About Valor Protection Dogs

Family protection dogs from Horseshoe Bend

Valor Protection Dogs, near Horseshoe Bend, breeds, raises and trains German Shepherd family protection dogs from European bloodlines on a 67-acre ranch in the Boise foothills. It is a family business founded in 2021 by Justin and Amy Pishner. Amy served in the Air Force, has over fourteen years of professional training experience, describes herself as triple certified as a Professional Dog Trainer, including Dual Purpose Certification for Military and Police Dogs, and has run Valor K9 Academy since 2014. Justin served 21 years in the Air Force and Idaho National Guard as a SERE instructor.

Training philosophy

Puppies start with socialization and basic commands taught through positive reinforcement and a reward- and relationship-based system. Training collars come in later to proof obedience around distractions, with e-collar proofing from about 9-12 months, followed by defense-based protection work. The full process typically takes 18-24 months, with close to a thousand hours per dog, and ends with handover training for the new family.

What owners say

One family wrote: "Amy has been very thoughtful and thorough in the handover training and guidance for how to bring Tess into our family."

What to ask

Ask about current dog availability, pricing and puppy plans.