The average threat takes place from 12 to 20 feet away. It takes a perpetrator 2 seconds to cover that distance. When you first become aware of a threat your brain requires 5/8 of a second to process it and formulate a response. That leaves a little more than 1.3 seconds to respond. You still need to call your dog to your side and give the command to “turn on” (show aggression). Unless your dog is already by your side, you’re out of time.
If you were so lucky to have your dog by your side when you are threatened, and your dog is traditionally trained, you have the time to turn him or her on. If you were properly educated you would know to keep your dog by your side as long as possible. Once your dog leaves your side you’re vulnerable to a second or third person. Seldom do attackers act alone.
Your dog is now lunging towards the threat while you’re holding him or her back. In other words, you’re standing still trying to hold back a 65 to 95 lbs dog as you try to evade the threat. Not easy, nor wise. In effect, you make yourself a target.
Our Elite Family and Estate Protection Dog program have always solved that problem with our “Secure” exercise which allows for complete off-leash control when you have to turn your dog on to a threat. This allows you to move away from the threat, and create distance, all with your dog “turned on” at your side.
We are now offering a viable solution to this problem within our Executive Protection Dog program. As of August of 2018 all CPI dogs trained in our Executive Protection Dog program will be taught the “Protective Escape” exercise. That exercise enables you to have your dog turned on without pulling. That same command will instruct him or her to walk backwards by your side while remaining turned on. Just another way we position you to have optimal protection.