When most people decide to get a dog, it’s because they’re looking for companionship, friendship and perhaps a reason to spend more time outside at the park. There is, however, another factor which often plays a role in people’s decision to get a dog as a pet – security. There is a common misconception that having a dog will automatically prove a deterrence for potential burglars, alert you to the presence of an intruder and even provide you with physical protection. While having a bigger dog such as a Rottweiler or Pitbull may prove to be a deterrence for potential burglars and having a smaller dog such as a terrier may alert you to the presence of an intruder – just how effective is having a dog for your home security?
We’ve all seen the ‘beware of the dog’ signs on people’s gates, but how much is your dog actually going to be able to do to deter burglars from breaking into your home?
Your dog’s temperament might mean that they are not wary enough of strangers – or they’re too weary.
Dogs, like people, have widely varying temperaments and will have different reactions to the presence of intruders (and people in general). Some dogs may not be wary of strangers at all and may not alert you to the presence of intruders in the event of a break in; on the flip side, if you have a dog which is too wary of people in general and barks every time they see a person walk past, you’re more than likely going to wind up becoming so used to the barking that it loses its effectiveness as an early warning system.
Your dog’s bark might alert you, but then what?
If your dog’s bark does alert you to the presence of intruders, what do you do then? Your dog is unlikely to be able to provide you with any further protection and as such it is extremely important to have a contingency plan such as a security system with a panic button, so that you can alert the authorities, safe zones within your home, or slam-lock security doors. Having a dog’s bark to alert you of the presence of an intruder isn’t of much use when you find yourself unable to get help.
You’re putting your dog in danger
Often when people try and use the presence of so-called “guard dogs” to deter potential burglars, they are actually putting their dogs in danger. Potential burglars who want to target a specific house will often just resort to putting poison in meat and feeding it to your dogs to incapacitate them, which can ultimately lead to your dog getting sick or even dying. In the event that your dog does try and attack an intruder, this may not scare them away and instead the intruder may resort to violence to protect themselves and your dog risks getting injured or even killed.
If you’re thinking of getting a dog to improve your security it is extremely important that you also consider putting other security measures in place, whether it is burglar bars on your aluminium windows, alarm systems, armed response, safe zones or slam-lock doors; to ensure you and your family’s safety.
Read our previous article on:
Securing your home for the holiday season
