FAQ For Family Protection Dogs

A family protection dog is a highly trained, family friendly pet which has been trained to protect on command and is highly socialised with families and their children and with other animals. The dog works on command only and will not attack unless instructed and will stop when told. The dog is discriminating so that it does not annoy or attack familiar people.

It is a common misconception that a protection dog is inherently an aggressive dog. A well trained dog will be the safest dog to be around and they are bred and trained to be calm, clear headed, and stable dogs with the ability to discern would-be threat from friends, neighbours and visitors to your home. The dogs come highly obedient, and as long as the owner remains committed to that level of obedience, the dogs will be well mannered in any situation you throw them into.

There are many breeds that can be trained as personal and family protection dogs. We specialise in German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois that have been raised and educated from the best German and European bloodlines available to us. From these breeds, we take great pride in selecting only the finest, top quality canines that are temperamentally and physically sound. Each dog is subjected to a rigorous testing phase prior to being selected, and only the safest, most capable canines make the cut.

Every dog’s personality is different and as such both male and females can make excellent protection dogs. Whether you decide to get a male or female will come down to which particular dog feels like a better fit for you and your family when you meet them!

Most of our dogs begin life in Hungary with our trusted colleagues who hand select them as puppies and train them in socialisation and basic performance. The ones who excel are then imported to our training centre in Ireland for further specialised training.

It takes at least 3 months to train a reliable family protection dog. We usually hand select and begin training our dogs as puppies to ensure they have the right foundation from the get go. After that, the amount of training is dependent on the abilities of a particular dog and the training level that they are being put through. A VIP Protection Dog will require more training than a dog with a more basic training level.

Many breeds can be trained in protection, such as German Shepherds, Malinois, Dobermans, Rottweilers, and Mastiff breeds. Some breeds are unsuitable and we can advise you on your dog. However, before we undertake any training, your dog must be assessed as not every dog is suited to it. While some dogs may seem to have a natural ability to protect, they don’t have the skills, drive and training required for personal protection. We can carry out this assessment at our Centre free of charge.



This depends on the caliber of dog and its training. The higher the caliber of dog, the greater the dog’s ability to manage a threatening situation. One of our Basic Family Protection dogs will deter an attacker and show aggression on command, however a dog that has been put through a more advanced training program will have the ability to provide a much higher level of protection during a robbery, home invasion or assault.

Yes. We believe that a canine bodyguard must be trained in an environment extremely similar to that in which it will live and serve its family. We want the dog to be a happy, obedient companion. Once we’re satisfied, we progress to the most advanced training possible and in order to succeed in this, the dog needs to spend an intensive amount of time with the trainer. The dog staying with the trainer allows for the dog to be trained quicker but the owner can choose residential training.

Yes! Part of our training and socialisation process ensures that your dog will be OK with everyone in your household. Our personal protection dogs are raised in homes around children and conditioned to be loving and tolerant.

Training the owner to work with the dog is just as important as training the dog. On the delivery you will receive handling instruction that transfers performance from us to you, regardless of not having prior experience with dogs and we will work with you until we are completely confident that you are comfortable with the dog. We further ensure your long-term success by scheduling in-home follow-up instruction until you feel completely comfortable with the dog.

We can only give a price on a specific dog and after a full discussion about a client’s requirements. Prices vary considerably dependent on the training level, pedigree, and client’s specification. We offer 3 levels of Protection Dog Training ranging Basic €3,500.00, Elite €4,500.00 and VIP €5,500.00

Get in touch on our contact page or by Tel: +353 1890364443 Mobile: 0870515474 and arrange a visit with us. We'd love to talk to you about your needs and what we can do to help.