Should I Train My Dog as a Guard Dog?

Training your dog as a guard dog is a personal choice. However, there are potential risks you should carefully consider before making your decision. Based on your needs and goals, there may be a better training alternative that can make your dog aware of potential threats and able to protect you without exposing you to the risk of an unwarranted attack.

The Risks and Drawbacks of Guard Dog Training

First, it is important to know that training your dog to protect you as a “guard dog” is not without potential risks – including physical risks and liability issues. Training your dog to protect you fosters a higher likelihood of aggressive behaviors toward people who are not actually a threat to you, such as the mailman or a dog walker.

In general, training your dog to act as a guard dog is not a good idea if:

• You frequently have visitors
• You have children or elderly individuals in your home
• You plan on training the dog yourself (without professional knowledge)
• You don’t have time for consistent training
• You live in an unpredictable environment
• You plan on ever having someone else walk or watch your dog
• You simply want your dog to act or look “tough”
• Your breed of dog is not conducive to guard dog training

Teaching a dog to lunge, bite, growl or attack people as a guard dog is challenging, as your animal may not be able to decipher between a real vs. perceived threat. Therefore, this type of training increases the risk of your dog injuring or even killing someone without reason.

Liability Risks

In Texas, pet owners can be held liable (legally responsible) for injuries caused by their dogs. Texas uses a “one-bite” rule, which requires dog owners to pay for injuries and damages inflicted by their pets if the owner knew or reasonably should have known that the dog had the propensity to attack.

If your dog has been trained to act as a guard dog, this can be enough to establish that you had prior knowledge of the animal’s vicious or aggressive propensities. As the dog’s owner, this can make you liable for an attack even if your dog had never injured someone previously.

With improper training or temperament, a dog that has been trained to guard its owner may also be more likely to attack viciously. This type of training could lead to a dog that is more likely to inflict severe or fatal wounds – enhancing your liability and possibly even leading to criminal charges.

Alternatives to Training Your Dog as a Guard Dog

In many scenarios, guard dog training is overkill and can lead to an overly vicious, aggressive or unpredictable animal. This is especially true if the breed of the dog is susceptible to fear, anxiety or an unstable temperament. Instead, other types of training can suffice, such as standard dog obedience training and bark alert training. In many cases, barking from a dog is enough to deter would-be intruders from entering a property. 

When Is Guard Dog Training a Good Idea?

Only in very limited circumstances is it recommended to train your dog as a guard dog. If you live in a dangerous neighborhood where you need home security, for example, a well-trained guard dog can provide protection and peace of mind. 

However, it is vital that you have your dog professionally trained in this capacity. A guard dog must be highly obedient and well-disciplined to prevent potential issues with aggression, random attacks and liability. In most cases, other types of training are sufficient for achieving the pet owner’s goal of feeling safe and protected without undue risk. Contact our law office if you or a loved one were injured by an aggressive dog.