Even though Dexter is a Rottweiler, I protect him. I don't allow him to protect me or my house. That's why he is relaxed, trusting and non reactive. It's also why I can invite a new person into our home or comfortably approach a neighbor to chat. He does not feel threatened or insecure. He trusts that I put him in safe situations. I am asked about this often, twice this week as a matter of fact, which inspired this post...
If you contact me for training because you want to modify your dogs reactive behavior; either to people, other dogs, bicycles, or whatever the trigger may be; either on walks, in your home or wherever you may want to take your dog, BUT you want your dog to still guard your house, backyard, or you, I’m going to tell you to pick which one you want, because you can’t have both.
Again, this is for the average house dog. There are dogs that are highly trained in protection, that live in a house with families. Like K9 officers, etc. But these dogs went through obedience training, were balanced, and then were trained to protect. Key word: BALANCED. Prior to protection training, they are calm, they aren’t nervous or anxious or fearful. They have leadership and wait for their leaders to direct them, never taking things into their own hands (er, paws). THOUSANDS of dollars are invested in them to teach them how to turn on and off, what are threats, what aren’t threats, all while giving them a job, structure and rules in and out of the house. They are confident, working dogs.
When the average house dog is guarding you, its house, front door, or yard, it is actually operating out of a form of weakness, not confidence. In most cases it’s one or more of the following feelings: anxiousness, nervousness, stress, fearfulness, insecurity, and it doubts your leadership. If this is not corrected, over time, you are passively training your dog to be reactive beyond your front door; where you want to be able to take it in public and not be reactive. It doesn’t have the ability to differentiate where it should be reactive and where it shouldn’t. This is why you can’t have both.
IF you had a dog that you could direct to be on guard in the house but cool as a cucumber on your street or at the coffee shop, you would have a $10k to $20k protection trained dog, my friend!
Evaluate what you want in your family dog. If you want a calm dog that you can take out in public, walk calmly down the street and trust, it’s time for some training, state of mind rehab (for dog AND owner), leadership and wait for it….it’s time to PROTECT YOUR DOG.
If you contact me for training because you want to modify your dogs reactive behavior; either to people, other dogs, bicycles, or whatever the trigger may be; either on walks, in your home or wherever you may want to take your dog, BUT you want your dog to still guard your house, backyard, or you, I’m going to tell you to pick which one you want, because you can’t have both.
Again, this is for the average house dog. There are dogs that are highly trained in protection, that live in a house with families. Like K9 officers, etc. But these dogs went through obedience training, were balanced, and then were trained to protect. Key word: BALANCED. Prior to protection training, they are calm, they aren’t nervous or anxious or fearful. They have leadership and wait for their leaders to direct them, never taking things into their own hands (er, paws). THOUSANDS of dollars are invested in them to teach them how to turn on and off, what are threats, what aren’t threats, all while giving them a job, structure and rules in and out of the house. They are confident, working dogs.
When the average house dog is guarding you, its house, front door, or yard, it is actually operating out of a form of weakness, not confidence. In most cases it’s one or more of the following feelings: anxiousness, nervousness, stress, fearfulness, insecurity, and it doubts your leadership. If this is not corrected, over time, you are passively training your dog to be reactive beyond your front door; where you want to be able to take it in public and not be reactive. It doesn’t have the ability to differentiate where it should be reactive and where it shouldn’t. This is why you can’t have both.
IF you had a dog that you could direct to be on guard in the house but cool as a cucumber on your street or at the coffee shop, you would have a $10k to $20k protection trained dog, my friend!
Evaluate what you want in your family dog. If you want a calm dog that you can take out in public, walk calmly down the street and trust, it’s time for some training, state of mind rehab (for dog AND owner), leadership and wait for it….it’s time to PROTECT YOUR DOG.
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