Jon StojanAlpinHaus Shepherds stands at the forefront of the protection dog industry, offering the most sophisticated and well-rounded protection dogs in the world. Operating in Europe and the United States, it has earned a reputation for training high-energy, versatile dogs capable of providing outstanding security and companionship.
AlpinHaus Shepherds
Founder Suede Michael Hussain established the company after a profound realization. When he purchased what he believed was the perfect protection dog, he discovered it lacked the actual skills needed for true protection. “This was tantamount to finding out that the handgun I’d purchased to protect myself was nothing but a water pistol,” he states.
This experience ultimately inspired him to create AlpinHaus. He set out to redefine the standards of protection dog training, ensuring that every dog from AlpinHaus would be fully equipped to protect its owners.
The premier dog training company distinguishes itself by its unique approach to training, which integrates three fundamental aspects: protection, obedience, and socialization. “No one in history has been able to create the level of protection dogs that we have, with the same degree of capabilities in terms of protection, obedience, and socialization,” remarks Hussain. These elements are intertwined like DNA strands, creating a dog that is as reliable in a family setting as it is in a high-threat environment.
AlpinHaus is known for providing four levels of protection – all of it off-leash.
Threat Deterrence is the starting point. It focuses on sophisticated socialization and elite obedience paired with a controlled bark-on-command. “This level is really all you need to de-escalate 95% of potential threats without physical intervention,” Hussain estimates.
Level II, called Direct Action, introduces much more advanced capabilities utilizing sophisticated bite work in conjunction with extreme control while the dogs are in states of high aggression. This involves a host of behaviors and commands being employed, from dogs automatically defending a personal perimeter, attacking a threat, and stopping the attack to returning to the owner after the attack and performing a bark-and-hold to secure a threat, either as an intervention or while the police are being summoned.
Dynamic Defense takes protection to a rarified level. It trains dogs to stay with their handlers in dynamic situations, regardless of direction of movement, while being fully off leash. Also included are capabilities that broaden the control the owner has over threatening situations, as well as those that enable the owner to execute more control over a threat from distance.
Meanwhile, the ultimate protection – X Line – features a pair of Level III dogs working in tandem with highly complex coordination. And all while still being off-leash and in a state of high aggression. X Line ensures that a threat is neutralized even if one dog becomes incapacitated. This level is reserved for those who demand the highest assurance of security. AlpinHaus offers additional training options to complement these protection levels. These involve property searches, intruder searches, and search and rescue operations, making its services all-encompassing.
Besides protection, AlpinHaus dogs are known for their elite off-leash obedience. The dogs are trained for real-world scenarios, with commands such as “Heel,” “Recall,” and “Down-Stay” ingrained to perfection. Another standout feature is their ability to switch from an “ON” state of protection to an “OFF” state of calm socialization. This means that after defending against a threat, an AlpinHaus dog can immediately revert to being a friendly, loving companion safe to be amongst children. This level of post-protection socialization attests to the sophisticated training these dogs undergo.
It’s worth noting that AlpinHaus takes a holistic approach to its dogs’ well-being, starting with a biologically appropriate raw food diet (BARF). This diet includes a mix of raw meats, organs, bones, fruits, herbs, and vegetables, with each ingredient being sourced from agricultural produce intended and fit for human consumption.
Genetics is another significant factor in the success of AlpinHaus dogs. It selects very specific, proven, and highly health-tested lines from Dutch, Belgian, and German Shepherds to ensure its dogs possess the necessary traits for protection work and long life. As a consequence, AlpinHaus offers the best Health Guarantee in the industry: 100% guaranteed from genetic health maladies for the first 5 years of a dog’s life and a 20% discount on a new dog if any of the same problems emerge up to year 8 of the dog’s life. Aspiring owners can trust AlpinHaus’ advanced training techniques and health approaches, allowing it to optimize each dog’s potential.
“We believe no two clients are the same, and at AlpinHaus, neither are the dogs they receive. There is always some customization involved for each dog when we pair it with a client. We make sure to carefully manage the transition process from AlpinHaus to the client’s home by offering this bespoke training. Whether it’s adjusting the level of protection or refining obedience commands, AlpinHaus ensures each dog is perfectly suited to its new environment,” Hussain supplies.
AlpinHaus stands out for promising control, capability, and value. Its dogs are trained to maintain control in complicated, real-world situations. This control and the other capabilities built into each canine are coupled with unequaled value. “It is essential to us that we create dogs that simply cannot be out-performed, either on an absolute or a relative basis… So, at any given price point, a potential client will never find another dog that can do more than ours,” Hussain states. “Our single-dog protection solutions range in price from $35,000 – 185,000, but our $65,000 easily outperform dogs from our competitors that are priced at $150,000. That’s the sort of value that we like to create.”
All of these translate to AlpinHaus’s Protection 2.0 philosophy where clients are guaranteed to receive a well-behaved dog that properly safeguards the well-being of the family.
Ultimately, AlpinHaus Shepherds has redefined what it means to own a protection dog. Its rigorous training, bespoke customization, and commitment to the health and well-being of its dogs allow it to deliver only the best in canine protection.
Hussain’s vision for AlpinHaus’s future is ambitious. He’s currently in the process of expanding their operations, with plans to establish a state-of-the-art training facility in Europe. This new facility, located on an 18-acre property, will feature extensive training arenas, both indoor and outdoor, and will be a true haven for the dogs under his care. “Our European operation will serve as our primary hub, with our US operation expanding afterward,” the founder states.