Guard dog training is a choice that should not be taken lightly. For most dog owners, liability for their dog’s actions becomes a large factor. Before making any decisions, make sure that you check with your insurance company for any exclusion that may exist on your policy regarding guard dogs. There are some insurance companies that will drop you like a “hot rock” if they determine that you have such a liability on the premises they are insuring. All you have to do is look in newspapers to find articles about dog attacks.
Positive Aspects of Guard Dog Training
Having mentioned the downside to guard dog training, now let’s focus on the good aspects of the subject. First – what kind of guard dog to you want? There are many subcategories of guard dog 
training. For example -sentry dog, attack dog, police dog, just to name a few. Each of these categories has different requirements in terms training and of course the intended outcome and use of the training. Do you simply want a dog that will pose a visual threat to a potential intruder, or do you want a dog trained to attack on your command? We are coming down to three main categories — a dog that will simply sound an alarm for you, a dog that will pose a threat to intruders and finally a dog that will attack on command. Your personal situation will help determine what category of dog you want. As a side note – remember that as you “climb the scale” in terms of the type of dog you want, liability also rises.
Suitable Candidates for Guard Dog Training
If you just need a dog that will sound an alarm for you, small dogs such as Boston Terriers are fine or even a Jack Russell. If you want an intimidating dog to scare off people without attacking initially, a Cane Corso would be a perfect choice. If you want dogs that will attack on command, the perfect dogs for this job are German Shepherds and American Pit Bull Terriers. The dogs in these categories however can be trained to do other jobs as well, ultimately the outcome will depend on the training they receive.
If you know nothing about guard dog training, you can learn how to do the training on your own. It will take longer and require more trial and error. You can also find trainers who will work as ad visors to you and help you over the difficult areas. You can buy your dog and have a professional trainer take the dog and return it to you once the training is complete. And finally, you could purchase an already trained dog. Each of the above options has their strengths and weaknesses. As time permits, more information will be available on the different alternatives.
If you need an extensive list of dogs that can do protection work, see Cesar’s website at Top Ten Protection Dog Breeds
