Your dog, your protector?

Was personal or home security a criterion when choosing your dog? – A recent poll I did on my social media page revealed that most chose their canine family member for companionship. Although some appreciate the added bonus of their pooch’s barking to announce visitors or their appearance working as a natural deterrent.

The following is a composite story, a mash up of similar inquiries I’ve received over the years from people who did want their dogs to safeguard them or their property. Usually, the dog is one of the traditional protection breeds and around 12 – 18 months old and has displayed unfriendly behaviour to people on multiple occasions or already bitten someone. But the dog is the sweetest with their kids, they say.

A family experiences their home invaded and robbed one night when they are asleep. Their teenage children have been begging for a dog for a long time. Dad wants a little cuddly one, like a King Cavalier Spaniel. The lost sense of privacy and safety since the break-in has left a traumatic impact on everyone. Dad feels angry, mum has trouble sleeping, the kids feel anxious and jumpy. One of the police officers investigating the home invasion mentions that having a dog can serve as an effective deterrent. All of this adds up to getting in touch with a breeder whose puppies have been acquired as police dogs – a working dog line.

The family meets the puppies and their mum and picks the most outgoing one. He looks confident and capable. They call him Blaze and take him to puppy school and doggy daycare. At 6 months old, it becomes impossible for mum to walk Blaze, he is a big, strong boy. They hire a trainer to come to their home and work with them. With the aid of a head halter, mum feels safe to walk Blaze again.

Blaze is crate trained. He sleeps in his closed crate downstairs during the night. Except when dad is away on business trips. Then it’s Blaze’s job to patrol the house all night. Blaze has shown he dislikes strangers who he growls, barks and lunges at. One day, dad takes Blaze for a walk and the head halter breaks. Blaze hurtles himself onto an oncoming person. Dad manages to pull him off, the person is very shaken and reports the incident to the council.

One day a relative enters their home together with one of the children and Blaze has a go at the perceived intruder, biting them. Layers of clothing prevent a more serious injury. The family recognises that this is a problem and decides that from now on Blaze must be in his crate before anyone other than the family enters the house. They research the internet on dog training methods and hire another trainer, one that works with check collars.

Recently the doggy daycare has told the family that Blaze can’t come back until he’s been desexed, he’s 10 months old. Wanting to make sure Blaze has the exercise he needs, they take him to the local dog park at odd hours, making sure no one else is there. Until one day a jogger surprises them and Blaze (who is off-lead). The injuries are very serious, requiring stitches. Somehow the jogger refrains from reporting the incident.

When the family contacts me they tell me Blaze is a good dog. He’s had all the training. He listens. Well, when there are no distractions. He adores the kids and they adore him. Mum suspects that her fearfulness might have to do something with Blaze’s behaviour. She wonders if using an electric collar would help controlling their dog, imagining it would function as a sort of a panic button, a last resort to stop Blaze. I explain that that’s not how it works. They have watched videos online and what people say about e-collar’s usefulness and safety makes sense to them. The family is sincere, they love their dog and are desperate to do right by him.

I ask if they are aware of the consequences of another incidence reported to the council. They are not. But they obtained some legal advice and have been told that if their dog bit someone in their home during a break-in that there exists a loophole that would clear them and Blaze of any repercussions. The conversation keeps coming back to how Blaze is from an active working dog line, he’s an excellent dog, he just needs some more training.

I ask if any trainer so far has suggested to muzzle train Blaze, as a safety management strategy? No. But they had thought of it themselves and are open to the idea.

I ask if they had a security system installed after the home invasion? They talk about cameras put up and deadbolt locks. I say doing so would be a first step to relieve Blaze of the responsibility to protect them. Animals and people share feelings, science calls this neuroception. I ask if they got professional help for themselves for the mental health repercussions of the home invasion and get an embarrassed shake of the head. They believe they just need the right training method. Blaze comes from good stock, after all.

A google search reveals that the cost for installing a home security systems generally ranges from $ 300 to $ 4,000, depending on the size of your home, and the complexity of the system. A monthly subscription fee for less than $ 50 gives additional security features.

Another google quest: German Shepherd puppy $ 750 to $ 3,500. Rottweiler puppy $ 2,000 to $ 4,000. Belgian Malinois puppy $ 1,000 to $ 2,000. Doberman puppy $ 2,500 – $ 7,500. Dogue De Bordeaux puppy $ 800 to $ 3,500. Now add cost for

• Food
• Vet care
• Training
• Dog beds, crate, toys, collar, lead, etc.
• House sitter or kennel cost when you are on holidays
• Daycare and other socialising
• Grooming

And let’s not forget your time to exercise, entertain, train, and care for your dog.

what is a dangerous dog?

On the Agriculture Victoria website, under Animal Welfare Victoria, you can find the definition of a dangerous dog:

A dangerous dog is one that the council has declared to be dangerous because it has bitten or attacked a person or animal, causing serious injury or death.

The Domestic Animals Act 1994 empowers councils to declare a dog to be ‘dangerous’ if:

• the dog has caused serious injury or death to a person or animal
• the dog is a menacing dog and its owner has received at least 2 infringement notices for failing to comply with restraint requirements
• the dog has been declared dangerous under corresponding legislation in another state or territory
• or for any other reason prescribed.

Serious injury to a person or animal is an injury requiring medical or veterinary attention in the nature of:

• a broken bone
• a laceration
• the total or partial loss of sensation or function in a part of the body
• an injury requiring cosmetic surgery.

The requirements of keeping a dangerous dog are severe and limiting.

I spoke with Eki Arifovic who has been an attack dog trainer and handler in Australia, Europe and the USA for the last few decades in the military police and private sector. He has also worked with detection dogs (bombs, land mines, narcotics) in Serbia, Afghanistan and Australia, is a certified obedience dog trainer and has extensive knowledge on dog behaviour. He holds a license from Victoria Police to do protection dog work.

your duty of care

I start my conversation with Eki with the question, “What are the legal ramifications of your dog biting someone?”

The law is not clear cut and leaves room for a case to case interpretation. Let’s say the person who burgled your house was bitten by your dog – that puppy you got from a working dog line and whose instincts, you believe, will kick in naturally. There will be an investigation and the council will send a ranger to your property to assess the situation and see your dog. How will your fly-off-the-handle at any stranger dog respond? The ranger will classify such a dog as a hazard. The first such offence might only solicit a warning or fine – depending on the severity. But it could also lead to your dog being seized and destroyed or declared dangerous. If not then, possibly at a later incident.

That’s a very different scenario to let’s say your teenager has friends over and they start wrestling and your otherwise friendly dog goes and nips one of the young people instinctually in the excitement. A ranger visiting to investigate will meet a sociable, happy dog. There might still be a warning but there is pretty much zero chance that your dog would be declared dangerous or taken from you and euthanised.

the perfect puppy for the job

Next, Eki and I talk about how to select the right puppy to become a working dog for the police, military or other department that employs them. To end up with a perfect working dog you want a confident puppy. Neither too anxious nor too aggressive. If you have a litter of puppies and you create a loud sound – BOOM – you’ll see different reactions. Puppy One might run away, hiding, trembling and shaking and not wanting to come near you again. Puppy Two stands its ground and erupts into a frenzy of aggressive barking towards the stimuli (you). Puppy Three will freak out a little bit when hearing the sound but then will also be a little curious, will want to investigate that which gave it a fright.

Puppy Three would be considered confident, a puppy with good nerve, not overreacting to situations. This puppy is displaying proper control and would be chosen as a prospective candidate for becoming an operational working dog. A dog with such a temperament is likely to be able to execute a controlled bite when trained as an attack dog, instead of just excessively biting. An attack dog is usually trained to respond to a command, take hold of a certain body part and keep holding until they are asked to release and then do so.

The process of becoming an operational attack dog involves assessments all through puppyhood. Then, as a so-called green dog, their training and evaluation continues. Only when they reach two years of age – adulthood – and still are considered suitable will they go through their certification and only after they pass, they be allowed on the job.

Speaking from his experience (without having exact data at hand) Eki says usually just two puppies from a litter (of six to eight) are working dog material, meaning they’ll pass all their assessments to become operational. It is a costly enterprise, therefore only the most promising ones are chosen.

Eki tells me that breeders try hard to develop one or two excellent bloodlines and offer their best puppies to the police force or other departments so that they can then advertise their working dog pedigree. However, you can already guess, the puppies that are sold as a family pet – from a police dog working line, for example – are the leftovers, the ones deemed unsuitable (too nervous, too soft or too aggressive) by the working dog experts.

Just like if you come from a long line of boxing champions or lawyers doesn’t automatically make you a Rocky Balboa or a Atticus Finch, Perry Mason or Harvey Specter, a puppy from a working dog line doesn’t automatically make an Old Yeller bravely defending you against the dangers of the world – not as a raging “monster” but in control of their actions.

And even the best fully-trained, operational protection dog is only half of the equation. Eki tells me of the match making process between handlers and dogs. A team will typically only be certified if human and dog are right for each other. How can you tell? Putting together a young dog and a new police offer, both high energy, is a recipe for disaster, for example. Teaming a more sensitive dog with a harsh, old-school handler will likely end up with the dog shutting down. Pair a super confident dog with a softer human and the dog will take over which is also not a good idea.

I know from my own experience as well as that of other professionals in the field of helping people with their family dog that all too often people take themselves out of the equation. It’s their dog that needs help, not them, they believe. Even when their dog demonstrates their cooperation with the professional handling them but not with their own human, people don’t necessarily step up and take a look at themselves. Or, if they do, they think they can’t do anything about it, saying things like, “I’m just a pushover.”

Nature and nurture

So, for the best of the best of working line puppies it’s a two year rigorous and continuous undertaking before they are stable and reliable protectors. Remember, these are the dogs with the ideal temperament for the job. They still need all that cultivating. And, they are paired with a suitable human.

Now contrast that with someone who has experienced or is afraid of their home being broken into or being assaulted who has not processed that trauma yet, getting a puppy from a working line that didn’t make muster. Not much thought, effort or persistence usually goes into that puppy’s upbringing because, after all, they are from good stock! Plus, on some more or less conscious level such people want others to be afraid of their dog. How volatile a combination.

It’s magical thinking to believe a puppy – any puppy! – doesn’t need patient and persistent guidance to become a well-adjusted, resilient and reliable family member. The commitment goes way beyond puppy school – the place were many people stop – to help shape their dog and themselves into the Dream Team. (The two Secrets of Puppy Training and the one Big Mistake is one of my blog articles that goes deeper into this topic.) This doesn’t need to involve getting into dog sports or high level obedience training. It has more to do with mindfulness and getting the right kind of help for you when needed. There is no magic pill you or your dog can take to make challenges go away. You also really can’t outsource it. Yes, there are boarding schools for dogs where trainers can educate your dog but when your dog comes home, you have to take over and practice and maintain what has been learned. It takes time, it takes effort, it takes patience. It takes your commitment and involvement.

In my article Training Methods read what all training methods have in common, their pros and cons and what learning really is all about. It might surprise you.

Professional protection dogs might live with their handlers but never as family members, Eki tells me. They don’t get to play with the kids or meet the neighbours or go to the dog park. When they are about seven years old their working days end. They are being assessed by a behaviourist to determine if they are fit (read: safe) to become a family dog. If so, the retired dog usually is offered to their handler first. If the handler can’t commit to taking the dog, there are usually rescue groups who will take over the rehoming process. About 50 % of retiring attack dogs are deemed too dangerous to live out their lives as a family member and are euthanised.

are protection dogs legal

In Australia the answer is No. Not for general members of the public. On the Animal Welfare Victoria website Protection Training is defined as “training a dog to attack people. It includes the training of a dog to attack a human wearing padded protective clothing for any purpose, including sport.

It is not appropriate for a member of the community to have access to an attack trained dog, unless they are a licensed security guard. This is reflected in the strict provisions of the Domestic Animals Act.

Dogs that have received this type of training are automatically Dangerous Dogs under the Act.

Licensed security guards are the only persons eligible to have their dogs trained as Protection Dogs, or to be trained in Protection Training.“

So, it’s illegal to train your dog for protection as well as there are serious consequences for you and your dog if your dog bites someone even if your home is invaded or if you are attacked.

what gives us the right

My conversation with Eki takes a philosophical turn when I ask about the ethics of creating working dogs. Detection of narcotics or explosives, police or military work … these all expose everyone involved to potentially highly dangerous situations. What gives us humans the right to do that? Is it moral? Is it fair?

On the one hand, Eki says, he leans towards No. On the other hand he has experienced the joy of such dogs when they get to do what they love. Their excitement and deep satisfaction when fulfilling their purpose. It’s a deep question to ponder.

our obligation

The topic changes when Eki says that the dogs don’t really know what’s going on around them (in an active war zone, for example). I challenge that, asking about the fact that animals and people share feelings and that I would imagine that soldiers feel fear at least sometimes. When that happens there are basically two responses: the dog becoming afraid as well or being able to co-regulate their human and offer comfort.

Eki explains that working dog handlers are trained to have a grip on their feelings. It’s a high motivation for them to know how to stay mentally and emotionally stable so that their canine partner can do their job instead of getting confused or scared. You need to manage your feelings when searching a truck that might carry explosives even though you know you both could be vaporised any moment.

These are extreme situations that the average person and their dog will never be exposed to. I still think they are relevant to you and I. It’s not some esoteric woo woo that animals and people share feelings. Science calls it neuroception. And the above is a real life example. Sometimes extremes are helpful to make a point. My point here is that caring for our mental health is primarily our own responsibility. To put that on a dog is more than unfair and frequently ends poorly for the dog to the extent that ultimately it might cost them their life. They can be a support, sure. But getting a dog to protect you because you are scared – be that as a consequence of a traumatic event or not – will backfire if you’re leaning the full weight of your fear onto your dog. A shy and anxious puppy will crumble and as they are maturing likely develop fear aggression – growling and snarling from the shadows but ready to bite anyone who corners them. A over-confident puppy will likely mature into a “monster” that barks and lunges at anyone or anything with a low or no threshold to sinking their teeth into the perceived dangers. But even the most level-headed puppy with good nerve will likely just survive rather than thrive. Having someone else’s mental and emotional problems thrust upon oneself is crippling.

Even if you are not fearful or anxious at all, it pays to keep in mind that you are sharing feelings with your dog and be mindful of your own mental hygiene. Our dogs can be a supporting part in that but should not be carrying the brunt of it.

your dog as home protector

As my conversation with the expert winds down we circle back to the start and the question if getting a puppy as a protector is a good idea. Eki says no. His opinion and experience is that a dog will only protect you if they are trained for that scenario. The chances of your untrained dog protecting you are very very low. Some other chances, however, are much more likely: your dog getting hurt or killed, if the intruder has a weapon. What if in a struggle with your dog a gun gets accidentally fired and the bullet hits your child? What if your dog bites someone and they are suing you and your dog gets put down? It’s just not worth it. Getting a dog for protection simply isn’t a good idea. If you want to minimise the damage get a good home insurance, Eki suggests, and perhaps an alarm system.

I would add to get professional help if you have experienced a home invasion or assault. Perhaps it happened to someone close to you. If that topic features heavily in your mental and emotional space, seek support. Find a therapist or coach and consider learning self-defense. Leave getting a companion dog for a time when you are actually available to care for one.