Dog Health Questions: Dog training question?

Hey,

I'm going to buy a dog soon, it's going to be a pit bull, although I want him to be kind of a guard dog too, I don't want him to suddenly bark at my neighbours or relatives or something, I'd rather have that I just teach him normal things not guard related, but get him to bark or defend when i am asking him too and necessary?
Is that possible? :P

Thanks

The Importance of Dog Training

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Probably not on the barking. A dog's hearing is infinitely better than our own. When they bark at a noise outside, they are not misbehaving. They are alerting you, the pack leader, someone is encroaching on your/his territory. Time and again I see people yell at their dog to be quiet. What you end up with is a barking dog and a screaming human.

When my dog hears something and barks, I get up and look out the window, and then praise him for a job well done. He alerts, I check it out, he stops barking.

A pit bull may not be the best choice for your first dog. That is a lot of power control and maintain leadership over.

Just FYI unless you're talking police-dog level defend dogs naturally protect their master. If you are serious about an "attack on command" dog you will need formal training and use certain command words in a different language. That is to make sure your dog doesnt go for blood when just any person says the word attack.

good luck

Dog Training Aids - 8 Reasons You Should Cage Train Your Dog

• Any dog can bark and with some training you can certainly teach a dog to bark on command or in certain situations. But the "defend" thing is way beyond the skills of a typical dog owner. This is the kind of thing that gets a dog euthanized, because NO dog owner is skilled enough to train defensive behavior properly - all the typical dog owner will get is an aggressive animal. Period.
  
  Guarding and defensive behaviors are taught BY professionals, and only to certain types of dogs (IE dogs with the right temperament) with certain types of handlers.
  
  Please be a responsible pet owner and make sure to train and socialize your dog properly. Don't get involved with teaching "guarding" behaviors or jump on the "i wanna teach my dog to defend me" bandwagon. It won't end well for you OR the dog.


• It's completely possible. You can have a respectful, nice, loving dog that can tell friend from foe and guard you fiercely. It may require classes, or a professional dog trainer, and can be quite pricey, but I've seen many dogs with those qualities and a few were simply born like that. Google it and you'll come up with many articles for you to try yourself.


• A puppy who is not house trained cannot sleep in your bedroom, who wants puppies peeing on their carpets? Regardless of the breed, after a puppy is house trained/toilet trained if it sleeps in your bedroom he will will alert you if any strangers approach your house.
  Any would be intruders come prepared to kill a dog which lives outside and you won't stand a chance of defending yourself.
  
  Love your new dog, take it for long walks and play with it and he will love you back. But if you want to be protected if must live in your house. Your dog will warn you if anyone is near to your house and you can phone for help.