If you’re thinking about purchasing a protection dog for your family, you’re in great company. Protection dogs are growing in popularity due to their versatility, usefulness, and companionship they provide.
Before you go out and purchase one of these phenomenal K9s, however, it’s essential to consider why you want a protection dog and whether it’s worth the investment. This article will provide you with a breakdown of cost vs. benefits for these majestic animals.
The Cost of a Trained Protection Dog
A personal or family protection dog is not your ordinary run of the mill dog. These K9s will come from several breeds known for their intelligence, adaptability, and versatility.
They are specially chosen breeds that can be equal parts fierce around threats and strangers and loving around the family they are supposed to protect.
Training for a protection dog starts as early as possible.
By the time they are finished:
They are not only capable of following commands instantly, but they will know how to distinguish random strangers from threats, can hold off an attacker, and can neutralize anyone who intends to harm their family.
Their training goes exponentially farther than your standard, “sit,” “shake,” and “rollover” training. It takes a capable trainer who specializes in protection dog training to train a dog correctly, and this comes at a significant price.
Protection dogs with documented breed paperwork alone can easily cost you around $15k. This is the average price, but this may not reflect additional training needed to suit your family’s particular needs.
While it may be true that you can purchase a protection dog from a backyard breeder, that is never recommended due to inherent health issues such as hip dysplasia found in incorrectly bred dogs.
A fully trained protection dog with top breeding and training can cost as much as $30k or more due to the limited supply, high breed quality, and time it takes to train them before they come home with you.
Protection dogs are a significant investment, but that’s precisely what they are – an investment. You’re purchasing far more than a pet in one of these animals. You are effectively buying a home alarm system and personal bodyguard for your entire family.
If that is your goal, then you can understand why they cost so much to purchase.
Why Purchase a Protection Dog?
There are numerous reasons to purchase a protection dog for your family, and anyone of them is valid. Let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons.
You’re Away from Your Family
If you need to travel for business and you want extra assurance that your family will be safe, a protection dog is the way to go. Once trained, they will be as vigilant and protective as a living, breathing bodyguard.
They are more effective than an alarm system and are already on-scene. If your concern is having an instant source of help for your family should something happen, a protection dog is the best thing you can get.
You Want Extra Piece of Mind
If you live in the city, you’re probably well aware of the statistics of rising crime. While a home alarm system can be helpful, there are significant disadvantages to only relying on an alarm. Even if it’s plugged into the city’s system and alerts the police, average arrival times are more than ten minutes.
While alarm systems might deter thieves and robbers, they won’t stop them outright. A protection dog, on the other hand, can do all this and more. They will alert you to the threat of a potential intruder and will stop the person in their tracks.
If you’re up against a determined criminal, your protection dog will take them down and hold them until help arrives. Protection dogs can provide peace of mind, unlike any other alarm or protection system available.
Your Family Travels
If your family moves frequently, or even enjoys significant amounts of travel, you’ll be spending time in places that are unfamiliar to you. It may not be immediately obvious where to go or not to go, and your safety could be unknowingly put at risk.
When you have a protection dog with you, you’ll have an extra layer of safety that criminals won’t want to mess with, even if you’re the odd person out.
Protection dogs can be as effective as guns when deterring would-be criminals, and they give you the added benefit of protection no matter where you are.
Whether you and your dog are at home, or in a brand new place to enjoy a fun adventure, you’ll always have an extra layer of protection.
Other Reasons
There are numerous reasons why you might want a family protection dog, including:
- You’re single and live alone
- You live on a large piece of land
- You’re disabled and want extra protection
- You’re a senior citizen living alone
- You’re wealthy and desire additional protection
- You own a business and want protection when traveling
Any of these reasons and more are valid ones for purchasing a protection dog. Just keep in mind that they need to be adequately trained, or you could have a menace on your hands instead of a helpful member of your family.
Is a Trained Protection Dog Right for You?
Trained protection dogs are far more than a family pet; they are an investment for the safety of your family. These dogs come at a notably high price due to their quality bloodlines, breeding, and top of the line training.
Since they are so well trained, however, they are the perfect mix of companion, security alarm, and bodyguard for the family they are supposed to protect. Protection dogs are comfortable home and abroad and are capable of traveling with you on business.
If your priority is protection and defense for you and your family against potential threats, a protection dog will do the job. Now that you know what these dogs are capable of, do you think a protection dog is right for you?
