Protection Dog Information

What is a 'Protection Dog'?

A protection dog is simply a fully trained family pet or companion that has the training and ability necessary to protect his family using his natural ability to defend using his intimidating bark and, if/when necessary his bite.

On this page we cover the history of Protection Dogs as well as clear up some common questions concerning the nature, abilities and purpose of Protection Dogs in general.

Click here to learn more about 'Executive Level Protection Dogs'

History of the Protection Dog

Dogs and humans have been coexisting together since the beginning of time, and the dogs have always taken the roll of protecting the humans.

We see this is our movies over and over again that dogs are a natural security system.

Dogs have only been trained for official 'protection' work in the last century or so, there is no documentation supporting the actual first protection trained dog, but we look throughout history and see dogs everywhere, from the paintings on the Egyptian pyramids to stone sculptures entrance to a medieval castle in ancient Roman times.

In more recent times humans have learned to tap into the natural instincts of dogs and use them in warfare, as estate guardians, as Law Enforcement partners (Police K9) and in dog sports such as 'Schutzhund'.

Along with the 'protection' or 'attack' related training humans have also learned that it is important to have a well rounded dog, so teaching Obedience in conjunction with Protection is often the case, but not everyone observes this.

Attack dogs have destroyed the mind set of many due to the chaotic training methods their owners or captures have used or the neglect or abuse they have had to endure. Protection trained dogs are not and should never be associated with or confused with attack dogs or guard dogs!

Protection dogs have been protecting families since the beginning of time, and they will continue to do so as long as the canine species exists.

From the smallest house dog that barks when they hear someone knock at the door, to the fully trained protection dog that is ready to take down an intruder or attacker we can all agree on one thing; dogs are a natural, instinctive guardian to humans.

Schutzhund

Schutzhund (pronounced shuts-hoond) was developed originally by a police officer after he trained his Great Dane to be the first Police K9 in recorded history. It was created as a means of training and testing dogs in three areas;

1) Tracking - the dogs were trained and tested on their ability to use their sense of smell to follow human footsteps. This was especially useful concerning suspected criminals, and eventually was also used for Search & Rescue purposes to find lost or missing persons.

Today 'Tracking' or man trailing is a major part of not only the sport of Schutzhund but also in proofing dogs for German breeding programs; "if they cannot use their sense of smell they should not be bred as it will only further deteriorate the natural abilities of the breed."

2) Obedience - having a dog that has natural abilities for tracking and protection is great, but those abilities are useless in a dog that will not obey his owner. Obedience was originally developed as a means of showing the public that the dogs being used as Police K9s were not aggressive, out of control mongrels, they were under control and behaved as a normal pet would until being asked to work.

3) Protection - at the time of the development of the Police K9 there were many attacks on Police officers, and the only weapons they carried were whistles and clubs. Many of the police in that time were commissioned to patrol the streets alone. The officers were being attacked by gangs of angry criminals and overpowered and beaten, sometimes killed. A dog that was not only a visual deterrent, but an actual tool or weapon against the criminals was a brilliant idea, and a program was set in motion to teach the dogs to defend their handler by whatever means necessary.

Unlike a guard dog, these dogs were trained to restrain from physical force (biting) unless all other options were eliminated. The trainers of the time believed that a good Police K9 should stand and bark away any potential trouble, and only bite if the criminal didn't get the hint and leave.

They soon discovered another, possibly more useful task for the dogs as well; pursuing and apprehending fleeing criminals that the Police officers would normally not have the ability to catch.

Schutzhund Today

The structure and rules were developed over time and eventually Schutzhund became a sport that not only Police Officers could participate in but the common citizen could as well.

Schutzhund is the sport that has set the foundation for both Police K9s and Protection Dogs today.

Some private trainers say that a Schutzhund trained dog cannot handle real-life situations and that it is not serious enough for the protection dog title. Other's glorify Schutzhund as THE training for all protection dogs. We disagree with both statements as they both tend to group an entire species into a little box and a few people's opinions.

We believe that Schutzhund is a great beginning for any dog. The true abilities and nature of a dog can be observed within the sport by a professional.

The dogs that make it to the top have proven beyond doubt that they are fully trained and have both the genetic as well as learned behaviors that are necessary to become the best 'Protection Dogs' in the World.

Schutzhund trainers spend around 1,200 hours with each dog before it is ready to test. There is a very large commitment for both the dog and the trainer. It is not only a test of the dog, but the trainer's abilities.

Is a 'Schutzhund Dog' the same as a 'Protection Dog'? No. Only after a dog has completed his full training in Schutzhund is he ready for more serious 'Protection Dog' training. Schutzhund is a very important factor in the complete Protection Dog, but it is only one part of many; including it's genetics, living situation, health history, individual personality, etc.

Police K9

A Police K9 is a dog that has been trained to assist the Police in the following areas: Apprehension of suspected criminals, drug/narcotics detection, explosives detection and search & rescue.

Police K9s are different than Protection Dogs due primarily to their training and lifestyle; A Protection Dog is used as a reactive or preventative measure (someone breaks into your house or attacks you while out walking, and the dog protects you) and a Police K9 is primarily used as a proactive measure (catching fleeing criminals, building searches, etc).

Home & Estate Guarding

Dogs that stay within a fenced yard or patrol an estate are considered to be a 'Guardian'. An Estate Guardian is different from an Executive Protection Dog due to the amount of training the dog has undergone - an Executive Protection Dog makes an excellent Estate Guardian, but has undergone the additional training necessary to be more than a dog guarding the general property.

Junk Yard / Guard Dogs / Attack Dogs

A 'Junk Yard Dog', 'Guard Dog' or 'Attack Dog' is a dog that has a natural ability to protect an area, but has not been trained. These are the most dangerous protective dogs in the world because they are generally completely unstable and have even been known to turn on their owners without a reason.

These types of dogs have typically been abused physically, had their food withheld and generally neglected in an ignorant effort to bring out their aggressive nature. We do not promote or condone these dogs or the methods used to promote their aggression.

Search & Rescue

Dogs have been used throughout time in many ways to assist humans. Search and Rescue is a broad term for a dog that has been trained to find missing, injured or deceased people.

Obedience

A huge factor in Protection Dogs is Obedience. Throughout time man has lived and worked side by side with dogs, but it has only been in recent years that we have learned to communicate our thoughts or wants to dogs. Historically, most people have witnessed a dog that has had no 'official' training yet still shows some level of understanding; sit, lay down, go by the door, etc.

Protection Dog Obedience is the result of extensive knowledge and thousands of hours of hard work rather than the result of chance as it used to be.

There are many different competitive dog obedience circuits in the World, and many different types or methods of obedience training.

Tricks

A smart dog and a good dog trainer can accomplish more than just Protection and Obedience! Dog tricks are a fun way to say 'hey, my dog is worth more to me than just my protector, he's my partner and my friend, and we have fun together'.