Professional Dog Training Team
Protection Dogs FAQ
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, here are some of the questions we frequently get asked. If you are contemplating buying a personal protection dog and cannot find your answers here, we would suggest that you give us a call. One of our experienced team will be happy to guide you through the process and answer any questions you might have regarding our dogs and their suitability for you.
With 30 - 40 trained protection dogs available at any one time, we always have a large choice and we would typically short list 4 - 5 dogs that we feel are best suited to your requirements. We do not believe in trying to force a square peg to fit into a round hole. If we feel that a dog is not right for you,or your requirements, we will advise accordingly.
A standard-level dog is trained on and off lead in obedience and on lead in protection work; an executive-level dog is trained on and off lead in both obedience and protection work, trained for weapon attack (guns, knives, etc.), and is also trained to deal with multiple assailants. Due to the type and levels of crime, we now tend to train most of our dogs to an executive level.
Our dogs are chosen for their temperament, as many of them go on to live in families with young children. We need to be 100% certain when placing a dog that will be around children; therefore we would only suggest dogs that we know would fit this criteria.
When we shortlist dogs for you to view, we will only select dogs that we know are happy to live with other canines. We usually try to integrate a dog of the opposite sex as this tends to work best.
Our dogs are trained to recognise threatening behaviour, to deal with that threat and, once the threat is dealt with, to go back to being a lovable family pet. Through the intensive training that our dogs receive over an extended time period, they are taught to pick up on not just behaviour and situations that may be associated with a potential threat but are also incredibly tuned in to their handler's body language. They can both show aggression on command or will work without command when a threat is both serious and immediate.
The dog will literally become part of your family. Many of our clients take their dog to the office, on holidays, on a jog in the park, and on days out with the kids. Our dogs will quickly adapt to your lifestyle, and are shortlisted with your exact requirements in mind.
Typically our protection dogs range from £20,000 ex vat and up depending on level of training, origins and bloodline. However, we do have a few cheaper dogs, so please feel free to give us a discuss.
Prior to taking a dog home, you would be required to do a 2 day handover; this enables you to start to bond with the dog. You would also work alongside the trainer, learning the commands the dog has been taught in training to enable you to feel happy and confident with your new canine companion. The handover is normally carried out at our facilities; however, for an additional fee, it can take place at your home, whether in the UK or overseas.
The first step is to call us and outline your requirements. After that, visiting us is usually the next step. We would then discuss your requirements in full, so we are able to select a suitable dog for you. You would then be shown the dog, with us demonstrating its obedience and protection work, so you can be sure the dog is right for you.
Yes, we always advise that you bring the children or other pets along when you visit, especially if they will be interacting with the protection dog on a regular basis. This way you can see them interact with the A1K9s and how the A1K9s interact with them.
