Uncompromising Selection Testing

Tarheel Canine’s Elite Protection Dog program begins with either a telephone consultation or a visit to the client’s home to determine the best match for our clients in terms of choice of breed, and training program. The biggest problem in purchasing a protection dog is whether the dog will be a good match, temperamentally, for the clients based on their lifestyle. The clients must be able to properly handle the dog, and the temperament must be a good match, based on the dog’s sociability and activity level.

Once the evaluation is complete, Mr. Bradshaw will hand select a dog for the client on one of his many buying trips to Europe. Many sellers of personal protection dogs have the dogs shipped to them from Europe without prior inspection, though they claim to travel to Europe regularly. Once an inferior dog arrives in the US it is expensive to send it back, so these dogs are often sold despite their flaws to save money. Tarheel Canine does not rely on a foreign vendor, who knows nothing of your situation to select a dog for our clients, period. We never turn over the process to a foreign vendor. Either Jerry Bradshaw himself or his head trainer, go to Europe and physically select the dog for the client. Quality begins with uncompromising selection testing.

Choosing a Breed

In terms of breed, the clear choice is either a German Shepherd Dog or a Belgian Malinois. There is a reason these 2 breeds, and these 2 breeds alone comprise an estimated 99% of the police service dogs in use throughout the world. Do not be fooled by breeders, trying to convince you that other breeds are just as formidable, or workable as these two breeds, that dominate all of the world’s police service dogs and protection sports events. While it is true that occasionally other breeds can fit the bill, as we like to say, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while!

 

In our professional opinion, the German Shepherd Dog is the overwhelming choice for personal protection dogs. Occasionally, we will choose a Belgian Malinois, but unless the client is extremely active, the dog will be handled by a professional handler on a PSD team, the handler has an orientation to do sport competition training with the dog, or the chosen Malinois has the proper individual temperament to suit the client’s needs, we will recommend the German Shepherd. It is in general are the better all-around family dog in terms of temperament for home living, and work quality. It is the perfect balance.

Titled Dogs and Pedigrees

When selecting a dog, there is an additional consideration that may affect the transaction. Dogs that come from Europe, untrained for police service or personal protection duties, are either referred to as a “green” dog or a “titled” dog. A green dog is a young adult that has only been taught some basic foundation training, and has the proper temperament and character necessary to do the work. A titled dog is one that has been trained and certified under an impartial judge in a protection sport like schutzhund, IPO, SVV, ZVV, KNPV, or Ring Sport. These are competitive dog sports that test a dog’s training in obedience, tracking, and controlled protection routines. It is important to note that just because a dog has such a title, it doesn’t mean the dog is ready to be a protection dog or a police dog. There is much more training that must be done to ensure the dog will do the job he will be expected to do once in the client’s home.

Tarheel Canine’s Elite Protection Dogs can be either green dogs or titled dogs when they start, depending on availability. We do not charge more for titled dogs, because in most cases the functions the dog has are not useful in a personal protection dog. If the customer must have a titled dog in a specific discipline, with specific scores, or a dog with a particular breeding line, we will reserve the right to charge more than our standard fee.