Cane Corsos will usually adopt well to being a guard dog naturally. It’s important to train them to be obedient. Here is how:

Many dogs are natural watch dogs; their bark is sufficient to alert their owner to something unusual, and the alarm they set up is a deterrent. In addition, dogs who will fight if their owner is genuinely attacked do not have to be made aggressive to do so. Dog Training  specifically to be a guard dog is hazardous and potentially creates a liability for you. Misguided attempts to make a dog aggressive through abuse will only backfire because the dog will not be loyal to someone who treats them harshly, and if the dog wrongly bites someone you will be at fault. Never train dogs who are basically fearful or out of control. Such dogs may not respond appropriately in non-threatening situations.

A Cane Corso should not be selected to receive training as a guard dog unless the dog is basically friendly, stable and clear-headed, and has been socialized well.

1

Socialize your Cane Corso dog puppy from the start. Dogs should acquire a clear understanding of what is normal and what is not, so that they are not fearful and they know when there is a genuine threat. To socialize puppies, take them places with you, and allow them to meet and interact with as many other people and animals as possible, always taking care to keep your puppy safe from negative experiences. Dogs in strange or new environments may sometimes be a little fearful, if they haven’t been well socialized, and this can create a dog who bites from fear or who runs when confronted with anything unusual.

2

Enroll your Cane Corso dog puppy in as soon as possible. It is essential that your German shepherd dog is obedient at all times, but if you want to undertake guard dog training, the need for control becomes imperative. Even though the purpose behind the training is serious, dogs should enjoy obedience work and look on it as fun. Positive reinforcement, the practice of rewarding dogs when they perform correctly rather than punishing them for mistakes, serves multiple purposes by teaching dogs obedience, bonding them with their owners and letting them have fun. It also fulfills their need to work.

3

Teach your German shepherd dog to stop barking on command. Begin by teaching your dog to “Speak” on command, and give a treat and much praise for barking. Next, use a command such as “Quiet” or “Enough.” Give immediate praise and a small treat when the dog is quiet. This training eventually gives you control over the dog’s bark. Have your dog sit while barking. Cane Corso dogs are intelligent and will normally learn quickly.

4

When your dog barks at strangers encourage them when they come to your house. You can develop this trait by making a show of going to see why the dog is barking, offering praise, then giving the “Quiet” or “Enough” command. React positively when your Cane Corso dog alerts you to unfamiliar people or objects at home, but do not allow this behavior to develop away from home. Your dog should be unconcerned about neutral or friendly strangers you meet when you are out walking.

5

Build your dog’s alertness at home by having people the dog doesn’t know act as though they are trying to get into your home or yard. When your Cane Corso dog barks, the intruder should look at the dog and then flee while you hold and praise your dog. Do not allow your pet to chase the fleeing stranger. Praise your dog highly for letting you know someone was in your territory, and stop the barking as soon as the person flees. This strengthens the dog’s confidence.

6

Walk your Cane Corso dog on a leash around the perimeter of your property regularly to identify your territorial boundaries. Do not allow your dog to bark at people who are outside your property. Do not allow your dog to chase people under any circumstances.

Why We Do Not Use E-Collars

We all want results when we begin dog training and some may try to convince us that E-collars work well. in 99% of the cases, we will NOT use E-collars to train our dogs. We feel that dogs are results-driven, we’re looking for the quickest and most efficient ways to achieve those goals. But how we chose to get there, will make a world of difference for the dog and for his relationship with his owner. E-collars can sometimes be effective in stopping problematic behaviors, in the short run, but can also have many side effects that could be worse than the behaviors they’re trying to address. I’ve been training dogs for so long, I have used shock collars before and I understand the reasons why people use them.

I have read many reports advocating for the use of e-collars. E-collars are sometimes compared to Their advocates have claimed they are a gentle and perfectly appropriate teaching tool; leading to a happier dog and contributing to enhancing the relationship between dogs and owners.

As much as I believe that today’s e-collars are meant to be safe in normal uses, we feel they may also cause some fear-driven behaviors as a bi-product of this method. The reason why e-collars can be effective is that they are so unpleasant that the dog will think twice before repeating the behavior that got punished. We have seen many dogs shocked by other trainers that end up with us and their aggressive behavior is not gone its just hidden, we then notice other behaviors like crouching and fear-based behaviors when the previous trainer was shocking the dog.

I have seen these devices work, however, I have also watched many dogs get stimulated for no reason at all. Many dog owners will not trigger the device at the right time and therefore will not create the intended behavior modification. They may stimulate the dog by accident, thus making the unpleasant sensation random and unavoidable.

Even in the best of worlds, if only experts were to use such devices, I would still choose to stay away from them. With today’s advances in animal behavior science, we can no longer accept the simplistic interpretations of so-called dominant/aggressive reactions. Most aggressive behaviors are emotional responses to what is considered a threat to what they value, including their own safety. So punishing in any way will only increase the underlying fear. If we apply a very strong inhibitor, we will stop the behavior, but we haven’t taught our companion that the situation is safe, on the contrary, we have just made it worse. The quick fix now has the potential to create even more problems down the road. The dog may one day put teeth on the intruder without prior warning since barking or growling has been inhibited.

When it comes to training the dog to come when called or stay on a property (in the case of invisible fences), the application of punishment, even when effectively used, also has side effects, as it will also generate stress and negative emotions about the situation itself. Those dogs will continue to show signs of stress anytime the owner is present, even outside of the training situation A relaxed dog that is not on the constant lookout for an unpleasant feeling will be less likely to display many problematic behaviors, including those we’re trying to stop.

 

E-collars can Create Fear in Dogs That Is Not Easy To Reverse

Technology can often support our training and give us quicker results, but let’s make sure of its positive effect on the dog before we adopt it.

We need to step away from the old disproven belief that dogs learn best when shown who’s boss through means of punishment and examine the true effects of e-collars. Since our understanding of canine psychology has vastly increased over the past 10-15 years and has given us more effective ways to treat behavior or training issues, we can no longer justify the use of e-collars. Such devices have been shown to affect the dog’s well-being as well as our relationship with them. Like many others today I never want to use e-collars again.