What qualities should I look for in a dog that I am considering for Family Protection?
The most important is that the dog be stable, with solid nerves. A good example of optimal temperament is to look at the qualities of an exceptional Police K-9 dog. This dog is highly trained to apprehend criminals but at the same time, must go home after work and live with the family. Police K-9’s often go into schools for demonstrations and have to be petted by many excited children. You may not need a Police dog but you want the same qualities that make a good Police dog. The dog should be intelligent, loyal and confident. The dog should be loving with it’s family and social in social situations but know when to defend if needed.

What qualities should a Family Protection Dog trainer possess?
Protection is a specialty and not all trainers are qualified to train a dog in protection. There are many good obedience trainers in this country but not much is known about protection. It is important to know the qualifications of the person offering a trained protection dog.

• An accomplished personal protection trainer should have a minimum of 10 years experience, including experience in Military K-9 or Police K-9 training. They should be able to train a dog to the advanced level of obedience required for a protection dog and they should be able to demonstrate this training with the dog. They should have many references, including references from families if you are considering a family protection dog and you have small children.
• Ted Hoppe is a Nationally recognized trainer and founder of American Street Ring. He has 30 years experience. When considering a protection dog, he will take the time to listen to you and your needs and what it is that you want. And not just sell you what we have. It is important that you are matched with the right dog for you and your situation.

What services should I expect with the contract, and follow-up service after I have purchased the dog?
Our contracts are normally customized to meet the needs of each client. Most come standard with a satisfaction/replacement agreement in the event the dog does not work out. You get handler training with the dog and a detailed instructional DVD. Ideally, you should come and meet the dog and spend some time learning the commands and how the dog was trained. If the dog is sent to you, the minimum to consider is an instructional DVD that clearly shows all of the commands and how to reinforce them. Having the dog delivered to your home would be important and especially helpful if you were experiencing problems with criminals. Ted Hoppe has extensive experience working with families. Training is just as much working with the human as it is working with dogs. Being able to work with people is often different than working with dogs. You will feel comfortable with Ted & Dawn. You will trust the training advice they offer. This trust will form a relationship that should last for the lifetime of the dog. At Gatorland K-9, exceeding your expectations should include not only the dog, but the service that you receive when buying the dog that you choose as your Family Protection Dog.