14 Dog Breeds Most Likely To Save You During An Emergency

Dogs are remarkable creatures. They're humans' best friends and the most-loyal companions, and sometimes, they're even our heroes. Dogs have the power to save their owners from broken hearts and bring light into their lives, and some breeds possess instinctual bravery that pushes them to protect their owners from harm and put themselves in front of danger if it means keeping their owners safe. We've all seen the news articles, videos, and stories about dogs' heroic acts that have changed their owners' lives forever!

German shepherds and border collies are just two in a long list of dog breeds that are likely to save their owners during emergencies by barking for help, fighting off coyotes, locating missing loved ones, and saving people from drowning. However, many of these breeds are working breeds with strong prey drives, intelligence, and stamina, and they, therefore, require a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to remain happy. That said, if you're wondering if your dog is likely to save you or if you're looking to adopt a breed that offers more than just companionship, check out these 14 breeds that can help you feel safer in an emergency.

German shepherds are large dogs known for their courage, strength, and heroism. They were originally bred to look after sheep, but their protective nature is still strong today, which is evident in their work. These dogs save lives almost every day through police work and other rescue operations, but they also save lives at home.

German shepherds are incredibly smart and, with some training, one of the most-obedient dog breeds ever. Their intelligence and obedience drive them to solve complex tasks and act quickly during emergencies. Sadie is a great example of this. She saved her owner's life when he passed out due to having a stroke in 2021. She stayed by his side, licked his face to try to help him regain consciousness, and even pulled him to his cell phone. What's more surprising is that Sadie was new to the family at the age of 6, having been adopted only a few months prior. Interestingly, German shepherds bond deeply with their owners and can make great companions in a short time.

If you fell in love with the movie "Beethoven" as a child and wanted a Saint Bernard for yourself, you're not alone. These mountain dogs are gentle giants that are powerful, smart, and great with children. As snow dogs, you might wonder about hypothermia and how long you can walk this dog outside when it's cold. Saint Bernards were bred for the snow to help monks with rescue missions — and they love it! Their large bodies and undercoats keep them warm for long periods of time.

Saint Bernards have a remarkable sense of smell, are excellent at search-and-rescue missions, and are hard workers and natural rescuers. Barry, a Saint Bernard who lived at the Hospice of St. Bernard in the Swiss Alps, saved the lives of 40 travelers throughout his 14 years of service. Not only did he lead people through the tough terrain, but he also located lost travelers and warmed them with his body. Not much has changed in this breed, as they're still just as likely to save you during an emergency.

Newfoundlands share many physical and personality traits with Saint Bernards. They're gentle, loyal, smart, and very protective of children, which is why they so many people lovingly call them "nanny dogs." They're one of the friendliest dog breeds and have incredible swimming skills because of their webbed feet and water-repellent coats. They also have a natural drive to rescue people. There are many stories of Newfoundlands rescuing people from the water over the decades, and many Coast Guards still use these dogs for water rescue today.

A true hero was Whizz, a Newfoundland who's the reason nine people survived drowning incidents. His skill and bravery earned him The PDSA Order of Merit in 2016, which, according to the PDSA, is awarded to animals "for outstanding devotion to duty." Whizz lived to the age of 12, which is longer than the average lifespan of 8 to 10 years for his breed, and impacted many lives during those years.

Although many people think there are different types of Doberman pinschers, only one is recognized by the American Kennel Club, and they have lean, muscular bodies, pointed ears, and sharp faces. Their intimidating appearance and alertness are useful for the work they do, which includes security and police work, as well as search and rescue. Although they're working dogs, their alertness and love of their owners make them excellent family dogs who will protect their families in emergencies and threats.

@thisiskaiserr

Basically now I'm allowed on all the furniture and get handed all the scraps #hero #dogeescue #doberman #traineddog #bestboy #goodestboy

♬ original sound – Kai the Doberman

The Doberman pinscher is a breed you can count on, and there are many examples of them saving their owner's lives. One such example, seen in a TikTok video, happened in late December 2024 when a Doberman pinscher opened the door to its house and alerted people outside for help after his grandpa fell and needed help. The ordeal took about an hour and a half, during which the dog never got distracted or gave up. His mission was to get help for one of his family members, and he didn't stop until he knew his owner was in good hands. Interestingly, the dog had no prior training and reacted out of instinct and intuition.

Anywhere a Rottweiler goes, people will be staring. Their ancestors were mastiffs from the Roman Empire that herded livestock and pulled carts. Although breeders developed Rottweilers from crossing those mastiffs with other breeds, they still have large, muscular, bodies, protective instincts, and a lot of self-confidence. Although these dogs continue to work as police and therapy dogs and are valued for their protective, guarding instincts on farms and properties, they're also popular family dogs that are loyal and loving companions.

A Rottweiler is quick to spring into action when emergencies strike and when they perceive danger. One Reddit user on the r/Rottweiler subreddit shared a story about how their dog "leapt up snarling and threw herself between us" when their husband was trying to teach her some boxing moves. It was a surprise to her because their dog usually favors her husband. An example of a more serious situation occurred in 2024, when a Rottweiler was seen fighting off a moose who tried to attack its owner, and without the Rottweiler there, the outcome could have been very different.

Although bloodhounds look like a sleepy breed, not much gets past them. Due to their strong sense of smell and excellent tracking abilities, these dogs have found many missing people. A bloodhound became a town hero in Tennessee for finding a 6-year-old child who'd been missing for a month in 2021.

You'd definitely benefit from being with one of these dogs should you ever get lost. These dogs love using their noses to sniff out new smells, so be prepared to be sniffed all over whenever you come home from a day of shopping or adventuring. They do very well in competitions that include tracking, scent work, and lure coursing.

Bloodhounds love being around their family members, which include humans and other dogs. Although they may look grumpy because of their droopy eyes, they're a very friendly breed. However, sagging skin on dogs puts them at risk for dermatitis, so owners must clean and dry between their bloodhound's facial folds daily to prevent this.

The Belgian Malinois loves two things: working and being with its owners. They create strong connections with the people they love, do well in active families, and are able to keep up with the high energy of children. They're natural problem solvers, hyper-vigilant, strong, and brave. They were bred to be guard dogs and herders on Belgian farms and are commonly used for rescue missions and police work today.

One brave Belgian Malinois named Eva fought off a mountain lion who came out of nowhere and attacked her owner in Northern California while she was out for a walk. Unfortunately, instead of running off, the mountain lion turned its attention to Eva and attacked her. After several people intervened, the lion ran away, but Eva was hurt. Sadly, Eva ended up passing away because of her injuries. Eva saved her owner and touched many hearts through her selfless heroism, with one Reddit user on r/BelgianMalinois commenting, "I'm in shock and heartbroken over a dog I have never met. She has truly touched the world!"

The Italian breed that wins the most protective, smart, and strong dog awards goes to the cane corso. These dogs are true bodyguards — they're always near their owners, large in stature, and fearless. They're also incredibly loyal and loving. Ancestors of the cani corsi include Roman war dogs, so it's no wonder these dogs are such good hunters and guard dogs. They thrive when they have tasks to do, and no task is too difficult.

Cani corsi are bigger than your average dog and can be quite dominating. When exercised, trained, and loved by their owners, these dogs thrive and will do anything to keep the people they love out of harm's way. An example of this is seen in Leo, a cane corso who woke his owner up and alerted them to an invasion happening in their home. The intruders were vandalizing the home and ended up setting it ablaze. At only 7 months old, Leo jumped into action and led his owner to safety, guarding her and never leaving her side, even through the explosions around them. Thankfully, due to Leo's heroic behavior, he and his owner came out unharmed.

The boxer is a German breed that is energetic and has a high prey drive. They're impressive runners, jumpers, and workers, and they have many jobs. They're police dogs, guide dogs, and watchdogs, and they've even played important roles in times of war, so it's clear that they're natural heroes through and through. They're also popular family dogs, though boxers aren't very good with young kids because they're so energetic and bouncy.

Due to countless stories of boxers being lifesavers, it's safe to say they're a breed that might just save you in an emergency. Nala is an example of a true hero. Nala is a boxer who protected her family, including a 10-year-old boy, from a rattlesnake. She sprang into action to separate her humans from the danger, standing her ground until she knew her family was far enough away from the snake. She was even bitten by the rattlesnake during the ordeal but was quickly taken to a veterinary hospital, where she was treated and has recovered.

Labrador retrievers are a very popular breed, and it shouldn't come as a surprise, as these dogs are the full package: beautiful, sweet-natured, patient, smart, and excellent with children and other pets. Labrador retrievers come from Newfoundland, where they historically aided fishermen with their nets and lines. They were also used to collect hunted ducks because they have excellent retrieval, swimming, and diving skills. Their trainability, size, and athletic build help them do their tasks well and excel in times of emergency. Labs are still working today, often being used as therapy, service, and drug-detection dogs.

Labradors are protective of their family members and react quickly when danger arises. For example, in 2022, a Labrador retriever named Ella started behaving strangely and wanted her family to leave their backyard and go inside their house, which they did. Shortly after, a mountain lion appeared in their backyard, and the family quickly realized that, without Ella's nudging and protective behavior, they could have all been attacked. Sadly, Ella scrapped with the lion and sustained several injuries, but her owners called her their "hero."

The Rhodesian ridgeback is identifiable by the line of backward-growing hair on its wheaten-colored backs. These dogs have strong prey drives and are strong-willed but incredibly fearless. Furthermore, Rhodesian ridgebacks have strong tracking abilities and were bred as hunting dogs. They're also referred to as African lion hounds because they helped hunt lions, even though they're much smaller than the predators, with a medium-large height of 24 to 27 inches and a weight of 70 to 85 pounds.

If a Rhodesian ridgeback isn't scared of a lion, it's not going to be scared of much else, which makes dogs of this breed wonderful protectors. In 2022, a young Rhodesian ridgeback named Wilbur awoke his family by barking and alerted them to the fact that their house was on fire. If it weren't for Wilbur, the family would have slept through the ordeal and may not have gotten out in time. One Reddit user also shared a story about their experience with an intruder on r/RhodesianRidgebacks. The good news is that her three dogs saw that she was in danger when the intruder lunged at her, and "the male went for the man's throat, and the females each grabbed a wrist." They kept the intruder pinned down until police arrived 45 minutes later.

The border collie is one of the most clever dogs around and is highly energetic, which means they need a lot of exercise and physical stimulation — if you don't, you may come home to a chewed-up bed or sofa. They love to herd livestock, and because they're fast responders and quick thinkers, few breeds do the job as well as them. These skills aren't just beneficial on farms and fields, but also in emergencies, which is why border collies are such prominent search-and-rescue dogs.

Due to border collies' incredible alertness and problem-solving skills, they often spring into action to help their owners by waking people up or alerting them to help when something is wrong. One heroic border collie named Saul ran 200 yards to get help for his owner, who had fallen 70 feet and broken his hip and ribs while hiking. Saul managed to lead search-and-rescue members back to where his owner was, and he was then taken to a hospital via air ambulance.

Although border collies weren't bred to be protective, they can be when necessary. One Reddit user said on the r/BorderCollie subreddit that when someone came uncomfortably close to them, their dog "immediately placed himself in front of me and barked very loudly." The dog wasn't overly aggressive but asserted itself, and the stranger "backed off."

Great Pyrenees are calm, patient, and kind giants but can quickly turn into fast, strong, and fearless warriors if their home or livestock are in danger. These dogs were bred to protect sheep from wolves and bears, and they take their jobs very seriously. These natural instincts also push them to protect the people they love. A Reddit user shared on r/greatpyrenees that when their autistic son walked out of the house in the middle of the night, their Great Pyrenees stayed next to him the whole time and protected him from danger until they were found three hours later, exhausted.

Great Pyrenees are territorial of their environments and are true guardians. Casper is another example of a brave hero. Casper was only 2 years old when she became a hero in 2023 for saving her owner and their sheep from a pack of coyotes by killing eight out of 11 of them. The other Great Pyrenees on the farm also sprang into action and led the sheep off to safety during Casper's fight. Thankfully, both the sheep and Casper's pregnant owner were unharmed. However, Casper did sustain injuries that resulted in an amputated tail, but she's doing well otherwise.

The Akita is a hunting dog from Japan that is well-known to be deeply protective and loyal thanks to the movie "Hachi: A Dog's Tale," which is based on the true story of an Akita dog from the early 1900s who waited for his owner to come home from work every day — and continued to do so for nine years after his death. This deeply loyal trait is why Akitas won't leave their owners during emergencies. 

Although Hachikō didn't necessarily save his owner during an emergency, one Akita from Canada recently did. A dog named Hero stayed with his owner for several days after he fell into a ditch in early 2024. The dog never ran off for food, protection from the cold, or even coyotes until he was able to alert officers to where his owner was trapped and eventually rescued. Talk about a truly loyal hero!