Dog Training Sydney Myths & Facts – Eazy Dog Training – Protection

Dog Training Sydney Myths and Facts of Protection Training.

Every once in awhile I get a phone call from someone who wants their dog to be trained to protect them. This is one of my pet hates actually. I have a few friends that do protection training with their dogs, so I know exactly how it goes. And anyone who calls me about it has no idea of it! Basically these kind of people want to reinforce aggression in their dogs in an unpredictable way and as a trainer who has to work with the aftermath of this kind of behaviour I find it to be very irresponsible. Let’s go over a few main issues with thinking that you should train your dog to be protective. Here are dog training Sydney myths of protection training.

Breeding for Protection

Some people assume that because they have a German Shepherd, Doberman, Pit Bull, Rottweiler etc. that they can be an amazing protection dog. This could not be further from the truth. The chances of you getting a dog from a regular breeder, rescue or shelter that would be good at protection are very slim. What people do not think about is that places that need protection dogs, like police, get them from breeders who breed specifically for that purpose. And even when they are bred for it, they might not be suitable for this kind of work. And no, a breeder who abuses the pups to make them aggressive is not a breeder who breeds dogs for protection. He’s just a dick and should be reported to RSPCA. (Believe me, I’ve trained these kind of pups with behavioural issues caused by this sort of “training”)

Protection Training Doesn’t Reinforce Aggression

This is the biggest misunderstanding people who have no idea of protection training have. I get calls from people that want their dog to attack anyone entering their yard. These are the type of dogs that break through their fences to attack people and other dogs and animals. This has NOTHING to do with protection training and is highly irresponsible and wrong. Protection dogs don’t need to be aggressive, actually, they shouldn’t! All my friends’ dogs that have been bite-trained love people, love kids, love other animals, etc. In fact, a protection dog should be very stable and know when to bite ( and let go, all on command) and know when to be a great family companion, as well.

Dog’s Don’t Protect Us

This is the biggest myth out there that is often used to explain any behavioural issues, such as reactivity towards strangers. Research and studies have shown that about 98% of dogs (unless specifically trained to do so) will look to you for comfort and help in a threatening situations. Sorry to disappoint you. It takes a lot of work and training to get well rounded, friendly, and socialised dogs to bite people.

The Problem with Reinforcing Aggression

When protection training is done right, it becomes a sort of a game for your dog. They are still fully under your control and will only attack on cue and release on command as well. When a dog attacks due aggression you have very little control over it. These kind of dogs become unreliable and unpredictable. Did you know that most dog attacks towards people are towards their own family members? Something to think about.

If You Want a Protection Dog, Be Prepared to Put in the Time and Effort!

All my friends doing protection training with their dogs have been doing it for years. And they don’t do it to have a dog who would attack people. They do it to give the dog a job to do. Know that if you want a protection dog, you have to be prepared to invest a lot of time, training, scenarios, pack leadership, confidence, and obedience training with this dog. And you need to do it in a protection training club. No responsible dog trainer will train your pet to attack people or other dogs. Get an alarm system for your house if you want protection and aren’t willing to put in the time and effort needed!

This Blog Post on Dog Training Sydney Myths Was Written by an Eazy Dog Training Sydney Owner Anniina. She’s been training dogs for 11 years.