One of the reasons dogs really are man’s best friend is that they can help us in many ways – as a companion, as a guide, or in some cases, as a protector. For some dog owners, especially those living in areas of the world where walking early in the morning or late at night with their dog can be potentially dangerous, it’s helpful to have a dog that is able to protect you in a situation where you are in danger. Dogs working alongside prison or police officers will also have roles that require them to have an understanding of how to protect their handlers.
What to consider when training your dog to guard you
It is important to remember when training your dog for personal protection that this will change their more general temperament – if you have a dog in your life that you enjoy as a companion for its gentle nature, then think carefully about whether you would like to train this dog to guard you. Dogs that are trained for protection will protect you full-time, it is for this reason that security dogs, police dogs and prison dogs carry out their duties so diligently.
How to train your dog to guard you
There are a few main steps to consider when training your dog to guard you:
1) Consider whether your dog has the right temperament. Certain dogs, and breeds of dogs, have a better aptitude for work as personal guard dogs.
2) Ensure your dog is properly socialised. This is very important to ensure that the dog will not react negatively to any other human beings or animals that it sees. This is especially essential for guard dogs who will be trained to make decisions in certain situations where they perceive there could be a threat.
3) Ensure your dog has received basic obedience training. Before moving on to other commands, it is good practice that your dog understands all the basic commands it may need to respond to. For example, your dog should know how to remain in one place when told to stay and know when to leave an object alone when instructed to.
4) The next step will be training your dog to bark on command when a stranger approaches you. For this step, we would recommend getting a dog trainer involved to ensure you are training your dog to bark in a productive way when a threat is perceived, and not just when it perceives any stranger.
5) Finally, once your dog can respond in a controlled way, depending on the necessities of the dog’s role (for example, this will be different in a prison or guard dog situation) you can then train the dog to defend, and in some cases attack. For personal protection, the latter is rarely advisable. To train your dog to defend, it is only necessary to train the dog to appear threatening, without actually training the animal to attack. With the help of a specialised dog training centre, this is usually a relatively easy process.
Total K9 can help train your dog to protect you
Total K9’s experienced dog handlers can assist you in training your dog for personal protection. Contact them today to hear about your training options, including options to work with both security dogs and police dogs.
