An important condition for the use of guard (guard) dogs may be a specially equipped post. A guard dog post is considered to be a section of terrain or a closed area inside buildings and premises, adapted for protection with the help of a dog.
Objects of protection can be very different, as well as methods of use for guard dogs. It is logical that the posts of guard dogs are also different:
- free guard post;
- checkpoint;
- post of a blind (short) leash.
Requirements for placing a guard dog post
The place where it is planned to set up the post must be dry, level, without grass. There should be nothing obstructing the view: unnecessary objects or bushes. For the post, choose the place furthest from the guard. The post should under no circumstances be illuminated at night, but the area in front of it should be illuminated. In winter, the guard dog post should be promptly cleared of snow.
Free guard post can be equipped only on the condition that the protected area or object is surrounded by a continuous fence at least two meters high with an entrance gate. The protected area should be cleared of debris, prickly and cutting objects.
To equip standard checkpoint, it is necessary to stretch a cable with a diameter of 1 cm or a wire with a diameter of 0.6 cm between wooden posts at a distance of at least 1.5 meters. Throughout the checkpoint and for a width of at least 8-10 meters, the area should be cleared of objects that may interfere with free movement dogs. In the center of the resulting area is placed, into which the dog can enter by slightly pulling the chain. A wooden shield measuring 0.75 x 1 m should be placed at the entrance to the booth.
Tether post It is advisable to install it directly near the protected object: at the door of a warehouse or any other office space. The dog is placed on a chain connecting the harness and a specially equipped pole or ring, attached to a ring secured in the door frame of the guarded premises or in the bottom located at the post. The length of the chain should allow the dog to freely approach the door of the room it is guarding.
To protect stores, warehouses, warehouses and other premises that may contain food products, dogs should not have free access to them. It is also important to securely store substances that can poison the animal. Objects in the room should be placed taking into account that the dog should have free access to doors and windows.
Each guard dog should be posted at the same post in accordance with the post schedule.
It is best if the dog is at his post around the clock. If this is not possible, periods of reduced visibility due to weather conditions should be chosen for guarding with dogs.
Keeping a dog at a checkpoint turns out to be more convenient than a chain chain for the life of a dog's work. At the checkpoint, the chain slides along a guide between two supports, as a result of which the working area increases sharply and the dog can move a lot. The checkpoint is a more permanent structure than a leash, but here it is more convenient for the dog to live and it protects the area much more effectively. The dog lives at the checkpoint permanently, or is placed there when required, for example at night. At other times, the dog rests fully in a residential kennel or enclosure, located in a secluded place
Checkpoints differ primarily in the height of the guide: it can lie on the ground or be raised to a certain height. This difference is fundamental: a guide lying on the ground does not require special tension and does not place increased demands on the quality of the supports. However, such a checkpoint is only acceptable on areas with hard and even surfaces. Once you place it on the ground, the chain will constantly get tangled, cling to uneven surfaces, and the chain slider will become clogged with dirt and debris. Another thing is even worse: the tethering point is below the dog’s legs, it will get tangled in the chain and be injured by it when jerking, while the guide will work like a spring, pulling the dog away. It is also not very convenient that with a free-lying guide it is impossible to accurately determine the boundaries of the dog’s working area. It can go where it doesn’t belong at all, damage garden vegetation, etc.
It is better to raise the guide to a certain height, the optimal level in this case is the level of the dog’s withers, but often you have to make the block at a much higher height. This is inevitable in cases, for example, when the dog is not constantly at the post and part of the time people walk through the location of the block and vehicles pass through.
Ll-Y of the suspension block is directed tightly and has to be pulled as tightly as possible: the more it sags, the more it acts as a shock absorber when the dog jerks. Most often, rolled wire with a diameter of at least 6 mm (sometimes 8 mm) is used as a guide. For tensioning, a winch is used, a special device that allows you to tighten the wire when it is sagging; in extreme cases, for rough tensioning, you can use a tractor, etc., equipment. Note that a stationary cable tensioner is still necessary, since the thickest wire stretches over time.
Unfortunately, durable polymer cables are not suitable as a guide, since they wear out quite easily. The wire-ash system is threatened not so much by the dog's jerking to the sides, but by the constant friction when moving the leash. I would like to warn against a common mistake: not a single carabiner, ring or chain by itself provides easy sliding and is not sufficiently wear-resistant. The constant friction of metal on metal literally burns the thickest stakes and carabiners in a very short period of time, and it means that the guide itself bursts due to abrasion. Is it worth describing what happens in these cases?!
The ideal solution to this problem has been invented a long time ago; this simple device is called a slider. It consists of two ball bearings, pressed into a common jacket so that the wire passes between them (often a groove is specially machined for the guide). A correctly made slider does not get stuck, ensures ideal ease of movement of the chain, and wears out very slowly. It is also clear that with a guide freely thrown to the ground, the slider works much worse.
We especially note that the higher the support of the block and, accordingly, the higher the guide is stretched, the more difficult it is for the dog to work. With any jerk, an overturning moment occurs, directly proportional to the force of the jerk. A very energetic and strong dog can be literally thrown over its head by a spring block; it is clear that this is fraught primarily with mental and sometimes physical injuries, and this will not have the best effect on the desire to work.
Of course, before tensioning the wire, you need to secure the block supports in place and make sure they are reliable. Extremely serious requirements are placed on the supports of a checkpoint, especially a high one. The guide can be stretched between the walls of permanent buildings, lamp posts, or, most often, between two metal posts; other options do not guarantee strength! It is better not to bury the pillars, but to hammer them in, since a buried pillar, or even one filled with concrete at the base, holds up worse in the ground, especially in sand. Depending on the quality of the soil, the post is driven to a varying depth (deepest in sand, shallowest in clay). The depth of driving is also influenced by the length of the pillar - at least 1/3 of the depth is buried, but in any case the underground part of the support is > 80 cm. In addition, the pillars must be reinforced with two guy wires so that in plan there are angles equal to 120° between the guy wires and the guide.
The checkpoint must be equipped with all amenities, since the dog spends a lot of time here. At one of the supports (preferably the one farthest from the place of greatest concern) you should equip a platform with a booth or at least a canopy from rain and direct sunlight. In general, it is impossible to refuse shelters, since rain or, on the contrary, strong sun can have a very strong effect on the dog.
bad, directly reducing her performance, in addition, she will spend a lot of energy trying to somehow hide from them. A large box without a front wall or a so-called trapezoidal guard box, used in security nurseries, are good options for shelter.
If the checkpoint is located on a hard surface, for example, a concrete or asphalt strip, it is easy to keep it clean, but sudden movements by the dog can damage the pads of its paws. A checkpoint with natural soil and vegetation requires more careful maintenance. Unfortunately, it's too early
Medium, above average and large dogs of all breeds are suitable for use in guard duty; they have good hearing, vision and sense of smell, are courageous, distrustful, angry and resistant to weather fluctuations. The best dog breeds for guard duty are Caucasian, Central Asian, South Russian and East European shepherd dogs.
Guard dogs are trained on a leash. For training, it is necessary to have protective arms made of materials of different colors, training raincoats, protective suits, straw harnesses covered with canvas and shaped like a stick, strong metal chains and special harnesses for a guard dog.
Persons not associated with the work of servicing dogs are recruited as assistant trainers. The trainer himself treats them in front of the dog as strangers. Before working with the dog, assistants become familiar with the techniques of the work to be done. They must act boldly, energetically, fully embracing the role of the “violator.” Before each lesson, assistants are informed of the task, the specifics of their actions, where to go to the dog, signals that the trainer will quietly give, etc.
Special techniques for training guard dogs are as follows.
Development of anger and distrust towards strangers. The command "guard!"
Practicing the technique is outlined on page 192. For a guard dog, the technique is intensified. The assistant, being in the shelter, makes first strong, then quiet rustling sounds. Coming out of hiding, he stealthily and hesitantly approaches the dog. The trainer attracts the dog’s attention to the rustling sounds and to the assistant by commanding “guard!” If an active, angry dog immediately reacts to rustling noises and to the helper by barking at him, the trainer encourages him with the command “good!” and stroking, then repeats the command “guard!” A less active dog becomes excited only when a helper approaches with a stick in his hand. The trainer encourages the dog to bark and lunge at the assistant, who, throwing the stick, runs for cover. A very calm dog becomes excited when the assistant tries to attack or swing a stick at the trainer. In all cases, it is necessary that the assistant does not suppress, and the trainer increases the dog’s activity. Exercises that greatly excite the dog are carried out no more than 2-3 times in each session. Having made sure that the dog is active and alert, the trainer leaves it on a leash alone and, constantly observing its behavior, if necessary, returns to the dog to help and encourage its correct actions.
In subsequent sessions, the assistant, if the dog does not respond to him, approaches the dog, inflicts light blows on the back and sides with a tourniquet or stick, holding the stick in one hand or the other, and gets the dog to grab the stick or safety sleeve. At the same time, the assistant tries to give the dog food from his hand. Having achieved a strong grip, he throws the stick. When he grabs the sleeve, he stops fighting the dog. The trainer runs out and frees him from the dog, encourages the dog and takes the assistant away. It is recommended to conduct classes at different times (evening, night, early morning, etc.).
To satisfy the dog and completely discharge its nervous system, the grip of the “intruder” is introduced. The assistant in these classes must be dressed in a training raincoat and a safety suit. A brave, agile, energetic and dexterous assistant when working with some dogs may be limited to a protective sleeve.
The technique is combined with the previous one. As soon as the dog pounces on the approaching assistant and tries to grab him, the latter begins to run away from her with a frightened look. The trainer, releasing the dog from the leash, replaces the chain with an extended leash and commands “take it!” (or “fase!”) and sets the dog on the fleeing assistant, and he himself runs after it. At this time, the leash should be loose. The assistant offers his sleeve to the dog that has caught up with him for a grip. After the grip, he struggles with the dog, tries to hit it with his second hand, screams as if in pain, and stops fighting. The trainer, intercepting the leash, runs up to the dog, takes it by the collar, commands the assistant to “stop!”, encourages the dog and leads it away.
Further classes become more difficult: the assistant intensifies the fight with the dog; the dog develops a grip on the hand or leg with which the helper strikes it; the assistant throws off his training cloak and runs away from the dog. If at the same time the dog grabs the cloak and flutters it, not paying attention to the assistant, he runs up to it and strikes. This will distract the dog from the coat and redirect its attention to the helper.
Tethered service(fixed post). Such a guard dog post is installed near a protected object, for example, in front of the entrance to a warehouse that has no other doors, to a stable, to a barnyard, to a garage, near individual units, cars, etc.
To tie the dog, they dig up a post with a diameter of at least 12–15 cm and a length of up to 1 m, which should rise above ground level by 30 cm or more. A bracket is hammered into the end of the post and a chain up to 2.5 m long is attached. The soil around the post is compacted tightly. To shelter the dog from bad weather, a light three-walled booth (without a front wall) is installed. In winter, bedding is laid at the bottom of the booth. The booth is placed so that the dog cannot get tangled around it with a chain.
After practicing the techniques of developing anger and distrust of strangers, and refusing the offered food, the dog is taken to a post and introduced to a new place, where they then begin to train. Having given the command “guard!”, the trainer discreetly signals the assistant to come out of hiding. Its appearance is organized at very different times; first soon after placing the dog at the post, then with a delay of an hour, two, three or more. The trainer first leaves close to the dog, observing it, and finally, if the dog independently and correctly reacts to the appearance of the assistant and other persons approaching the post, leaves it alone at the post.
Further training and polishing of the dog's service on duty consists of training in the evening, at night and early in the morning, increasing the time the dog remains on duty. The dog is periodically trained and the quality of its work is checked.
Service at the checkpoint(movable post). A mobile post is an area on the territory of a protected facility that is closed by a guard dog on a leash. The harness is connected to a pulley that moves along a wire stretched along the protected area. The post area is cleared of trees, bushes, manure, and trash to a width of 5–10 m.
The permanent checkpoint has a length of 20 to 80 m. At the ends, barked pillars-rails or metal pipes 3 m long are installed. The diameter of the pillars is 15–20 cm. The pillars-supports are buried in the ground to a depth of 1 m, secured with crosses, strong compaction of the soil and stretch marks in the direction opposite to the wire stretched between them at a height of 2 m.; The sag in the middle can be no less than 1.75 m from the ground. Wire cross-section 5–8 mm. Before fastening it to the post, a metal ring is put on the wire, to which the dog’s chain is attached. The chain must have a swivel to prevent the chain from twisting. At a distance of 2.5–3 m from the support posts, ring and chain movement limiters are placed on the wire so that the chain does not get tangled around the post when the dog runs along the wire. Restrictors (Fig. 62) can be made of rings of larger diameter or in the form of metal or wooden plates.
Rice. 62. Guard dog checkpoint equipment
a - checkpoint, b - design of a block chain movement limiter that prevents the dog from going behind the post
At checkpoints located near flammable areas, a ring covered with leather is used, or instead of a ring, a block roller is put on the wire, sliding along the cable without sparking, especially if it is regularly lubricated or has a non-ferrous metal wheel.
At some sites (with frequent loading and unloading operations at different times of the day), they practice installing a roadblock on a wire that lies on the ground and does not impede the passage of vehicles to the storage facility. One end of the wire is attached through a ring soldered to it to a hook driven into the pole. This wire can be easily removed if necessary. Sometimes transport crossing areas are covered with wooden shields. The described checkpoint is set up with a length of no more than 20–30 m. Its support pillars rise above the ground by no more than 15–20 cm and are secured in the ground with stepsons.
Training a dog to serve at a checkpoint begins with developing an indifferent attitude towards the sound of the block chain ring and accustoming it to movement along the entire length of the block. To do this, the trainer, having put the dog on a chain, moves with the dog along the wire in one direction or another, plays with it, which distracts the dog from the noise of the ring. First, the trainer moves along the wire at a walk, and then at a run. A dog accustomed to new conditions is trained as in a stationary post (see page 212). The assistant appears from the front of the post, arousing the dog's anger (she barks and rushes at him). Moving along the wire and dragging the dog along with him, the assistant teases it and, when he guides it along the entire block in this way, runs away.
It is often required that a guard dog at a mobile checkpoint react equally to the assistant and strangers approaching the rear of the post. Several exercises with the appearance of an assistant trainer from the rear will teach the dog to react to all strangers approaching the post from any side.
At the security checkpoint, on one front side, they will equip a three-walled lightweight booth with a shield in front of it, so that a dog that has pulled the chain can enter the booth, but not go around it.
A portable checkpoint is used in places where it is impossible to install a permanent checkpoint, but a guard dog is still needed. It consists of trestle-type supports, wooden or metal. The lower ends of the sawhorse have a metal attachment or are pointed for penetration into the ground. The post clamp has a through hole for passing and fastening wires at a height of up to 1.5 m. Guys 2 m long end with pins buried in the ground. The distance between the trestles is 20–30 m. To secure the trestles and their stability on the side adjacent to the protected building or area, additional guy ropes are installed (Fig. 63). The rest of the equipment at the portable checkpoint is the same as at the permanent one.
Rice. 63. Portable checkpoint on trestles
1 - support (goat), 2 - clamp, 3 - wire with a diameter of up to 8 mm, 4 - guy, 5 - pin, 6 - additional guy
To serve at a portable checkpoint, one of the guard dogs trained to work at a permanent checkpoint is stationed.
A circular checkpoint (Fig. 64) is used for all-round dog protection of a separate building. The wire lies closed, freely on the corner and entrance contours of the building, allowing the ring to move freely along its entire length around the building. The contours on the corners and other protrusions of the building are made of firmly installed plates or strips up to 1 m high.
Rice. 64. Circular checkpoint
1 - protected object, 2 - cable (wire with a diameter of 8–10 mm), 3 - bypass (plate, sheet of iron, pipe)
A rigid circular checkpoint on brackets (Fig. 65) is installed near a building intended to be protected by a guard dog. Brackets are attached to the corners and ledges of the building at a height of up to 2 m. A T-iron beam or rail is welded or bolted to them. The beam is rounded at the corners. A U-shaped or semi-oval bracket is hung on the heel of the beam or rail. Roller wheels are attached to the ends of the bracket, which should rotate around the fastening bolt and slide along the beam. A pin with a ring is cut into the lower part of the bracket, onto which the chain of the guard dog is put.
Rice. 65. Detail of a rigid circular checkpoint on brackets
1 - bracket, 2 - I-beam, or narrow-gauge rail, 3 - bracket with rollers, 4 - chain with carbine
The training of a guard dog is the same for all checkpoints.
Free guard. Free guarding is used to protect from the inside gardens, estates, poultry houses, and various premises with valuables (administration, warehouse, store, etc.) surrounded by a fence or high hedge.
Training begins after the dog develops distrust of strangers and refuses food and is carried out in an area surrounded by a fence. Having introduced the dog into the area, the trainer gives it freedom and gives the command “guard!” The assistant behind the fence makes noise, knocks, tries to climb over the fence, shows himself to the dog and finally steps on it. When the dog barks, the trainer runs up, commanding as he goes “guard, okay, guard!”, helps the dog and sets it on the assistant with the command “take!”. After several lessons, the dog itself will look for a stranger, sniff and bark at anyone who approaches the fence.
The pampering and mischief of children and adults who, passing by, needlessly tease the dog, should not be allowed.
The dog's vigilance is checked by rare, but always unexpected and at different times, appearances of the assistant in the protected area.
Free guarding by dogs of the territory of a large farm, enterprise, or warehouse enclosed by a fence is practiced in compartments (Fig. 66) running along the perimeter of the outer fence, for which an inner fence 2–5 m high is installed parallel to the outer fence, at a distance of at least 3–5 m from it. 2.5 m, usually half mesh. The length of each compartment is up to 100 m. A fence 2 m high is placed between the compartments, covered on top with sharpened pins, mesh or barbed wire. The entrance to the compartment for letting dogs in is cut in the middle of the inner fence in the form of a door that can be locked with a latch. Inside the dog's compartment they make a canopy or a three-walled booth.
Rice. 66. Compartment for free guarding
1 - external fence, 2 - barbed wire, 3 - mesh, 4 - internal fence, 5 - entrance to the compartment
Guard dogs placed in the compartments, trained to guard freely, prevent not only the entry of strangers into the territory of the farm, but also someone’s hidden departure from the territory, as well as the possibility of throwing any objects over the outer fence.
When guarding indoors, the guard dog is brought into the premises after finishing work. Before bringing the dog in, the trainer carefully inspects the room and makes sure that there are no pieces of food or poison for rodents left on the floor, that everything edible is removed and closed, that the room is ventilated, not heated, etc. A feeder and bedding for the dog are brought into the room .
During the first nights the dog works indoors, you should visit it several times and stop it when trying to get out of the room, gnawing and damaging things and furniture in it. Before being placed in such a position, the dog is taught to distrust all strangers, anger is developed in it, and refusal of food is reliably practiced.
They teach with an assistant, who at different times makes various rustles and knocks on the walls of the room, near the windows, from the attic, from the basement. Having made sure that the dog is alert and responds by barking when a stranger approaches the premises, the trainer directs the assistant inside from different entrances. Upon entering the room, the assistant seeks to attack the dog. At the moment of struggle, the dog barks at the assistant, the trainer enters, helps the dog and encourages it. Such classes are held as often as possible and always at different times. Then they are made more complex. The assistant, upon entering the room, offers the dog food, commands, and when attacked, becomes frightened by the dog and hides from it on tables, shelves and screams for help. The appearance of the trainer is accompanied by the detention of the assistant, taking him away and rewarding the dog.
If the dog retreats from the assistant who has appeared, is indifferent to him, takes food or follows his commands, the assistant angers him, inflicts light blows on him and gets the dog to grumble and bark, to which the trainer immediately appears.
The dog that guards the premises is fed after the service and 4–6 hours before being assigned to duty.
A young dog can be trained for guard duty using the imitation method. To do this, she is placed on a chain together with an adult working dog, close to the latter. Seeing the actions of an adult guard dog, the young one begins to participate in them, barking at those approaching the post. The trainer supports these actions of the young dog by giving him treats and allowing him to natter the helper more often. The final refinement of techniques with a young guard dog is carried out at the post.
When guarding unfenced areas with valuable crops (orchards, berry fields, melon fields, vineyards, nurseries, gardens with early vegetables), the guard keeps a trained guard dog with him, alerting him to the noises made by the assistant. When the dog closely monitors those approaching the protected area and barks at the assistant, the guard goes towards the approacher, holding the dog on a leash. To avoid being bitten by people who accidentally approach, the guard should not let the dog off the leash.
You can use a dog to detain a person, for example, a fleeing thief, only after warning three times with a whistle and a voice: “Stop! I’m letting the dog in!” Approach the person who has stopped with a dog on a leash.
During the night, the watchman walks around the protected area several times with the dog running freely. When it is thrown at a person found on the site, the watchman quickly approaches him and stops the dog’s attack.
A guard dog is of great help when guarding poultry houses, protecting birds not only from thieves, but also from predatory animals and birds. However, it must first be accustomed to an indifferent attitude towards poultry. The easiest way to do this is when the dog is still young, and first on one type of bird (for example, chickens, farm-bred chickens). When the dog is lying down, the trainer brings the bird and feeds it at a certain distance from the dog, which is gradually reduced by throwing food to the bird; sometimes, in front of the dog, he takes the bird in his hands, speaks to it affectionately and allows the bird to walk around the lying dog. The dog’s attempts to rush at the bird, grab it or press it with its paws are immediately stopped with the threatening command “no!” (“ugh!”), jerking the leash and slapping the dog. For a calm attitude towards the bird, he encourages him with his voice (“good!”) and gives him a treat. Then he conducts the same lesson in another place with 2-3 or more birds and achieves an indifferent attitude from the dog towards them.
During classes, the trainer sometimes scares the bird with a sharp wave of his hand or stamping his kogi, which flies up. The dog’s attack on the fluttering bird is stopped with a sharp command “no!” (“ugh!”) and a strong tug on the leash. A further complication of training is leaving the dog and birds alone. The trainer watches the dog from a hiding place and stops attempts to rush at the bird with a sharp shout of “no!” ("ugh!"). Subsequent classes are carried out without a leash or harness on the dog.
Having achieved a calm attitude between the dog and the bird, the trainer moves the training to the territory of the poultry farm, where he leads the dog through bird walks, leaving it among the birds, and observes its behavior. Only after the guard dog develops an indifferent attitude towards the bird does it begin to be transferred to guard the poultry farm.
You cannot feed your dog a dead bird that has not been feathered or a broken egg found on the farm.
To teach the farm birds to protect themselves from birds of prey, the trainer encourages the dog to attack crows and jackdaws: he throws stones and sticks at the crows, accompanying the dog’s barking and throwing with the command “good!”
The guard dog itself will look for predatory animals (fox, ferret), stray dogs and cats on the farm by smell and will attack them. She should not be prohibited from searching for a predator. A fight with a predator and its destruction raise the guard dog’s “interest” in service.
Training a guard dog to guard a vehicle (passenger car - from the inside, truck - from the platform) begins with practicing such techniques as distrust of strangers, refusal to feed, guarding on the command “guard!” In order to accustom the dog to the car, take several walks around the car with the engine off, then with the engine on. Then the trainer takes the dog on a car ride. The dog is seated near the open glass (window) of a passenger car or at the side of a truck in the direction of movement, towards the air flow. In the middle of the trip, the dog is allowed to walk freely for encouragement. The dog should not be fed before the trip. When riding on the platform of a truck, you must protect your dog from strong shocks and shocks.
A dog accustomed to a car willingly goes into it. The dog is lifted onto a truck with high sides by hand or taught to jump over the lowered side or climb up the ramp.
The trainer begins guarding training while he is in the car with the dog. An assistant approaching the car - a “stranger” - teases the dog, swings at it, opens the car door, tries to hit the dog, give it a treat, and shouts at it. The trainer sets the dog on the assistant, encourages its barking and attempts to grab it, while at the same time holding the dog and preventing it from jumping out of the car. The assistant runs away from a dog barking and rushing at him, leaves the car, returns again and teases the dog, repeating this 3-4 times. The trainer encourages a malicious attitude towards the assistant.
During the next lessons, the trainer leaves the dog alone in the car, alerting it with the command “guard!” The leash is attached so that the dog, angry with the assistant, does not jump out of the car. Subsequent classes are conducted with different assistants.
Later, when training to guard a passenger car, the dog, freed from the leash, is locked in the car, the trainer gives the command “guard!” and leaves. The assistant approaches the car, teases the dog with his sleeve through the open window of the car, gets him to bark and grab the sleeve, and runs away from the dog, first after the grab, then as soon as the dog barked at him and rushed towards him while trying to grab the door handle. The trainer who appears in response to the noise encourages the dog.
To train the dog to be alert in the car during the entire time the handler is away, helpers approach the car at different intervals.
Having made sure that the dog is reliably guarding the car, the trainer begins to accustom the dog to the driver or the owner of the car, for which he takes the dog for walks in his presence and allows him to feed the dog. Having achieved a good relationship between the dog and the driver, the trainer can leave the driver in his place.
To develop an indifferent attitude in dogs towards people passing by cars, the trainer should not encourage the dog to bark even in the first lessons. This will force the dog to lie calmly in the car and rush only at those who come close to it and grab the door handle.
When training to guard a truck, the dog is placed on a platform from which it barks at an assistant trying to climb onto the platform or standing on the fender of the vehicle towards the cab doors.
Guard dog training. To maintain a state of constant alertness of guard dogs at posts, and to consolidate the skills developed through training, scheduled and unannounced inspections of the dogs’ service are necessary. The time and procedure for inspections are coordinated with the administration of the farm and its security. Based on the results of the checks, classes with dogs that made mistakes are resumed. Periodically, all dogs undergo training sessions on special techniques for training guard dogs, especially such as alertness, refusal of offered or thrown food, distrust and anger towards strangers.
Standards for the work of guard dogs. The working hours of guard dogs at posts are determined by the work schedule of the farm. The duration of the dog's continuous stay at the post should not exceed 10 hours. On frosty days, depending on the air temperature and wind direction, this time for dogs to stand still is reduced by half or three times.
The behavior of guard dogs at posts is monitored by a guard on duty.
The use of a dog to apprehend an actual offender is permitted in the event of an attack on a guard, an attempt to escape from the scene of a crime, or during an escort. But even in these cases, before the dog is allowed to detain a person, a three-time warning with a whistle and voice is required: “Stop! I’m letting the dog in!”
The main thing in the work of guard dogs is the following.
1. Warn by barking (from a distance of at least 40 m) that a stranger is approaching the post, fight the intruder who comes close to the post, refuse the food offered by him and the execution of commands given to him.
2. Maintain attention and alertness during the entire time spent on duty in any conditions.
3. Don’t be afraid of shots, light flashes and various kinds of noise.
4. When standing guard freely, bark, attack and detain an intruder who has entered the protected territory (zone, compartment).
Man has long used to protect his home and property some innate behavioral characteristics of dogs, in particular the ability to protect his territory with everything that is on it. The most ancient and far from the best method of protection is the free guarding of human settlements by a pack of dogs. At the same time, dogs are left to their own devices, practically uncontrollable and can be dangerous not only for enemies, but also for guests. When confronted with an armed person, some of them inevitably receive serious injuries and even die, not knowing how to fight him correctly.
The most frightening of the ancient methods of home defense (you can’t even dare to call such a monstrous method security) existed in a period when every somewhat rich home was essentially a fortress. The territory was surrounded by a ditch, in which completely wild cannibal dogs lived, tearing up everything that fell into the ditch. At first glance, you couldn’t imagine more reliable security. However, these dogs are too embittered to try to act outside the box; they are straightforward to the extreme, and therefore it is easy to fight them - after all, a cold-blooded person can calculate all his actions in advance. For example, you can plant poisoned meat on dogs; you can simply ignore them and overcome the ditch using some technical means.
Despite all the obvious costs, this method is so captivating in its simplicity of execution that it has survived to this day. True, it underwent a metamorphosis directly according to Khoja Nasreddin: in order to build a minaret, he advised digging a well and then turning it inside out. The successors of this idea, fans of guard dog breeding, “turned out” the medieval ditch and got security corridor. Now this method looks like this: the perimeter of the protected object is surrounded by a double fence, divided into compartments, in which dogs often live in pairs, less often - alone. Sometimes they are so evil that no one dares to come to them; food and water are served to them through a special door. Here these unfortunate “beasts” spend almost their entire lives, and the most evil of them leave the corridor only after death. To provide veterinary care, some of them have to be euthanized, like wild animals in a zoo.
Security corridor diagram (top view)Is it worth talking about the vulnerability of this method of protection: dogs can be poisoned; you can walk through the corridor from above, etc. Barking dogs, as a rule, little disturbs the inhabitants of the protected facility, since the animals tend to burst into angry roars even when someone just passes nearby.
Another old way of using a guard dog has still been preserved - on a chain. And one can only wonder how such an ineffective version of security has survived to this day! Judge for yourself. A dog tied on a chain is able to work in a very limited area. The chain gets tangled and can throw a jumping dog back; it is extremely inconvenient for the animal. Only a very experienced dog that has spent half its life on a chain can lure a careless intruder into throwing range and get him. A more adventurous young dog, rushing, immediately shows the length of the chain stretched to the limit, after which it remains to carefully avoid him. Even if the dog is tied under the door itself, it is quite easy to enter it - after all, the animal is completely defenseless against weapons. Poisoning a chained dog is also not difficult. The only thing that a chain "polkan" can be useful for is its frenzied barking: someone must wake up the owners when they have uninvited guests.
Leashing a dog on a chain is ineffective Another important circumstance: dogs chained in early youth are not formed correctly - their muscles and bones of the hind limbs develop poorly, they do not receive proper training. There is also no need to talk about upbringing: once the owners have decided to tether the dog, they are unlikely to take the time for serious training or long walks. Meanwhile, by refusing to train a chain dog, owners are making a big mistake. It is in the corridor that you can use very vicious, but not brilliant animals. A dog working on a chain that interferes with it must be able to attack: if it attacks the intruder head-on, it will certainly lose. She needs to be taught evasiveness, proper strong grip, and the ability to avoid weapons.
If you really can’t do without a leash, then it’s better to use it for this purpose. checkpoint The dog is tied on a relatively short chain, sliding along a cable raised above the ground, due to which the radius of its movement increases, and the chain does not get tangled and does not interfere with the fastest actions. It is difficult for an intruder to understand how far the dog can reach. The checkpoint structure is described below. ( see checkpoint design diagram). A properly made structure is inconspicuous and does not disfigure the area of the site (it can be placed in a garden or park and used without much harm to grass and other plants). Several checkpoints along the periphery of the site perfectly replace the security corridor, but it is much more difficult to overcome them.
However, even with this method of guarding, the dog is still vulnerable to poison; in addition, with a certain skill, the animal can be secured by a chain. The dog must be taught how to properly fight a person, especially an armed one. Such training requires contact with the owner, which means sufficient obedience. After all, blocks are often used to guard objects at night, and during the day the dogs are removed and given the opportunity to rest in enclosures. Naturally, only a disciplined dog that recognizes the authority of the owner can be removed from the block.
Despite a number of shortcomings, the checkpoint turns out to be a fairly reliable and convenient way to protect the territory and is now very common.
Free guard- one of the most complex and at the same time most effective methods of protection. Only a sufficiently intelligent, well-trained, disciplined and well-managed dog is suitable for this.
The advantages of free guard duty are obvious. There is no need to fence off structures or tethering devices. The dog can be anywhere in the area at any time, which undoubtedly irritates the intruder, and therefore weakens his readiness to repel the dog’s attack. The attacking dog is not fixed by anything, it is almost impossible to catch it. As a result, the risk of injury from firearms or bladed weapons is minimized.
However, the danger of dog poisoning remains. True, this threatens a smart, well-trained dog to a much lesser extent. For example, you can train an animal to eat only in one place. You can train him to bark at food before taking a piece. The method is not bad, but you must admit that it is not very convenient to run outside every time the dog barks.
Most effective pair free guarding. A pair of dogs in a collision with a person or even several people is practically invulnerable. Dogs working in pairs get tired of guarding much less than dogs who work alone, who have to be constantly under tension. True, the pair requires more subtle training, and each dog is trained differently, but this is what makes their attack irresistible.
The main disadvantage of this method of protection, the danger of poisoning, can be avoided by training the animals accordingly. You can, in addition, use a small and nimble mongrel, which is not specially fed, as a detector of poisoned baits. Keeping such a four-legged “kamikaze” is to a certain extent cruel, but, in the end, any guard dog risks its life.
Completely weaning a dog from picking up food from the ground is every owner’s dream. With the help of such technical means as a radio-controlled collar, etc., you can achieve some success. But the costs of these “successes” are obvious: a dog that is afraid to pick up food on its territory feels insecure. This uncertainty becomes an integral part of behavior, which leads to uncertainty in one’s abilities in general, that is, to uncertainty in battle. In addition, an animal experiencing constant stress will die quite early due to some disease. So it’s better to give up the idea of training your dog so that it doesn’t pick up anything from the ground at all on its property.
But it is possible and necessary to wean off taking food on someone else’s territory. This skill is included in the dog’s initial training program and is developed, although not without difficulty, by every sufficiently persistent owner. Needless to say, how relevant is the habit of not collecting food from the ground in the city, where dogs can be poisoned not only by food waste in numerous landfills, but also by swallowing bait intended by the sanitary and epidemiological station for rats and crows.
The pinnacle of a guard dog's specialization is, without a doubt, bodyguard companion. Here the training is brought to perfection, the dog must be both socially acceptable and an excellent weapon of defense for the owner. Let us immediately emphasize two limitations: such work requires high intelligence; but even the most gifted dog will not be able to be an ideal bodyguard until it is fully grown, that is, until it reaches two years of age, and dogs of large, slow-maturing breeds - 2.5 years.
A bodyguard dog must be able to instantly make a decision in the most difficult, rapidly changing situation, identify sounds, movements, objects that pose a threat to the owner, and not react to what is not relevant. An indispensable condition is the calm attitude of such a dog towards strangers, as long as they do not threaten the owner or herself; indifference to other animals, no matter how provocative or attractive their behavior may be. A bodyguard who gets involved in dog fights or chases bitches in heat is worthless.
The four-legged bodyguard does not react to the bustle of the crowd on the street, but is constantly on the alert: even if the dog knows the owner’s friends, has seen them hundreds of times, he still watches their actions and is ready to block the development of any conflict instantly. At the same time, he is perfectly controllable, the owner can stop his attack: for example, the owner decided to mess with his friends in front of the dog. She, seeing this as a threat, intervenes, but steps aside at the first command. True, there is no point in playing such games in front of the dog - there is absolutely no point in accustoming him to the idea that an attack on the owner can be “for fun.” It is possible that the owner may be provoked into such games on purpose in order to protect himself from the dog.
A properly trained bodyguard reacts not to a standard situation or to the location of an attack, but to the threat itself. It happens that dogs trained to work in standard conditions can attack a person only on a special training ground or “fight” with everyone who wears padded jackets, because the “training” offender is dressed exactly like that.
Of course, it is impossible to train a bodyguard dog on your own. The owner will need the help of a professional, but he can and should do a lot himself.
The second indispensable condition is strong chain. Chains with links twisted from wire are extremely unreliable: the metal easily breaks at the place of the twists. Either ordinary chains with welded links (like well chains) or with links threaded one into the other are suitable. Only welded or solid tether rings are reliable. The length of the chain should not exceed 5 m, otherwise it will get tangled. It is especially important that the chain combines strength and light weight. It happened to see dogs put on a chain weighing almost half the guards themselves. The poor fellows weren’t so much guarding the facility as they were doing weightlifting!
The chain is tied to a metal pipe or to a strong pole. You cannot attach a chain to the booth - sooner or later the dog will pull the booth out of place. Level leashes should be in line with the dog’s back (in a standing position) - then during sudden movements the stretched chain will not tip the dog over backwards.
A dog on a leash definitely needs shelter. Next to the leash, you can make a canopy that protects from sun rays and rain, and place a booth under it. However, “well-dressed” dogs rarely use the kennel - they are already warm. The booth itself should not be too spacious so that the animal can heat it with its body heat. It is quite enough if the dog fits there, curled up in a ball; The height of the booth should approximately correspond to the height of the dog at the withers.
Gaps in the walls of the booth are not allowed; It is better to make the roof removable so that it is convenient to clean the inside and, if necessary, disinfect it or treat it against insects. The roof can be flat or sloped, but not gable: many dogs prefer to guard the territory by lying on the roof of the booth. The floor must be raised from the ground and placed on a solid foundation - this way it will not become damp. The entrance is shifted to the side so that the booth is not too exposed to the wind; It is advisable to also make a wind deflector. It’s a good idea to put a threshold that would prevent the dog from pulling out the bedding. It is best to use straw and dry tree leaves as bedding in cold weather; Hay is the least suitable for these purposes - it quickly turns into dust and rots. When kept outdoors, a kennel turns out to be one of the obligatory elements of arranging a normal life for a dog.
It should be remembered that the normal position of the dog is lying down. If she doesn’t run, she lies down and watches her surroundings, so you need to make a shield in front of the booth. Looking ahead, let's say that boards for lying down are needed both in the security corridor and at the post: the dog should not roll in the mud.
Construction of a security corridor not difficult. Its outer wall is usually the fence of the territory. The outer wall of the corridor must be blank so that the dogs are not teased and the poisoned piece cannot be thrown to them, and strong so that the animals do not escape outside. The interior wall can be made of reinforced mesh or chain-link mesh. The height of both the outer and inner walls is at least 2 m. To prevent dogs from jumping over the walls, bump stops facing inward are installed. Another bumper, but turned outward, will prevent the intruder from crossing the corridor.
The width of the corridor is 2-4 m. The entire corridor is divided into compartments 50-70 m long by special partitions, preferably solid ones. Mesh partitions provoke dogs from neighboring compartments to sort things out and distract them from the main task. Please note that dogs can break their teeth on the mesh and even manage to inflict quite serious injuries on each other.
1) tin canopy 2) bumper made of welded rods 3) barbed wire fence Options for fenders on the fence wall The compartment is made in such a way that the dog can see it completely along its entire length, that is, on curved areas the compartments should be shorter. Each compartment is equipped with its own door so that in case of unforeseen circumstances you can quickly enter any dog. The door must open inward. You can provide a separate small hatch in the door for supplying food and water.
If dogs are constantly kept in the corridor, a kennel is required, and when they are kept for part of the day, at least a canopy should be installed. It is also necessary to do everything to prevent dogs from undermining the walls of the corridor. To do this, you can fill their base with cement mortar or dig a mesh horizontally.
To prevent the corridor from turning into a moat of mud during rains, you need to fill it with crushed stone or concrete it. By the way, in a concreted corridor there is no need to be afraid of tunnels at all. But it is better not to use asphalt for this purpose - in the heat it releases volatile carcinogenic resins.
Roadblock diagram Checkpoint they usually do this. At a distance of 30-50 m from each other, two metal pipes, channels or similar supports are dug deep; their base must be filled with concrete. A wire rod is pulled between the supports so that it does not sag. It is best to pull the wire at the level of the dog’s withers or slightly higher (at a height of 0.7-1.0 m). If the wire creates inconvenience for people to move around the area, you can raise it to a greater height, but you should not lay it on the ground - the chain will move with difficulty, and the dog may injure its paws.
A slider, consisting of a pair of bearings and a loop for attaching a carabiner, slides along the wire. The chain is attached to the block only by means of a slider, but not through a ring: constant friction causes even the most massive ring to fray. It is impossible to predict at what moment it will burst, but it will definitely happen. The length of the chain for actually tethering the dog is no more than 2-3 m.
In the working area of the block, nothing should interfere with the movement of the dog. A shade canopy is installed next to one of the supports. In a row of blocks, work areas do not overlap, so as not to provoke fights between dogs. The passages between work areas are made invisible to strangers.
For free standing guard The territory is planned so that dogs cannot enter restricted areas. When creating a landscape, it should be taken into account that even the smartest dog, in the heat of work, will not distinguish where the owner’s favorite flowers grow, and may run right over them. A freely working dog should not be wearing a harness or collar: you should not give an attacker a chance to catch the dog. If the area is too open, it is worth installing a couple of canopies.
Both during free guard duty and when working at a checkpoint, it is most convenient to keep the dog in an enclosure during non-working hours. She should feel comfortable there. The enclosure must be strong enough so that the dog cannot escape.
Checkpoint equipment details 
Scheme of the enclosure for the middle zone and northern regions There are many different aviary designs. The choice of one or the other depends on local conditions and the availability of building materials. The most common enclosure is 2 x 3 m in area. The roof is pitched (the front wall is higher than the back), the floor has a slight forward slope, concrete or plank; front wall made of rod or mesh. Chain-link mesh is the least suitable for building an enclosure, since dogs can unravel it quite easily, breaking their teeth in the process. The use of galvanized mesh is unacceptable. The best option is reinforcing mesh: it is easy to install, durable, and will not harm the dog’s teeth.
The concrete floor is covered with wooden boards to prevent the dog from lying in the cold. Removable wooden panels facilitate cleaning and, if necessary, disinfestation and disinfection. At the back of the enclosure, a cabin is installed or a booth with a wind deflector is installed. The height of the back should be such that a person can stand without bending. The walls are made of durable material without cracks: the guard dog is not afraid of frost, but it can catch a cold in a draft even in the summer heat. The roof will protect the animal from direct sunlight and rain.
Dog Feeding Stand Options In the middle zone, the front wall of the enclosure should be oriented to the southeast or east - then the dog will be dry and warm. When oriented to the south, the entrance must be shaded; when oriented to the west, a wind deflector should be placed in front of the enclosure. With the northern orientation of the front wall, the enclosure usually turns into a dank, semi-dark crypt. The enclosure door should only open inward. Otherwise, the owner risks getting hit by the door: jumping out, the dog will not wait for him to step aside. The latch must have a lock - this will not allow the dog to open it from the inside.
With any method of guarding, the dog constantly needs clean water. You can get by with a bowl, but it is much more convenient to pour water into a bucket suspended at the level of the dog’s chest. The water will remain clean; You cannot turn the container over or deliberately throw out the water with your paws, which young dogs often do out of boredom. There should also be water in the enclosure (in winter they give it clean snow instead).
It is not always convenient to feed a dog where it works - a well-fed animal is inactive. Dogs working at a checkpoint and free guard are fed in a residential enclosure an hour after finishing work. Dogs that are tethered and live in the hallway are fed directly at work stations. For feeding, aluminum, metal or cast iron bowls are used, mounted on special stands so that they cannot be knocked over.
