Although their ferocity and tenacity makes many think they would be excellent at the role, Poochyena are actually quite poor guard dogs. This is because guard dogs, by definition, must protect a fixed item or location, but Poochyena can be drawn long distances from whatever they are protecting in pursuit of a target, Although they are certainly scary, professional thieves are well aware of this habit and work in tandem to draw guard Poochyena away and sneak in: one is much better served by Growlithe or Houndour.
This determination, along with their large numbers in the wild, has also made Poochyena a popular pokemon for trainers, but be warned: Poochyena are omnivorous and more wild than tame, and they see any targets in battle not as pokemon to compete against in a sport, but as prey to devour. Whenever they knock a pokemon out, they will begin to maul and chew, and both trainers must be quick with their pokeballs to avoid debilitating injuries to the loser which even a Center will struggle to heal, or worse, death. League regulations require Poochyena trainers to continue to hold their pokeball in their hand after sending them out and to recall and resummon their pokemon whenever it scores a knockout, but these are not always followed in unofficial battles and accidents (or, in exceptionally bitter rivalries, "accidents") happen.
A few, citing these tragedies, have called for the training of Poochyena to be banned outright, but they are rarely heeded. Pokemon battle, for all the advances of modern technology, is still a blood sport, and any pokemon is capable of causing severe injuries. And when truly tamed, Poochyena can make quite gentle household pets, but tame Poochyena are pacifists who suppress their instincts by harming neither friend nor foe.
