personal protection dogs Archives - Protection Dogs Plus

Delivering Jak: a German Shepherd Personal Protection Dog’s Trip to Las Vegas

Protection Dogs Plus on April 24, 2014

We recently delivered one of our Guardian Plus personal protection dogs to Las Vegas, NV. Jak is a sable male German Shepherd with unbelievable speed, power and focus. It has been a total pleasure working with him since day one, and his delivery was no exception: Jak quickly became accustomed to the fast pace of Las Vegas and fits right in at his new home. Jak is going to be keeping watch over the members of his family both in Nevada and away on business trips with his owner.

The high crime rate in parts of Las Vegas make personal protection dogs an important layer of security. After all, no criminal with even an ounce of good sense would want to mess with a dog like Jak when there are about 600,000 other potential targets in the city.

Before finding Jak, his new owner had researched many other companies looking for the best protection dogs to suit his lifestyle in Las Vegas. He had previously owned a protection dog from another company. Unfortunately, the dog ran out of his enclosure and was killed after being struck by a vehicle. This was a tragic example of how important functional recalls and stays in obedience training: with distractions around every corner, owners need to be 100% sure that their dogs will remain focused at all times. A big part of our protection training involves training in public, in places like Boston and Newburyport, MA so that our obedience and personal protection training will remain effective even in the presence of many people and vehicles.

Jak is trained not just to keep his family safe and follow their commands in obedience, he was also shown the rules of the household during his thorough delivery process. He was taught car manners, house manners, and how to behave properly with visiting people and dogs.

Below you can see two videos taken during our delivery process. The first shows the proud new Idaho owner of one of our personal protection dogs, Hans. You can see how this German Shepherd became part of the family, with even his young daughter being able to comfortably handle the dog in protection and obedience.

The second video shows the delivery of Aspen, one of our Guardian Plus level personal protection dogs who now lives in Oklahoma, working in a variety of training exercises during his delivery.

If you are interested in our Protector, Guardian or Guardian Plus training levels, we welcome you to browse our listing of protection dogs for sale.

We Offer Obedience Training, Too!

Protection Dogs Plus on April 3, 2014

You probably know by now that we offer protection training for German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois—both with our fully trained protection dogs for sale as well as the training we offer for dogs that pass our evaluation. What you might not know is that we also offer separate obedience training services for anyone trying to achieve the same high level off-leash control that you see in this video.

See PDP’s obedience training in action!In fact, we’ve had dogs sent to us from across the globe just for our obedience training! That’s because for many of our clients, their protection dog isn’t the only dog in the house. When you send your pet dog off for obedience training with us, you’re able to accomplish two things:

Your new protection dog will be trained and socialized right alongside your existing pet, ensuring that they will interact in the best way possible.
When it comes time for delivery, you’ll feel like your pet is coming back as a new dog! You can enjoy your life with him or her free of frustrating behavior issues.

People seek out our training because they want peace of mind, and they have seen for themselves the kind of safety and convenience our training can offer them. Our obedience training is based on the proven methods of our sister company, First Choice Canine. First Choice Canine trains every breed and every size—from Norwich Terriers to Great Danes! Click here to see a client talk about her experience with our advanced on & off-leash obedience training.

To get started, contact us today and request obedience training for your current dog.

Protection Dogs Plus Still Serving Clients in Nigeria

Protection Dogs Plus on October 25, 2013

We will soon be delivering two German Shepherd protection dogs to the area of Lagos, Nigeria: Rex and Falco. These are dogs trained at our Guardian Plus level, which means that these dogs are given our most complete off-leash protection training, including stealth mode, handling multiple attackers, and guarding a specific area. (Click here for a glossary of these terms and more).

In addition to working independently, it was important to our client that the dogs be trained to work cooperatively in a protection scenario. This gives his family the flexibility of using a dog for home protection and taking the other out for errands.

Background reading:

The Benefits of Training Personal Protection Dogs in Pairs: When Two Protection Dogs Are Better Than One

Kidnappings Threaten Travelers to Nigeria, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and More

See two personal protection dogs trained to work together, including Rex and Falco.

Falco is one of the German Shepherd protection dogs we will be delivering to Nigeria:

Training Personal Protection Dogs for Texas Life

Protection Dogs Plus on September 9, 2013

Some of the best graduates of Protection Dogs Plus’ training program are keeping families safe in Texas. See Klaus, one of our Guardian level protection dogs, being delivered to his Houston, TX in this video. A key component of preparing personal protection dogs for life in Texas is getting them accustomed to working not just under high stress, but in high temperatures. This summer has given us plenty of opportunities to do that, with MA and NH experiencing several heat weaves in the past month alone. Daily outdoor protection training sessions in a all different temperatures mean that the German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois we train for protection don’t need much pampering. Even when the heat index is high, they still display amazing feats of speed and strength.

Believe it or not, German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois with thicker coats are not a bad fit for hot climates. Their fur acts as an insulator to keep their bodies both from getting too cold and from overheating. Despite their low maintenance qualities, when we deliver personal protection dogs to Texas homes, we stress the importance of providing plenty of shade, airflow and water to any outside guard dogs.

A Texas protection dog is much more likely to find himself tackling a threat in the great outdoors than a protection dog in New York. This is another place where our outdoor work proves its worth. We get the dogs used to covering all kinds of terrain, going over natural obstacles and searching for a threat in thick wooded areas. The dogs are conditioned to track movements with their eyes, ears and noses.

This protection dog training video shows a variety of outdoor situations, including bitework in the woods, tree climbing and jumping over obstacles. In one example, Eteo, a Belgian Malinois trained for protection, jumps over a stream in the woods that would take a human significantly more time and effort to cross. In another, he scales a steep ledge with ease, proving yet again that a fully trained protection dog can run circles around a human criminal! A protection dog’s speed, paired with his sharp sense, means that he can cover and guard the kind of expansive properties that our clients in Texas tend to have.

Snakes are a fact of life in Texas, and creatures like the Texas Coral Snake, Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Southern Copperhead and Western Coppermouth pose a grave danger to humans and dogs alike. One training exercise we recommend to owners of protection dogs in TX, FL, NC, GA and other southern states is snake alert and avoidance. Using docile, non-venemous snakes, we are able to teach our personal protection dogs to identify and avoid snakes to keep them safe from harm.

See more of our training exercises in our protection dog videos, and read about what some of our more advanced commands mean here.

When Two Protection Dogs Are Better Than One

Protection Dogs Plus on July 1, 2013

Our personal protection dogs are highly social, and having two in the same home is no problem. The two dogs will follow your off-leash obedience commands without a problem. With the right training, they can work together in a protection scenario, too. Instead of getting confused and hindering each other in the heat of the moment, a pair of dogs with cooperative training can be a huge asset.

Eteo an Kazou are Belgian Malinois protection dogs who have both been trained at our Guardian Plus level. In this video, you can see that they will come to opposite sides of their handler on command. They do this in perfect unison, and as shown in the video, they will even run past the decoy to form this protective barrier instead of becoming distracted and taking a bite before they were commanded to. This fierce duo doesn’t just take to separate sides of the handler— they also target different parts of the attacker so that they can cooperatively overtake the threat instead of getting in each others’ way.

Rex, a black German Shepherd, is one of our Guardian level protection dogs. Falco is a sable German Shepherd with Guardian Plus training. While these two dogs differ in final training level and appearance, they come together with precision in functional training scenarios. Rex and Falco have been sold to a client in Nigeria who will have a variety of options when it comes to home integration. For instance, having two dogs means that one could take watch over the backyard while the other patrols in the interior of the house. It also means that neither handler nor home will be left unattended when it’s time to travel. Each member of the family receives training on obedience and protection handling, so this client’s wife and children can remain under the protection of one dog while another follows its master on trips.

A similar situation is that of Curtis and Zira, a male and female German Shepherd pair who have been trained to work together. These two muscular dogs deliver a one-two punch that easily tackle even our largest decoy trainers. Keep an eye out for a new video featuring this pairing, coming soon to our video page.

Personal Protection Dogs are Perfect Companions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE

Protection Dogs Plus on June 17, 2013

Here are 3 personal protection dogs we delivered to clients in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Breathtaking construction projects have turned Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE into major tourist destinations.

The upscale resorts and attractions of the UAE draw visitors of substantial means, and there is a high concentration of wealth among the area’s locals. A high profile necessitates having the best security possible, and Protection Dogs Plus is delivering several more protection dogs to the UAE in the coming months.

At Protection Dogs Plus, we’re familiar with the process of training and exporting dogs to the United Arab Emirates. We give our personal protection dogs a very strong command of off-leash obedience so that travelers and residents can feel comfortable keeping a guardian by their side at all times. Features of our Guardian Plus protection dogs make this training level ideal for defending against street crime. Our Guardian Plus level German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois are trained with the ability to handle multiple attackers, so you can send your dog between a number of threats in a situation where you are outnumbered. We also train these dogs in “stealth mode,” which allows you to put your protection dog on a state of heightened alert without escalating a situation. For example, if you found yourself walking in a dark corridor at night with potential dangers, your dog can discreetly be told to prepare for trouble.

We offer fully trained personal protection dogs and training for your current dog.

Click here to see dogs we currently have for sale.

Click here to return to the home page.

Personal Protection Dogs in the Bahamas

Protection Dogs Plus on March 31, 2013

By Khaled Behisy

If you’re wondering what personal protection dogs have to do with the Bahamas, it’s probably because the island is more often portrayed for its white sand and luxury than for its crime rate. But as a region, the UN says that Caribbean Islands like the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands have the highest murder rate in the world, and criminal activity is increasingly spilling into the tourist sections of these islands. Jamaica has the highest crime rate of the islands, but assaults are rampant throughout the region and the Bahamas are reported to have the highest incidence of rape.

We offer protection dogs for sale and deliver to international clients. For residents and travelers who would rather strap on their sandals than a gun holster, personal protection dogs are an excellent security choice. Our dogs will easily follow your lead, staying right by your side (with or without a leash) and intently waiting for your next command or any signs of danger. Unlike typical guard dogs, all of our trained protection dogs for sale have friendly personalities and impeccable manners. Instead of leaving them at home, you can enjoy taking them for a run on the beach or a dip in the water.

The best personal protection dogs are capable not only of physically stopping an attacker, they’re able to deter a crime from even being attempted. Criminals prefer easy targets, and the speed and power of a personal protection dog is much greater than that of a human. The physical presence of a German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois will make a would-be criminal think twice, and their hair-raising bark can itself be enough to trigger a flight response. Of course, when push comes to shove, you know that your personal protection dog is capable of backing up that bark up (click here to see videos of our dogs in action).

Click here to see our trained protection dogs for sale, and here to fill out our questionnaire for international clients.

Age, Breed and Sex: What Makes for the Best Personal Protection Dog?

Protection Dogs Plus on November 22, 2012

When it comes to keeping yourself, your home, and your family safe, you want to find the best protection dog for your lifestyle. This is a big investment, and you’ll find no shortage of protection dogs for sale. So how do you know which dog is right for you?

We’re often asked, “Can’t any dog be trained for protection?” or, “Why do you pick German Shepherds? Why not a _________ instead?” There are plenty of dogs that may be capable of protection training, and plenty of opinions on what the best breed of dog for protection is. Belgian Malinois, Dutch Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Dobermans are all popular breeds of dogs with strong potential in bite work. At the end of the day, there is a higher number of German Shepherds that have been bred to possess the traits needed for true personal protection. That means that when we travel to Europe to purchase new dogs for protection training we are able to maximize our sample size. This is necessary because out of every 100 or so dog we thoroughly evaluate, only a few will be able to excel in every area: health, temperament, drive and appearance.

Our breeders in Europe are sometimes frustrated by our selectivity. Most of their customers are police and military operations that can purchase an intense dog without great social skills. These dogs won’t be living with families, so as long as they’re healthy and powerful they fit the bill. We need our dogs to perform even better in action and have the right makeup to be left with children and pets.

Keep this in mind when you’re trying to choose a personal protection dog: this is a personal choice and it’s about much more than just protection. Maybe you’d prefer a more agile dog like Kazou to a bigger dog like Aspen. Much like the old adage, “the best camera is the one you have with you,” the best protection dog is the one that’s at your side and keeping you safe when danger presents itself. If you’re not comfortable walking around with a 90+ pound dog, we’ll find and train a smaller dog that can still dominate in a protection scenario.

Which is best for protection: a male or female dog?

Again, this is a completely personal choice. Kazou, for instance, is one of the most impressive dogs we’ve worked with regardless of breed or sex. There is, however, more male dogs capable of protection available than females. If you’re interested in buying a female, contact us and we’ll help you select and train one.

Why buy an adult dog and not a puppy?

We offer puppy protection training and we’re always willing to help a client select and raise a puppy for protection, but we advise the majority of people to select a fully or partially trained adult dog. Buying a puppy for protection is a bit like having a baby because you need someone to fix your car. For one thing, it’s a huge gamble: there’s a very good chance that he or she will never have the inclination or ability to do the job. Now you’re back at square one. On top of that, a puppy won’t be ready to protect you yet and you’ll have to wait until adulthood to utilize your investment. With an adult dog, you know what his or her personality is like from day one, and you can clearly see whether or not the dog is up to the task of protection.

Many people worry that they will not bond the same way with an adult as they would with a puppy, but this is not true! All of our personal protection dogs are loving and have stellar personalities. They bond with their new families in a matter of days, and our clients tell us again and again that their dog is a “perfect match.”