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Personal Protection Dogs
Many people are under the impression that a correctly trained
personal protection dog is no different to a security dog, guard dog or
stereotypical scrap yard dog, this could not be further from the truth.
A well trained personal protection dog should be of a bold and confident nature,
sociable and accepting of people that pose no threat to its owner, owner's
family or property.
This dog should have the ability to accompany it s owner to the office, out in
the car, shopping, or even on a boat. In all of these situations the dog should
remain stable, alert and obedient, as a personal protection dogs first role
should be that of a well mannered obedient pet.
The dog should have been well socialized prior to training and should have been
trained in a variety of venues and different situations, slowly learning what
will be expected of it in it's future role, as a pet, companion and protector.
Once a dog has been matched to it's new owner, specific training in different
environments can be tailored for that particular dog to fulfill a clients exact
requirements.
In America, the term K9 bodyguard is sometimes used to describe a personal
protection dog and I have also seen them described as 24/7 security with fur,
however I always refer to them as my dog, my pet, my friend, my protector as
they are pets first and foremost.
Over the years I have trained and supplied many protection dogs to people from
all walks of life, some people not originally understanding the benefits of
owning such a dog and others who through bad experience of crime, sometimes
violent who felt a need for increased personal security. Many of the dogs that
I am now able to supply and train are sold to families with children thus
dispelling another myth that trained dogs and children cannot be mixed.
It is essential to advise clients as to what type of dog would be suitable for
their requirements and to try and match a trained dog with the right family or
individual. It is vital to ensure that dogs trained and supplied to families
are the right dog for them, their family and their lifestyle.
Once the match is made, training the future owner and their family how to
correctly handle their new dog so as they able to communicate the correct
commands and are shown how to work the dog in different ways and in varying
situations. Much of this work will be carried out in my special new classes.
This training is as important as the initial training received by the dog and
should never be skipped as it is a valuable time for the early bonding to occur
and if mistakes are made by the new handler, they are made whilst under
supervision and can be quickly rectified.
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