LIVINGSTON - How much is a good dog worth? Most dog owners might say priceless, but in Montana, some exceptional dogs have a clear price tag: $175,000.
Svalinn, located in Park County, breeds and trains a cross of high-end German Shepherds, Dutch Shepherds, and Belgian Malinois.
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Kim Greene, the founder and CEO of Svalinn, jokingly refers to herself as the alpha female. Her venture into breeding and training protection dogs got started 20 years ago while living in Nairobi, Kenya.
"I did not want a firearm. I did not want a bodyguard. It became very clear that I needed dogs in support of me, so we say these dogs were bred out of necessity," Greene said.
Greene brought three dogs with her when she moved back from Africa, and she later sent for 13 more. She initially set up the business in Wyoming before moving to Montana, which she described as an opportune place for training dogs.
“We are here for a reason because we can’t just produce these dogs anywhere," Greene said.
Every day is training day for the dogs. Surprisingly, no treats or toys are used during training.
"Honestly, it is in their genetics that they are working to please,” says Indi Dubay, one of the trainers on staff.
It’s also a little surprising just how friendly the dogs are.
"They're very stable, they're very social, they're very obedient. I sometimes say they're better citizens than many of us who are walking around out there. They have exceptional manners,” Greene says.
But the dogs also are learning how to protect.
“It’s really crazy. They are sweet and cute, and you kind of forget, oh this dog— they have a side to them. It’s awesome,” says trainer Katrina Brumer.
The dogs start out by playfully biting a decoy wearing a protective suit, but they eventually learn to focus on the person and not the equipment, and they read body language.
Greene says of all the dogs she has trained, only one has ever actually had to deploy and create distance and space for its owner to move to safety.
“That’s a grounding feeling. It’s peace of mind. That’s guardian angel-ship,” Kim says.
The dogs will spend two years in training before going to their forever homes. They fetch a high price.
“At this point in time, all dogs are $175,000,” Greene says. “It’s a very expensive proposition to keep 50 dogs at a time with all these trainers here in support of them.”
Svallin just marked 400 dogs bred over the last 20 years. Greene says most of the sales come through word of mouth.
"I feel like protection dog is in some ways a misnomer because most of our owners are people who prioritize having an animal in their life that adds value,” Greene says.
