Dogs are called man’s best friend for a reason. They are loyal and protective, willing to stand between their owners and danger. For preppers and survivalists, the services dogs provide go beyond that of the standard guard dog.
Most dogs come equipped with some protective sense, but not every dog is fit to train for protective service. It’s your responsibility as an owner to determine whether or not your dog is fit for training. If you fail to determine whether your dog is a good choice to serve as a guardian, or you fail to train them correctly, you could get into legal trouble.
Your first step in training a puppy to be a guard starts with making sure it’s a good candidate. Again, every breed has natural instincts to protect, but some breeds are better than others. For example, German Shepherds are great all-around dogs and are especially good at protecting family and property alike. Any dog that shows obedience, loyalty, intelligence, courage and an eagerness to learn can make a great guardian.
When training, never use physical contact to punish your dog. All this will do is drive a wedge between you and your dog. Using only negatives to punish the dog could cause it to become aggressive and untrusting, making it an unpredictable animal. Dogs that are unpredictable can lash out in fear and bite people for no apparent reason, meaning you’ll likely have a lawsuit on your hands.
Dogs have been used as a way to protect humans and property since we first domesticated wolves. Dogs are not only great protection, but they can also alert you to potential threats long before you’re aware of them. For other options to protect your home, check out out these important tools.
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