There are essentially two kinds of attack dogs. One will attack when you decide and the other will attack when it decides to attack.

These are called active and reactive Dogs. Let’s look at the first one – Active. This is a dog you can walk down to the beach front. Should a friend decide to sneak up on you and jump on your back because that is what he feels like doing – your dog will not bite him. Should you decide to set your dog on to your friend (because you are an idiot too) then your dog will bite your friend as instructed with the same prejudice it would an offender.

The second kind of attack dog is the ‘Reactive’ dog. This dog, in the above situation will see your friend approaching (just like the first one did) but decide to bite your friend with the same prejudice it would an offender.

So why would you want a Reactive dog? Well let’s change the scenario. In the first case, say it was an offender who sneaks up on you. The offender hits you over the head and you’re out cold. The offender then decides to finish what he starts and beats your head in. You’re not able to speak so no command is given to your dog to intervene. Your dog will bark no doubt and may – just may, bite the offender but I doubt it, seeing that your dog has just witnessed it’s master taken down so violently it is more possible that the flight instinct will kick in and your dog will get out of there. Dogs aren’t stupid you know. Your dog fights if it can win or if it has too. If you’re down and your dog is free to escape, guess what it’s going to do? Escape!

So why not create a reactive dog? Because your dog loves to bite and if given the freedom to do so it will bite anything and everything just for fun. Just like a kid let lose in a lolly shop.

In Summary – Unless you believe you will be attacked from behind like a sentry guard on post, then do not create a ‘Reactive’ dog. If you do – you’ll no doubt get sued when your dog bites the kid who whizzes past you on roller blade screaming, or your drunken friend jumps on your back to surprise you.