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Want to know if your dog has what it takes for personal or family protection?

Here's a breakdown on how professionals assess protection potential and what I learned from having Aki assessed.

Skip to the end to see Aki in action. 🎬️ 

Weekly Bite

I'll never forget watching my decoy Rob from PK9 assess Aki’s protectional potential for the first time.

Like many of us, I was eager to see if Aki has what it takes.

Sensing my eagerness, Rob advised me to wait until Aki finished teething at least - since there’s bite work involved.

Remember that different lines mature at different rates. Some are more precocious while others take more time.

Once Aki was ready, I set up an assessment at his training facility.

My job was easy, all I had to do was act as a post.

If you’ve never been a post, don’t worry - Pat Stuart’s gotta a 30 second tutorial below.

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Rob’s job seemed a lot harder.

He had to setup high stakes scenarios using non-verbal body language and equipment to assess Aki’s nerve and drive strengths.

More specifically, he focused on assessing the following two things:

1️⃣ How easily do they perceive threats?

Protection dogs should have a low/medium threshold for defense.

The younger the dog, the lower their threshold for defense.

The stronger their nerves, the higher their threshold for defense.

It’s tough to get a dog to protect you if they don’t perceive threats. 😆

Aki’s Assessment: Low threshold for defense.

End Goal: Put defense threshold (aggression) on command to protect you or your family by calling on defense drive when needed or in situations where there is no perceived threat.

Training Update: Aki’s defense threshold is on command in Rob’s training facility and in the presence of a perceived threat.

2️⃣ How easily are they pushed into avoidance when fighting under stress?

Protection dogs should have a very high threshold for avoidance.

The stronger their nerves, the higher their threshold for avoidance.

Dogs may perceive assertive body language, slippery surfaces, loud noises, and foreign objects as stressful.

Aki’s Result: Medium threshold for avoidance.

End Goal: Raise avoidance thresholds by reinforcing prey drive & defense drive as solutions to overcoming stressors, creating a fearless protection dog.

Training Update: Aki’s avoidance threshold is being raised through structured exposure to clatter sticks, jugs of rocks, whips and a plastic link curtain.

TL;DR: Not every dog is suited for protection work. And that's okay. But if you're wondering about your dog's potential, don't guess. Get a professional assessment.

If you’re looking for a dog suited for protection work or a trained protection dog stay tuned… I’m building something for y’all.

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Until next Thursday, ✌️

Sam