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IMO, a dog is an essential, not only for companionship, but also as a hunting aid, theft deterrent, and to alert you to visitors (especially "visitors" that may not want their presence to be known).

My Chow/Rottweiler mix died last year, and to help fill the hole she left, I got me a Cane Corse/Johnson American Bulldog mix.

I've been thinking of having her trained for personal protection (namely attack, and then recall on command, and hold position while barking), but I have some concerns that I didn’t have with my previous dog that I’m hoping someone with experience with protection trained dogs can answer.

I am currently in a committed relationship (that’s leaning towards marriage) with a wonderful woman (named Penny, no less) who has a beautiful one-year-old son that is the light of my life. So, my question is:

Will training my dog in protection work inadvertently make her think that biting is now acceptable? (She had no bite inhibition when I got her, and it took a lot of work to correct that.) If I were a bachelor, I wouldn't be worried about this, but now that there's a potential I will be sharing my home with a wonderful woman, and beautiful baby boy, I'm hesitant.

I’m sure I could just rely on her protective instincts sans formal protection training, but to me that’s almost like having a gun, but never target practicing.

Anyone with a family had their dog trained for protection? What are your thoughts/opinions? Positives vs. Negatives?

Many thanks,
Stu
(Possibly to be a husband and papa in the near-distant future)

While mine is not proffesionaly trained I will go here.
A female American bull or Pit by any other name is the most family oriented dog you will find and if worked with properly, preferably by a woman, is 100% about prtecting and enjoying family. Do to this I would not let any training be carried out with anyone not in the family. the breeds personality is one that could be easily confused if it sees its masters taking orders from someone on the outside(trainer) so in short I would not have a so called proffesional anywhere near my dog.
We hear so many bad things about our dogs because people just do not understand them and others have the wrong ideas of what to create of them.
Treat it as family, and in return it will do the same.
Teach it that ouch or any other form of the expresion is something unacceptable,
Do not teach it to attack on command but rather to react to the reactions of each in your family and you will have no worries about it turning or not stopping when they command.