How to train a dog to command "FAS"?

Having got a dog, the owner must not only feed it correctly and provide proper care. For the full development of puppies, they need to be educated and trained. One of the important commands that you need to train your dog is "Fas". Having mastered it, the pet will be able to fully demonstrate the qualities of a defender. How to train a dog for this command will be discussed in this article.

It is believed that the command "Fas" originated from the German verb, which is translated into Russian as "to seize". Its implementation means that the pet will attack a potential "enemy" by order of the owner and will release him only in case of a command from its owner. Service dogs should be trained first. However, for pets, such a team will also not be superfluous. It will improve the protective qualities of the animal.

It is believed that in order to be trained, a dog must have the following characteristics:

• the animal should not show excessive friendliness to strangers, on the contrary, strangers should alert him;
• the dog must be physically developed and have a rather impressive size; this means that representatives of small breeds are not well suited for this command;
• the dog must be bold and at the same time be able to exercise restraint.

The easiest way to train your pet is by using the services of professional trainers. However, this does not mean that training at home is impossible.Self-study may take more time and effort, but this task is quite doable. It is necessary to teach a pet with the involvement of strangers to work out the team. It is desirable that the assistants change periodically. Otherwise, the team can gain a foothold as a reaction only to a specific person.

You shouldn't start teaching the FAS team too early. The puppy must first learn other tricks, grow up and develop psychologically. It is better to start training from 5 months of age. And you should also take into account the characteristics of the breed. Different types of dogs can reach psychological maturity at different ages. It is not recommended to train young puppies primarily because it is not desirable for them to call for aggression.

In many breeds, protective qualities are genetically inherent and develop gradually. Early display of aggression can make the animal uncontrollable and unnecessarily angry. If necessary, you can also teach an adult, but on the condition that the animal has previously been trained in other commands. Before training, the dog must complete a basic training course, which includes mastering commands such as "To me", "Near" and "Fu". This will allow you to maximize control over the pet's actions both during and after an attack on a dangerous person.

The FAS team is one of the most difficult and dangerous. Learning requires not only patience and certain skills, but also a number of adaptations. First of all, you need to get a special suit for the assistant, which will protect him from the attacking dog. You will also need a large piece of sturdy dense fabric and a sturdy stick. For training, you need to find a suitable place. It is desirable that the territory be fenced off, and there were no strangers on it, except for the trainer and assistant. There should be a pole or an adult tree with a thick trunk on the training ground so that the pet can be tied to it.

If a professional trainer will not be involved in training, then the owner of the dog must study in detail all the subtleties of training. Before starting the basic training, the pet must be taught to understand the "Alien" command. For this, when showing protective qualities, the pet must hear from the owner the exclamation "Alien" and praise addressed to him. The command can be said every time a knock or doorbell rings. Over time, the animal will develop the habit of starting to bark after uttering a command.

Strengthening skills is best on the street with the involvement of strangers. To do this, you can use the following technique:

1. it is necessary to find an assistant in advance, which the dog should not know, about a meeting in a crowded place; a person must make an attempt to touch the owner of the dog with his hands;
2. the owner, in turn, must resist, pushing away the assistant, while shouting the word "Alien";
3. if the animal has learned the command well, then it will try to attack the stranger; at this point, it is important to keep the dog on a leash so as not to injure the other person.

With the correct behavior of the pet in this situation, it must be praised. In this case, rewarding with a delicacy is not necessary. The best reward in such training for the dog is the fear of the stranger or his flight.

Several different techniques can be used to teach an animal the FAS command. The training method is selected individually for each dog, depending on its skills and character. The standard sequence of actions includes several actions.

1. The animal must be well tied to a tree or post. The chain should be quite long and always strong so that the dog cannot tear it off.
2. The owner must be near the pet. The assistant is at a distance, but must be within the dog's field of vision. He should have a piece of cloth and a stick in his hands.
3. The assistant begins to approach the animal, drawing attention to itself. He can scream, jump, bang a stick on the ground and wave his arms.
4. When the pet focuses its attention on the person, the owner should say the phrase "Fas". The animal must instinctively begin to show aggression. If you get the right reaction, the pet needs to be praised. It makes no sense to give treats, since food in this case will only distract from learning.
5. The assistant should approach the angry dog ​​and start lightly hitting him with a stick. The main thing is not to overdo it with the force of the blow, so as not to hurt the animal. In such a situation, the pet should start throwing itself on the stick, trying to grab it and gnaw it.
6. The assistant should hold a piece of cloth for the dog and allow his teeth to grip it. Pulling the end of the cloth several times, the helper must “surrender”, leaving the cloth to the animal, and run away, thereby admitting his defeat.
7. In the process of an impromptu struggle for a rag, the owner must periodically repeat the "FAS" command. To consolidate the result, the exercise must be repeated many times in one lesson.

Additional exercises can also be included in the training program. When practicing them, the dog must be on a leash.

The assistant should approach the animal and try to pick it up. The dog should try to pounce on the person and at this time the owner needs to repeat loudly and confidently "Fas" several times.

The following exercise is well suited for slightly constrained and cautious animals, as it eliminates close contact with the assistant. The owner must be near the pet. The helper is in cover and is not visible to the dog. Gradually he begins to approach the animal.

At the same time, the owner must help the pet assess the situation by saying the command "Alien". When the assistant gets as close as possible to the animal, he should turn around and start running away, and the dog, in turn, should try to pounce on the "enemy". At this moment, the owner of the dog says the word "Fas" several times.

Training efficiency largely depends on the observance of the basic rules of training by the trainer.

• First of all, you should take care that the pet does not see how its owner communicates with the assistants on whom the command will be practiced. The animal must think that there is a stranger in front of it.
• If it was decided to train the dog on your own at home, it is still recommended to consult with a specialist beforehand. A professional trainer will be able to sensibly assess the ability of the pet, as well as develop an optimal training program.
• It makes no sense to train a dog if it does not obey the owner and does not follow other commands well. Another prerequisite is the good health of the dog and good physical condition. The animal must eat properly and be active.
• A close and trusting relationship with the owner will make learning more effective. During exercise, you should not exert excessive physical influence on the animal and cause him pain. Otherwise, instead of showing protective qualities, the pet may be frightened.
• During training, it is necessary not only to involve different assistants, but also to dress them in different uniforms. If the clothes are always the same, then the dog will develop a reaction to people of a certain appearance.
• In many ways, the duration of training is influenced by the breed of the pet. This is due to the genetic predisposition of some species to protect the owner and his property.Shepherd dogs can master the command in literally three days, but when training Rottweilers, problems can arise, since they like to dominate and can resist for a long time.

More tips on dog training can be found in the video below.