Many people procure a dog for home or personal protection. Often these people get a breed known for aggressive tendencies hoping and even trusting that this dog somehow will naturally know when and how to protect the family. They expect the dog to disarm the threat and hold the bad guy until authorities arrive while at the same time not biting or harming any relation or friend. Worse yet, the new owners may encourage aggressive behavior as the pup grows using harmful techniques such as feeding it gun powder or chaining it away from interaction with other people thinking the adult dog will be  distrustful of the bad guys.

Home or personal protection dogs should be non-aggressive and well socialized with both people and other animals. I personally will not train a dog that is aggressive. A protection dog should be an extension of you and your judgment.  A dog can only protect you when it can be with you, necessitating the need for friendliness and socialization. If trained properly by a qualified professional, the protection dog will not bite repeatedly. They will take a full bite and hold until told to release, therefore immobilizing the bad guy without mangling him. A good protection dog should go through the “3 D’s”: Deter, Detect and, as a last resort, Defend. Besides being friendly and well socialized, the dog should  be excellent in both on and off lead obedience. Above all, you need three stable temperaments: the trainer’s, the dog’s, and yours. And your trainer must be willing to train you to handle your dog properly!

Presented by Jim Mathys of Quality K-9 Services, 723-6763.