The dog is the protector of the home and family. Karin Freeman Dewet - George Dewet

dedication
To our family - Verne, Jerry and Mark Friedman with gratitude for their endless love and support, to our sons Troy and Travis, who filled our lives with light, and to the protector of our family - Rottweiler Rommel, who faithfully and selflessly guarded us until the end of his days.

Introduction
In today's world with its atmosphere of cruelty and increasing violence, people are more than ever thinking about the need to somehow protect themselves and their loved ones.
One possible option is a guard dog[1].

You can also choose from firearms, various alarm systems, and mastery of martial arts. In addition, there are private agencies that provide protection for those who need it and are willing to pay. But, in general, the choice is quite limited.

Those who settled on a dog usually ask a lot of questions. Our goal is to answer them as far as possible by talking about the real state of affairs and about the myths associated with service dogs, as well as about the responsibility to others and before the law that falls on the owners of guard dogs. Step by step, the reader will go through the entire path of the owner of such a dog - from choosing a puppy to special training. The book concludes with several true stories about guard dogs.

The main thing that motivated us to start working on this book is the desire to help future owners of guard dogs. We decided to compile for them something like a short guide to the country, which is called "Training", and put on the map all the roads leading there.

We didn't want anyone to think that our method was the only possible one. No, there are different methods, different styles of training, different techniques. We describe what we ourselves use in practice, but at the same time we constantly emphasize: everything must be done under the supervision of a professional trainer.

We will consider that we have achieved our goal if our book at least partly satisfies someone's curiosity, helps someone understand the benefits of non-violent training and understand the difficult problems that confront a person who decides to trust a dog with his own safety and security. of his family.

Chapter first
Guard dog - what does it mean?
Last newspapers and television pay a lot of attention to the problem of aggressive dogs. What is the result? On the one hand, the confused public was under the impression that in the current circumstances, getting an aggressive dog was a very wise decision. On the other hand, since journalists now and then report about the attack of dogs on people, many are now convinced that all "aggressive breeds" should be forever expelled from our cities so that their innocent victims do not suffer. However, anyone who deals with dogs knows perfectly well that in all such cases it is not the dog that is to blame, but its owner.

Three things distinguish a guard dog from just a vicious one: breed, social demeanor, and training. Miss even one of the three and you will have a potentially dangerous animal.

Most publications about aggressive dogs feature typically service breeds: Rottweiler, German Shepherd and Doberman Pinscher. But statistics say that among the dogs that most often attack people, the first and second places belong to the Cocker Spaniels and Poodles, respectively. At first glance, this seems surprising. But if you remember that these two breeds are the most popular in the United States, then there is nothing surprising here.

Of course, neither a poodle nor a cocker spaniel is able to injure a person in the way that dogs of large breeds can do. That's why you never hear about a poodle biting a child in the face. But if, for example, a German Shepherd is in place of the poodle, the likelihood of publicity will be much greater. We will try to show that in such cases the breed does not matter. It's all about selection, proper care and handling of the dog.

As a general rule, a guard dog is a friendly and loving creature. She has a balanced character, is able to play with a person and feel affection for him just like any other. If there is one thing that distinguishes such dogs, it is a highly developed instinct to protect everything that they consider their own. They also have a well-developed hunting instinct. The latter is manifested in their passionate desire to endlessly chase the ball or try their hand at the game of "who will outweigh whom." These instincts require that puppy training begin at a very early age. They can turn against you if you do not bring them into the frame in time.

In their youth, such dogs tend to try everything on the tooth. They chew on everything and they cannot be blamed for this: no dog is able to learn the difference between valuable things and things that have no value. Service dogs are prone to fuss and can playfully bite your clothes, hands, ankles. This should be stopped. Teaching a puppy to behave properly is an essential part of any training program.

What Guard Dogs Can and Can't Do
The main task of a guard dog is to serve as a warning to a possible aggressor. Just her presence or threatening behavior outside the fence of your site, at your home or in your car is enough. The very sight of such a dog makes the criminal think and look for something easier.

However, it would be a mistake to think that an untrained dog will become your reliable protector due to its very breed. There are many documented cases when Rottweilers, German Shepherds, etc. allowed thieves to calmly enter the house and take out things and jewelry from there. First of all, such incidents are explained by a lack of training. The dog must be trained in what to do in certain situations, and know what to react to and what not to.

If the dog is in the yard, outside the house, then the offender has the advantage: he can gently talk to her or try to intimidate her. If a dog is stoned, it will instinctively seek cover, just as you would if you were in its position. In addition, the dog cannot fight the criminal when he is on the other side of the fence.

On the contrary, if the dog is in the house, the advantage is already with him. Here she is protected by everything she is supposed to protect. To get to her and get into the house, the criminal must open up, and this makes the position of the dog more advantageous. We know the following case: a mastiff bit off a robber's hand when he, having broken glass, tried to open a glass door from the inside. Returning home, the owner of the mastiff found this hand lying on a chair near the door. Needless to say, nothing was stolen.

Not a panacea
A dog cannot be regarded as a guarantee of complete safety. In general, nothing can be such a guarantee - neither weapons, nor alarm systems, nor a dog. We believe that the more precautions you take, the more secure you will be. But note that the dog is the only means of protection which can act as a warning, as an alarm system and as a watchman at the same time, while delivering joy when not used for security purposes.

A well-trained dog is a joy that is always with you. These dogs play with children, spend weekends and holidays with you, and behave just like all other dogs whose main purpose is to be family companions and pets. The only difference is that they are trained to carry the burden of responsibility for the safety of the entire family. These dogs know that a stranger is not allowed to approach you uninvited, but if you tell them that everything is “ok”, then and only then will they allow a stranger to approach or enter the house. On command, they will stop the intruder without making a single sound, or, when necessary, bark and keep him under observation if you order them. Such dogs have gone through a good school of training, they are distinguished by a high degree of obedience and control over all their actions.

We have already said that guard dogs are capable of a lot. Now let's talk about what can not be expected from them under any circumstances.

First of all, you must know that dogs do not understand cause and effect. All their actions are dictated by unconditioned and conditioned reflexes. A clear understanding that the dog is not able to comprehend the causes of phenomena is necessary both for your safety and for the realization of your responsibility. Even if the dog has gone through an excellent training course that has developed its natural abilities, how it will use them depends solely on you. The wrong decision can cause a lot of trouble for both of you.

For example, if someone close to you swings a baseball bat or gives you a friendly but hard slap on the back, it can trigger a defensive conditioned reflex in the dog. You will have to learn to "read the mind" of your dog in order to tell in time that everything is "ok". Don't expect your dog to act like Lassie from the famous TV series.

Once we were approached by a woman who wanted to buy a service breed dog. She was going to leave her in the yard with her two