How to Train a Dog to Guard a House
Some get dogs for companionship whereas others bring them home for the feeling of security a dog provides against intruders. If you want to train your dog to guard your house, then you have to combine two aspects into your training module. One is to train your canine to recognize an intruder and the other is to alert you of the intruder's presence. (See References 1)
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Instructions
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The Drill
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1
Fix a time of the day. Leave your dog out on the porch tied to a post and on a leash. Sit inside the house where you can see both your dog and the entrance through which your friend will enter the house.
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Once your dog has settled down, call your friend and ask him to enter the house. You must explain to your friend in advance that he must be stealthy and pretend that he is sneaking into the house. This will help your dog to distinguish between intruders and welcome guests. Your friend must also pretend that he is unaware of your dog's presence.
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Once the dog perceives the intruder, it will show some sign of alertness like sitting up straight or barking.
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At the first sign that the dog has become alert the intruder (friend) must retreat. This reaction of the intruder lets the dog know that its reaction made the intruder leave.
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Soon thereafter, you must call from inside asking the dog what has happened. There must be anxiety in your voice so that the dog understands that the intrusion was unwanted. You must then come out and praise the dog or reward it with a dog treat to convey the message that your pet's reaction to the intruder was appropriate.
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This drill needs to be continued every day for at least a week. However, change some of the factors in the drill. For example, vary the point of entrance of the intruder (friend). Also, your friend has to progressively elicit stronger reaction from your dog. For example, if the dog did not bark on the first day, your friend must retreat on the second day only after your pet has barked.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Your dog must not know the friend who will be acting as an intruder.
Every dog takes its own time to learn new things. Modify your training according to the ease with which your dog responds.
Remove the dog treat gradually from the training sessions. Make up for it with more praises and pats.
Getting professional help to train your dog to guard your house is the best option.
Go for specific dog breeds like the Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherd Dog and Mastiff, which make excellent watch dogs and guard dogs. (See References 3)
Do not break the training regimen or else you may have to start from the beginning next time.
Look out for excess aggression in your dog. Discourage it by neglecting your dog when it shows too much aggression.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit lonely dog near the porch image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.com
