Recoil Offgrid – August-September 2019

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xact data on how often dogs keep bad guys away

are very hard to calculate. If a protection dog does its

job well, then most encounters never reach the point

of an official police report. Most bad guys are likely

to think twice before breaking into properties where

barking dogs are present, much less trained protection dogs. As

an experienced military and police dog trainer with 28 years in the

business, what I’d want first and foremost is for our dogs to serve

as effective deterrents. This increases the odds that would-be

attackers move on to an easier target.

There’s always the temptation for many to purchase a dog for

protection or a certain breed because of the image it portrays.

However, it’s essential to consider exactly what that means in

terms of the time, dedication, cost, and responsibility to care for

that animal. You should ask yourself about the level of training

involved, how a breeder and/or trainer should be selected, and

a number of other considerations before making this decision.

These will help you determine if your lifestyle is conducive to a

four-legged companion that’s considerably more specialized and

purpose-oriented than the average pet dog. In this article, we’ll

address those questions so you can evaluate your own readiness,

willingness, and ability to own a dog for protection.

What is a Protection Dog?

First, we’ll break down the term “protection dog” into a few

categories and differentiate them from dogs intended for other

purposes.

Low Risk/Alert K9: Mostly suited for working/middle-class

folks who desire a sense of security or protection while a

traveling spouse is away. This is a low-threat dog designed to

thwart an intruder or an attacker. When someone enters the

property, this dog will give a strong alert as it attempts to deter

the stranger from its territory through barking. When out and

about, this dog is very social, but will alert if it or the handler is

threatened. They’re not trained to bite and naturally prefer not to,

but can be taught to bark, give alerts on command, and turn it

off when told to.

Medium Risk/Protection K9: This type of dog is most condu-

cive to upper-income and/or well-known people with a reason-

able risk of an intruder or attacker. This is a very social dog in the

home and when you’re out in public. It naturally alerts on its own,

alerts on command, attacks on command (with or without a bite),

and can attack a threat in the home environment and on leash

when out and about. It typically has excellent control/out work

(releasing from a bite).

Thinking About Getting a Dog for Protection?

Here’s What You Need to Know

By Jeff Franklin

Photos by Mark Saint

ISSUE 32

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