I train protection dogs for a living. The cost for clients can run up to $150,000, but it's a much better deal than hiring a bodyguard.

• Mike Israeli owns Delta K9 Academy, which offers a program to train dogs to become protectors to their owners. 
• The highest-level dog training program there can cost between $65K to $150K and can take more than 2 years.
• Israeli said some people in Los Angeles turn to protection dogs because they don't feel safe. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mike Israeli, the 38-year-old owner of Delta K9 Academy in Los Angeles. It has been edited for length and clarity.