shepherds are known for their strength, protective nature, and loyalty. They are great police and security dogs who’ve saved countless men in the line of duty. After the World Trade Center fell, a German Shepherd named Trakr found the last survivor trapped underneath the debris.
Golden Retriever
Golden retrievers are happy-go-lucky dogs that will go to great lengths to please their owners. Like Labradors, they are often used as therapy dogs because of their empathy and compassion. A woman was eating a piece of fruit in Maryland when she started choking. Her golden retriever cleverly knocked her down and started jumping on her chest, saving her life.
Boxer
Boxers play a similar role to German shepherds, being strong dogs that are ideal for protection. Despite their stature, they are sweet and playful dogs. A Boxer named Max noticed that his owner’s house was on fire in the middle of the night. He alerted them by barking and got them out of the house.
Saint Bernard
Saint Bernards has a background in search and rescue and has saved many people trapped in the snow in the Western Alps. Their thick coat and large stature let them bind through the snow without a problem. One Saint Bernard named Barry saved over 40 people in the Swiss Alps who got lost or trapped in the snow during his career as a rescue dog.
Rottweiler
Rottweilers are often seen in security and even police settings. They are a strong breed with a lot of tenacity. They love families and will do anything to protect them. A Rottweiler named Eve pulled her owner from a burning van before it became an inferno, showing bravery and compassion.
Border Collies
Border Collies are some of the most intelligent breeds that are amazing problem-solvers. They are mostly used as herd dogs but make great search and rescue dogs due to their clever nature. When hiker got lost in a storm, a border collie named Max lead rescuers to the hiker, who came out unharmed.
Siberian Husky
Siberian Huskies have a background in sled pulling, which means they have a lot of strength and endurance, as well as the ability to thrive in extreme cold. A now famous Siberian husky named Balto heroically led a sled carrying medicine for diphtheria to people who desperately needed it in 1925.
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Malinois are exceptionally agile and perceptive dogs, which means they are great assets in the military and police. A Belgian Malinois named Layka saved military troops’ lives in Afghanistan during an ambush. She injured herself in the process of fighting off the attackers.
Newfoundland
Newfoundlands are exceptionally good swimmers and have a lot of strength to carry or pull people in the water. They are otherwise gentle dogs which means they amazing lifeguard dogs. At many beaches, Newfoundlands have saved swimmers who’ve started drowning and couldn’t make it back to shore.
Bloodhound
The bloodhound is well-known for its amazing sense of smell that lets it track scents for miles. The dogs were originally bred to aid hunters track prey, but now their sense of smell is used in located missing people. In 2019, Daisy the bloodhound managed to track and find a missing child that had gotten lost. Daisy led rescuers over two miles to where they finally found the child.
Portuguese Water Dog
As the name suggests, Portuguese water dogs are strong swimmers that were bred to help fishermen catch fish. Tico, the Portuguese water dog, managed to save a drowning swimmer in Portugal in 2018. He swam out to the swimmer and then back to the safety of shore.
