How To Train a Pit Bull to Be a Guard Dog in 4 Vet-Reviewed Steps

So, you want to train your Pit Bull to be a guard dog. This is no small task, and you may need to invest a decent amount of time and patience, focusing on positive reinforcement in order to achieve your desired goal. In some cases, help from a certified behaviorist may be recommended. However, keep in mind your individual dog’s temperament, as not all dogs will enjoy or excel at this role.

Using a reward system alongside your patience and consistency, many dogs can be taught to alert to the presence of strangers, while some will become excellent guard dogs. This greatly depends on the amount of time and training you are able to set aside. Here is your step-by-step guide to help you and your dog reach that goal.

The 4 Steps to Train a Pit Bull to Be a Guard Dog

1. Basic Obedience Training

During each training session, the dog should give you their undivided attention. You will need to teach basic commands. Using hand signals and commands, it should know to sit, stay, and come. They should reliably respond to your commands the majority of the time. When teaching your dog basic commands, it should also know automatic commands. For instance, the dog should automatically sit in front of you when it comes to you. The dog should learn to “leave it” and “bark” on command. This type of training will take time, patience, and dedication, and should start from a puppy's age. Use positive reinforcement to associate the outcome of each command with a praise or a treat. Never do raining sessions for too long, especially with puppies, as they lose focus quickly. Generally, 10–20 minutes several times per day will suffice, and make sure you play with them first to burn off some excess energy.

2. Socialization

You should begin to socialize your Pit Bull puppy between seven and 12 weeks old. It should get accustomed to meeting strange animals and people. This will prevent it from becoming reactive, fearful or aggressive with every person and animal it sees. The dog should not be allowed to chase other animals or female dogs in heat.

Regular walks in different environments on a leash will help your pup get acquainted with its environment, the noises from the neighborhood, and traffic sounds.

Teach your pit bull to interact properly with children in the household, other pets, and all family members under supervision. They should respect all others in their environment. You want to be sure that the dog sees interaction with people in a positive way. People should mean toys, treats, love, and belly rubs.

3. Barking on Command

Teach your Pit Bull to alert and bark at a stranger from a safe distance without engaging in any way. You may need to get someone to help you with this lesson. Some dogs have difficulty learning to bark on command. Here are the steps to train your dog to bark on command first.

• Tell your dog to stand/stay.
• Hold your dog’s favorite toy in front of them but out of their reach.
• Tell it to “speak.”
• When it gets frustrated because it cannot have the toy, your dog may bark. Give it the toy and praise it. This can be difficult to teach and may leave you frustrated. Some dogs will bark immediately, and others will just give up the toy. Always ensure that the dog’s frustration doesn’t escalate into anxiety or undesirable behavior. It’s crucial to use positive reinforcement, not punishment, at any stage.
• Repeat the command with a different toy. You should reward the dog with a treat every time it responds. It also gets the toy!
• When they stop barking, say quiet and reward them with a treat. Make sure to reward and praise the moment the dog stops barking so they can make the connection between the command "quiet" and the reward.
• Do the commands “speak” and “quiet” several times a day for 10 days. The sessions should be in five-minute intervals. Hopefully, this will do the trick.

Remember, not all dogs are quick at learning this command. Yours may be one of them. Be patient and consistent. However, it’s essential to note that the training should also focus on controlling the barking to prevent excessive or inappropriate barking. The dog should learn to stop barking on command once it has alerted you, to avoid nuisance barking.

Pay attention to your dogs’ natural tendencies. Some dogs bark naturally and need to be taught to stop barking on command. After one or two barks, tell it to sit and stop. If your dog continues, tell it to get “down.” This will make it harder for your dog to bark.

4. Test the Dog’s Alert Bark

If you have achieved the barking command, you'll need to test it on someone else. Have a friend or family member ring the doorbell or knock on the door. Command your pit bull to bark. Give it a treat each time it responds.

Practice makes perfect. Continue to practice with your family member until the dog makes the association. Eventually, you can teach your dog to respond automatically to the knock or doorbell instead of the “bark” command. It's essential to make sure your dog is comfortable with the sound before using it in training so that it doesn’t become anxious or overly excited. Avoid them getting overwhelmed or excited at the doorbell or knock, as it may lead to excessive barking in turn.

Once your dog learns to alert you to something or someone at the door, tell it “Quiet” and give it a treat if it stops barking.

Conclusion

There you have it. This step-by-step guide will help you train your dog to respond to basic commands so it can learn to alert and guard you and your home in four straightforward steps. Remember to be patient and use positive reinforcement. Consider it a bonding experience for you and your pet. Happy training!!

• See also: How to Train a Pitbull: Expert Tips

Featured Image Credit: otsphoto, Shutterstock