Why do so many people think they need personal protection dogs? - Page 16

I'm not denying it, in fact, I will test for it.  I"d sure like to know.

Keith, what you're saying is the equivilant of saying "Why even load your gun?  What do you need bullets for when just showing someone the gun should be enough?" No?

Have you ever seen someone on meth, PCP, or crack?  They are not "thinking" about the dog, and they may still try to harm you if they want to... Also, it's for home protection.  Knowing your dog can bite will make you feel safer than just relying on formidable looks.  Another place is the car- a client of mine is a tow-truck driver and he needs the dog to protect him if (or when) idiots get pissed off about their car getting towed.  Another is a locksmith who goes to bad neighborhoods for lockouts.  And then there is me, a single woman living alone.  I agree a gun is important to have though.  I wouldn't want my dog getting hurt by some psycho.

I think a lot of times it's more for the dog than the owner, if you like a guardian-type breed you end up doing protection training because its within the dogs abilities and you want them to live up to their potential.  Most people do not need a protection dog, but maybe their dog enjoys it and they think it's fun.

I don't think a PPD has to be trained. That's like saying prey drive has to be trained. Civil/Defense drive is genetic and can be built on.

But it is a thin line between civil/defense drive and a dog just being nervy. I have a gsd that I will trust around anybody. She is very confident and great with kids (except the occassional dragging and pulling their pants down the street)

I recently rescued a 2 year old dutch shepherd. He attached to me very quickly and seems to love me to death. He has become very protective but he can not inteligently tell the difference between a real threat vs a silly child. I have a 16 month old baby girl who walks both the Dutch and the GSD on leash around the house. Today baby hit the dutch with a drum stick. I could read him and see he was about to snap. I had him on leash and was able to yank his neck before he got a hold of her. Regretfully I am taking the Dutch back to the rescue.

This Dutch will make a good pet and a  PPD for someone but I believe will always be a liability. He is good in public but I would always be weary of strangers walking up on me with this dog. I don't believe it is representative of the Dutch Shepherd breed but just this individual dog.

 If your baby hit me with a drumstick, I'd probably snap too.  

my gsd takes all kinds of abuse from my baby without any worries of her snapping. I expect a lot out my dogs. High pain tolerance is a part of a lot people's puppy evaluations. I expect my dogs to be playful to indifferent towards children but never aggressive. My baby can grab my GSD ears, tongue, and all other uncomfortable parts without ever showing a reaction. When my GSD get's tired of the harrassment she will go away or avoid my little girl.

this dutch has very little patience with my baby and will try to avoid her for the most part. I have to be able to trust my dogs with my wife and child at all times. Consequences are too high if this dog were to grab hold of her.

Sorry, I train my kids not to mess with the dogs at that age and limited the exsposure and would never have allowed such a young baby to handle the leash of one of them. My dogs are good, though my bitch does not like children she will tolerate them and not act out because she understands she will be punished and since she respects the rule I make sure she is not bothered by any as much as possible.

   My sons now 9 and 19 can handle a dog properly and were never allowed to sit on, pull on, or irritate my dogs and the dogs were never allowed to react to kids. It really is a two way street and I am there to buffer and train both of them from each other. I would never expect a dog to need to  tolerate these actions on them by a child no matter the childs age.

Really? Training isn't needed? How many dogs pop out biting humans, not just biting but fighting a man, strait out the gate? They target fine, have good grips and will out safely with no training?

Drive is all well and good but every dog needs training or it isn't a PPD, a sport dog or even a dog with any controle. Genetics is a good start but nobody gets a job and goes to work, without being trained and shown the rules first.

I'm with you James about the baby.  My dogs are very tolerant of children and have a high pain threashold. 
That Dutch wouldn't be here long either.  Just an accident waiting to happen.

@4pack, That is true you must train the control and obediance aspect but thats the thing about a sold called PPD, There is no consistant standard. One person's PPD may be a dog that will bite on command, bite anything that comes near, or bite a sleeve. and the control/obediance levels vary even more

Duke: You would not see my gun,... it is concealed.

Desert dog:
Hank good post. If you  truly live with them and have common sense then  not much training is necessary. I call it trained by life. Best kind of a training. 
Boy am I going to catch it now.
Prager Hans