Protection dogs

21 April, 2023

Dogs in Warfare | Protection Dogs Worldwide

Dogs have been used in warfare for thousands of years, and their utility endures to the present day. Their offensive and defensive capabilities act as force multipliers far beyond what human soldiers can achieve, and will always endure. No technology will ever replace a dog’s capabilities, so it is unsurprising how valued they remain in contemporary military circles. Dogs are first recorded as having been used in warfare around approximately 600 BC, primarily in an offensive role. Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Persians, Gauls, and Celts are all known to have used dogs in warfare, most commonly in “shock” tactics to

13 February, 2023

Which Dog Breeds Are Most Intelligent?

Dogs are perhaps the most inherently intelligent domesticated animals in human history. Their high intelligence has allowed them to perform a range of tasks including providing simple companionship to herding livestock, guarding, and supporting the disabled with everyday life tasks. Intelligence is subjective and can be hard to define, but there are a number of ways that dogs’ cognitive abilities have been quantified or demonstrated. In 1994, Stanley Coren published his landmark book, “The Intelligence of Dogs”. Using surveys conducted with obedience competition judges, Coren examines what he refers to as “working and obedience intelligence”, namely a dog’s ability to

8 February, 2023

How to Choose The Right Protection Dog

At Protection Dogs Worldwide, we pride ourselves in providing our customers with a bespoke service. Where this really matters is helping them choose the best and most appropriate protection dog for their individual circumstances. We are firm believers in the importance of matching a dog with the best home possible, and would suggest prospective owners consider some of the following before committing to making a purchase with us. First and foremost, what kind of lifestyle do you and your family have? What are your activity levels like, and do you live in the city or countryside? Do you already have

13 January, 2023

Toys for Protection Dogs

Most dogs enjoy having access to and playing with toys. Toys allow dogs to express natural behaviours in a safe and non-destructive manner while enjoying themselves. Toys can be very useful when providing enrichment to protection dogs, and they offer high value in supporting training and overall wellbeing. One of our favourite toys for protection dogs is the Kong. While Kong is actually a company, it is best known for making a red rubber chew toy with a hollow centre. Widely known as simply “the Kong”, this toy is beloved by dogs and their owners alike. It is near indestructible,

2 January, 2023

Training Standards for Protection Dogs

Rigorous training underpins everything we do at Protection Dogs Worldwide. Whatever its natural temperament, an untrained dog should not be relied on for family or personal protection. Our training standards are high but considered, and ultimately work towards creating the ultimate family or personal protection dog. The highest standard of obedience is the foundation of everything we do and seek to achieve. If a dog is not fully obedient, then we do not believe that it can progress to more complex training such as protection work. A family or personal protection dog needs to be relied upon to follow its

22 December, 2022

Different Types of German Shepherds

The German Shepherd is one of the most popular dog breeds across the world. It is an intelligent, versatile, and deeply loving and loyal dog. It has proven itself as an equally effective guardian, service dog, and companion and will always be beloved by many. The German Shepherd is a surprisingly diverse breed, and presents in a number of varieties. This blog will provide a breakdown of the most common German Shepherd variants, and explain what this might mean for current or prospective owners. Broadly speaking, there are two types of German Shepherds: working and show-line dogs. Working dogs were

2 December, 2022

Exercising Your Protection Dog

All dogs should be exercised regularly, ideally twice a day. In the UK, the most common way to exercise a dog is to take them for one or two walks a day, more often than not on a lead or free running them in a park or some other open space. These are good ways to exercise a dog, but far from the only options. Exercise is so beneficial and important to all dogs that it cannot be neglected. As protection dogs are almost by default more active and energetic than a usual pet, their individual need for exercise will

23 August, 2022

Bonding with Your New Protection Dog

Bonding is one of the most important, yet overlooked parts of owning a dog. Unless an owner is properly bonded with their dog, then their relationship will never be as good as it can be. Bonding sets the foundation for a strong relationship, and in the case of working dogs trust between owner and animal. While bonding should occur naturally if a dog is being handled and looked after well, it is still worth giving this matter some thought rather than take it for granted. As dogs learn associatively, the first responsibility on owners when facilitating bonding is to ensure

8 August, 2022

Should I Train My Own Protection Dog?

One of the most common questions were receive both via email and social media is for advice on how people can train their own protection dog. Our advice will always be the same: training protection dogs requires high levels of skill and experience and should only be attempted by professionals. Amateur attempts at this kind of training can be dangerous for both dogs and humans, so are never a good idea. It is often assumed that protection dog training is centred on a bite and release when in reality this is only a small part of our work. Before we

8 August, 2022

Giant Schnauzers as protection dogs – Protection Dogs Worldwide

The Giant Schnauzer is a rare, but highly effective breed we use for family protection work. Originating in Germany, the Giant Schnauzer was developed as a general purpose farm dog and intended to guard property, protect livestock, herding, and vermin control. Their versatility demanded high levels of intelligence which translates into the breed being very trainable and able to fulfil a variety of working roles to the present day. Although seldom found in modern working circles, the Giant Schnauzer is able to undertake protection work alongside more common breeds including the German Shepherd Dog, Dobermann, Rottweiler, Cane Corso, and Malinois