We provide protection dog training here at Desert Sky K9, provided your dog has the correct drives and capabilities to make him/her a worthwhile protector, and is of sound temperament. Contrary to popular belief, heavily socialized dogs make better protectors than dogs that have been purposely kept away from human contact in an attempt to increase their “suspicion.” You might be asking yourself, “Can Any Dog be trained for protection?” Here is the real answer to that question from years of experience.
Your dog’s ability to do the work lies in its genes. Not all dogs have the ability to do protection work, and testing must be done to confirm whether or not your dog has what it takes. Here at Desert Sky K9 we only accept client dogs into our protection program that will make excellent protectors, and by that I do not mean a dog that only barks and looks scary, I mean a dog that will immediately physically engage an attacker or potential threat should the need arise. Many companies will sign ANY dog up for their protection class, as it is revenue for them. However, they are not being honest with their clients and are selling them a false sense of security. Unfortunately, many companies that advertise protection dogs will also sell you a dog with limited capabilities. Steer clear of firms with outlandishly priced dogs. This is not a venture where more expensive means better. While there is some truth that criminals will steer clear of houses with large or capable dogs, and people with large dogs, as they only like the path of least resistance, if you are looking for K9 protection your dog needs to be 100% capable and not simply a visual threat.
If someone wants to take their advances to the next level, the dog must be more than willing to accommodate them. Protection dogs must be highly social and not looking at everyone as a potential fight. They must be able to function in your day to day life, however, as with any dog, you must understand what you have and be highly responsible. Your trainer or vendor you purchase the dog from should be able to gain an excellent understanding of your lifestyle, and be able to fit you with the right dog for YOU. Often this is done through consulting with a trainer and then putting down a deposit, enabling the trainer to find you the right dog. This is followed up by further consultation and training sessions with your new dog to help you acclimate the dog to your life, and your family to the dog. You should expect to learn how to command the dog, handle it on the leash, the legal implications of this kind of dog,(the legalities surrounding a civilian with a protection trained dog and a police officer with a K9 are very different) and be very much a part of the process. Steer clear of anyone who has not extensively consulted with you about your family, lifestyle, expectations, dog experience, etc., and claims they have the perfect dog for you, or if they simply want to ship you a dog.
Here at Desert Sky we encourage you to research extensively and educate yourself as much as possible if looking to purchase a protection dog. Hopefully your research will lead you here to Desert Sky K9 for your next family/protection dog.
