No matter what type of pet dog training you chose, whether it’s in-kennel training, private lessons, in-home training, or even group classes, you have your home work cut out for you! In-kennel clients should understand that just because the dog does all the commands for our dog trainer’s doesn’t mean that will automatically apply to you. Let’s say, for example your dog has had the run of the house the last 2 years, he comes and goes as he pleases, chews up things in your home, lunges at people on a walk, and maybe a little rough when playing with new dogs. You as the pet owner, have allowed that to go on the last 2 years, and that is no big deal, we see it all the time, but when your dog returns home you have to get with the program and apply the rules instantly. This can take several days or even weeks for your dog to realize that “Mom is not putting up with my bad behavior anymore!” And my group class, private lessons, and in-home training clients you are not off the hook either! You will be assigned things to work on between sessions, it’s your job as the pet owner to follow through, and it’s so worth it!

Protection dog clients maybe the worst as far as expectations! They often times purchase a dog that is picked from a vendor in Europe, we ship the dog to our facility, and the owner may or may not even come visit before training begins. We work with the dog for several months in obedience and bite work and deliver the dog to the client’s home. This dog doesn’t know you from Adam; it takes several weeks and sometimes months depending on the dog, for a bond or relationship to take effect. Clients want good social dogs that can do well with kids that perform bite work, then call the first week and say it’s not mean enough! Once the dog understands his home he will guard it to the fullest! This goes back to patience and consistency in training once the dog is in your home! We have a protection dog in the Charlotte area, the owner called after week two and said that his wife has spoiled her so much he didn’t think she would bite a flea! Jason went down to the home did a little decoy work with her and she still had it! Jason explained that she was still settling in to be patient and stick with working obedience daily (this helps with the liability issue that come with a protection dog to work on nice solid obedience). A few weeks later, the owner called and said he had to leave work early and go home, because the cleaning lady had stepped out of the house and their dog would not let her back in! Since then this family has had other positive experiences when the dog performed their job, you just have to give it a chance!

Our Autism Assistance Dog clients probably have the most work do to once the dog arrives. For this simple reason is why we generally stay five days upon delivery of the dog to make sure the transition goes well with the children! Our families already have a tight schedule with school, therapies, and doctor appointments and so on, now they have to learn how to utilize a dog in this chaos! We prepare our clients for the responsibilities that are added with a dog and how they still have to work daily with the child and dog on obedience and structure. Like our protection dog clients we often purchase a dog to fit the family’s needs and they may visit the dog a few times upon delivery, so again it takes a little bit for the dog to settle and bond with your family so be patient it will pay off in the end!

So when asked “What are your expectations of the dogs training?” Your answer should be I understand that your job is to lay the foundation work for my dog, but it’s up to me and my family to properly nurture and mold the finished product with training my dog! Keep expectations realistic, understand that these dogs will not be push button in the beginning, it takes time, with consistency and structure you will get there, and we guarantee it! We are only a phone call away and any of our dog trainer’s will be happy to assist with advice and/or a visit if needed!

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However, sometimes a situation unfolds right in front of your eyes before you have a chance to redirect it, and the next thing you know you have a ringside seat to a dog fight. A dog’s teeth are to be respected. They can shred skin and muscle in mere seconds. And if your dog is one of the dogs in the fight, your first instinct is to jump in and save him.

This is a great way to get yourself hurt as well. You are no match for two angry dogs and their teeth. If you pull your dog back while the other dog is still attacking, you are putting your dog at a huge disadvantage. So, it is a good idea to understand what to do in this situation before it ever happens, and with a little luck you will never need to use it.

3 Things to NEVER Do when Breaking Up a Dog Fight
Here are three things that you should NEVER do to break up a dog fight.

Scream – Loud chaotic noise just elevates the energy in an already out of control situation.

Use Your Hands – Trying to stop two fighting dogs by putting yourself, or any part of you, in between them does not stop the fight. It just gets you hurt.

Only Call Off One Dog – There are two dogs fighting. Never pull your dog out of a fight if someone is not pulling the other dog out at the same time. You are just making your dog defenseless, and the other dog can have a free shot at him.

3 Things to ALWAYS Do when Breaking Up a Dog Fight

Now here three things that may HELP break up a dog fight.

Training – If your dog obeys your come, sit, stay command, you may be able to avoid the confrontation altogether. Also, if you can tell your dog to sit and stay during a fight, it means you only have to manage the aggressive behavior of one dog rather than two.

Startle – A loud, piercing noise, a blast of compressed air or a good dousing with water may redirect the dogs’ attention just long enough to pull them apart.

Separate – To separate fighting dogs one person needs to take each dog by the back legs and drag them backwards in a circle. Walking in a circle will put them off balance and they’ll have to think about staying on their feet, rather than their argument. Keep dragging and turning until the dog has calmed down, or you risk him turning and biting you. Get the two dogs far away from each other before releasing your hold and checking for damage.

When checking over your dog for bite wounds, they may not appear large on the outside, but what looks innocent on the outside can mask extensive internal muscle damage. Generally if your dog has any wounds a trip to the vet is prudent, and at the very least you will probably want to administer antibiotics to avoid the onset of infection. He may feel a lot better if he has some pain relief at the same time.

If you are feeling anxious about going for walks after the attack, take a big breath and relax, because your dog will sense that, and feel nervous himself. If your dog is fearful after the attack, use positive reinforcement to redirect his attention and encourage him to come out with you, and again interact with other dogs. Soon enough, the dog fight will be a dim memory, and going for a walk will once again be a treat for both of you.

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If you have never owned a dog before, this is not the best breed to have as your first dog. This dog needs an experienced dog owner that has had experience with large powerful breeds that can give clear and consistent rules.

Dobermans are often highly energetic dogs, so when selecting this breed you need to have ample time in your daily schedule to give it adequate exercise. They need an opportunity to run off–leash and exercise to naturally get out burst speed. From our experience Dobermans that are understimulated with both physical and mental exercise tend to create undesirable behaviors like excessive barking, chewing and destructive behavior and anxious whining.

It is also important to purchase a Doberman Pinscher from a reputable breeder. Dobermans have been over bred in the USA resulting in poorly bred Dobermans with increased anxiety, aggression and health issues. Some of the best Dobermans that we have had the opportunity to work with and train have been imported dogs form Europe or dogs form working import lines. These dogs seem to have a better overall temperament, are healthier and more intelligent. If you are considering getting a Doberman for personal protection or competition work, we strongly recommend selecting a dog form import or working lines.

So if you decide a Doberman pinscher is the dog for you, we encourage you to socialize this dog as much as possible and to start training the pup when they are young. Well-socialized Dobermans get along with children and other animals well. We can’t express enough the importance of proper socialization with puppies and adult dogs. Under-socialized Dobermans can be fearful of people and show aggression towards other animals.

Hitting or getting physical with this dog or any dog is unacceptable and will create more problems for you. Always seek professional dog training to learn how to properly and effectively handle your Doberman Pinscher.

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Our schedule for 2010 is listed below:

January 4th, 2010
April 5th, 2010
July 5th, 2010
October 4th, 2010

We are also offering discounted pricing for all of our courses for the Winter semester beginning on January 4th, 2010. Offers are available to those who register before December 1 , 2009. You can fill out our Dog Trainer Course Application here. For more information on our programs or our discounted prices, email us at training@highlandcanine.com or call toll free at 866.200.2207.

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In order to raise a puppy to be a good personal protection dog, you must first understand the importance of socialization and what role it plays in the development of the pup. You must also understand and encourage some behaviors, such as mouthing, from this pup that are often discouraged in an average pet dog. More importantly, you must be skilled at performing the drive development exercises that are necessary to make you pup a protection dog, and this assumes that he is genetically predisposed to have the proper drives and temperament.

Some of the biggest reasons that people want to buy puppies for protection dogs are so that the pup will bond with them, so that the dog will “get along” with their children and so that the puppy can understand from an early age that this is their family and home and “naturally” become protective.

Unfortunately, we often find that any of the reasons for getting pups, really ever work out. We see owners who purchase puppies that never really bond to them. We see pups that get older and have behavioral disorders and will often bite the children, become fear aggressive or resource guard their food. And lastly, these breeds are not as “naturally” protective as many people assume. Therefore, people will often end up with an adult German Shepherd or Malinois that is not at all what they expected it to be.

When you are considering a personal protection dog for your home or family, keep in mind that a puppy may not always be the best place to start. Purchasing an adult or young adult dog has some wonderful advantages. First of all, you know what the dogs temperament is like and the chances of this changing dramatically over the years is slim. Secondly, you will know that this dog has the desired drives and ethic to do the work that you need. By getting an adult you won’t have to deal with puppy behaviors, housebreaking, etc. And most importantly, you will have a loyal family companion that has the mentality to deal with a serious threat if the need where to ever arise.

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