31/05/2026
# ARE NOW SWITCHED OFF # # # ###
THE AIM OF THIS POST ISNT TO TAKE DOWN OR SLATE PSA. ITS TO RALLY PEOPLE AROUND THE IDEA OF REGULATION. AT THE VERY TOP, THE CORRELATION OF NAMES, DOGS, DECOYS AND ORGANISATIONS IS NOTICEABLE AND THOSE LARGE ORGANISATIONS WILL TRY AND BAN BITE SPORTS, PROTECTION OUTSIDE OF THE FORCES AND PROTECTION DOGS. THE “HAVE A GO”, ZERO CONTROL TRIALS HAVE TO STOP. BUT REGULATION IS BETTER THAN A BAN. ANA THOSE PARTICIPATING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS WITH THE RIGHT DOGS SHOULD WELCOME SAFEGUARDING AND FORMAL GUIDANCE FOR CLUBS, A BETTER SYSTEM FOR TRAINING DECOYS AND A WAY TO REDUCE PROTECTION DOGS BITING PEOPLE (which will safeguard the reputation of all protection dogs).
A few months ago, I wrote about why I was stepping away from bite sports. It wasn’t a popular post. I explained the switch from Mondio to PSA when I moved to England. I explained my shock about the culture of bite sports and the overlap with this “give it a go” “no experience needed” zero control, all genetics trials that are common over here, and I believe are inherently responsible for the irresponsible and frankly dangerous protection dogs being bred, sold and trained. I explained my shock about the “certify in a week” courses offered to people who want to decoy. I explained my horror at the glamorisation of more-than operational pressure programs offered to civilians and the show cased on instagram. I explained that the public and the authorities weren’t going to see the difference between the covert sleeve performed in a car by a PSA decoy and handler especially when the same decoys, dogs and handlers were also doing this horrific trials. And that this put us all in danger.
And that’s the reality. For those who say about painting the sports with the same brush - I get it, but essentially the PSA club organisers, main decoys and many of the competitors run, attend, decoy and work their dogs at these trials.
Additionally they breed and train dogs explicitly for these trials alongside PSA.
Plus there is the covert sleeve thing which I won’t go into again but is unnecessary (and not found) in any other major bite sport.
I explained I was the one fighting to defend the many PSA and “security trained” dogs in court. And to the authorities. But I was shouted down, hard. I lost friends as a result of that post and I second guessed myself.
This weekend, at one of those horror show “give it a go” no skill necessary, ego driven “how tough is your dog” trials, I heard about a tragic incident involving a decoy and a dog.
As it was described to me, I was sick - not felt sick, or “was sickened” - I was actually sick.
The dog was struck multiple times by the decoy. I don’t want to use the word decoy here - this person and the other people involved, aren’t decoys or handlers. They are tiny-Willy/massive ego, violence mongers. They are sick idiots who belong behind bars. Anyway, the dog released the bite, re-engaged, and was hit again before ultimately dying while his owner watched helplessly. The decoy beat this dog to beat. Smashed him repeatedly until he died infront of the person who was meant to keep him safe.
Another dog reportedly lost an eye.
A spectator was bitten and, according to those present, was discouraged from seeking medical treatment.
This is not sport, training, or professionalism.
It is cruelty. It’s humans showing off in the worst possible way. And it cannot continue.
The protection dog community urgently needs reform. It’s a mess.
In countries where protection sports are more established, better organised, not pulled apart and instagrammed for money - there are clear standards and systems to ensure dogs are safe, trained and handled responsibly. In Mondioring, IGP and French Ring - the dogs have to show control before protection. And they have to pass a test for sociability (at least certainly in Mondio) before even being able to do bite work. Not only that but the whole culture and the rules of these sports protect the dogs involved. It’s about sport. The events are joyful, family first and the dogs are everywhere off the field enjoying the day. This, is not that.
Here, that structure seems totally absent.
As a result, animal welfare groups are increasingly calling for bans on protection dogs, training, and sports outside military and police settings. Behind closed doors unqualified, inexperienced jobsworths are watching your decent bite work videos. They’re turning up at your houses with no understanding about how to handle this type of dog, with a taser, CS gas and a catch pole and they are taking and killing all these dogs. Honestly, they are.
The idiots involved in these trials are ruining it for anyone who wants to do it properly. And whilst on this day it was this particular decoy, Arne Pohlmeyer and a guy known as Toby responsible for beating a dog to death, people involved are killing our dogs by proxy.
While I understand the authorities concern - I do not believe a ban is the answer.
I care deeply about these dogs and respect many of the people dedicated to working with them.
I value sports built on stable dogs, skilled assessed, apprenticeship foundation decoys, structured training, and meaningful standards.
These dogs and the things they’re built for need properly protecting. And what needs to go is the money grabbing “give it a try” trials, the skill decreasing “no experience needed; zero obedience” trials. And the breeders breeding for poor sociability in their protection dogs.
Too often, dogs with no proven control or temperament testing are handed to inexperienced, hardly certified decoys and it is called training.
These events damage the reputation of protection breeds and sports, erode public confidence, and increasingly cost dogs their lives.
What I see today reminds me of the dog fighting culture I encountered in London fifteen years ago. The activity is different, but the attitudes feel familiar: ego, glorified aggression, and disregard for consequences.
We need regulation. This won’t be popular but this is my second attempt at begging people to listen. I was bullied hard enough to take the first one day, but now you’ve beaten a dog to death and it’s not ok.
We need standards for owning protection dogs, standards for the keeping of those dogs, certification for decoys, accountability within clubs, and clear rules for how, when, where and with who bite work takes place.
We also need better education for those handling and seizing these dogs.
Last weekend, a dog lost his life.
Sadly, he was not the first.
Dogs continue to be injured, confiscated, and euthanised as a result of the RSPCAs and police lack of experience and knowledge assessing or handling these specialist breeds. Too many people are breeding and training for image rather than stability.
“No one can get near that litter - they’re brutal - they’re so civil it’s amazing.”
“Come of guys, let’s see how much pressure this dog can take.”
Most of these dogs will never perform operational work.
Yet they are exposed to increasingly extreme scenarios, often for social media content.
We even see teenagers encouraged into decoy roles despite the skill, maturity, support and careful guidance required to do it safely.
In many cases, protection dogs have become content for Instagram and if we keep going we will just be banned and restricted entirely; A ban would push these activities underground and punish those already doing things properly.
Regulation is the better solution. I know it’s not popular but this is grim.
We need to remove uncertified decoys, end reckless trials and establish standards, improve public safety, and protect the dogs.
Because if the community does not address these problems itself, someone else eventually will.
And the outcome, I promise you, will not be one this community wants.
