Protection Dog Training

Confident. Obedient. Ready to Guard — Without Aggression

Foundations in Obedience, Confidence & Guarding Instincts

While not all dogs are suited to full protection work, many can benefit from advanced obedience training that builds confidence, improves responsiveness, and lays the groundwork for guarding and family safety awareness.

I offer training for dogs that show strong potential and suitable temperament, helping them develop the core skills needed for protective behaviour — safely and responsibly.

Is Your Dog Right for Protection-Style Training?

Not every dog is born for protection work. The right temperament is essential, and that’s why we recommend a Temperament Assessment for any owner considering this path. Dogs who show the right instincts — confidence, responsiveness, and stability — can progress into more advanced control and guarding exercises.

We recommend:

  • 1 to 1 Training to increase trust and eliminate external stimuli

  • Temperament evaluation from 10+ months of age

  • Obedience training from 4 months and up

  • Protection-style commands and situational awareness training from 12+ months

Note: I do not offer formal protection or attack dog training. Instead, we help build advanced obedience and foundational guarding behaviours suitable for home and family protection scenarios.

Watch: Belgian Malinaois demonstrates controlled bite work as part of our advanced obedience and protection training program in Cornwall. Training emphasizes precision, control, and handler communication.

Family & Home Safety Awareness Training

Our programs are focused on Family Protection Readiness, which teaches dogs to:

  • Stay calm in high-distraction environments

  • Respond confidently to strangers and new situations

  • React assertively — not aggressively — when prompted

  • Remain obedient and under control at all times

This is perfect for owners who want their dog to:

  • Watch over the home

  • Stay close on walks

  • Be an alert, protective presence around family

Key Skills Taught

We teach practical, non-aggressive guarding fundamentals that promote calm confidence and owner control:

Obedience and Control: All dogs begin with solid obedience: sit, stay, heel, recall, and down — reinforced under increasing distractions.

Confidence Building: Shy or anxious dogs are gently guided through confidence drills, including obstacle work, noise desensitisation, and stranger exposure.

Stranger Awareness: We teach dogs to recognise unfamiliar people, hold their ground, and wait for direction — without reacting unpredictably.

Guarding Posture & Focus: Without using aggression or bite work, dogs learn to take a more protective stance when cued — a great deterrent and comfort to many families.

07516 794 905

50+ Dogs Trained across Cornwall already recently.

All Dog Training Services

One to One Training

Lead Dog Training

Recall Training

Reactive Dog Training

Puppy Obedience Training

“I have a shepherd mix—a high-drive working dog—who, when we started, was reactive to almost everything: vehicles, other dogs, cats, livestock, birds… Just a few months after starting our sessions, I can now walk her along busy roads and even took her to a dog show, something I never thought possible. This progress simply wouldn’t have happened if I’d stuck with the ‘positive only’ trainers I’d tried before.”
— Nancy

When to Start Protection-Style Training

4–12 months - Obedience, socialisation, desensitisation.

12+ months - Suitability evaluation, alert & response work, protective stance commands.

Dogs under 12 months should always begin with structured obedience — laying the groundwork for advanced work later on.

Book a Suitability Assessment

If you’re unsure whether your dog is a good fit for protection-style training, start with our Foundational Training & Assessment Session. You’ll get:

  • 1:1 evaluation

  • Tailored training plan

  • Clear next steps based on your dog’s ability and temperament

FAQ

  • Not every dog is a natural guardian. Some require more confidence-building or obedience before moving into advanced training.

  • No - we don’t teach biting or attack without control. Our methods focus on calm alertness, and obedience in high-stress environments.

  • Yes. Dogs are trained to distinguish between safe, everyday interactions and suspicious or threatening behaviour.

  • We do not offer full protection certification. However, we help families develop the protective traits and control most needed in daily life.

Want custom training plans tailored to you?

I tailor my dog training solutions on a case by case basis, fill out the form below to get in touch.