When I was in the military, I worked as a legal assistant at the Presidio. The largest non-trial case file we ever had was for a simple dog bite- it was 6 inches thick. I would take the officer's advice to heart if you love your dog.

Great advice on both counts. :)

True attack dogs like those used in the military and law enforcement are trained relentlessly to perfect their abilities over many months before they ever see service. These dogs then re-use their training at regular intervals to keep them sharp. In my years of experience with dogs, I've found it to be neither practical nor effective to train your household pet to attack. It's better to instead reinforce what dogs do best - Sound the Alarm.

Before you can begin to teach your dog to react to unique situations (or anything else for that matter), you have to understand how dog society works. Dogs are pack animals, which means that every dog abides by a very specific hierarchy. This hierarchy starts and ends with the Alpha, who is top dog in the pack. Every pack has its one leader, which the rest follow without question. Your dog considers your family to be his pack. (Even if that 'family' is just you and the dog.)

The first step to effective training is to ensure that you are that leader. If you have any question about whether you're the alpha or not, then it's probably safe to assume that you're not. This makes training incredibly difficult, because if you aren't the Alpha, then your will has no bearing on how the dog will behave - they will instead try to train you. It may seem amusing to think of a dog training its owner, but it really can lead to some very serious issues. Most dogs end up in the pound over this very problem, as their owners can't control them.

All of that said, here's precisely how I reinforced this 'alertness' training with my dog Cosmo:

Note: this information can be very dangerous if improperly applied. If you have any doubts about your ability to train your dog, please contact a professional. As Alpha, you have to know when your pup has reached his or her limits, and tone down your efforts when that happens. If you over-do this, your dog can quickly become stressed, which adversely effects the training process in many ways. It can also lead them to attack in situations where it's unnecessary. Be aware of the dangers, and use this information at your own risk.

NEVER apply this training to every-day occurrences, such as the mailman's visit or other common events. Not only will it defeat the purpose, but is incredibly unsafe, and can cause your pooch serious mental harm.

To train my dog to be more alert, I would start by modifying my temperament and body language whenever I heard a strange noise, or when someone would knock on the front door. The idea is to come across as cautiously nervous, but not frightened. (Dogs are masters of body language and can sense the slightest change of emotion.) Next, I would immediately approach the sound of the noise, asking Cosmo in a low whisper, "What's that?". I'd repeat this phrase quickly, and with great urgency, whispering or speaking in low tones all the while. (In reality, the sound comes across as 'wassat', and serves to heighten his attention in whatever we're focusing on.)

The result of modifying body language and using this verbal cue is that most dogs become very nervous, and whine and/or bark in response to the situation. Any noise at all should be rewarded with praise, which will also help to calm them after the fact. I still do this occasionally to this day, but only to things that don't often occur. He's since learned to identify sounds that are unusual and immediately sounds the alarm when they occur. Anyone so much as approaching the front door usually sets him off.

The other side of this training is teaching him to stand down. This starts with praise after he makes a noise, but if he continues, it's as simple as stating his name in a sharp tone of voice, then rewarding him with affection once he stops. Basically, once the threat has passed, you must immediately relax, and prompt him to do the same. If you miss this step, he can remain amped up - even when people are allowed to come inside, which can be extremely dangerous.

Following this method OCCASIONALLY should increase Fido's awareness of his surroundings, making you feel safer. :)

OMG! Thank you so much for that info. I had no idea, and was a little outside my scope.