It is preferable to choose a highly sociable dog when considering a guard dog. Additionally, it should be strong but not aggressive, intelligent, and able to understand its owner's movements. Below are some tips on training guard dogs:- Planning: Good planning is essential before starting guard dog training. The owner must be able to maintain full control over their dog. If the dog causes harm to others while defending its owner, the owner may face legal consequences.
- Obedience Training: Dogs should be trained in obedience before anything else, ensuring they respond to all obedience commands, such as sit, come, or stop what they are doing. The dog should be off-leash during these exercises. If the dog consistently does not respond to obedience commands or cannot learn new commands, the owner should consider discontinuing obedience training.
- Socialization Training: Dog owners need to train their dogs to be social so that they do not fear unfamiliar situations. It is advisable to start this training early. Activities like taking walks and introducing the dog to unfamiliar objects can help. The dog should learn to differentiate between ordinary people and potential threats to its owner.
- Alert Barking Training: Encouraging the dog to bark as an alert when approached by a stranger is beneficial. However, the dog should also learn to stop barking on command. If the dog does not respond to commands to stop barking, the owner should instruct it to sit. If all attempts to teach the dog to bark fail, it may not be suitable for guard duty.
- Defense Training: Training the dog to defend its owner is crucial. This can be done by having an unknown person approach the dog and pretending to threaten the owner. The person should wear protective gear to prevent injury in case of an attack.
- Attack and Retreat Training: The dog should be trained to attack when necessary and retreat when commanded. If the dog does not respond to retreat commands at the right time, it may be too rebellious or uncontrollable for personal protection training.
- Home Guard Training: Training the dog to guard the home requires several steps for success:
- Mastering basic obedience - Ensuring the owner has full control over the dog's behavior at all times.
- Teaching the dog which items to protect, alongside obedience training.
These training techniques can help prepare a dog for guard duty, ensuring it is sociable, obedient, and capable of defending its owner and property effectively.