I'm getting a GSD puppy in the next few months and plan on training it in service work and protection. What are everyone thoughts on this? Has it been done before?

What kind of service work?

Lots of folks here train protection sports, are you talking about training for sport or serious protection?

Do you already have a breeder in mind?

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Service work such as Therapy Dog and such often don't allow a dog in their program that has had bite training.

Delta does not allow dogs that have done bite work but I believe that TDI still does. If I recall correctly TDI was started because of Delta's no bite work rule. You would have to double check.

I'm going to train it for a PTSD service dog, but I would like it to have some protection training because I'm a single female that is stationed overseas. It would give me some peace of mind if I had a dog that could protect me in my car/house if anything happens. I'm a military working dog handler in the Air Force, so I know about Police service dogs and I have done some work with other service dogs too.

So basically you are looking for a personal protection dog that can go everywhere with you under the guise of a 'service' dog?

i wanna know what kinda things a military working dog does in the air force ?

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 Quote: ian bunbury

i wanna know what kinda things a military working dog does in the air force ?

They do similar work to civilian police K9 units. Patrol, detection, suspect apprehension.



Lisa,

I would like to know what type of behaviors you are expecting to train, both for the PTSD role and the protection role. "PTSD Service Dog" is a bit vague, as is "Some protection training." More detail would be helpful in giving realistic advice.


Your Training NCO and Kennel Master would be a great source of information and guidance in training. If you are not comfortable with them, I would seek out an experienced and reputable PPD trainer and explain what your expectations are in training.


I see a potential conflict in how the dog reads your emotions during a PTSD episode, being fearful and excited. A PPD may read this as a reason to protect you physically, but a PTSD dog is going to see this as the trigger to concentrate on you, make contact with you to bring you back to the dog, and lead you to a less stimulating place.



Just having a large "protection breed" with you is a great deterrent, as is a trained bark and hold. IMHO, the bark and hold is as far into protection training I would take a PTSD dog, and I would be sure to train that behavior so it was cued by me, and not cued by the dog perceiving a threat.


Someone with more experience in protection training may have better input. I just see that you are asking a dog to have 2 completely different reactions to very similar situations.


Edited by David Winners (06/21/2013 05:35 PM)
Edit reason: typo