Guard Dog Training For Protection Or Attack Dog Status
Rocco is my Rottweiler who has undergone extensive protection dog training. We were engrossed in a discussion about his training and capabilities when we were overheard by another person.
“Oh, you shouldn’t train your dog to do that stuff. That makes them vicious,” was her statement injected into our conversation. I was initially a bit taken-aback and annoyed; not only was her comment unsolicited but it was based on a lack of knowledge. As I thought about it more, however, I came to realize that this is a common style of thinking. There are many misconceptions about protection dogs and protection dog training. Let me dispel some of the myths of protection dogs and talk about protection dog training at its root to combat some of the more prevalent misinformation.
First, let me do a bit of defining. There are many terms thrown around that are often interchanged incorrectly.
Attack Dog- A poorly trained, typically anti-social, and fearful creature. Ineffective except for looking tough.
Guard Dog- A dog that is trained to guard an area. Guard dogs are often used on estates, warehouses, or open areas that need guarding. Guard dogs may or may not be good with people and may or may not have obedience training
.
Police Patrol Dog- A dog that is trained to work chasing down criminals. They are trained to be used on the offensive.
Protection Dog- A dog that is trained to be used first and foremost as a defensive deterrent. A protection dog is trained to show aggression on command and turn off on command. A protection dog is trained to attack on command or if the aggressor is not deterred by the show of aggression. A protection dog has high levels of obedience training.
So now let me return to the original statement. Does training a protection dog make him vicious? I understand why many people would assume this. After all, you are training a dog to show aggression, bite a person, and do what is necessary to combat a human. Protection dog training does not, however, make a dog vicious.
There are several styles and methods for protection dog training. At its root, however, there are two instincts, or drives, that protection dog trainers harness time and time again to achieve results. Let’s examine them.
Prey Drive
Prey drive is a drive that most dogs possess, not just protection dogs. A Labrador retriever chases a tennis ball because of prey drive. The local mongrel chases a car because of prey drive. Essentially, prey drive is a dog’s desire to chase and capture a fast moving object. Nothing vicious about it. A good protection dog trainer will harness this drive to teach a puppy to chase a rag. As the puppy grows older he graduates from a rag to a tug. From a tug the trainer teaches the dog to bite a sleeve or a dog training bite suit. All the while the training is approached as a game. As a fun way to use energy and satisfy drive. Basically, the decoy, or guy wearing the bite suit or sleeve, is not viewed as a ‘bad guy’ but as a partner in a fun game. As training progresses, a good trainer will train the dog to discount the presence of equipment and view the person as the prey object. All of this training is done on command only. As training progresses the dog is taught to only respond when he hears the dog training command from his owner. This ensures for safety and control.
Defense Drive
All creatures have some sort of defense mechanism. Dogs have three ways of dealing with an aggressor: fight, flight, or avoidance. In protection dog training a good trainer will utilize a dog’s defense drive to build on what he has learned with prey drive. The trainer will show the dog that in certain situations a person is a threat and can be dealt with using the skills taught in prey drive. In this way, prey drive and defense drive work together. In essence, a dog is taught that when given a command that the aggressor is a real threat and he should use his skills to fight the threat. As with prey drive these skills are taught only under command and with high levels of control and safety.
There are not many dogs capable of this level of training. A dog that can accomplish this is a strong and very confident dog. This level of confidence is what often makes protection dogs safe and good with people. They are so confident that they don’t view people as threats unless told to under command by their owner. Protection dog training often bolsters this confidence as these dogs learn the power that they have and their innate abilities.
So are these dogs vicious? Absolutely not. Their natural drives have merely been harnessed to teach them new skills. I like to compare a well trained protection dog with a well trained soldier. Is a soldier more of a danger because of his training? Many would argue that he or she isn’t. The advanced levels of training turn a soldier into a person who is extremely confident. A soldier is capable of being a loving and caring family member in one setting and tool of battle in another. Just because a soldier is capable of using weapons under one setting does not make that person ‘vicious’.
Confidence is the opposite of fear. Fear is what causes many problems both in dog and human alike. When you combine the confidence and high levels of control in a well trained protection dog, I contend that you have a dog that is safe to be around and definitely not vicious.
Guard dog training has a long history. Guard Dogs are very faithful and trustworthy animals in this world. They belong to the carnivora order of animal kingdom. Out of so many pets and animals domesticated, they have reached a position where there is no turning back. protection dogs evolution has been very good with time. They have proved themselves with time and have left no chance to win their owners heart. Guard dogs have gained mans respect, love, trust and are now treated like family members. Dogs are used for a variety of purposes as they are in public services for a long time helping in activities like hunting guarding, search and rescue dogs, guiding, protecting, source of entertainment and attacking.
Guard dog trainings are also known as watch dog or sentry dog. These guard dogs are mainly employed to guard people, houses, and buildings, livestock, colonies from any unwanted, strange and suspected danger. guard dog trainings can be property guards, guardian dogs, personnel protection dogs, professional guard dog trainings, livestock guardian dogs and home security dogs for sale. They bark at the sight of any danger or predator. Their barking scares the intruder or thief. guard dog trainings are trained further to attack when needed.
When selecting a puppy to perform a security role in your home, there are desirable traits you can seek out. You definitely don’t want to head for the shy pooch crouched in the corner. Instead, look for a guard dog that is playful: one that is engaging his siblings and responds well to you. A little noisy barking here and there isn’t a bad trait, either! Even though you may be tempted to adopt the full grown, already menacing dog at the shelter, realize that guard dog training is careful and deliberate. A attack dog that has already been trained to recognize strangers may be tough to fit into your family life.
Training a guard dog can be easily accomplished at home. There are tons of resources in books and on the Internet to help you in your guard dog training. It’s easiest to start the guard dog training when the puppy is young: ten to twelve weeks of age is a good starting point. Watch dog training can also be coupled with attack dog training, so you are really taking care of two things at once. If you have an adult dog, do not think that watch dog training is impossible. Older dogs can make great guard dogs, you’ll just need to take extra time and care in training.
In cities, guard dogs are more common for personal uses or to guard the houses while everyone is out as they only watch and bark on sight of an intruder, they do not further attack. However in country sides where all livestock and farming is done, guard dog trainings are needed as they are main weapon to protect the livestock from predators and carnivorous animals like wolves and fox. Dogs used for body guarding individuals also are guard dog trainings not watch dogs. guard dog trainings given aggressive training are used in police department and in tracking, catching criminals.
A guard dog training is usually trained to protect against unwanted or unforeseen visits from people or animals. A guard dog training will restrain or attack an intruder if the intruder gets into the territory that the dog is guarding. A watch dog, on the other hand, would only give warning barks at an intruder coming within its range. guard dog training may train a dog to do either of these two extremes and anywhere in between.
Popular guard dog training breeds include Doberman Pinschers and German Shepherd Dogs. These breeds are very good candidates for guard dog training duty due to their innate instinct to guard. guard dog trainings must be brave, intelligent and committed to work. The instincts of these dogs must be carefully known to ensure they can still be controlled when necessary. After all, no one wants to be around a guard dog training that’s out of control.
Guard dog training takes careful planning and implementation. The drive and bite must be taught. Obedience and commands must always be enforced so that the dog knows when to guard and when to take it easy.
There are different types of guard dog training. There are also different levels depending on what needs to be guarded. guard dog training also depends on how you want your guard dog training to react to different situations he may encounter. You may train a guard dog training to secure a particular area, may it be your house, place of business, property, or livestock, or simply to keep valuables secured.
In guard dog training, it is crucial that you teach your dog to keep itself indifferent to other dogs (especially those of the opposite sex), as well as cats and mice. These distractions can cause your dog to lose focus and neglect his duty. You should also hone the dog’s barking skills. Barking is your dog’s way of alerting you when there is an intruder. The barking is also an attempt to scare away would-be intruders. However, if barking doesn’t deter the intruder, a guard dog training is trained to attack or restrain.
There are different training courses for taught in guard dog training schools, all of which are tailored depending on the amount of protection you feel you need. The simplest course of guard dog training involves testing the dog for his temperament, in addition to training him with good watch dog skills. The next level may involve drive and bite work, while the most intensive courses train the dog to protect individuals and families, and are also taught how to attack and subdue intruders.
Dogs are used for security in a number of ways. They can watch for strangers and alert the owners of their presence, or they can be trained to protect and attack. You may want a guard dog training but not necessarily need one. Instead, a watch dog may be perfect for you. Either way, training a dog to be part of your home security can be a difficult task; but in the event that the security is needed, it is a task that definitely pays off.
Many people use the terms “watch dog” and “guard dog training” interchangeably. Even though they perform similar tasks, the difference lies in the terms. A watch dog simply watches and alerts. A watch dog may be trained to let the owner know when a car pulls into the driveway or when a stranger walks into the yard. A guard dog training, on the other hand, not only alerts, but he also knows how to respond. If there is a threat from the car or the stranger, then a guard dog training will provide protection for the owner. In some cases, this involves the dog attacking the intruder. You may even hear guard dog trainings referred to as security dogs since they often take on security roles outside the home. For instance, the movie cliché of dogs guarding a scrap metal or wrecked car business is not always far from the truth.
There are many breeds of dogs but some specific breeds are used for public service by man. It is due to some myths like big dogs serve as good guard dog trainings. Although this is not the case, guard dog trainings should have good built, loud barking capability and endurance. Dogs used for guarding purposes are boxers, bullmastiff, German shepherd, rottweiler, Doberman pinscher, black Russian terrier, American bulldog for sale, pit bulls, sharr mountain dog and Kunming wolf dog. guard dog trainings are much disciplined are not distracted easily by anyone or any thing. Basic obedience training should be given to all guard dog trainings for this purpose. This is an important factor as if they are distracted; they can cause loss to their owners.
When you picture a guard dog training or watch dog, you may see a Rottweiler or Doberman. Although some breeds make natural guard dog trainings, a specific breed is not necessarily needed. You can teach many dogs to perform the duties, especially when you start from an early age. But, keep in mind that some dogs to not develop the appropriate temperament to guard. These dogs can still make great watch dogs, but they may not be willing to pounce on an intruder. If you are looking for a guard dog training in particular, then seek the help of a specialist. You will need the help of the specialist during training, so why not use your resources now?
Guard dog training can be accomplished at home, but it is better left to a professional. There are elements of guard dog training that are impossible for some owners to grasp. For instance, the dog needs to only respond to the owner or handler’s commands, because if he responds to anyone, then an intruder could also control the dog. Like watch dog training, guard dog training should be started at an early age. It can and should be coupled with obedience training.