A dog is an excellent family pet. They are fantastic companions and may offer security for you and your family. If you’re thinking about having a dog to keep you safe, it’s important to understand more on what is dog training and understand what breed it is. Although you might think the dog you’re getting is a guard dog, it’s actually a protection dog.
This is done in order to clarify the distinction between guard dogs and protection dogs because the ways to train for a guard dog and the ways to train for a protection dog is different. The good news is that it’s not too difficult to select the ideal dog for your requirements.
Whether you have a guard dog or a protection dog, basic obedience training is essential for any canine companion. Even though the roles of a guard dog and a protection dog may differ, both should be well-trained and responsive to basic commands to ensure safety and proper behavior.
In this article, we will discuss about what are the differences between the guard dog and a protection dog and owners may take this article as reference when sending their dogs for either guard dog training or protection dog training. Pick one dog training courses that suits your dog based on their suitability.
Differences in Dog training Method
The first way guard dogs differ from protection dogs is because they are working dogs. This shows that they have had the necessary training to do a task.
In contrast, protection dogs do not undergo specialized training in how to act as security dogs. Three levels of training are available for security dogs.
Sentry dog
Sentry dogs come to mind when we think about security dogs. These dogs are employed to guard structures like warehouses and shipyards. Since they are trained to attack anyone who approaches, they are more vicious than a simple alarm dog.
Alarm dog
Alarm dogs are typically described as large dogs with a loud, deep bark. When someone approaches, these dogs are trained to bark but not to bite. They effectively deter trespassers like thieves.
Attack dog
Attack dogs are the guard dog breed with the worst reputation. Typically, only police K-9 teams or military personnel use these kinds of dogs. They should not be kept as pets since they are trained to kill or attack on command.
The Personality of dog
Another difference between guard dogs and protection dogs is their personality. Both breeds of dogs are typically chosen for their good appearance, endurance, and strength.
Whether the dog is trained as a working guard dog or a family protection dog will affect the dog’s attitude. Protection dogs are frequently socialization-trained in order to interact safely with friends, kids, neighbors, and family members.
On the other hand, guard dogs are not socialized throughout their training. They shouldn’t be kept as pets due to their dominating nature.
Popular breeds used as guard dogs include Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Giant Schnauzers, and Doberman Pinschers. There are other breeds of dogs that are used as guard dogs, but these are some of the more common ones. This is because they are typically really faithful dogs, which makes them straightforward to train as security dogs.
The Dog breed
Although guard dogs frequently come from the aforementioned dog breed groupings, protection dogs can be of any breed. This prevents them from being trained as attack dogs and instead enables them to protect and defend their family.
When a household chooses one, any dog may act as a guard dog. The family is free to decide what kind of dog they want to use as a guard dog.
The four dog breeds already mentioned, however, are usually employed as guard dogs. These dogs are capable of acting as alert, sentry, or attack dogs both physically and mentally. The physical fitness of smaller dogs may not be as high as that of these other breeds.
The dog’s sense of smell
All dogs have keen senses of smell, but protection dogs and guard dogs use their noses slightly differently. This is because security dogs need to be trained how to utilize their noses correctly.
Drugs and narcotics can be detected by guard dogs. This is one way they may assist their handler and carry out everyday tasks that are expected of them.
Guard dogs must also be able to recognize the smells of family members. This is true even if they have never met that particular family member. Normally, protection dogs are not taught to distinguish odours in this way.
The Interactions between owner and dog
A dog’s suitability as a guard or protection dog is determined by a number of different factors. Another way that guard dogs training differ from protection dogs training is in how they interact with their owners.
Guard dogs training are taught to comply with orders even if their owner is not there. They have been told to keep an eye out for and recognize potentially harmful behaviors, as well as to react when they occur.
For instance, if the entry to the shipyard is opened, an alarm dog may be trained to sound the warning. They may notify when to bark without an owner being present.
However, owners must frequently be present while a protection dog is around. Protection dogs may behave in a protective manner toward their owner or to their owner’s family when given specific instructions or a warning that something is wrong
In this way, protection dogs want their owners to be more involved. They lack the skills and knowledge necessary to work autonomously in the same way that a guard dog does.