I consider a protection dog to be a dog that bites, and a watch dog a dog that barks... don't know if anyone else uses the same definitions but that's how I interpret it.

The training he was talking about basically involves building the dogs confidence thru getting him to bark at someone who runs away from him. Go out at night with a helper (not someone the dog knows) and have them appear from behind bushes n act suspicious, give your dog a command to "watch" in a very concerned kinda voice n really try to bring out a bark from your dog, soon as the dog barks, the guy turns and runs like a lil girl. The first time your dog sees this, it's gonna click in his head "wow, I was right, the guy ran away from me! He was scared of me!" n it'll get easier and easier to get your dog to respond to the command. You can eventually start stepping it up a notch once your dog's showing good forward motion and a good confident bark and body posture... having the decoy wave sticks, yell at you or your dog etc, have the decoy hide behind a car with the wind coming towards you to hopefully let your dog catch his scent and alerting to someone hiding behind a car as you approach it. Have the guy come ring your doorbell n give your dog the alert command, open the door with the dog barking n watch the guy run away.

All this stuff basically just builds the dogs confidence and teaches the dog that not everyone is their buddy, and every time you give the alert command, something happens to cause the dog to bark. My dog is at the point where he'll start barking on an alert before he even knows what he's barking at, n scans the area while he's barking till he sees what he's supposed to be barking at... then his bark intensifies.

It's very easy and your dog will understand it very quickly. If Robert would like to add or ammend anything to that feel free <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> As for people sticking their hand in your car window, well, I alert my dog to bark at EVERYONE that approaches my truck, if someone actually stuck their hand in the window I'm pretty sure he'd lick it, but most people don't come close enough to a barking GSD to try, if they do, they deserve to get bit <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Unfortuantely if I leave my dog alone in the truck, he won't fire up on people, he only seems to do it when I'm in the truck with him.

Hi Judy,
This is probably the article Robert was speaking of
http://www.leerburg.com/bark.htm
If you go to the link on the main site that says articles there is a section of all of the protection articles Ed had written explaining drives and basic bitework. That is where this article is at also.

If you are looking for a protection trainer you might just start a thread called "looking for protection training in such and such location" but put the area of the country you are in rather then "such and such." <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Also Will started a good thread the other day about finding a trainer so you might want to search his posts.
Michele

 Quote:

Does this forum have a place that allows you to put in your zip code and find a nearby reputable PP trainer?

No, but there might be someone on the forum that knows a trainer in your area -- try starting a new thread asking for a reccomendation, maybe you'll get lucky.

In my limited experience a naturally gentle and social dog can become more protective as he matures. My 20 mo male is friendly in a slow way with strangers and fine with kids. He almost never barks when a guest is over, for most people he just lies on the floor, but he has on occasion barked in a real way at larger, strange men in the house. One recent night, he heard an argument between two people on the street, and his body posture completely changed. He was very alert, leaning forward. I have taught him to alert, to look all around at a verbal cue, but have not introduced a bark or chase yet, but I intend to do this soon. I am trying to decide whether to teach bite work or some form of PP, but I need to read up on it before starting. The point is that this dog has changed as he aged, becoming more alert, especially at night, guarding the family, the car. He watches my daughter more carefully then me, and has also stepped between two dogs to protect one. None of this happened when he was 11 mo. Personally I would much rather teach a gentle dog to protect then teach a protective dog to out. My older dog is very protective, and a problem.

My 10 month old female puppy loves everybody and from what I was told at the Sch club that's pretty normal behavior. And I would just as soon keep it that way. I just want her to either hate the sleeve or just love to bite it. I'm pretty new to this stuff myself.

I love that my dog is friendly. I think I'd be horrified if he wasn't. I guess what I'm hoping for is to have not just a good dog but a great one. I just had no idea how much work would be required to get him there. There are so many incidences that occur on any given day from which I can profit (or make a ghastly mistake)! His being friendly does make my job a heck of a lot easier. I agree with, yikes was it Polly?, that said she'd rather train a friendly dog to be protective than an aggressive dog to out!