How do you get a guard dog?

Humans have utilised dogs for guarding, protection, and security purposes for thousands of years. Dogs’ heightened senses of scent and hearing make them some of the best alarm systems possible, and years of work have resulted in multiple breeds that are highly competent at guarding and protection. At a time of the rising crime and overstretched police forces, guard dogs are becoming more popular than ever, especially in the UK.

There are many ways of getting a guard dog, some of which are better than others. One common approach is to simply purchase a young dog from a breed developed to guard and protect. It is very common for families to buy a Rottweiler, Presa Canario, or Belgian Shepherd puppy and simply expect it to mature into an effective guard dog. While it is true that these dogs have strong protective instincts, this alone does not make them suitable guard dogs. As an absolute baseline, all guard dogs should also make good and safe family pets, and failing to utilise any dog’s natural drives and characteristics will result in frustration and destructive behaviour.

Instead, it is far more sensible to identify a reputable and experienced guard dog dealership that raises and trains working dogs for specific roles and purposes. Very sadly, certain breeds have becoming commoditised as status symbols, especially by social media influencers. This has encouraged irresponsible breeders to compromise quality over quantity and breed temperamentally unsound and unhealthy dogs. A good guard dog dealer will be able to identify the most temperamentally suitable dogs for this kind of work, then train and develop them to a high standard which allows them to both live with and protect their family.

Protection Dogs Worldwide has years of experience in just this. Our team of trainers is experts in identifying and sourcing some of the most promising young working line German Shepherd Dogs, Cane Corsos, Giant Schnauzers, Dobermann Pinschers, and Rottweilers across Europe before bringing them to our East Yorkshire facility. Once here, we take all our dogs through extensive obedience and protection training courses to make them at home with their family as they are guarding them. Our most promising dogs are taken through our “Elite” training programme, and comparable if not superior to police and military working dogs.

If you would like to find out more information on how we can help you find your perfect family guard dog, please email [email protected].