A protection dog’s training journey

A protection dog’s training journey is, by its very nature, a long and complex one which cannot be rushed. With the stakes so high, shortcuts are unacceptable and we pride ourselves on how rigorous we ensure this process is. We begin with early identification, finding the most capable puppies and young dogs from trusted breeders around the world. As good as a litter’s parents’ bloodlines may be, we are still first and foremost looking for an individual dog that meets our exacting requirements. Before purchasing any dog, we undertake a thorough suitability assessment and only then – if successfully passed – begin working with them.

Our training regimen begins with a strong foundation of obedience, socialisation, and environmental conditioning. We require that all of the dogs we eventually place are fully obedient, confident around but suspicious of strangers, and comfortable in a variety of environments they may work in. We pursue these basics to the highest standards possible and only move onto more advanced training once they are consistently performed to a satisfactory level.

Once a foundation has been laid, we progress to bitework and testing a dog’s resolve and courage. This is where the protection specific work truly begins, and will also involve realistic scenarios designed around what our dogs may face in their homes with their new families. Bitework with sleeves and padding in a relatively sterile and distraction-free environment is a good starting point, but needs testing under realistic conditions before a dog can be allowed to work in operational settings.

Our work even continues post-purchase once a dog has reached its new home with top-up training as part of our long-term aftercare package. Training is an ongoing endeavour and while our dogs leave us at a high standard, we encourage our clients to view developing their performance and reaching their full potential as a lifelong pursuit.