With crime on the rise and America’s love for their dogs, purchasing a personal protection dog is one of the smartest things to do! We have found that many of our clients are simply uneducated on what makes a great protection dog for themselves or their entire family. Buying a protection dog is a huge investment with great return simply for the security and of course adding an addition to your family. First and foremost you must understand that having a protection dog as a new member of your family comes with responsiblity, liability, and educating your friends and loved ones. You most remember that they are a working dog and you and your immediate family may be able to pet and love on your protection dog, not just any person can, like they would be able to with your regular pet dog. You should be able to control your protection dog but never leave it unattended with mixed company and children. You will be surprised at the number of people who find out your new dog is capable of bitework and they act totally different, doing everything from being terrified to teasing your dog to see what it will do!

Finding a reputable vendor to purchase a protection dog can be extremely difficult. It can be down right confusing, from choosing a domestic bred dog or having it imported from overseas. We have had clients explain to us in the past that some vendors will charge them for an import dog (or make them believe they are recieving an import dog) only to find they were born and bred right here in the US. You can find domestic bred dogs that have nice drive, it’s just the principle of having you believe they are shipped here. You must also be aware that buying title dogs from Europe is not always the best route to take. There are some dogs who have been titled that are very nice dogs, but you will pay alot more money for them and that title if they truly are on the up and up. We have found that several of our clients have purchased title dogs with lets say a Sch I only to find that they have bad nerves or social issues, which is why that vendor sold it to them in the first place.

We recently dealt with a gentleman who purchased a titled German Shepherd from Germany as a protection dog for his family. He contacted a vendor in Europe and contracted the purchase of a protection dog. The dog was really very nice but had not been worked in about four years. She was a bit “rusty” to say the least. The man had paid a little more than double the fair market price for the dog which was almost 6 years old. Because the dog was a sport dog and had always been worked on a bite sleeve, she was incapable of actually biting or apprehending someone that wasn’t wearing a bite sleeve. The man kept the dog for about thirty days and found out that the dog was “too much dog” for him and his families needs. So he gave the dog away.

I also worked with a lady in Charlotte, NC that wanted to purchase a protection dog due to the rising crime rate in her neighborhood. I explained to her the dogs that we had available and she said that she would consider them. A few weeks later, I contacted her and she explained that she had purchased a Bull Mastiff puppy for protection. Not a likely protection dog. She later learned that the Mastiff puppy slept as new people came into her home. So, she again contacted me to purchase a “real” protection dog. And again, I spent countless hours telephoning her and sending her emails of available dogs. A few weeks later I contacted her and she explained that she had purchased a German Shepherd puppy for a personal protection dog. She bought this dog from a “Top Quality German Shepherd Breeder” in Michigan, who charged her several thousand dollars more than the puppy was actually worth. A few weeks later I was called to evaluated the puppy because this new owner didn’t feel as though the puppy had the “Right Stuff” to be a protection dog prospect. So I attepted to examine the dog as it ran away form me a constantly urinated submissively. I explained to the lady that this pup simply wasn’t going to cut it. So she contacted the vendor and explained the situation. He promptly told her that he would send her $45 to take the pup to the vet and have it euthanised. She explained that he cursed her when she suggested a refund. After the lady rehomed the pup, she again wanted a personal protection dog. So she contacted me again and I searched for the “right dog for her”. You have to understand that the dog she wanted had to be a certain height, weight, color, line, sex, age, with a certain temperament, but most importantly, it had to be a certain “look”. Later I found out that she purchased another dog from a great “Protection Dog Breeder” that had just the “look” she wanted. Unfortunately, this dog is incapable of doing protection work as well.

Most clients are purchasing a protection dog for the safety of their entire family. With this in mind you have to find a dog that is “clear in the head” and a good fit for your children and lifestyle. Sometimes you have to pick brains over beauty!! You may want a beautiful black and tan or black and red West German line dog; but if the dog does not have the social skills needed to be a good fit for your family, you may have to settle for that reverse black and tan or sable dog! Also, you may be interested in a Belgian Malinois but the German Shepherd may be a better fit for your lifestyle. Remember, if you really want a social protection dog with good nerves that can interact with your family and other house pets, you will likely find a good dog. If you are overly concerned about conformation, age, sex, etc. your selection may often be very limited.

I highly suggest that you talk with several different vendors and take all the information you are supplied with and read between the lines! Many people are unaware that the bite work must be maintained once you get your protection dog at home. A good vendor will explain to you how the dog is trained and steps you must take to maintain that training once you are settled in at home. One of our clients came up from Florida and spent the entire weekend at our facility so we could explain to both he and his wife how to work the obedience and set up scenario training so they would understand the dog and apply the training. This invitation is open to all of our protection dog clients and we would also be happy to maintain the training for their personal protection dog. Learn more about our protection dog programs. You can also view some of our protection dogs for sale.