Five tiers, from a calm deterrent to a high-travel executive protection companion
Protection work is never an impulse add-on. It takes a stable dog, a capable handler, advanced obedience, and a lawful use case that actually makes sense for your life.
Most dogs don't pass evaluation, including dogs clients already own — we tell you that plainly rather than sell you the alternative. From Tier 2 up, I'm in the room for the evaluation myself, and for the selection when we're sourcing the dog.
Presence, not bite work. Elite obedience under pressure, an alert or announce on command, and the kind of composed, watchful dog that makes a stranger reconsider before anything happens. Open intake, standard screening.
Controlled engagement and property or family boundary work. Bite-work foundations with a hard out on command — the first tier where the dog can physically intervene.
Proofed past the home: vehicle work, low-light and night engagement, simulated intrusion response, and composure somewhere the dog has never been before.
Built for more than one handler — staff, a spouse, a live-in detail. Everyone authorized to run the dog is proofed to the same standard, so control never rides on one person being home.
For a principal who travels: flights, vehicle convoys, hotels, and cities the dog has never seen, held to the same standard as home. Low-profile in public — no visible edge until it's needed. Handler Integration add-on ($4,500) proofs a second person, staff or family, to run the dog at the same level.
Program terms
RIOS Canine Institute reserves the right to decline any dog or client from this program following evaluation, and to suspend or terminate training at any time, if we determine the dog is unsuitable, the household or handler cannot safely maintain the work, required insurance or engagement is not maintained, or continuing presents a risk to the dog, the handler, our staff, or the public. This determination is made at our sole professional discretion.
Calm, clear behavior where real life happens
Everyday obedience, leash skills, neutrality, and handler communication built for the home, neighborhood, patios, stores, and other dog-appropriate public spaces.
Assessment-led foundations for disability-mitigating work, including psychiatric service dogs
Temperament screening, public-access foundations, handler skills, and task-building support built around what the handler actually needs day to day — mobility, medical alert, or psychiatric service dog work like PTSD and anxiety tasking.
Give drive a clear, useful job
Advanced engagement, neutrality, control, and real-world reliability for high-drive dogs and handlers who want more than household basics.
Purposeful mental work for capable dogs
Introductory scent games, odor work, tracking foundations, and advanced enrichment for owners who want a productive outlet beyond obedience.
Start the relationship off right
Early socialization, crate and potty routines, and the first building blocks of obedience for puppies just getting started.
One-on-one coaching for you and your dog
In-person sessions focused on real-world obedience, leash manners, and handler skills so training holds up outside the training room.
Immersive, structured training with our team
Your dog lives and trains with us — consistency, leadership, and off-leash reliability built through daily structured work, then transferred back to you.
Assessment-led lessons for reactivity, fear, anxiety, and aggression
Assessment-led private lessons for dogs working through reactivity, fear, anxiety, or aggression, with boarding considered only for appropriate non-aggression cases.
Want to know whether Family Protection & Security K9s is the right fit?
