How to Train a Watchdog

A good watchdog is one that barks to alert its owner when someone is outside. Protection dogs -- also known commonly as "guard dogs" or "attack dogs" -- are, on the other hand, trained to attack on command or in specific circumstances, requiring extremely specialized training and responsible handling. Some untrained dogs are considered "natural" guard dogs because of their instinct toward biting if their owners are threatened. You know whether a dog is a natural guard only when you see them in the right situation. With trained guard dogs, there are many unscrupulous trainers who ruin them with imprecise, unskilled training methods, resulting in the need for intense owner training to make handling these dogs possible. It is of the utmost importance to understand that trained protection dogs are always a liability. The safest choice, consequently, is to have a dog that alerts you to possible dangers without being trained to do anything more than bark.

Things You'll Need

  • Training treats
  • Leash
  • Collar
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Instructions

    • 1
      Rottweilers are often natural guards; pit bulls aren't usually, but bark warnings.

      Select a puppy from among the breeds that are known to have watchdog tendencies. Although this isn't a requirement, and even a Chihuahua can be a great watchdog, as long as it barks, the breeds that have good watchdog tendencies are more likely to bark at a strange sound and less likely to bark constantly at every little sound. Learn about the breeds so you end up with a dog that you can handle. The working breeds make excellent watchdogs, but many, such as Akitas or chow chows, can be too much for you to handle if you are an inexperienced dog owner.

    • 2
      Proper socialization makes a well-behaved dog.

      Socialize your puppy exceptionally well. Don't fall for suggestions that you lock your dog away from all but the family. That is a good way to make an unstable, aggressive dog. A good watchdog needs to know people well, and the only way it can get that experience is with lots of socialization -- good experiences with all kinds of people, animals, noises and situations. Let your puppy meet all visitors. It needs to see that visitors are "good," while someone who comes through a window is "bad."

    • 3

      Take your puppy to puppy kindergarten and then on to obedience training. Practice the lessons at home daily. A watchdog is a deterrent. If a potential burglar sees your dog obediently listening to you, he may wonder what else you might have taught the dog and choose to avoid your house.

    • 4
      Give the treat and command as soon as the dog makes a noise.

      Teach your dog to bark on command. Choose a command word that could serve as a warning to a potential burglar, such as "What is it, boy?", "Get 'em!" or "Who is it, Killer?" The words "speak" or "bark" don't sound scary enough to create the impression that there's a biting dog inside the house. Most dogs easily learn to bark on command. Simply hold a treat just out of reach until the dog makes any kind of noise. Give the treat immediately and say your command word at the same time. Then gradually withhold the treat until the dog actually barks.

    • 5
      Teach a "quiet" command with treats and praise to prevent incessant barking.

      Teach your dog to stop barking on command. Use a command such as "Quiet!" or "It's OK now" and give a treat as soon as the dog is quiet. You can often do this just by quickly saying the command and giving the treat when the dog quiets after a bark.

    • 6
      German shepherds are known for obedience and protectiveness, but require experienced owners.

      Begin gradually pairing the bark command with someone knocking or someone just walking around in the yard -- once your dog shows he is learning the commands well. Do not teach your dog to be aggressive to friends or family; the dog could seriously injure them. Just let someone make some slight noise, teach the dog to bark and then to be quiet when you tell it to.