Levels of
Protection Dogs
There is no unified system for rating protection dog levels. Here's what those labels actually mean and what you should be looking for instead.
The Problem With Protection Dog Level Systems
I am sure you have already seen "Level 1," "Level 3," "executive protection," and so on all over the internet. There is no unified system for rating the level of protection dogs. One company's Level 2 dog might be very weak compared to another company's Level 1, and "executive" is guaranteed to cost more but doesn't actually tell you anything about the level of training the dog has received.
How to Actually Judge a Company's Standards
You can judge a company's standards by checking out the knowledge of its trainers, which will first be evident in their verifiable accomplishments, not their self-assigned titles or level systems.
Sport Dog Versus the Real Personal Protection Dog
One thorny issue is that of the sport dog versus the "real" dog. Contrary to the way you should judge the skills of a trainer (through competition accomplishments), dogs that have done well in certain sports may actually not be suitable as personal protection dogs.
In a nutshell, many dogs that do well in dog sports may be only "sport" dogs, meaning they will not protect you or your family if needed. They will not bite an intruder or attacker without a sleeve or a bite suit.
You may see a very fancy video of a dog working great in a bite suit. There are even protection sports where dogs bite a full-body suit. Please do not be fooled. They are still sport dogs. There is a huge difference between sport and personal protection training. This is where a skilled and honest trainer is necessary to tell you the truth about the dog in question.
As an example, police K9 dogs with the highest performance records in trials are sometimes purchased by a police force only to find themselves chasing a suspect in a dark alley, and when the dog finally catches up, it becomes confused and stressed because it wants to bite but doesn't see the familiar equipment.
Prey Drive vs. Defense Drive in Personal Protection Dogs
We have posted many instructional videos on our YouTube channel to help you see for yourself what we mean when we describe prey drive versus defense drive in family protection dogs. Both drives are important to the well-rounded personal protection dog. At Protection Dog Sales, we believe in educating our clients, not just selling to them.
We'll Tell You Exactly What You're Getting
No vague level systems. No marketing labels. Just an honest assessment of every dog we sell.
