Obedient Pets Versus Protection Dogs
Obedient pet or Protection dog - Which is best?
"I Know If The Chips Were Down He Would Take Care Of Me"
This is a phrase we have heard a lot but saying this and experiencing it aren’t always aligned. When it comes to protecting you, your family and your home, there’s a significant difference between an obedient pet and a protection dog.
An obedient pet might follow simple commands very well and provide some form of confidence, but they aren’t trained to deal with various scenarios and high-pressure environments when some aspect of your life is under threat. The sad reality is that unless trained in the right way, a dog won't defend.
But I’ve trained my dog to attack and defend?
The development of a protection dog is a slow process, nurturing them over a minimum of two years to ensure that they understand how to react to different scenarios, from the initial stages of an intruder into your property through to needing to act in self-defence.
Simply training a dog to ‘attack’ or ‘stay’ like a pet is trained to sit or fetch isn’t the same. In these circumstances, an obedient pet is following very basic commands that haven’t been tested in different circumstances and high-pressure environments. It also doesn’t take in to account the temperament of the dog, so there is no guarantee they will do as they are told when faced with an aggressor.
Owners of large breed dogs often reassure themselves with the "he'd take care of me" viewpoint yet rarely have we found this to be true and believe us, we have tested a large number of dogs over the years.
At home, an obedient pet can be very vocal in defence of a property. But put them face to face with a scenario that requires a high level of confidence or something that they aren’t familiar with, and you will soon start to see the cracks in their vocal armour. Don’t blame the dog though – this is why protection dogs are trained to be just that – to protect you whatever the circumstances.
Remember a family protection dog should be expertly trained to effectively deal with any level of threat in any situation, as well as being a loved member of the family that can integrate seamlessly with your pets, children and household staff. The worst time you want to find out that your "protection dog" hasn't been trained to exacting standards is when you call on it to be a protection dog! You can be assured that all our protection dogs whether they are trained for personal protection or family protection will be the sword by your side.
What makes a real protection dog?
At K9 Protector, we have a fully established and proven process for ensuring that our clients get the protection they need when they need it.
We start by selecting the right breed of dog. While some breeds are strong and powerful, they might not be great at following instructions. This creates a false illusion that you are protected when in fact it could lead to a potentially more dangerous situation.
And while some dogs might not be obedient but are physical, many breeds of dogs are obedient - but they don’t have confidence or strength to deal with different situations when in threatening and stressful situations.
At K9 Protector we train German Shepherds that have a calm, obedient temperament, while also being loyal and intelligent enough to understand how to react in different circumstances. They are also strong and have a great physical presence, and all these characteristics add up to what makes the German Shepherd a perfect chaperone, companion and protection dog.
We then use proven training processes to ensure that each protection dog is fully trained up, thanks to our experienced protection dog-trainers. Our trainers understand the best practices for obedience and to get the best out of each dog. They also provide support to clients that’s unique for each individual dog as each dog has its own personality that can suit different lifestyles of our clients.
During the training, we also assess each dog to ensure that they have what it takes. Even dogs within a specific breed have different characteristics and behaviours!
Once training is complete, we continue to look after each protection dog, providing them with ongoing training and support until they become a protection dog for our clients. The process of matching a protection dog with the right person and family is extremely important. That’s why we take our clients through a process of understanding what they are looking for, what their circumstances are and what’s required of the protection dog.
Some people, for example, might require a protection dog when travelling for business or pleasure while other clients want protection for their family including their children.
Are you ready for a protection dog that you can trust?
The only way to ensure a protection dog will defend is to place it into many varied situations to develop confidence and capability. By doing this and having the right genetics you start to build capable dogs. Let’s face it, when you’re investing in family security, you should expect the very best.
At K9 Protector, we select the right protection dog through our own top class breeding program from established and proven family protection dogs. We then nurture and develop them through their first two years of life building strong confident adults.
To find out more about our fully trained protection dogs and to see how they can protect you, get in touch today. We would be happy to discuss your requirements further.