The Five Most Important Considerations When Buying a Protection Dog
Sean Muratet
Man's Best Friend has been a trusted protector of our homes for thousands of years. Their keen senses and awareness, along with a pack mentality, have made dogs a valuable asset to man in his effort to keep his home secure. In today's world, home protection dogs are more valuable than ever. They can deter break-ins, assaults, and give real world protection in situations where lethal force is not an option.
Of course, a trained protection dog is not a panacea and they are certainly not for everyone. Weighing your options is very important and there are many things to consider before your purchase.
1. COST The cost of a trained dog can be astronomical. A trained protection dog can cost as little as $1500 and as much as $50,000! While the old adage,"You get what you pay for," is generally true, the more expensive dog is not always the better one. Investigate costs from reputable trainers and compare your needs to your budget. Decide what you can afford and discuss this with your vendor. Some may even offer financing or payment plans.
2. BREED Some breeds are better suited for protection than others. While a Chihuaua may put on a defensive display that rivals a dog ten times its size, the reality is he cannot defend you or your home. The German Shepherd and the Belgian Malinois are excellent choices for protection dogs. Their temperment and drives are suited for working, they are larger and more deterring, and will offer many years of faithful service. Giant breeds can be very intimidating, but are prone to health problems and in general lack the trainability of the other breeds. In all cases the dog should be purebred from quality working lines. European imported dogs seem to offer the best results as they are mainly bred for working ability and not for the show ring.
3. GUARANTEE If a vendor does not offer a replacement guarantee, they probably do not have your best interests in mind. Matching people with protection dogs is a process, and does not always work right the first time. A replacement guarantee offers peace of mind, knowing that you will get the right dog for you.
4. ENVIRONMENT What other pets do you have? Do you live in a studio apartment or a 5 bedroom home? Do you have children and how old are they? Are you ready to commit 10+ years to dog ownership? Reputable vendors should ask these questions and many more. They should try to find out as much as they can about your environment and needs to determine the dog most suitable to you. By putting a protection dog in an environment its not suited for, you are asking for trouble sooner rather than later.
5. ABILITY What is the dog trained to do? Will the dog bark only, or has it been trained to bite should the need arise? Is the dog obedient off the leash, or on leash only? Know what the dog is trained to do in all situations. If I am being attacked by two people will the dog know what to do? When you don't know the limitations of the dog, you could be setting yourself up for a bad day.
About the author: Sean Muratet is a professional police and protection dog trainer, and the owner of North Alabama K-9 Services.