I recently have been receiving many phone calls for protection dogs.  99% of those calling have been asking many questions and have been doing their homework.  This has made me very happy.  Anyone that is truly interested in a protection dog knows that they are not cheap, but are a great investment if you can afford one.  The one problem that I have noticed is those that can’t afford a protection dog want to buy a puppy, wait until it is full grown, then do the protection training.  Another problem I have come across is those that want to biggest, baddest dog I can get them.  I just want to write a little information to give those that have not been doing homework or don’t know where to look to be certain they choose the right protection dog.

When we talk about puppies it basically comes down to being a crap shoot.  Just because the puppies parents have all the necessary drives to do protection work does not mean that the puppy you choose will be the right dog.  Many litters have puppies that are not born with the natural drives .  Not to say that it is not possible, but you are taking a chance.  Then if you do find the right puppy, you need to be aware of the drive development to be sure that the dog’s drive become stronger as it matures.  Many trainers can give you a story or two of perfect drive puppies that were ruined due to lack of development.  If you are not sure what I am talking about when I speak about drives, we are talking about PREY and DEFENSE drives.  I will speak about these drives in another article.

Unless you are a trainer or have some knowledge of drive development, I would suggest buying an adult dog that has had all the development done.  At least you can see the quality of dog you are purchasing.  Not to mention you will see the dog’s temperament.  This is important when you are a parent with children and have decided to buy a protection dog.  You need to keep in mind that a protection dog is a trained BITER which leads me to my next issue.

I always get a good chuckle when someone calls me and says ” I want a really big mean dog!”  And the only reason I get a chuckle is because they just don’t know what they are asking for.  Before you buy a protection dog there are several questions you should ask yourself.  You need to ask yourself  “what breed of dog do I want?”  And do some breed research before you come to a conclusion taking into account the size of the dog that you want.  You can get a 130 pound Presa Canario or a 60 pound Belgian Malinois.  Take into consideration how much property you own.  Do you live in an apartment or a house?  Then look at the different levels of protection work that you can purchase, taking into account that the more training the dog has, the more it will cost you.  If you are a famous football player with no family or you are looking for a protection dog to leave in your business when it is closed, then a really civil aggressive dog just might be what you are looking for.  But if you are a family man with children that needs a protection dog while you are at work or on a business trip then THE BIG MEAN DOG is not right for you.  This does not mean that a nice social dog will not do the job.  For an example, look at police dogs.  You see them at city functions and schools doing demos, but when it is time to get ugly they get ugly.  Many police dogs live at home with the handler and his or her family.  So just because a dog allows itself to be touched and doesn’t go crazy when someone walks by does not mean they will not bite.  They are trained to bite on command.  Personally this is the only type of dog that I would ever sell to a family.  Be aware though!!!  There are trainers out there that see only dollar signs.  They will sell you anything for a quick buck.

I hope this has cleared up and answered some questions that you might have.  If you are interested in purchasing a protection dog but are still not sure, or still have some questions, feel free to contact any one of the trainers at Highland Canine.  We will always strive to help you in any way we can.