Free Guard Dog Training
Of approximately 68 million dogs in the United States, most are expected to perform some kind of guard duty. A guard dog's job is to protect against unexpected or unwanted animals or people. A watchdog may bark in warning at an intruder, but a guard dog is trained to restrain or attack. Owners can conduct this training on their own to save money, but it's vital they know what, and how, to teach their dog for him to be effective in his protective role.
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When Training Should Begin
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Guard dog training begins when a puppy is 10 to 12 weeks old. Start with basic obedience training in a safe area with no distractions. Commands such as "sit" and "stay" are the foundation for a solid start in guard dog training. Once he responds consistently to basic commands, move training sessions to a public park so he can eventually learn to follow commands even when distracted.
Protection training is a demanding and difficult training task. Concentrate on introducing one new command per week, and practice each one for at least 15 minutes every day. Like people, not all dogs learn at the same pace, so some commands will take longer to grasp than others. Obedience and commands must be enforced to ensure the dog is safe around people. He must know when to guard and when to leave someone alone.
Prey Drive
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Guard dog training has to be planned carefully because drive and bite must be taught. There are four main drives that govern a dog's temperament in protection work: Prey drive, defensive drive, fight drive and avoidance, which should be discouraged in a guard dog.
Prey drive is a dog's need to chase something that moves, then grab it and shake it after it's caught. Most puppies show prey drive when they chase a ball or play tug of war. Dogs perceive prey work as play and enjoy interacting with the trainer as they prepare for the bite work that will come later.
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Defensive Drive
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A dog's defensive drive is the drive to protect himself from a perceived threat. A good guard dog will react to a limited amount of threat with a challenge. This willingness to defend himself is an inherited trait that cannot be trained into a dog. Most dogs, when threatened, will go into avoidance and run. Even though a dog may inherit the defensive gene, a dog's defensive drive won't appear until he's at least a year old.
Fight Drive
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In defensive training, the dog's view of the trainer changes to interpret that person as a possible threat. The dog is more confident now, so he can be taught to defeat his trainer, which brings out his fight drive. The trainer becomes his fighting partner. The only way a dog gains fight drive is through experience and training.
Bite Training
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Prey Drive is used to teach biting and fighting. During this work, the dog is taught to bark for his bite, and to have a firm grip on what he's biting or he'll lose his prey. The play factor can also be used to calm the dog as it relieves the stress that builds during defensive training.
Tools for Guard Dog Training
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There are a variety of tools and training equipment needed to properly train a guard dog. Training muzzles, prong collars, electric collars and leashes are supplies to have on hand. Equipment such as bite sleeves, bite suits and training tugs are important items to include in the guard dog training arsenal. DVDs and books are a sound investment for the do-it-yourself dog trainer because they offer step-by-step guidance and visual reference. Most of these supplies can be purchased through online companies (see examples in Resources).
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit good dog image by katja kodba from Fotolia.com
