What I gather from reading the different posts and articles elsewhere on this board/website; Is that , you can NOT do ALL the protection work needed ,yourself. In order for anyone to explain it to you in this thread, they'd have to go back and practically rewrite here, what has already been written. Ed has even produced NUMEROUS videos on the subject.It's obvious to me, that it's all to complex to put into ONE video. Go read through his articles and if you decide you want to pursue it afterwards, buy videos, and read through past threads on the diss. board.
It sounds like you are just starting your research on the subject, and you have come to a very GOOD place to learn! I started researching about 3 years ago, and I still have lots to learn.. I haven't even gotten my first dog yet.
Protection training may not be "rocket-science" for some, but I certainly wouldn't have known where to even start! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Yes, i'm a novice, and yes I think being a novice often negates stupidity (maybe I shouldn't say stupidity, but instead Ignorance). If you take the time to read through some old posts, you'll probablly discover that.
Good luck to you! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I’m sorry, must be missing something, but as far as insults go, this was pretty mild (if any).

Denver,

Some dogs don’t need to be trained to bite, to some it comes naturally. My first GSD, out of DDR lines, would kill anyone who came into the house (unless it was a child). By the time he turned 2 yrs old I knew I had to do something to gain control over the dog. Even though by that time I was not a complete novice and don’t consider myself stupid, there was no way I could’ve done it without the help of an experienced protection trainer. No one can, for the reasons that were already addressed by Richard. Maybe you will be “lucky” enough to have a dog like mine, since that’s what you are looking for (seems like), maybe not—depends on the dog’s temperament.

Incidentally, we can kill two birds with one stone here <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> —there is a poster here who desperately needs to get rid of a dog, see under
http://www.leerburg.com/ubb//ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=19;t=000058;p=1#000000

Looks like this dog already possesses more than adequate territorial aggression. Go for it.

Renee, thanks for the advice, I can ascertain that you are most certainly one of the foremost intelligent creatures I have encounter. Thanks again

yes David, this should be moved. Unfortunately I don't have my magical moderator powers in this subheading, so you will have to wait till one of the other mods comes around. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Denver, I think you have the biggest part of it right. You should be thinking about building communication and a working relationship with your dog now. You also want your dog to be comfortable in all enviroments and being around people because you do want to besure your dog has lots of confidence in all situations.Notice I said being around people NOT people playing with the dog.Having control over your dog is a BIG,BIG part of having a dog that you want serve as some type of protection. The dog cant do any protecting if it is uncontrolable and you cant take it anywhere or if it is in a crate somewhere because it is to big of a hassle to have it out because of some enviromental reason,like you got a friend over.Like Frost said you need to figure out exactly what you want. You cant have a formal trained bite on command type dog by doing all the training yourself. If you have very nice obed and control over your dog you may acheive something similar to that without alot of protection training, but you would still need some. After all you do want to know what your dog will or will not do. If you have a confident dog with natural protection tendencies and you have nice communication and control of it you might find you have a dog that nobody would ever second guess and maybe that is all you really are looking for.Eitherway, like I said, a working relationship and comunication is what you gotta have.

Topic moved to here.

I don't know if Denver will even read this, but it is worth a shot:

Sir,
First of all, we need to understand what exactly it is you expect the dog to be able to do. By stating you would like the dog to be a protection dog for your family and home is opening up the proverbial can of worms, as there is great depth to the subject. If you want the dog to be territorial and simply show aggression then that is different all together. Do you want the dog to bite, or would you prefer it bark aggressively...etc. By being absolutely certain what it is you expect the dog to do, is the starting point. Can you define what it is you mean by protection? Your idea is likely different from mine, and mine is different from Rienier's, etc.

You asked a simple question: can you train the dog to protect without any help. The simple answer is, it depends on what you expect the dog to do. If you want the dog to bite, then the answer is no, at some point you will have to have help; the foundation of the bite work can be built by you alone, but eventually you will have to have some help. If the dog is to be only a vocal and visual threat, then yes, that can be accomplished alone. The bottom line is it depends on exactly what you view the protection as encompassing. If you would be willing to elaborate more on your desires regarding what the dog will do in the end, then it is likely we all could give more in depth suggestions as to how to accomplish it. I would bet we are all willing to share our experiences and thoughts on the subject, to help you out. By helping you, we all help ourselves. I hope you will respond. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Denver - I think Richard, both Davids, Renee are right, I don't know how polite can say it, but their right. Protection training is not Rocket science but it is a precision trade that one mistake either way can mess a good puppy up, by sqashing/killing his drive if you are too hard or make him uncontrollable if you lack in Ob or leadership quailities.

Officer Geel is a Skilled dog trainer in South Africa (no mans lands)K9 Officer/Trainer his boys have watchced and learned a lot form him. So despite you not needing a colleage degree for this field, you do need help. I mean his boys probablly got experience helpers just chopping at the bit to get in good with Sgt Geel, working his kids dog, trying to prove themselves. To get brownie points. Officer Geel is talking form the Top down, knowing that he can fix any/most problem the kids have with the dog. I don't disagree with him, but the average guy can't train a Protection dog by himself unless you got a Pro, somewhere close.

Train the puppy in OB, Prey drive and then look at getting help. Start going to some of the dog training clubs, buddy up sometimes if you help them (let their dog bite you and drag you around) they will help you. It takes longer then paying for a course specfically designed for you and your dog. But it will work. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Well – well, I am sorry if I had put the cat in with the pigeons, but the original post read:

Can I train this dog without any help to protect my home and family members? – Yes as suggested.

I am not interested in SchH or paying someone to train my dog. – so no the man does not require any pro-training and he made it very clear.

I intent to train him in obedience, increase his prey drive, Ball etc, and then at the age of 3 years have a helped pretend to break in the house, of course I will have a muzzle on the dog for this test. I cannot afford a body suit,(limited funds, retired now). – so the man has done some serious reading if he had stumbled on “drive’s” etc. and he has a clear picture of his dog three years from now- Any constructive advice would be greatly appreciated.

You can fix any problem, or that is a little to broad, lets make that most, if no one worked the dog on defence, and only in pray until he turns eight months -Thank You, I was not being sarcastic, I was being straight forward, you can not sell some one a Mercedes, if he only wants a mini, and only intends to have it around the house, so why is every one ell’s trying to sell the man the full course, Sch 1. 2. 3, Train with Pro’s if he made it clear, that he is not interested. – (He is a retired INTELECTUAL)

Protection dog training, and obedience training is just a lot of interaction with a dog, read a book or two and bye some parts and you can service your car at home, why not train a dog at home –weirder things have happened.

Just to set the record straight, I am a Chief Superintendent, and K9 Unit Commander not a officer or sgt., we get a little bit hot if we get demoted _ HA-HA, And thanks Don, point taken it helps to get help, and pays to pay.

Is there perhaps a difference in what is considered a protection dog here,the original poster gave me the impression that he wanted a family guard dog rather than a protection dog.
To me a protection dog is one that is trained to attack on command rather than just use its natural protection properties around the home.
Paul