I AM A WORKING
DOG
My eyes are your eyes, to watch you and to protect you and yours,
My ears are your ears, to hear and detect evil minds in the dark,
My nose is your nose, to scent the invader of your domain,
And so you may live, my life is also yours.
~~Cicero
Personal protection is a concept that has
become very popular in this day and age of robberies, home
invasions, car-jackings, kidnappings, and other violent crimes. When
you ask someone what personal protection means, you are likely to
get a whole range of answers including owning a handgun, becoming
proficient in martial arts, or installing elaborate security
systems.
Do these measures work? In some cases they might. However,
statistics show that even the most complex security system can be
bypassed. And, how many times have you read about a child finding a
handgun that was kept in the house, and tragically hurting himself
or a young playmate? Most people in law enforcement will tell you
that, in addition to being a safety risk, many victims often have had
their own weapons used against them.
However, the owner of a trained personal protection dog not
only has a loyal and completely obedient companion but also a
personal security system that can not be "bypassed" or "used against
them". That same
lovable pet who plays with the children and lies peacefully at your
feet, will, at a single command, become protective and willing to put
himself in harm's way for the sake of his family. A potential
attacker would think twice before tackling such an opponent.
A well-trained protection dog will protect your house or
family with a determination that no human can ever equal.
Before
deciding that you would like to start personal protection training for
your dog, there are a few things to consider:
-
What Level
of Training Do You Need?
- Is your Dog Qualified for
Training and are You Qualified?
Personal protection dogs must be
chosen well and properly trained in
order to be successful. It takes patience, perseverance, and
discipline in order for these personal protection dogs to accept the
responsibility of protecting. When he does though, he will not
protect out of fear or anger, he
will protect because he has been commanded to protect. Most people hope that if challenged, their dog would protect them.
That assumption isn't always true. Training for any situation is the only
way to know for sure.
There is nothing like the secure feeling that a trained personal
protection dog can give you and your family. And, in the face
of a threat, instead of having to see for yourself if the threat is
gone, a well trained protection dog and be the buffer you need to keep
yourself and your family safe. Ask any soldier who has had the
privilege of working with a trained K9 - they can see movement better,
they can respond faster, they can hear the slight noises when you may
never be aware, and they can smell danger approaching often even before
you can even see it. When put
to the test, there is no guessing about what he will do and you
will find yourself with real peace of mind.
Please read the following article on Protection training before deciding
to undertake it ..... Personal
Protection Dogs
What we offer:
Protection Training - 6
months of age and up (who
have already passed their basic obedience course)
There are different levels of protection
training. Each person has to determine what level of training
will be appropriate for his or her situation and family.
Each person's self protection needs are different
as is each dog's ability to protect. If you
are interested in your dog attending our protection
classes, feel free to contact us. We will be
glad to consult with you about training. Each
dog must be evaluated before being accepted as a
candidate for Sequoyah's Protection Program.
Basic
Introduction into Protection training for young dogs
-- With young dogs,
we offer a beginner course that instructs them on proper gripping
techniques. We practice "drive building" exercises and teach
them to alert on command. These will all be fun "games" that
they will learn and truly enjoy. There will be no "threats" to
the dog and we will leave them eager for more training. This
class basically lays the ground work for future training. It
will help improve your dogs understanding of what we will be asking
for later and will reduce the amount of time needed for the next
steps in advanced training.
Level 1 -
Protection Alert Training
-- This training is offered to dogs AT LEAST 9 months of age or
older.
With a Level 1 training we will teach your dog to alert on command
to a "threat". They will learn to keep themselves between you
and the threat and stay forward at the end of the lead, barking
aggressively. You will be able to alert them if you feel
threatened by an approaching person and will be able to call them
back off when the threat is gone. They will be taught the
basics of deterring a would be attacker without actually teaching
the "bite". For most people, this level of training is ideal.
The dogs will look serious and threatening enough that most assailants don't stick
around long enough to decided if your dog is for real.
Level 2 - Basic Protection
Dog
--
(offered with
advanced obedience dogs - they must also learn off lead obedience.)
This is the next step in Protection Dog training. This level
will expand on what the dogs learn in the Level 1 class exposing
them to a variety of "bad guys" and adding in potential threat
scenarios -- for example ATM robbery, personal assault, or mugging.
These dogs will be taught to follow through with the bite if the
"attacker" is not deterred in the face of the aggressive barking.
Level 3 - Advanced Protection
Dog
-
Now we come to the dogs that can be
used for serious protection. These dogs will be able to
function in both obedience and protection completely off lead.
They will free heel off lead next to their owner. They must be
able to hold a down for a minimum of 3-5 minutes out of sight of
their owner. They will be able to be called off a
would-be-attacker at a distance of 10 feet. They should be
able to perform their duties even under gun-fire (blanks, of course)
and on all types of surfaces (slick floors, moving debris, etc.). These dogs have the courage, the drive
and the training to stop even aggressive humans. They
will be exposed to all levels of advanced scenarios - kidnapping,
muggings, atm attacks, jump out attacks, home invasions, etc.
This is a very advanced training course and only certain dogs will
be accepted into this program. If requested, we will also
title your dog in one of the working dog programs - Schutzhund, SDA,
IPO, etc.
Whatever
level of training you chose to take your dog to, it must be emphasized
that you must also acquire the special training necessary to effectively
control and use that weapon properly.
