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Executives and celebrities can buy a $230,000 guard dog that speaks 3 languages
Executives and celebrities can buy a $230,000 guard dog that speaks 3 languages
Megan WillettApr 15, 2015, 20:53 IST
For the billionaire buying a guard dog, why go with a standard pup when you can get one that's trained in three different languages?It only costs $230,000.CNBC visited the Harrison K-9 facility, a South Carolina-based dog training company that only sells the most highly trained and intelligent German Shepherds to executives and celebrities.Harrison K-9 has been in business since the 1970s when founder Harrison Prather began training dogs for law enforcement and the US government. Not long after, he learned there was a market for the über wealthy to have not only a guard dog, but a companion as well.He started an intense training course that taught the dogs to not only attack aggressors and protect their owners, but also be good with children and other animals. The goal was to create sweet and loving companion dogs that could - if the situation arose - snap into action.The elite dogs are imported from Germany and taught multiple commands such as "come, heel, sit, down, or stay" in both English and German as well as through special hand signals. They are trained in a variety of places such as office buildings, city streets, parks, vehicles, and even yachts so they won't become distracted or disoriented in a new environment.The 25-acre Harrison K-9 training facility has obstacle courses where they teach the dogs to do perimeter searches for the home, bite and hold onto aggressors, and complete agility courses. To get one of these sweet pups, prices start at $35,000 and average between $40,000 and $50,000. CNBC points out that some of the more top-of-the-line dogs run over $80,000. They are sold when they're around two-years-old to make sure they're mature enough for the field and highly trained.The most expensive dog Harrison K-9 ever sold was a dog named Julia for $230,000 to a businessman in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Julia was so smart that the head trainer told The New York Times she was almost like a person. "If my daughter Kailee was outside in the woods, I'd say, 'Julia, where's Kailee?', and she'd go out and find her," she told The Times.One thing's for sure - they're loyal. Plus, the company says on its website that having a dog will intimidate criminals far more than security systems and human guards would thanks to its sharp teeth and lack of hesitation to attack.You can see the current guard dogs that Harrison K-9 is training here. In addition to being extremely expensive, they're also adorable.
