It has been a long time since I wanted to write something
on this never-ending debate, but I am frustrated by the dishonesty of some
disreputable dog “trainers” advertising dogs and training, especially on the
Internet. I’d like to offer a few common-sense tips for finding a good
protection dog.
I have trained a large number of dogs for high-level sport as well as for
professional protection work, both personal and professional law enforcement
K-9 programs. I regularly lecture around the world, giving seminars in my
specialties: Schutzhund, Ring Sports, Police K9 units, Search and Rescue,
and Advanced Obedience. I train “sport” dogs and “service” dogs and their
handlers to achieve their highest potential.
In my work, I have come across many disreputable trainers who advertise for
large amounts of money dogs that are poorly trained or worse.
So if I’m in the market for a protection dog, how can I identify a reliable
dog trainer?
If you’ve searched the web, you know how many titles can be put in front or
behind a name. Some of these titles are valid and recognized worldwide, but
others are only catchy words, giving no information about the skills of a
trainer whatsoever. Be aware that titles such the “President,” “CEO,”
“Master trainer,” etc., of some company that has the words “xxx
International, Inc.,” “K9,” or “Protection,” in the name, in and of
themselves, mean nothing. Anyone can open a business with a catchy name, pay
someone to build a state of the art web site, and target someone like
yourself to buy a fully trained dog with many guarantees. Especially if you
are just beginning to look for a dog or trainer, it is very easy to be
misled. Don’t be a victim of such scams! Investing $10,000 to $35,000 in a
dog is not a guarantee that the dog is worth this kind of money. I will be
the first to tell you that for sure a dog can be worth such amount, but the
fact is that such highly valuable dogs are very rare. When you browse the
web long enough, I am sure you will see many dogs in this price range. The
fact is that they are probably worth $4,000 at the most, if that. There are
simply not that many highly trained dogs out there, and for sure there are
not that many trainers that are capable of training a dog of that caliber.
Think about it: would a world-class, $35,000 dog, desired by K9, Secret
Service, and protection companies around the world, be likely to be
advertised on the Internet to strangers?
No.
The best way to compare trainers/instructors is by examining their past
achievements. For this reason, if you cannot find any information about
performance and training records on a given website, do not waste your time.
Here are some typical taglines to watch out for:
“30 years of combined experience.” If someone has 30 years of successful
experience (or, in the case of “combined” experience, if several people
together have worked for a sum total of 30 years), one would expect numerous
valid accomplishments that can be verified easily. The statement on its own
means nothing.
“Master trainer” is one of the most misused titles in the dog training
world. For example, it can mean that someone is in charge of the training of
a big number of dogs and handlers in the army. It can also mean that
someone has his own business with one employee and he is in charge of the
training. The second obviously has no merit.
You can be a “master trainer” too!
“Expert trainer.” This must be someone who has expertise, right ? So ask
who considers them as an expert and see for yourself it this is true. They
should provide you with references and credentials of the people/companies
who see them as experts.
“Training director” is normally associated with the person in charge of the
training in Schutzhund, Ring or any other dog sport club. He is also
normally also the helper or decoy who works the dogs in protection. There
are many such dog clubs out there. Some, of course, are better than others.
In some instances it takes 3 people to form a club, but not one of them may
have sufficient knowledge of dog training. As with all other credentials,
research the club to determine if the training director is likely to be a
qualified trainer.
“Members of xxxx club.” Being a member of a club in most cases involves
simply joining the organization and paying your yearly dues. It is in no way
a measure of training skill or achievement.
What about video clips and photographs of trained dogs?
Seeing a video clip of a demo dog, is not enough to make a sound judgment!
First of all, a video does not prove that the dog on the clip is trained by
the company in question.
In addition, with current technology, videos are very easy to edit. The dog
may look strong only because it is in a familiar environment with familiar
decoy and has repeated the scenario numerous times before the filming. A
clip of a dog does not serve as a proof of the quality and abilities of a
dog or company. Pictures obviously give even less information.
Finally, videos and pictures are very often stolen from someone else’s web
site.
So what do I look for?
Look for achievements in relevant areas. Don’t be shy to ask for performance
records. After all, you are a client who is willing to invest serious money
in a dog. You deserve accurate representation of the trainer’s expertise.
Schutzhund, Ring sports, Protection Sport Association (PSA), and others are
competitive sports that exist to determine who the top trainers are. Some of
the organizations have very small number of members and competition is not
as strong, so make sure to learn about the competitive sport most
appropriate for the dog you are trying to buy.
Most of the dog sports have club level competition, which leads to regional
level, then national level, and finally world championships; similarly, many
have categories, such as Levels 1, 2, 3, and so on. The top “Level 1” dog at
a given show or competition will be weaker than the bottom “Level 2” dog at
the same show. Dog sports have specific structure and rules to go by, so
everyone who competes is judged equally.
Some people enter the dog sports arena so they can learn how to train dogs
and have fun with it. Some do so to show the quality of their dogs and their
breed, which in some cases is a proof of sound temperament and breed
worthiness. No matter what other reasons there might be, a dog competition
is the outlet for trainers to prove themselves. A top competition trainer
will make sure the dog is controlled, understands commands, and is reliable.
That said, being a top competitor is not enough. A trainer must also have
proven himself in training strictly protection dogs and handlers as well.
Definitely do not buy a dog sight-unseen. Go and see at least three dogs
that have been trained by the individual or company for protection. Meet
them, and ask to see them perform in a scenario you set up and not the
company!
Intruders don’t sneak in your house wearing bite suits or
bite sleeves. Any legit protection dog trainer can demonstrate this to you
with the dog in question.
Don’t forget also to find out if they trained the dog, or if they bought it
already trained. Granted there are few trainers who do not compete, but they
have taught others to reach high levels in various sports. Even the police
K9s have trials and certifications. Anyone on the Internet who claims to be
a master trainer in their K9 International or global company and is telling
you to buy their once-in-a-lifetime, $35,000 dog, should be able to prove
their knowledge and expertise in dog training first. If the seller can’t
provide you with this information or if you can’t find it anywhere on their
web site, it is best to look elsewhere.
What do I look for in the actual dog?
It is quite common to describe the level of the protection dogs as Level 1,
Level 2, executive protection, and so on. In many ways this is based on the
structure of competitions. But one company’s Level 2 dog might be very weak
compared to another company’s Level 1. There is no unified system for
“grading” dogs on the market.
You can judge a company’s own standards by checking out the knowledge of the
trainer, which will first be evident in their accomplishments. If all this
looks good, then find out about their clients. Where have they placed
dogs? Are the dogs working dogs, sport dogs, or pets? Do those clients
return for additional dogs? Are they satisfied? Check references.
One thorny issue is that of the sport dog versus the “real” dog. Contrary to
the way you should judge the skills of a trainer (competition
accomplishments), dogs that have done well in certain sports may actually
not be suitable as protection dogs.
In nutshell, many dogs that do well in dog sports, including PSA, may be
only “sport” dogs, meaning they will not protect you or your family if
needed. They will not bite an intruder or attacker without a sleeve or a
bite suit. You may see a very fancy video of a dog that works great on a
bite suit, but he may not do so well if he had to bite in a real life
situation. This is where a skilled and honest trainer is necessary to tell
you about the dog in question. As an example, on occasion police K9 dogs
with the highest performance records in trials will be purchased by a police
force and find themselves, say chasing a suspect in a dark alley. But when
the dog finally catches up with the criminal, it becomes highly confused and
stressed, because it wants to bite him, but it doesn’t see the familiar
equipment. These cases are rare but they are evidence of how important is to
select the right training source for your protection dog.
What breed should I look for?
Pretty much any dog of sound temperament can be used to some extent as a
protection dog, or at least as an alert dog. The smaller breeds (up to 50lb)
obviously would not be “man stoppers.” Any larger-size dog could be a
protection dog. I have to say that most dogs must go through vigorous
training in order to understand when they are needed and how to be of help.
The dog has to have natural protective instincts, be pack-oriented, and/or
territorial. Even an Afghan Hound could do it (a rare case, but I have seen
it done). Generally speaking, and only generally speaking, some breeds make
better guard dogs, (meaning they would do well protecting their territory),
and others would make better owner-protection dogs (meaning they would do
well protecting their owners).
Two of the universal protection dog breeds are the German Shepherd and the
Belgian Malinois. At present, these are the two breeds that stand out of the
rest. Around the world it is not an accident that 99% percent of the police
and army dog are Malinois or German Shepherds. Yes, a Doberman Pinscher or a
Bouvier, among others, could do just as fine a job, but the temperament of
these breeds has been compromised in recent years for their looks, and the
prevalence of genetic illnesses such as hip dysplasia has risen
dramatically. A dog from a mastiff breed can be very strong and a great
deterrent, but their trainability level does not come close to that of a
Malinois or a German Shepherd. Therefore, they are limited in what they can
be used for in protection. Another plus for the Malinois and the German
Shepherd is that they have double coat, meaning they can function in any
climate, snow or desert. They have been bred and used for protection from
the late 1800s, and through the decades and around the world they have been
selected for their temperament, trainability, agility, strong bite and scent
work, and their lack of fear. In recent years the Malinois has become the
number one choice for protection work due to their work ethic, trainability,
and natural protectiveness.
In any case, you can find a dog of almost any breed that can serve as a
protection dog. You should take the following qualities into consideration:
Stable temperament. The dog should not be performing out of fear.
Good size. A dog has to be big enough to to be effective.
Speed. As with an athlete, the weight and speed of a dog have their
advantages and disadvantages. A dog that has a bit of both is the most
universal type, therefore the Malinois and the German Shepherd are the breed
of choice without a doubt.
Health. Note that the Malinois have fewer health problems than any other
working breed.
I hope that this article will steer you in the right direction and help you
ask the right questions so you can find the best protection or sport dog for
your needs.
Written by
Ivan Balabanov
The Doghouse, LLC