Safeguard Security has invested significantly in its dog section, which in Harare has moved from Graniteside to a more spacious environment in Greendale, where dogs are housed in modern purpose-built kennels with plenty of room for exercise and training..
“Our kennels meet international standards and, because of the built-in drainage system we have in place, are easy to keep clean,. They also afford the dogs plenty of room to exercise, with a separate sleeping area within each dog’s kennel,” commented Safeguard Dog Setion Manager Joseph Nhire.
He said the movable kennels at various contract sites were also being improved, to give the dogs at these sites more space to relax and walk about.
The main breeds of dog used by Safeguard as guard dogs are German Shepherds, Rotweillers and Boerboels. These are all aggressive breeds of dog that are well suited to being used as guard dogs.
Dogs at contract sites are brought back to the Greendale presmises every three months for refresher training.
Mr Nhire said his unit intended to offer dog owners in the vicinity the opportunity to have their dogs trained by Safeguard or to train their own dogs under the supervision of Safeguard’s dog trainers.
Safeguard has for some time now implemented motivational-based dog training, which is the most modern method of dog training, relying on rewards and incentives rather than punishment, which was the old fashioned approach previously used worldwide..
The dogs are vaccinated annually, dewormed every three months and dipped once a week to prevent ticks. Their kennels are disinfected every two days.
Supervisors regularly visit dogs and their handlers at contract sites to ensure this is being adhered to and that the dogs’ welfare is being looked after, as well as to offer dog handlers any advice or counselling they might require.
Where dogs are at out-of-town sites that are a long way away, handlers are required to send photographic evidence that the health and disinfecting procedures having been carried out, Mr Nhrie said.