There are more and more people turning to dogs for protection these days. Whether it’s because they own a large home or have children that they want to protect, protection dogs can provide their owners with the sense of safety and security they need. From German shepherds and Rottweilers to Japanese Akitas and Tibetan mastiffs, there are many different dog breeds that are being used as protection dogs, and there is a real need for trainers to teach these dogs how to protect the people and places that will rely on them in the future.
There are three levels of training of personal protection dogs that we use here at Conifer Canine and the Dog Trainer College. The first type of protection dog is an “alarm dog,” and they are largely an audio-visual deterrent by looking tough and barking loudly to alert their owner to the approach or presence of anyone who may be suspicious or a threat. These dogs will be trained to listen for unfamiliar noises and to alert their owner to a possible concern. These dogs are not trained in bitework, however, but are popular as a family- and child-friendly member of the home.
At the second level, dogs are trained all the same skills you would instruct at level one, but go a step further to train the dog how to chase and subdue a would-be assailant. Level two dogs should be able to subdue an invading individual who is threatening their owner while still providing enough audible deterrence to make someone think twice before approaching maliciously. As a trainer, you’ll instruct the dog in both apprehension and command skills, helping the dog to know when to stop or release or when to act if an individual acts aggressively against their owner.
And the third type of protection dog is trained to pursue an attacker and defend an owner/handler. These dogs serve most often in a security guard role, protecting property, people or business assets. These dogs have all the same training of level one and two dogs, but will also often be trained in scent detection skills, such as explosive detection, to make them even more of an asset against any possible threat.
As you might imagine, training dogs to fill the role of a good protection dog isn’t necessarily easy. It takes time and patience, and you also need to know exactly what you’re doing if you choose to try and train a dog to protect. Dog Trainer College can give you the knowledge you will need to train protection dogs for others. Our protection dog trainer program can show you the knowledge and skills that you need, with hands-on training of dogs to help you put to use what you learn in the classroom. Those looking for the most robust training possible can benefit from the master training program, which covers every aspect of specialized dog training and provides students with all the tools and information they need to successfully train dogs for a variety of careers and specialties.
If you have a passion for dogs and want to dedicate your life and career to training these animals to be loved and reliable members of families, police forces and more, Dog Trainer College is for you. A semester starts soon – and the enrollment deadline is two weeks prior to the start date. If you’d like to start on the road to a new, fulfilling career as a professional, certified dog trainer, get started by calling Dog Trainer College today at 812-650-2394.
