Labrador Retrievers as Guard Dogs
Training a Labrador Retriever to Act as a Guard Dog — A Question from a Reader
“I probably should of asked this in my last question, but i know that i would get more responds from a new question. Anyways, is it possible to train a labrador retriever as a guard dog. I don’t mean like attack everyone it sees. I mean like labs are usually VERY friendly to everyone, including starngers. But is it possible, with training, to actually make a lab a good guard dog like GSD’s? So instead of trying to play with a burgular, actually getting in between the rober and our house, barking, and not letting the robber pass. And if needed, actually be able to defend itself? Is it possible to get this result through proper training?
P.S, thank you to all the people that responded to my last question!! Your answers were very helpful :)”
Just about ANY dog can be trained to be a guard dog. In fact, most don’t need to be trained to guard at all. That’s one of the things the entire species was bred for.
Now, a Chihuahua may fearlessly guard your home, but he won’t necessarily be a “good” guard dog because of his size. You won’t have that problem with a Lab.
There’s a difference, though, between guard dogs (or watchdogs) and security dogs. Watchdogs typically fulfill their duty by scaring away intruders with well-timed barking. Security dogs, on the other hand, will aggressively defend their territory, and they require special training (both for owner and dog) because they can be a danger to others and thus are a serious responsibility for their owners.
There are books on how to train your dog to guard your property (check your local library). You can also use a professional trainer.
Start by encouraging your dog to bark whenever something out of the ordinary happens (like strange noises outside, a strange car pulling into the driveway, unfamiliar voices near the house, strangers at the door, etc.). Ask him, “What was that?” Listen intently, act alert (basically, act how you want him to act), and praise him when he barks. He’ll quickly learn to be on the lookout when these things happen.
To keep this from getting annoying, also teach your dog the “quiet” command so he knows when to stop barking.
Unfortunately, if you have a lot of new people coming into your home on a regular basis, your dog may get used to this and lose his natural instinct to be wary of strangers. This can also happen if you repeatedly discourage the dog from barking and “checking out” new people when they visit. Praise him — never scold him — when he acts suspicious of strangers. Just quickly assure him in a friendly tone if the person is “safe.”
Your dog will typically look to you for clues as to whether the person he’s spotted is friend or foe or whether a situation is “safe” without any prompting on your part, so just remember to answer his questions and you’ll have a good guard dog in no time!
April 17th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Of course, being a guard dog doesn't necessarily mean being vicious. It means being trained to attack at certain times. Its up to you to decide if you are willing to work to separate this dogs guarding and normal behaviors- which can be a challenge for some
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April 17th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
If you want a retriever that was bred first and formost to guard it's masters equipment overnight, get a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
Just remember that you pick a Chessie's food dish up only after asking for permission to do so.
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April 17th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
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April 17th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
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April 17th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Any dog will naturally be protective, but I always feel that *you* need to protect your dog and not the other way around.
Yes, if you have a lab with the right temperment and drive you can train it to become a "professional guard dog". What you don't want is an unstable, aggressive dog running around which is a huge liability. I would bet most of the GSD's you've seen "guarding" are just that. Liablities!
No, I am not predjudice against GSD's. I have 2 German Shepherds myself and loooove the breed!
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April 17th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
It all Depends on the individual personality .
Rosanne Bar is an Agressive woman , Martha is mild . Use our Appitude test , there is a link on our website, this is a universal test and you should be able to save it to your computer , or copy it and save it to a note pad . Any who if you are starting off with a puppy an Appitude test is pretty important in knowing the future personality of your puppy .
50% is genetic , The other 50% is how the mother treated the puppy acted around it and the experiances it has had up until its 8 weeks old and ready to go home, Its in how you feed it ( as feeding poor foods can cause hyperexcitment and beahaviour problems) , and how its treated for 2 years.
Good luck , link below .
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http://www.pets4you.com/pages/aptitudetest.html
April 17th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
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April 17th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Now, a Chihuahua may fearlessly guard your home, but he won't necessarily be a "good" guard dog because of his size. You won't have that problem with a Lab.
There's a difference, though, between guard dogs (or watchdogs) and security dogs. Watchdogs typically fulfill their duty by scaring away intruders with well-timed barking. Security dogs, on the other hand, will aggressively defend their territory, and they require special training (both for owner and dog) because they can be a danger to others and thus are a serious responsibility for their owners.
There are books on how to train your dog to guard your property (check your local library). You can also use a professional trainer.
Start by encouraging your dog to bark whenever something out of the ordinary happens (like strange noises outside, a strange car pulling into the driveway, unfamiliar voices near the house, strangers at the door, etc.). Ask him, "What was that?" Listen intently, act alert (basically, act how you want him to act), and praise him when he barks. He'll quickly learn to be on the lookout when these things happen.
To keep this from getting annoying, also teach your dog the "quiet" command so he knows when to stop barking.
Unfortunately, if you have a lot of new people coming into your home on a regular basis, your dog may get used to this and lose his natural instinct to be wary of strangers. This can also happen if you repeatedly discourage the dog from barking and "checking out" new people when they visit. Praise him — never scold him — when he acts suspicious of strangers. Just quickly assure him in a friendly tone if the person is "safe."
Your dog will typically look to you for clues as to whether the person he's spotted is friend or foe or whether a situation is "safe" without any prompting on your part, so just remember to answer his questions and you'll have a good guard dog in no time!
References :
http://www.grit.com/article/2007/05/Good-Guard-Dog.html
April 17th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Labs are very loving, loyal, trusting dogs but they can be taught to "guard". Our Labs will only bark at someone that 1. knocks on the door 2. stands on the porch and doesn't make themselves known or 3. if we let them in and they've never seen them before.
Proper training is the key.
Defending itself. I don't know. Labs were bred to have a very high tolerance for pain so they could withstand extremely cold waters while retrieving. Some could take a beating without making a sound. I suppose you could train a Lab to not allow someone to touch it in a certain way or something.
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May 11th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
June 12th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
July 17th, 2009 at 6:40 am
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:08 am