Presa Canario & Personal Protection Training

Part I

Personal Protection Training: The benefits, necessities and responsibilities

Public perception of the personal protection (pp) dog (often mistakenly referred to as an "attack dog") is of an aggressive dog that growls and barks without allowing anyone near the owner. Let me point out immediately the absurdity of this view. First and foremost the PP dog should be able to accompany its owner 24/7 – on the street and at home. To do so, this dog must be very social, stable, extremely controllable and completely trustworthy in public and around strangers. Without these characteristics, the dog would be useless as a personal protector.

Imagine a situation in which an unstable individual decides to hurt you – this person can pretend to be your neighbor needing assistance, a delivery person, or just a person with car trouble asking to use the phone. A dog that does not possess the social qualities described above would have to be to be locked away first to allow someone to enter your home. Where will this "protection" dog be if you are assaulted? The risks are also the same for jogging in the park, grocery shopping or picking up kids from school, etc, if the dog is not with you, it cannot protect you. Why would you risk your own personal safety and the safety of your family on an unproven, untested, and untrained dog that is unqualified for the job? Only a combination of careful selection, breeding, socialization and adequate personal protection training will produce a dog deserving of the job to protect you, your family and your property.

Our Personal Protection trained Presas
with veterinary school students during their field trip to Red Star Kennel.

As a breeder and trainer, I have had years of experience training various breeds of working dogs for sport, military and civilian use. I personally believe that the only effective way to test and evaluate candidates for breeding potential is through a carefully designed and intense protection training program that includes constantly changing scenarios simulating real-life situations. Most importantly, proper and thorough protection training provides a high degree of control over the dog's actions and behavior. The truly good PP candidate is defined by its controllability under the most stressful circumstances but it must also possess the physical abilities of a man-stopper.

The purpose of this article is to discuss personal protection training from the perspective of public safety and reliability of the PP dog. I will attempt to address the complex set of tasks the PP dog is required to perform while remaining under absolute control of the handler. These dogs should also function as model "good canine citizens" in every aspect of daily life.

  
Presa Canario "Tianna", bred and trained by us in Personal Protection
and serving her owner Cathy Thomas as a therapy dog.

It is of utmost importance, to me, to approach protection training in the context of social responsibility and how the dog impacts the daily life of its owner and family. My training program is the direct result of the skills, knowledge, and experience gained over the years training various breeds of dogs for personal protection work. Unfortunately, most people purchase the large guardian breeds of dogs because of their perceived physical man-stopping ability without fully understanding the responsibilities that ownership of such a dog requires.

Most pet owners do not have the skills necessary to properly raise a stable, social protection candidate and most would not want this responsibility if they truly understood everything it encompasses. Over the years, I have had countless discussions with potential owners of companion/protection dogs. During these conversations, especially those concerning the Presa Canario breed, a breed suited for guard and defense, it has become very clear to me, that very few people actually understand the true meaning of a "protection-trained dog." To safely own such a dog, the owner/handler MUST have absolute control over the dog under ANY circumstances, including situations where the dog may be called to guard, defend and ultimately protect the owner.

1. The ability to focus on the task at hand, which is protection of the owner and family, without reaction to environmental distractions such as other people, animals and traffic.

Presa Canario "Major"

2. The ability to withstand physical pressures and tolerate chaotic environmental stress, especially when on unfamiliar territory.

Presa Canario "Cona"

3. The ability to shut off immediately after displaying a protective response to a threat against the handler/dog team once the threat has been eliminated.

Presa Canario "Primo"

4. The ability to channel frustration appropriately if called off without a bite immediately after a threatening display.

Training for the above criteria must involve absolute control over the dog's actions and offers the opportunity for endless variations in the scenarios that can be used in training.

First and foremost, the PP trained dog must have a deeply imprinted "off" switch. The handler must be able to stop the dog immediately from any distraction and place it into "neutral mode." Those that feel this level of control (over a driven dog) can be achieved through standard obedience training do not understand canine behavior or the way a truly driven dog operates. Every dog has some level of prey and fight drive. However, each dog is an individual and in some breeds of dogs, one drive can be more dominant than the other drives. Trying to stop an untrained protection/guardian breed of dog that is operating in full fight drive is the equivalent of trying to stop a greyhound after it is in full pursuit of a rabbit or trying to stop a retriever from retrieving the bird. You must train and prepare dogs for these types of situtations. Standard obedience exercises are not sufficient. The dog must be taught how to stop immediately and return to the owner under very similar high-drive situations that it may encounter in real life. . The Presa Canario breed was developed for its strong fight drive. (Every well-balanced dog that has been bred for guard/protection characteristics must have a strong fight drive.) What happens if you and your dog are placed in a situation that involves a real-life confrontation? Unless you have trained for this possibility, you will not have proper and reliable control over your dog once its protective instincts have been activated.

With these observations in mind, think about how the media typically portrays certain breeds of dogs involved in attacks. Often, the media just assumes that any dog involved in an attack, which is of the "protection/guardian breeds" must be a "protection trained" dog. In reality, it is the untrained, uncontrollable and improperly socialized dogs that end up being responsible for close to twenty human deaths a year in the United States. The typical human/child response to a dog attack is to scream, struggle, fight and run. This is exactly the type of behavior that can trigger a dog's prey and fight drives. The most common reason for fatal dog attacks is because the victim attempted to flee or fight back. This type of response can lock a dog in prey and fight drive, which can be a very difficult drive to stop. Without proper training, can you honestly say that you would be able to call your dog off a screaming, struggling human being that was running or fighting back? Most standard obedience routines do not proof or test a dog in full fight drive. There are no obedience routines that evaluate, test and attempt to control a dog that is in full fight drive except the realistic form of obedience practiced during protection training. One of the most important aspects of personal protection training is complete control of the dog under extreme distractions.

" Cona " during Dog Sport Open competition

Public safety is our number one concern and a priority of our training program. We strongly believe that at no time during training will we allow any dog to become dangerous to either people or animals that may be in close proximity.

As mentioned above, like many working breeds, the Presa Canario possesses a strong guarding instinct. However, it is my firm opinion, based on years of personal experience, that it is dangerous to rely on an untrained dog to protect you "naturally"…..i.e., meaning, without proper and intensive protection training. Simply stated: if you have a dog that is one of the protection/ guardian capable breeds, than you had better train it properly. You don't want to be in a situation in which your dog reacts aggressively in response to a perceived threat and you are unable to control it. How successful would you be if you had to stop your untrained dog from attacking someone it perceives as an immediate threat to you? Furthermore, what are the chances that your untrained dog would respond appropriately to a legitimate real-life threat and react accordingly? Are you willing to take the chance with an untrained dog? Finally, what is the likelihood that the inexperienced handler/owner can actually handle a protective dog properly and safely during a "life and death" situation without losing his/her head?

German Shepherd "Axel" and Paula Lind in training for real life Protection.

There are so many variables and so many things that could go wrong. The dog and handler must be prepared as a team. Teamwork requires training and practice.

Most people feel that typical obedience training will take care of any problems they may face with their dog. This attitude is a HUGE mistake. Obedience training, while being a great tool, is never done under the stress of a possible threat to the dog's owner. Typical group obedience classes are done inside in a controlled environment and do not come close to exposing the dog to "mock" confrontations that mimic real life situations. Only protection training will truly uncover how the dog will react during stressful situations. Realistic obedience drills for the protection trained dog must include personal threats to the owner in order to teach the dog how to react properly under threatening situations.

Presa Canario "Primo"

It is essential to remember that practicing routine obedience drills is not enough. Practicing the "out " off an inactive dumbbell does not even come close to practicing the "out" off a screaming, fighting "bad guy." Practicing the "stay" in a controlled class environment is quite different from expecting the dog to remain calm in the "stay" position while someone is yelling at and pushing the owner. Recalling your dog in a controlled environment of the Petco obedience class is very different from recalling your dog off a "realistic" fight.

The moral of my message is:

IF YOU WANT TO UTILIZE YOUR DOG AS A PROTECTOR, DON'T EVER RELY ON ITS "NATURAL PROTECTIVENESS." YOU NEED TO TEST IT, TRAIN IT AND DEVELOP THE DRIVES YOUR DOG POSESSES. YOU NEED TO MODIFY ITS BEHAVIOR IN A SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE WAY. ONLY THEN YOU CAN TRUST IT WITH YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS.

Mariya with her Personal Protection trained Presa Canario "Turco"

In personal protection training we address all of these issues. In our opinion, a protection trained dog is safer then an untrained dog, because you can predict and modify its behavior.

Part II

Reality VS Sport Training Methods:

There are many different trainers, schools and approaches when it comes to personal protection training. Most trainers in the United States have a Schutzhund background. For many years, Schutzhund was the only sport in the US available for the protection dog enthusiasts. However, understanding that Schutzhund is a sport is of utmost importance. Schutzhund training requires the dog to perform the same routine over and over (patterned training) with a an end goal of achieving maximum performance in these routines. Day after day, the dog goes through the same format, on the same field, doing the same blinds search, courage test and surprise attack. (How can it be called a "surprise attack" when dog knows exactly when and how the threat will be presented and where agitator will be hiding.) In Schutzhund, developing certain behaviors is a priority in training such as: a full grip, a deep bite, intensity on the approach and total focus on the decoy. These traits can dictate whether or not a dog achieves high scores during competition. As a result, Schutzhund trainers spend so much time developing these competition skills at the expense of the most important aspect of PP training: actual protection of the owner. Schutzhund teaches the dog a game of "chasing the sleeve" instead of teaching the dog protection of the owner. In Schutzhund, the dog often works on the field by himself and all the protection work is done away from the handler. The dog's target is always only one decoy, always in the same place and with no surprises or distractions. The dog isn't taught to watch the "owner's back." As a result, the dog is not trained to pay attention to the possibility that a second person could attack the owner from behind. All the focus is on the decoy in front of the dog. If the decoy moves, the dog will bite. If the decoy stops, the dog will let go and bark. There is no threat to the owner. The dog is not protecting the owner, he is trying to control the object of his prey, i.e. the sleeve on the decoy's arm. Think about it. How applicable is this patterned type of sport training to real life and by what margin? Are you willing to risk your personal safety on a sport trained dog that has never been tested under a real-life attack? I hope not.

Today, personal protection trials and competitions are taking over the world of working dog sports! Many organizations such as: National Association of Protection Dogs (NAPD), Personal Protection Dog Association (PPDA), Dog Sports Open (DSO), K-9 Pro Sport, K-9 FallBrawl , Iron Dog and Protection Sport Association (PSA) are all promoting a new generation of sport dog training. This type of protection training differs from standard Schutzhund training by the introduction of numerous "real-life" scenarios. This type of training has unlimited possibilities and just depends on what your final goals may be.

Many sport trainers (Schutzhund, Ring etc) concentrate on developing the hardest, fullest bite the dog can possibly achieve before "interrupting" it with formal obedience training. Often these dogs are kept as "wild" as possible, unsocialized with other dogs and crated when not on the field. Historically, the sport of Schutzhund was designed to test the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) for military and police use. Mondioring was used as a test for the Malinois and ZKC – for the east European Shepherds. (The Presa Canario is a breed developed for "guard and defense" with no standard sport used as a test.) Schutzhund, KNVP, French Ring are all sports that require a very high degree of precision, stability and boldness from the dog in training. However, these sports still consist of a "patterned" training day after day and rarely require the dog to display its reaction to unrehearsed situations. Most PP trials do not have set scenarios and typically the scenarios are announced minutes before the competitions start. As a result, the dog/handler team must prepare for any and all possible "real-life" scenarios to compete well in these competitions. The true goal of training for personal protection competitions is to prepare the dog for protection duties in real life. Many sport dogs will not do well in personal protection competitions unless they have been cross trained.

Anyone that has put the time and effort into training wants to achieve a high score in competition. There is nothing wrong with that! What matters to me, is how those high scores were really achieved and the price the dog may have paid for it. Unfortunately, in today's competitive society, any means to the end is considered OK as long as it delivers high scores. Many competition dogs are not family pets or companions. They are not considered part of everyday family life. They are just another tool used to satisfy the owner's competitive ego.

Part III

My Approach to Personal Protection Training:

Every trainer has a different approach. My job as a personal protection dog trainer calls for me to provide maximum security not only for my customers but to the society in which these dogs are going to be utilized.

I am often asked, "Why train your dog at all, isn't the Presa Canario breed supposed to be a naturally protective guardian dog?" My response is always the same: "without serious testing and training you cannot rely on your dog." Evidently, we are the only breeders that have taken a stand on this issue and backed up our opinion with results - every single dog we have in our breeding program has gone through public seminars, testing and public competitions.

Red Star 2002 Iron Dog Team.

Meanwhile, many of these untrained "natural guardians" were run off the field during publicly conducted testing.

Sadly, most Presa breeders only sell you the history of the breed instead of testing and proving their dogs. They forget to mention that their own dogs have very little to do with dogs described in the history of the breed except that they still carry the breed name.

My approach to protection training starts with socialization first!!! Socialization is A MUST for any dog and especially for those trained in Personal Protection.

I cannot emphasize the importance of this concept enough. In my opinion, you can not over socialize a dog. Protection training is an art, anyone can buy a sleeve and a whip and call himself a trainer but most of these "hobbyists" have very little, if any, understanding of how to bring out and develop a dog's best qualities to the highest potential. Anyone can tease a dog and create a walking time bomb but how reliable is such a dog? This is not protection training. Wannabes exist in any profession and dog training is no exception. If a trainer claims to have years of experience but has no documented competition experience, no proven dogs of their own and cannot provide referrals from satisfied customers – RUN – do not walk away! Currently, there are no certificates or diplomas that separate the real protection trainers from the wannabes. Only reputation and referrals can give you some idea about the skills of the trainer. Observing training classes will also help. Things to look for:

1. Reliability and safety. Observe the dogs in class. Can they be controlled off leash under distractions? (Other dogs playing around, strangers walking on the training field etc.)

2. Are the dogs allowed to play and socialize together off leash?

3. Look for a solid "out " during the protection exercises.

4. Can a friendly stranger approach the dog and handler once the threat is over?

5. Ask the training director for permission to be around the dogs while they are working.

6. Evaluate the scenarios used during training for quality and creativity. How close are they to a real life situations.

7. Will the dog "out" on command from a decoy that is still fighting back or will the trainer allow harsh methods to be used such as "choking" the dog off the bite?"

8. Can the experienced dogs perform a "call off" exercise. Will they stop on command before the bite?

9. Are the dogs happy to work and want to please their owners?

You have found the trainer you are looking for if you get positive answers to the above questions.

Most people do not understand that agitation is an art. It is not about beating a dog with a stick until it is scared and in pain, pushed to the point of retaliation. I cannot overemphasize the importance of obedience and socialization in a PP prospect. You cannot have a good dog if it spends most of its time in a cage or on a chain, unsocialized, and without an opportunity to just be a dog. At Red Star kennels, we go the extra mile to make sure that the dogs we train are SAFE and RELIABLE after training. We will not begin PP training with a dog, until it is proven to be social and obedient with adults, kids, and dogs, on and off leash.

The cornerstone of personal protection training is control work. This begins in obedience training and continues throughout the protection work. It is true that in the beginning, obedience training will temporarily bring drive levels down during protection work. This is why it is so important to begin protection training with a good, stable dog in the first place. If the dog is stable to begin with, then a balanced training program will help develop the dog into a good performer without having to use extreme measures. The PP dog should always be under firm handler control. The properly trained personal protection dog has an "on" and "off" switch and as a result, is more reliable and trustworthy then an untrained dog. The presa breed, in general, seems to be particularly well suited for firm control during obedience and protection exercises. This predisposition for obedience makes control during protection work less challenging for the owner.

Dogs come into our training program with varying degrees and combinations of drives. As a result, a different training approach is needed and designed for each individual dog. The method of training not only depends on a specific training goal but also on the genetic make-up of each individual dog. At Red Star we like to use primarily prey objects and compulsion in our training program.

Often, I hear other trainers say: " I have worked both Presas and GSDs and they all the same."

In reality, these trainers have only taught the dogs how to heel and sit on leash and have agitated the dogs without any control work. The Presa Canario and GSD are two totally different breeds, with different heritage and different structural and physiological traits. To appreciate the differences, a trainer must have worked with sufficient representatives of both breeds. When I say work, I mean "to have trained the dog from the beginning to the end." The end result is the finished product. In my opinion, the finished product is a dog that can be worked off-leash under any distraction presented during obedience and protection.

One of the main differences we have observed between the GSD and the Mastiff/Bulldog breeds, such as the Presa, is that the Mastiff/Bulldog breeds do not require as much prey drive development during training. (Just think about what they were created for? Fight with the beast or chase a rabbit?)

As a result, the level of prey drive development necessary for these two categories of dogs is what differentiates the training program. It is very important for the trainer of Mastiff/Bulldog breeds to be aware of these differences and to modify the program to suit the individual needs of the breed of dog.

We normally start our GSDs in training earlier then our Presas. But at the same time, our Presas are ready for serious protection work sooner then the GSD. Most GSDs work mainly in prey drive and it is "natural" for them to play "tug-of-war" starting at a very young age. In contrast, the Presa, a molosser breed, a dog of a different nature, needs a different approach than the GSD. Some of the differences we have noticed: GSDs are quite sensitive to physical corrections from the owner while Presas are not. GSD's react faster while Presas are more stubborn but at the same time more durable. When we talk about the Presa vs. the GSD or any other breed, we need to remember that there are many good and bad examples in each breed. You cannot compare a German bred GSD to an American bred GSD – these are two different breeds. They may look somewhat close, but the genetic character is totally different. I can personally say, from my experience, the German or Slovakian-bred working GSDs are a lot closer in character to the working Presa then to the American-bred show GSD. Strong and weak specimens can exist in any breed. In choosing a future working specimen one must pay close attention to the breeder. Particularly, what are the dogs capable of, known for and what is their proven record? If you are interested in a specific breed as a working dog but the breeder has no proven dogs, even if it looks like a capable breed, you are wasting your time.

Even though some fundamental rules of training exist, we have found that due to the personality and drive differences in the breeds we work with, a training program must be flexible and cannot be a "cookie cutter" approach. To believe that you must always train exactly the same way for every dog, that one step must always be done before you can move on to the second step is just plain ignorant. Let me try to explain it in the following example:

Herding breeds (such as the GSD) were developed with prey drive as the dominant drive. A strong prey drive helped these dogs survive and basically put "food on the table." The Presa, by contrast, lacks the high prey drive of the herding breeds and as a result, many people think that the Presa matures slower then GSD. However we are able to work the Presa in defense sooner in protection work than the GSD. Why? Because boldness and fighting spirit must be present in a properly bred Presa and even at a year of age they are more comfortable on the protection field then the GSD or any of the other herding breeds for that matter. Obedience training for the Presa needs to be approached differently due to this strong boldness of character and lack of prey drive.

A certain amount of prey drive is desirable for good PP dog but it does not have to be at the level of prey drive exhibited by some of the working GSDs and Malinois. In my opinion, many of the sport-trained dogs will not make good PP dogs, due to the lack of realism in training and prey focus that results in a fixation or preoccupation with equipment, such as the sleeve. I have had experience with many sport-trained dogs that once they were locked into prey, it was nearly impossible to switch them into defense. In my opinion, this makes the dog worthless as a protector.

To develop a worthy PP dog, the prey oriented approach commonly used to train the herding/sport breeds such as the GSD and Malinois needs to be modified. As trainers of personal protection or "street" dogs, we need to keep in mind that too much prey work during training can imprint the dog permanently (especially one with good nerves) on wanting to play the "dead prey game." These are the dogs that never take the situation personally but just keep playing the prey game, even if you tried to "cut off his head." I have worked a few of these. They are super hard biters but are so fixated on the equipment that you could attack the owner and rape his family while the dog is content to fight the sleeve. Don't get me wrong, prey imprinting and development in a pup has its place in training. But when it comes to the next stage of training (working in defense) the gladiator breeds (i.e. bull/mastiff breeds) are much more confident working in defense and will quickly become bored by too much prey work. However, I am not suggesting that the bull/mastiff breeds should be started in defense either, I am just suggesting that they are more comfortable working in this drive at an earlier age (around a year old). In contrast, the herding breeds (GSD) are much more comfortable working in prey drive longer and need to be switched over to defense very carefully and at a later age. To be effective as a trainer, we need to be aware of and strive to balance out the dominant drives that the dog possesses. If I see a bull/mastiff breed becoming bored in prey work, I will carefully introduce the dog to slight confrontation during the agitation (but not as a pup) and then switch back to prey to develop better grip, a deeper bite and stability.

I personally prefer a "tactical" thinking dog to "dead gripper." I like dogs that think about what they are doing. When I was a kid, we trained our dogs to re-grip in order to avoid stick hits. The judges in Russia wanted to see at least three re-grips during each exercise. The idea behind the re-grip, is that it allows the dog to apprehend the suspect with the least amount of injury.

Many people have noticed that the Presa differs from the herding breeds in how they approach and bite the sleeve. I am often asked: "Why do Presas like to grip the end of the sleeve?" Presas, like many of the bull breeds, were developed and used to control livestock and were encouraged to control the animal by holding on to the extremities. Less damage is done to livestock if the dog holds on to the extremities. It is far better if "the hog is held by the ear and not by the throat." Unfortunately, even though this is the natural way that Presas bite, judges in this country (U.S.) consider this type of grip a weakness.

In my opinion, a trainer has to understand the final goal of training and be able to read the individual dog and use the proper technique to achieve that goal. Tunnel vision has no place in dog training. If a dog wants to take a leg bite, then so be it. If the dog prefers the upper body and does this well, why redirect him to the legs? We need to treat each dog as an individual and use all our knowledge to get the work done as safely as possible. If something doesn't work out, you need to stop and ask: "What am I doing wrong?" You may think it is possible to find the answers on the Internet but in reality, knowledge only comes from first-hand experiences and is dictated by the number of dogs you have trained. Always remember the basic rules of training but remain flexible and willing to experiment and to explore the amazing world of dog training. It is an art!

Listed below are two of my favorite scenarios that we use during personal protection training. The goal, in exposing the dog to these scenarios, is to see if the dog is actually protecting its owner or just wants to bite. Each scenario involves absolute control over the dog by the owner. The dog MUST out from a fighting decoy.

1. Decoy in a suit holding a sleeve.

Have the decoy, wearing a full body suit and also holding a sleeve, entice the dog and give him a sleeve bite. The decoy should fight with the dog and when dog is showing full intensity on the sleeve, drop the sleeve and go after owner. If dog immediately drops the sleeve and protects the owner then this is a dog you can trust.

2. Multiple Assailant Attack:

The objective is to see how the dog will handle a situation with multiple assailants. Have several decoys approach you at the same time. All should try to distract your dog. The dog has to remain under absolute control of the owner. One decoy will unexpectedly attack and after the dog goes after him, the decoy should fight back and drag the dog outside the circle. This leaves the owner unprotected with the remaining decoys. Another decoy should now attack the owner. The owner should call the dog back to protect him. The dog should let go of the screaming decoy and return back to protect its owner. Repeat these attacks several times. If the dog is willing to come back every time, then this is the dog you can trust.

There are many other scenarios available. Some of the most difficult distractions used during personal protection trials are: dogs on the field chasing a ball and running across the path of your dog, drunk or aggressive "fake" decoys that your dog has to ignore, rats in cages, horses, water, smoke and fire…

Primo	Lucy
Turco	Cona

There is no excuse……personal protection trainers should never run short of new ideas and scenarios to try! In our program, we try to vary the scenarios as much as possible from week to week. When multiple decoys are used, you clearly see the dog thinking and protecting the owner, by stopping the real "bad guy" who is actually trying to hurt the owner (sometimes silently) and not being fooled by the other guy, who is yelling and putting on an aggressive act. Most important to practice and my personal favorite are outs that involve a MOVING decoy! In a real life situation, the 'bad guy" will be screaming and fighting for his life during the attack, not stopping and waiting for the dog to release his bite which is often seen in sport bite work, such as Schutzhund.

Primo

I challenge any sports dog trainer claiming that protection trained dogs have no control or obedience, to try and "out" your dog off a moving, fighting, screaming decoy.

Diversity in training is what makes a dog think and keeps it guessing! With many of the Presas we have trained, unlike other sporting breeds, we have noticed that they seem to be "thinkers" and will predict situations and adjust their behavior accordingly, sometimes without handler influence. Last summer, I noticed this problem with Cona, my three year old, male Presa. I found that with him, I could not work the same scenario over and over again, especially if two or more decoys were present and a multiple attack was expected. He anticiapted what was coming and would release one decoy as soon as the other decoy stepped onto the field behind me. Sometimes he did this without my command, which in competition, cost us points. The question I find myself asking is: "Is this anticipation by the dog (watching the owner's back), a bad trait for a real life protection dog?" No! Unfortunately, it is a trait that is penalized on the score sheet and placing well in protection tournaments.

We started training GSDs back in Ukrain, 25 years ago, for the military pentathlon .In addition to running, the dog/handler team had to go through an agility course that included shooting and swimming. The protection work was always my favorite part of the competition. These competitions were often three days long, due to a number of events we had to go through with the dog.

Ukranian National Team 1987

In Russia, besides competing in trials, our dogs were expected to be our bodyguards on the street. We did not have cars, so we had to travel on buses, subways and trains or on foot everyday with our dogs. I don't even remember how many times we actually had to use our dogs in real street situations, sometimes it was just to scare trouble away, but sometimes it was to engage in a real combat. No one thought of it as an extraordinary thing. It was just a normal way of life...

Russia was no place to put your safety and trust in an untrained and untested dog. We did not have the luxury of sport trainers. We could not afford to have a dog on the street without firm obedience. We had to be sure that our dogs would watch our backs, even against several assailants at the time and still stay under absolute control. For the dog to make one wrong move during such a heated situation was absolutely unacceptable. We had to be sure that our dogs would present their defensive side on the first command and then switch back to a neutral mode as soon as the situation was over.

Did we care if the dog had a "full mouth bite?" Not necessarily, it didn't matter to us, as long as the dog was effective at keeping the assailants away and continued protecting us while being "pressed hard" in these realistic situations.

Would a "deeper grip" save my life if my dog stayed on one assailant, holding on to the bitter end, while three other guys were breaking my ribs and crushing my scalp? I don't think so.

What lesson did I learn growing up in Russia? That if you want to be safe, you need to test your dog, train it and then work it in as many realistic scenarios as you can think of. How else will you know id your dog will protect you in a real-life confrontation? Do you want to find out if your dog will protect you…..at a time when your safety may really depend on your dog?

I look at protection training as a way of teaching a dog to use his natural qualities to its maximum potential. There is absolutely nothing wrong with developing "full grip" and it is highly recommended, as long as it does not become "obsessive" to the point that other valuable parts of training are being ignored.

As I have stated previously, there is a belief among some trainers that basic obedience will work in situations that involve "guard" or protection mode. It is essential to keep in mind (and I cannot emphasize this point enough) that regular obedience training is never conducted under the same stress presented in personal protection training. You will not be able to control your dog with standard obedience in a situation in which your dog's guardian/protection instincts kick in. If your reason for owning a dog is to rely on it to defend/guard you, your family and your property then you must have control over the dog's responses to job you expect it to handle.

Part IV

IAPC stance on PP

IAPC (International Association for the Presa Canario) was created for several purposes, but most importantly, to promote the Presa Canario as a functional working canine. We acknowledge that there are many sports and activities in which the Presa Canario breed can successfully compete and participate in. However, it is our stand that we must remain true to the original function and spirit of this breed, a heritage that made these dogs what they are and what they deserve to be preserved as – capable guardians and protectors.

Several activities can be used to test the working abilities of many breeds of dogs:

1. Weight pulling as a sport was created to test the strength of a dog and its willingness not to quit.

2. Agility competitions call for speed and precision of movement.

3. Tracking – for testing scenting abilities and persistence in finding the source of the scent.

4. Races for mushing dogs attest to the team's endurance, stamina, ability to work together as one and to survive in the most extreme of weather conditions.

5. Herding – to test attentiveness and alertness to handler's commands.