Introducing the new line in home security - Titan the £65,000 pure bred guard dog - News - Evening Standard
       

Introducing the new line in home security - Titan the £65,000 pure bred guard dog

It might look like a cuddly family pet - but this highly trained German Shepherd is the future in front line home security.

Titan the wonder dog has been specially bred and trained with the sole aim of sniffing out danger and protecting its owner.

Breeders are hopeful the £65,000 modern day Lassie will rival any home security system on the market.

Top dog:The £65,000 face of home security

The super-intelligent mutts, which are reared in Germany, are taught to track and trap intruders until police arrive, protecting families and their homes to the hilt.

Titans undergo two years of extensive and rigorous training called the Schutzhund trial at specialist German training camps, before being shipped to customers across the globe.

The dogs have only been on the market a matter of weeks and are already proving a hit in Japan and the Middle East.

They are the brainchild of American-based Simon Brodie, who came up with the idea after speaking to people about their concerns with home safety.

He said: "Primarily these are pets but they are incredibly well trained animals bred to protect a family.

"You can have the most expensive CCTV cameras and alarms in the world but if someone climbs into your garden when your children are playing they can be useless.

"The Titan will alert people to danger as well as acting as a deterrent, while being completely safe.

"They are genetically tested to make sure the animal is suitable and then undergo two years of the most extensive training to make sure they are safe.

"While we train them to be aggressive, they will not attack and are therefore completely safe for families.

"And, of course they are gorgeous looking dogs. I saw one the other day and it was so impressive seeing something so powerful in total control."

A "standard" Titan can be snapped up for just £45,000, but for £65,000 the truly security conscious can get their hands on a Titan Ultra - which is guaranteed to be traced back to champion German Shepherd bloodlines.

Prospective owners face a two-year wait while the dog undergoes extensive German training with some of the best handlers in the world.

The Schutzhund training involves odour detection and search and rescue, as well as testing traits like strength, courage and endurance.

German shepherds were originally used to herd sheep and is one of the most common breeds in the UK and the US.

The Titan and Titan Ultra are available at www.lifestylepets.com.

The same company launched the Ashera earlier this year, which is the world's "largest, rarest and most exotic" domestic cat.

It is the size of a small dog, and sports eye-catching leopard-like spots and tiger stripes. Prices start from £12,000 - but can fetch up to £75,000 depending on the breed.

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