For the Executive With Everything, a $230,000 Dog to Protect It

By JOHN TIERNEY

MINNEAPOLIS — Don’t call her a guard dog.

When she costs $230,000, as Julia did, the preferred title is “executive protection dog.” This 3-year-old German shepherd, who commutes by private jet between a Minnesota estate and a home in Arizona, belongs to a canine caste that combines exalted pedigree, child-friendly cuddliness and arm-lacerating ferocity.

Julia and her ilk have some of the same tracking and fighting skills as the dogs used in elite military units like Navy Seal Team 6, which took a dog on its successful raid of Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan.

In fact, Julia was sold by a trainer, Harrison Prather, who used to supply dogs to Seal Team 6 and the British special forces. But then Mr. Prather switched to a more lucrative market.

“Either rich people discovered me or I discovered them — I can’t remember which happened first,” said Mr. Prather, the president of Harrison K-9 Security Services in Aiken, S.C.

He and others in the high-end dog training business say prices have shot up thanks to the growing number of wealthy people around the world who like the security — and status — provided by a dog with the right credentials. Moguls and celebrities now routinely pay $40,000 to $60,000 for a well-bred German shepherd that is certified as an expert in the sport of Schutzhund, which means “protection dog.” The price can go much higher if a dog does well at an international championship, as Julia did.

“She’s a top deal,” Julia’s owner, John Johnson, said as she escorted him around the grounds of his 15-acre estate outside Minneapolis. “She’s won awards. She looks at you, she’s got the most beautiful face.”

But $230,000?

“It’s a lot of money,” he said matter-of-factly. “It’s the speed, the smartness, the quickness — and you would not believe the roughness that she has inside. She’s like a little pit bull when she bites. She has that model face, and then opens the gums up and lets you have it.”

Mr. Johnson said he got his first protection dog after receiving personal threats while he was running the Northland Group, a debt-collection company in Minnesota that he founded and eventually sold three years ago. Now he has six protection dogs, all German shepherds, and normally takes a couple in his car whenever he goes out.

“It’s for both security and companionship,” he said as Julia nuzzled his leg, looking like a gentle enough companion. But when an intruder emerged near the tennis court of his estate, all it took was one command, “Packen!” (the bite command from the German word for “seize”), to send Julia racing across the lawn.

She sunk her teeth into the intruder’s arm, which was encased in padding for a demonstration, and hung on even as he lifted her off the ground in a vain attempt to shake free of her. She let go only upon being commanded and then stood guard over her new prisoner, barking and threatening to bite again whenever he made a move to escape, which he wisely did not try.

Julia’s was a controlled ferocity, which trainers distinguish from the anger manifested by ordinary dogs.

Julia is a German Showline, as are 85% of all his dogs; must be close to 90% are female also. 

According to Harrison the only breed suitable are German Shepherds from Europe, Schutzhund titled ones, as it is a great test. :)

Would you like to see a video of a $50,000 Harrison K-9 (according to their website $60,000 but as told to me by the owners, who I have met as well as the dog, $50,000)?  I have a video, sent  to me by Harrison K-9.

Now I know the "Big Brothers" with the giant erasers will probably make this post go away because it criticizes a potential ad client but I'll take that chance.  I think I'll check into burning a bunch of copies and for those that want them, I'll send out copies.  If there is one thing I hate in the dog world today it's fraud, and man does this subject wreak of fraud.

FYI, I was sent the video by Harrison K-9 in response to a request that I made to see the level of the dog's training after they (Harrison) contacted me to try and remedy the situation with a very dissatisfied customer.

Anyone interested in hearing more of the story can PM me.

The Dude

$230,000 for a German shepherd!??! I hope to god that the dog can poop out golden nuggets! I think I rather use that money to buy another house, or better get me a brand new vehicle.

Duderino, Why don't you upload the video that you're speaking about onto youtube?

By spending 3 or 4 hours on the internet researching dogs and breeders, that guy would have saved $215.000.oo. I suppose he didn't care about the money though. In the other hand, you Got to have a ROCK HARD FACE to ask anybody 230k for a dog, I mean not only to have sales experience, but not to have any shame, or principles, or for that matter any fear in god's wrath!!! Hehehe. Now from a business stand point that guy's profit margin was easily 4000%... sweet.

Here's how that game was played. The dog, Julia von der Liebeswarte is the dog sold. Nice dog, she was V75 at the sieger show which is nice but not really a 'high' placing at an international championship. 'a' normal hips and elbows, SchH3 and KKl1.

Looks to me like she's a steal at 230,000.

But wait, I happen to have one here that's better, SchH3, 'a'normal hips and elbows, placed waaaay in front of Julia and on sale for,,,,,,,,,,,,,get this,,,,are you sitting down??? Only 199,999.99!!!!!!

Just think what a savvy shopper you'll be when you show up at the airport with your "Executive Protection Dog". You can boast that you saved a cool 30,000.01 (pennies count ya know) just enough for that weekend away AND (Yes there's an "AND")   She placed about 50 places in front of the 230,000 dollar dog.

What a deal! The line forms over here!

First it was the posts about someone paying $65-$100,000 for a dog and now it is the $230,000 dog.

Just because someone seels a person a dog for that amount of money does it mean they have no ethics, morals, etc.  All it means is that they target a particular group of people to buy their product and guess what....someone pays that kinda money.  What is the big schock here?  I mean, Neiman Marcus sells a lot of stuff that is grossly overpriced but no one really complains.  They mark up their itmes sometimes up to 400% of what the actual cost is. (I know i use to work there and laugh).

This guy to me is a smart business man.  He knows rich & wealthy people like to seperate themselves from the "common joe" so they don't mind paying an absurd amount of money for something.  He is capatilizing on the market and hell...im jealous!!  People who buys dogs that cost this much don't shop at wal-mart and probably don't shop period.  The stores go to their house when clothes come in.  Unless you make that kind of money it is too hard to understand/comprehend or justify.  Hell there are some who think it is absurd for pay $800 for a puppy and to them there is no way you can justify that $1600 is a good price.

Did this person and others overpay for some showline dogs?  Hell yes, no doubt about it.  As long as they are happy with their dog, that is all that matters.
Like I said, Im jealous, he was smart enough to get into a market that is obviously in need of sellers and he is making his money.  He isn't forcing anyone to buy his dogs.  He is smart enough to have something to offer that they want and are willing to spend the money for it.

Now it makes me think.  I could (with some help) train up some nice czech dogs and do the samething.  All you need is a connection to get in.  For example...at my babershop, we had about 5 of this year's NFL 1st round draft picks come in for haircuts for a few months.  Looking at it now....sell them a dog or 2 at $100,000 and they will tell their teammates and before you know it, you have guys spending $200,000 for a protection dog.  It doesn't make me unethical or immoral...it makes me a smart business man.

Ace

I guess it is a play on words, what you call a good businessman I call a Gypsy, in fact this guy should be crowned King of the Gypsies.

Not sure if Slam has ever encountered any Gypsies (yes they are real folks) in his area, if he has he will tell you what they have always told me.


"If I don't take their money, someone else will". And they are sincere when they say it, hard to argue with that logic sometimes.


Kim

Kim,

If that is the case many would say over $5,000 is too expensive. 
Do you call the person who sells a dog for $30 to $40k a gypsy as well?  Or is that a fair price?

Why do people in general have a problem with how much someone pays for something?  I just feel that just b/c you wouldn't, does it mean that they shouldn't.  Hell I wish I had that kinda money laying around.  Hell it would probably be a down payment on a Bugatti ($1.8 million dollar car).  No one is forcing anyone to buy anything.