Trainers seeing a rise in interest for protection and guard dogs

Dog trainers are seeing a trend as people search for more protection for their homes. CTV’s Karis Mapp reports

Animal trainers are being kept busy by an emerging trend: people buying dogs for peace of mind.

Riayaan Rauf is the owner of Noble Protection Dogs, a facility in St. Agatha that raises and trains dogs for people across Canada.

“[The dogs] are just neutral, happy-go-lucky dogs that you can absolutely pet,” Rauf said. “You can have guests in your home. You can have kids play with them.”

But these dogs have a very specific job: protection.

“They also have the ability to deter. That’s your bark command. They will bite on command and let go on command as well.”

Noble Protection Dogs trains regular pets, but they also bring in German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois that are bought as protection dogs.

The guard dogs are taught commands in German to ensure they aren’t triggered by everyday conversation.

“A lot of our dogs are going out west to B.C., Alberta, a lot to Toronto, Oakville and right here in Waterloo Region,” Rauf explained.

Yvonne Schricker bought a puppy from Noble Protection Dogs and later invested in a protection dog as well.

“I’m hard of hearing so [my dog] lets me know when there’s somebody coming from behind,” Schricker said. “Especially since my husband is gone here and there overnight for work. I feel very safe.”

Surging demand for security

The demand for the specially trained dogs, which are sold for roughly $50,000, is on the rise.

Rauf told CTV News his company historically sold three to four dogs per year, but he’s seen a shift in the demographic of people looking to buy the animals.

“It’s no longer the typical people you would expect to have a protection dog - security details or private executives,” he said.

“It’s the average family these days. We’ve sold more than a dozen dogs every year for the last two years – that’s just not normal.”

Rauf isn’t the only one noticing the trend.

Joshua Perry is a dog trainer for Baden K-9, a Christian-based family business that has been operating for 54-years.

“I would say four years, but the last two years, we’ve really seen a big influx in the need and requests for [our] family home protection program,” he said.

Some of the potential clients who have reached out to the companies say they are worried about home invasions.

“They’ve maybe seen a story that hits too close to home,” Rauf said. “Whether it’s a break-and-enter, whether it’s a snatcher.”

“They’re afraid to sleep,” Perry said. “Their kids are in the house and all these events are happening when their families are home.”

Guard dog rules

Special licencing isn’t required to own a guard dog, but the responsibility falls under the Dog Owners’ Liability Act.

“In situations where a dog causes harm or injury, the owner may face civil liability,” a statement from the Waterloo Regional Police Service said.

“In a situation where someone’s committing a criminal act on your property, you are in a defensible position if your dog were to act,” said Rauf.

“All of our clients have access to our lawyer who they can speak to, to better verse themselves and see what they’re actually getting into.”

However, former OPP Commissioner and CTV News public safety analyst Chris Lewis warned that people need to look at the bigger picture before buying an animal for protection.

“I was around police canine units a lot in my career and they’re wonderful assets to policing, but they’re trained to be aggressive,” Lewis said.

“They have bitten officers. Civilians have been bitten that weren’t attacking anyone, they were just walking,” he recalled.

Instead of investing in a protection dog, Lewis said people should consider looking into home security.

“You’re better off with alarms and lights and proper lock systems for your house. If you want to have a dog, have a dog that will bark and scare the heck out of someone and prevent them from coming in, as opposed to one that may attack a friend, or a family member, or yourself.”

For anyone wanting to explore the protection dog avenue, experts said training is key and prior research is important.

“You’re buying a security asset, not just a companion, but it’s a protector that’s going to be involved with your family and your pattern of life,” said Perry.

People interested in purchasing a dog also go through an in-depth vetting process to ensure their homes are fit for the dogs.

“We don’t just sell to anyone. We’re very particular about where our dogs go and do everything we can to ensure they’re going to be successful,” Rauf said.