Not just protection dogs, you can consider these canines living, breathing security systems that can protect you almost anywhere plus sleep in your bed.
Kim Greene breeds and trains elite personal protection canines that are more like personal bodyguards than your typical guard dogs. At $125,000 each, they are much more than a pet and personal protection dog.
Greene breeds the dogs on a 167-acre ranch in Livingston, Montana. However, these are not purebred dogs. Rather, she breeds a cross of German, Dutch, and Belgian shepherds for their temperaments rather than aggressive nature.
The German shepherd line allows them to make great family pets while the Belgian line evokes a strong work ethic and high tenacity. The Dutch shepherd tops it all off with a little of everything-temperament, drive, and determination.
“We want to ensure the health of the dog long term—purebreds do not hold up in nature, and we’re not trying to get into the Kennel Club,” she says, “Those three lines, in general, are all highly workable, protective and eager to please their owner.”
Her company, Svalinn (which means a protective shield in Norse mythology), was formed after she returned stateside from Kenya where she purchased a protection dog. She purchased the dog to protect the family home and preferred the peace of mind the dog gave her over owning a gun or security system:
“It works when the power goes off, or when there’s no water. And unlike a firearm, it can’t be used against you.”
At Svalinn, puppies begin their training at the tender age of 8-weeks-old. They go through thousands of hours of training for two years. The training focuses on sharpening their mental and physical faculties as well as psychological training.
What sets them apart from other protection dogs is the focus on training the dogs to recognize human biological rhythms and hormone spikes that are associated with danger before any violence occurs. Hence, the dogs specialize in recognizing danger before violence happens. Of course, they are also trained to attack, if needed:
“Aggression is the least important part. You can train any dog in the universe to bite, if necessary, but that is not the appeal of what we do,” she explains, likening her dogs to a special forces operator. “You know the guy—he’s lovable, and volunteering at church, and has perfect manners, but he also has a very deeply ingrained skillset.”
When purchasing a Svalinn dog, the dog is hand-delivered to the client, who receives days of training with their new dog. Buyers also get an annual refresher training course. The dogs are capable of living almost anywhere and along with providing great protection, enjoy being family pets.
Please share these remarkable dogs with your family and friends.
Leave a Reply