A Well-Trained Dog For Home Security
A dog has always been man’s best friend, so it is no surprise that as a form of security protection a barking dog is a natural choice for any home-owner. Even a small dog which can manage no more than a feeble yap, and is kept locked inside the home at night can deter a would-be burglar by alerting everyone. When you make the decision to get a dog for security purposes you need to ask whether you want a family dog whose role is only as a deterrent, or one who is trained to apprehend an unwanted intruder with a much greater ferocity.
Guard Dog Security for Home Protection
While installing a home alarm system will help protect the interior of your home, you might want to consider addressing the outside space too. You want a burglar to be stopped at the furthest point from your place of dwelling. A good home guard dog can efficiently attend to this task perhaps better than any other means and could be considered one of the best home security systems. Clearly there are breeds which are more aggressive than others, but careful thought should be applied when considering behavioral characteristics.
Most of us would agree that a large outdoor guard dog can appear vicious and it is something anyone would not want to upset. And although there are some that would rather lick you to death than bite you, at first glance, a burglar cannot tell whether the dog will hesitate to charge or not.
The majority of burglars are actually scared of dogs, especially large unfriendly ones and would rather look elsewhere than take that step inside your yard. Burglars adamantly avoid certain breeds like the well-known and notorious Rottweilers, Dobermans, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier guard dog, and the very popular German Shepherd guard dog.
Whatever dog you go for must either already be able to adapt itself to family life or be trained to do so, because you wouldn’t want to run the risk of a family member or welcomed visitor being attacked by mistake!
Trained dogs
Your first consideration when choosing a dog should be what you expect from them. Do you want a watchdog who takes the role of an outside burglar alarm that will bark at anything that attempts to enter your property, giving you a chance to investigate, or do you want a protection dog? Protection dogs have had obedience training to act on your command only. They can be trained to bark but not attack until you say so and on your command will release or sit immediately. Their training is oriented toward deterrence and not attack, but they will attack if need be. A protection dog when trained properly can also take the role of watchdog and can be integrated into your family quite successfully.
On the extremities are the very dangerous attacking guard dogs and specialised guard dogs. Attack dogs are trained to bite on command, but they will also attack if they perceive any threat to their owners. Once they have a hold on the victim they are trained to release when he or she stops resisting. An attack dog has usually undergone intense training.
Specialized Guard Dogs
A specialized guard dog on the other hand is the deadliest of all and has undergone superior training. These dogs patrol, either with a sentry or alone. Their only function is to stop, or neutralize an intruder. They do not stop biting on command or even when the victim stops resisting, they will only stop when he or she stops moving completely!
Usually their target is the throat or genitals and they are completely capable of killing a man. These types of trained dogs have no place in a family environment, and if you decide to buy one you may end up trying to explain yourself in court.
General information on breeds
In a family environment you should not need more than a watchdog, but here breed may be important, as not all dogs take to the role in the same way. Whether there is a best family guard dog breed is argued by many. Most dogs are pretty adaptable to family life so it just comes down to what your needs are.
It has been found that large black dogs of any type are classed as the most helpful in deterring burglars. Guard dog breeds who fit this category well are: Dobermans, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds.
It has been proposed that there are three different types of intelligence which a dog has at its disposal. The first is instinct, with skills and genetic disposition. The second is adaptive behavior which includes learning abilities, memory capacity and problem solving. Lastly is working with humans and obedience.
Every breed of dog is different in some way and may or may not have the temperament required for security purposes, but you are not limited to simply choosing one of the aggressive types, almost any dog that has been well trained can take on a security role.
About the author:
Mac Abley is a Home Security enthusiast. Visit All About Home Security for tips on guard dog breeds and other tips you can use right now to setup your own rock-solid home security system.
