Raising your own protection dog is possible, but it’s also very difficult. It takes the combination of a dog with the drives needed for protection work and an owner with a lot of time- and more importantly, knowledge- to raise a dog that can one day offer functional protection.
We want to be very clear about two things:
- We don’t recommend that people try to raise a protection dog on their own.
- We understand why someone would want to raise their own protection dog and we’re here to help those who do.
Having said that, we can start talking about the deciding factors between raising a protection puppy and buying a trained protection dog.
Why might a person try raising their own protection puppy?
Nothing is more exciting for a family than bringing home a new puppy. The bond between dogs and their families is remarkable, and we have all seen dogs act protectively toward their owners. But we want to again dispel the notion that the instincts of an untrained dog are enough to be a security system. As we uncovered in our first post, people who were expecting their pet dogs to protect them were surprised to find that their dogs barely resisted a simulated home invasion.
Another reason that a person might attempt to raise their own protection dog is cost. The price tag of a properly imported and trained protection dog can be a surprise to those not familiar with the process. Consider that we visit European countries to hand select our dogs. We purchase them, ship them to the U.S., and bring them up to date on all of their vaccines. And that’s just the start. Next comes daily care, feeding and training by multiple trainers in dozens of scenarios to ensure our dogs ready to become your family’s perfect home defender and companion.
What are the pitfalls associated with raising your own protection puppy?
With puppies, there are no guarantees. The only exception is that you can guarantee that housebreaking, chewed furniture, clothing and electronics will all present a formidable headache.
Will the puppy you bring home be healthy? Will your new dog have the natural makeup needed for personal protection? Unless you really know what to look for or have had expert guidances, chances are it won’t. That’s because most dogs don’t have the drive and tenacity needed for this kind of work. It takes years of experience to be able to recognize puppies with potential as protection dogs. We don’t want you to end up with puppy that doesn’t fit your needs. If you’re considering buying a puppy for personal protection, contact us so that we can help you make the best decision.
If you’re lucky enough to find a puppy suitable for protection, we congratulate you on completing the first part of a complex journey! Remember though, great dogs are made, not born. Raising a puppy for protection is a completely different process than raising a pet. This undertaking is far more difficult because every single experience that you give your new dog will influence his or her ability to move forward with protection training. If you don’t handle your puppy in exactly the right way, you could stymie their progress without even knowing it. Many people trying to raise a protection puppy for the first time are left with a dog they feel attached to but that they can’t count on as a protector.
Let’s say you beat the odds and find and raise a puppy that can complete protection exercises. Can you be sure that your dog will only bite when you say so, and be loving to your friends and family the rest of the time? The socialization process needs to be treated with the same care as things like bite foundations. 99% of the time, a protection dog needs to be loving and tolerant toward people, children and other animals. Improperly socialized dogs will develop fear and aggression issues. If there is any question in your mind about this, please leave protection training to professionals. Dog bites are just too much of a liability to make this type of training an amateur hobby.
What are the advantages of buying a fully trained adult protection dog?
You want a dog that will keep your home safe while you’re away and lovingly greet you when you come home from your job. Making that a reality is our job. When you buy a protection dog from us, you’re getting a great dog without the guesswork. You already know that the dog is healthy and fully capable of being an obedient member of your family. You know that your dog can excel in a protection situation, and you know that you never have to worry about the dog with your kids. Buying one of our trained protection dogs will save you frustration and expense. We show you exactly what you’re getting and we back it up with our guarantee.
Just how does an adult dog become part of your family?
We hear time and time again from clients that they cannot believe how quickly their new protection dog bonded with their family. In the first day of delivery, you’ll see your dog begin to learn your tones and feel comfortable in your home. Within days, our trainers are able to give control to even the youngest members of the household. The dog quickly adapts to the routine of the home environment and the preferences of its new owners. If you have purchased or adopted adult dogs in the past, this might seem very foreign to you. But remember that these are fully trained dogs that have lived in the homes of professional dog trainers, ’and it’s not luck that makes them a good fit for homes. After meticulously selecting each of our dogs, we pair you with the one that will match your lifestyle and spend weeks on end making sure they are ready for delivery.
If the option of buying a fully trained protection dog sounds like the best fit for your family, click here to see our German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois for sale. Remember that we import and train other breeds by request.
I understand the risks and I’m still interested in raising a puppy for protection.
We want to help. Contact us so that we can minimize your risk and maximize your chances of raising a strong protection dog. Click here to learn more about our protection dog training programs for puppies.
