Buying a Personal Protection Dog Puppy
Do you want a personal protection dog? Every day we get several messages from people seeking puppies and for the most part, all include some things that we need to know and a few that won’t matter. For instance, a lot of people tell us they want a puppy who is good with kids. Every puppy will play with kids but in order to end up with a dog who is good with kids, you must train the dog and kids how to behave with each other.
No matter how many things are listed one that stands out is the desire to one day train the dog as a personal protection dog. However, this request is almost always listed last as if it is an after-thought. But, this should be the first thing you think about when buying a puppy because you are going to need a special dog. In reality, you are going to need one dog out of many which is often hard to find. But, there are two kinds of “protection” dogs in most folk’s eyes. 
Two Kinds of Protection
First, there are the dogs who will bite on command, release when told and bite the bad guy again over and over until he is stopped. These are our dogs which we call fully trained. Many will have a KNPV PH1 title. Then there are dogs who will show aggression on command or when they perceive a threat which in many cases is all you need. It takes a great dog to begin with even to get this level of performance. The dog can’t be afraid of challenging a person which most dogs do.
How to Select a Protection Dog Prospect
Many people think they have the skills to choose the right dog for future protection training but in reality, they do not. It takes more than an eye looking for the most active puppy or the one who seems to like you. In general, most puppies will greet you and within a couple of minutes, they will be chewing your shoestrings and pulling at your pants. This just tells you they are puppies being puppies.
Dealing with a breeder who specializes in working lines and can prove it is one key. Another is to work with a breeder or trainer who will help you select the right puppy and not just the one you like the color on or the size. Several things can be detected even at 8 weeks old which will guide you toward a prospective working dog.
Train, Train, Train and Then Train Some More
You must make it a priority upfront to let the kennel know of your intentions to train the dog as a protection dog. This isn’t something you mention last. It should be one of the first things you tell them because the litter you want a dog from could be one that isn’t bred to work. Make sure you are going to the right people and that means honest ones.
Once you have the dog he will have to be trained of course. Training for this type of dog isn’t something that most people can do. You can do obedience but when it comes to bite work you will need help because at the very least it’s a 2 person job. Even the way you raise this dog while training is going to be different. Are you the type of person who tells people they can’t pet your dog? You’ll have to do that a lot.
Based on my years of training these dogs in my opinion if you begin with a super puppy you are looking at training the dog 7 days per week in some capacity and 18 to 24 months of hard work to end up with a true protection dog. At times it will be easy training while at others it will be hard work. Either way, you have to do it or pay someone to do it. Skipping training will show and in the end you won’t stand a chance of getting what you want. This call is your call so think about it before you bring a puppy like this home or you will regret it later.
