Guthrie Security Dogs

Training programs include basic and advanced obedience, puppy foundation training, protection work, and behavior modification. Clients can choose between in-kennel board-and-train programs (minimum 2 weeks) or weekly private lessons. Programs are tailored after an individual evaluation. Training environments include home, vehicle, office, and public settings. Puppy kindergarten covers diet, grooming, leash training, recalls, and obedience basics.

Pricing Summary

Initial evaluation: $175. Private lessons: $90–$150 per session. Basic obedience: $650–$800 weekly (2-week minimum). Advanced obedience or behavior modification: $850+ weekly. Grooming: $90–$120+. Boarding includes daily exercise, meals, and care with no grain or by-products.

Policies

Boarding requires proof of current vaccinations (Rabies, DHPP, Bordetella given 2 months prior). Aggressive or escape-prone dogs incur additional charges. Reservations require advance notice, especially during holidays and summer. A 48-hour notice is required to cancel boarding without penalty.

Guthrie’s International is a family-owned dog training and breeding facility in Tucson, Arizona, with over 50 years of experience specializing in German Shepherds. They offer obedience, personal protection, and service animal training through both in-kennel board-and-train programs and one-on-one lessons at their 18-acre ranch facility. Their training focuses on producing well-mannered, versatile dogs that are gentle with children and elderly while being capable of protection when needed. They also provide boarding, grooming, and high-quality raw-food meals for dogs, with climate-controlled indoor facilities and 24/7 supervision. Their founder, Melanie Guthrie, has trained dogs for film, law enforcement, and personal protection since 1972, and their breeding program emphasizes European bloodlines with health and temperament screening.

They train puppies and adult dogs for family companionship, competition, and working roles, addressing issues like barking, biting, leash pulling, separation anxiety, resource guarding, and reactivity. Clients can choose between private or group lessons, and all dogs are microchipped and vaccinated. The facility includes outdoor play areas, waterfalls, shaded lawns, and an indoor training center for year-round use.

Guthrie’s also sells trained German Shepherds and puppies, with a focus on dogs that are mentally sound, courageous, and trainable. They are an authorized distributor of Nulo Challenger dog food and offer massages and professional grooming services as part of their boarding package.

Accomplishments

Founded in 1974 by Melanie Guthrie, who has imported over 300 European working German Shepherds since 1981. Won numerous American Kennel Club awards. Trained dogs for TV and film, including High Chaparral and Little House on the Prairie. Dogs have saved lives in home invasions and search-and-rescue missions. Maintained European bloodlines with DNA screening for health and temperament. Spur, a legendary trained dog, saved Melanie’s life and produced generations of offspring still in use today.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients must schedule an evaluation ($175) to determine the best training program for their dog. After evaluation, they can enroll in private lessons, group classes, or an in-kennel board-and-train program. Boarding requires a prior visit and vaccination verification.