Home Land Security

Ever since 9/11 and the explosive growth of crime in our cities and neighborhoods, concerned and frightened citizens everywhere have been increasingly interested in protecting their property, and more importantly, those they love.

Modern technology has provided an array of solutions however one of the best-kept secrets can be found nestled among 25 acres in Aiken, South Carolina where the ultimate solution for “home-land” security can be found.

It’s called Harrison K-9 Security Services, a provider of the most sophisticated protection dogs in the world!

If you are like most people, your experience with trained dogs is probably limited to seeing them in back of police vehicles, looking menacing while barking uncontrollably.

Actually, military dogs have been used throughout history going back as far as the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Napoleon used them in 1798 to guard the walls of Alexandria, Egypt

In 1884, the German Army established the first organized Military School for training war dogs at Lechernich, near Berlin; and in 1885 wrote the very first training manual for MWD (Military War Dogs).

During the Gulf War, at least 1,177 highly trained German Shepherds were use by the French forces to guard and protect their troops, supplies and aircraft. The USA used 88 teams.

Harrison K-9 Security Services is the brainchild of Harrison Prather who started his own security dog business in 1975 after graduating college and apprenticing with a Master Trainer who specialized in training military and police dogs.

It was there that he realized that a key element of the “dog’s nature” was being ignored. Traditional training focused on the dog’s innate aggressive nature without control. “They naturally have the power,” says Harrison, adding, “What you want is to control that power….power without control is nothing.”

“The type of dog that we produce is a social dog that makes a great family pet but is also taught to defend its handler and its handlers’ family and loved ones with amazing ferocity and courage.”

Seeing is believing so if you really want to understand what Harrison is saying, I urge you to watch the company’s promotional video at www.harrisonk9.com/html/video.cfm

Consequently, that’s one of the things that separate Harrison K-9s from the rest of the industry and has made him one of the oldest and most prestigious Schutzhund or “protection dog” companies in the U.S.

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Schutzhund (german for protection dog) is a dog sport that was developed in Germany in the early 1900s to test whether German Shepherd Dogs act and perform in the manner that the breed was intended, rather than simply evaluating a dog’s appearance. Today, many breeds other than German Shepherds can compete in Schutzhund, but it is a demanding test for any dog and few of them can pass this kind of test.

Harrison has been importing his dogs from the same source in Germany for over 15 years now. His supplier/importer has been, on several occasions, the Captain of the German International Team for Schutzhund competition.

When asked what makes his dogs so special and worth the ,000 to ,000.00 his clients pay for them, Harrison said, “you can compare them with thoroughbred race horses that are valued by their genetic purity and carefully preserved bloodlines.”

“These superior-bred dogs are handpicked by my supplier in Germany for their pedigree, intelligence, working abilities and temperament and then delivered to me after completing two to three years of foundation training. After that time these same dogs undergo rigorous evaluations and additional proprietary training designed for each individual client’s needs.

Harrison K-9 sells an average of 130 dogs a year; each trained to the specifications and needs of its new owner.

Harrison makes the ultimate decision….determining which dogs go with which clients. “It’s part science and part intuition…an intuition obviously developed as a result of 35 years in the business.”

The process begins with an informal conversation with the client questioning what kind of environment the dog will be in….are there children…security needs…lifestyle (will dog travel, etc.)

Each sale comes with a 60 day guarantee for compatibility and the company will replace the dog for any reason. “The customer is always right,” Harrison proudly stated.

A Harrison K-9’s three months of training is rigorous and extensive simulating real-life situations and taught to bite only on command, even if it’s provoked.

One of Harrison’s secrets is that his staff is almost entirely female to make sure that all dogs can be handled by the client and his or her family.

When each dog is trained and ready, the client can choose to receive their personal instructions in care and handling at the Harrison K-9 facility in Aiken, South Carolina. Or they can have the dog delivered to them along with two trainers who introduce the dog to the new family and teach its members the commands and signals the dog relies on. Every client gets a DVD copy of the care and handling training they receive and the company also offers periodic training if needed to refresh their memory.

Clients come from the U.S., Europe, and Latin America and include a “who’s who” of dignitaries and celebrities, many of whom will never be mentioned by Harrison or any of his workers as anonymity is sacred at Harrison K-9.

When I asked Harrison to “drop a couple of names” of some of the more notable celebrities that have bought dogs from him, he apologized and said that he couldn’t answer me. This is because he promises every client the utmost in anonymity even though he could certainly capitalize financially by using their names in his brochures and other marketing materials.

One typical Harrison K-9 client who has had security problems in the past describes themselves as “recognizable with a high-profile lifestyle.” They’ve opted to forgo armed bodyguards in favor of a pair of Harrison K-9 protection dogs and now have the best of all worlds because in addition to having superior protection, they also have a loving and playful pet for their children and grandchildren.

“Does your security system include unconditional love like mine does?” he jokingly asked.

If the security is an issue of concern for you, your property or family then an executive protection dog must be seriously considered.

In multiple studies and interviews conducted among convicted sexual assault, robbery and burglary felons they were asked what security measures taken by homeowners were most effective at deterring their criminal intentions. Consistently, at the top of the list were security dogs!

WHY?
1) Canine hearing abilities…more sensitive then alarm systems;
2) Canine barking alerts homeowners and neighbors;
3) Fear of being attacked;

It is clear that Harrison and his staff have the entire process of dog selection, training and delivery down to a science making the experience an enjoyable one for the client and his or her family.

Now all you need is K to K and it’s a done deal. If you think that’s a lot of money…it is! However when you run the numbers and compare apples to apples, not only is it a great deal….it’s a must have!

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