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We're aware of that. Sometimes we shoot these videos on the fly with an iPhone, and the sound pick-up is terrible. We'll be sure to be better equipped with a good mic so you can hear things clearer. Thanks for checking out our videos.

Genetics can’t be taught or trained. Some dogs are gifted in this area, some are less so. I would recommend seeing the puppy before purchasing him, or have someone you trust (who knows working dogs well) see the dog on your behalf. If the puppy shows no interest in playing with toys/retrieving, then he likely will have little interest in them as an adult. For a working dog to train into a protection dog, the best trait in a puppy is the desire to play with toys/fetch. This is referred to a ‘prey-drive’.

Dogs that have high prey drive (like your Chi-Pom) are easy to train an develop into protection dogs, however they also need confidence (which your Chi-Pom lacks). Confidence is achieved through proper socialization and structure provided through obedience training.

Keep in mind the liability involved with having a protection dog in your house is the same as owning a gun. That dog better not bite someone without fair justification in the eyes of the law. 90% of the time, the presence of a dog alone deters most people. The remaining 9.9% will likely shy away from a barking dog, particularly a dog that barks on command especially in an aggressive manner.

This video shows the basics of teaching a young dog (with high prey-drive) to bark at an object. Note that a 6 month old puppy is not capable of protecting you emotionally or physically. He will grow into that in time of course.

I’d recommend contacting a protection trainer in your local area who uses prey-based protection training techniques (rather than defensive techniques). Defensive protection training basically teaches a dog to gain confidence by acting aggressive. This technique can potentially create unstable dogs (especially if it’s not done properly). The essence behind this approach to training is to threaten a dog with visual displays (posturing or threats) and running away when the dog shows any aggressive response. If the dog feels threatened, he may react aggressively in other situations too.

The puppy above is being taught aggression through the use of prey-stimulation (chasing moving objects). His barking is strictly a symptom of his frustration (he can’t get his toy). With a defensive approach to training, the dog is usually taught that barking will deter a threat. Eventually this puppy will learn to protect amidst an aggressive threat, he’s just not emotionally ready yet. This is no different than with a 5-6 year old child. They’re not ready for confrontation, however they can still learn sparring skills.