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This is a subject on which I wrote about in my final examination in University of California San Diego Writing Lab examination. Hope you enjoy reading this as much I enjoyed researching and writing about it.
Guard Dogs Guard Dogs.: Evolution, Identification and Training
1. One of the most common uses which man has put the dog to is guarding his property and person. This talent in the canine
is the most primordial basis of man dog relationship. And no doubt, guarding instinct in a dog can be a very valuable asset for man and society at large. However often times, the same guarding instinct can become a liability. Early man found that the basic instinct in a dog to guard can be used to his advantage. Through proper identification of the basic genetic makeup of the dog right at the puppyhood, good guard dogs can be identified; subsequently at the right age of the dog, through rigorous and proper training with positive re-enforcement the instinct in the dog can be directed to use for guarding both lives and properties.
2. The primordial instinct in dogs to guard comes from the pack instinct and the desire to not only protect itself, but also to protect its pack members. Hence as the dog starts to accept the human master as the alpha member of the pack its natural guarding instinct can be channeled to protect its master if the need arises. So much so, that we have well heard of stories that the dog risks its own life to save that of his master’s. Although there have been glorified stories of sacrifices made by the dog for his master, what we see here is the animal working out of his impulses. Guarding instinct can vary from breed to breed. Some breeds and within those breeds certain strains of bloodlines produce better guard dogs than the other. Guard dogs due the nature of their work need to have bulk on their body so that if and when needed they can bring down the adversary physically. For example, some of the breeds which are traditionally found suitable for the purpose of guard dogs are German Shepherds, Rottweiler's, Boxers and Dutch Shepherds. Some modern day small breeds are also used for guarding purposes; however, they serve primarily the purpose of alarming through barking only, rather than any of the actual protection service activities.
3. Most people have their own peculiar view points and ideas of an ideal guard dog. A dog which is very keen and shows a lot of aggression towards the strangers and is always on the lookout for trouble, was once a favored strain for guard dogs but is actually found no better than a quiet, inoffensive kind of dog which faces a real life situation in a much more courageous fashion. We have often seen guard dogs which will attack on command and although these kinds of dogs are good in use in the army or the police work, such dogs are not for the normal household and a common person may encounter serious control problems in handling such dogs. These kinds of dogs may pose a serious threat where there are small children and other members who are not so well aware of the inner workings of such dog instincts and behaviors. Dogs like these are more likely to be a greater liability than an asset to the owner and the society in general. The common man regards a good guard dog as the one which is ready to rip apart the throat of every stranger at the blink of an eye. However a dog which is going to live in a civilized society and be a part of a community needs to display high degree of control and must bite ONLY when provoked beyond its threshold levels. A good guard dog has no desire to attack but only to protect. It’s a defensive dog rather than offensive.
4. The signs of a good guard dog can be gauged right from an early age of a dog. A puppy, as young as eight weeks, will start displaying the correct temperament, which would enable him to later be a good guard dog. It is always better that certain instincts show up naturally, as early in the life of a dog, as possible. The earlier these instincts show up, the easier it is to channelize them and train the puppy to display those instincts in adulthood. A puppy should be playful and go up to meet any stranger who approaches him to greet without hesitation. A puppy which hysterically barks at each and every stranger is a weak nerved dog and would become an extreme dog as he or she grows older. Often it’s a misconception that a dog must bark in order to be a good guard dog. A dog which barks intermittently and then runs away as the stranger approaches the property or person he is supposed to guard is really not a good guard dog.
5. As the puppy grows up, he or she develops its innate instinct to react to a given threat or a danger. The dog shows any of the three reactions; either to deal with the situation in his own way, to run, or lastly, to attack. An overly aggressive dog can be difficult to control and has to be kept under constant supervision of the handler versus a dog which will never attack unnecessarily and will definitely attack when the threat arises. In order for a proper assessment of a good guard dog his lineage maturity levels have to be assessed. Some dogs will develop the guarding instinct at a later stage in life compared to some other dogs. In summary, the overall outlook of a well controlled and well behaved guard dog is that, such a dog first and foremost is mentally very stable and has extremely clear thinking in the head, along with utmost top physical condition.
6. The drive threshold levels and the sharpness levels in the dog’s genetics play a large part in it being a good guard candidate. However, remember the guard instinct is like a flame in the mind of the dog which once ignited through instinct led training cannot be put out. The dog starts to look at the stranger in a different light and perspective; suffice it to say that the dog is made to realize that there are dangers in the world and he has to be smart enough and yet controlled enough to react to such threat as and when they arise. The spirit of the dog arises when he shuffles between his instincts to learn to be in control of the situation and to decipher in his mind as to what is a real threat and what degree of fight would ward off that threat. Essentially the dog must stand its ground in the face of a threat. The fight or flight instinct must not take over. A good guard dog will always face the danger and deal with the threat on its own terms. He will not look for his master for support but only for control. A well trained guard dog will certainly be able to use his judgment on the validity of the threat posed to his master or to his own being.
7. As Captain Max Von Stephanitz, the founder of the German Shepherd breed once said "Utility is the true criterion of beauty." Dogs have been used for guarding purposes by humans since time immemorial. The basic instinct of living and hunting in a pack is the foundation of the guard instinct in dogs. Since dogs are essentially pack animals the guarding instinct is present in all breeds, albeit in different extent. Some breeds like German Shepherds are more suitable as guard dogs. There are a lot of misconceptions about what a good guard dog must behave like but a good guard dog is first and foremost a defensive dog rather than offensive. He must be mentally very stable and sound in both physical and mental health. A good guard dog candidate shows the signs right from puppyhood and it also depends a lot on the breed and the strains of bloodline within that breed. With careful selection and a keen eye, good potential guard dog candidates can be identified; eventually through defense and prey drive training they can be molded into good guardians of life and property to work alongside their masters as an asset for the civil society. |
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