There are many breeds and choices you can make when selecting a dog for your family’s home protection. Some of the factors you might look at are size, bark, strength, and reputation of the dog. When considering a dog for any type of home protection, it is best to research the breed you are interested in to make the most informed choice possible. For instance, pit bulls have become widely known as great guard dogs, but depending on their master’s training, can be the most lovable and family friendly dog around. On the other spectrum, consider a Chihuahua, who is very tiny, but can bark up a storm to alert you of a possible home invasion as well as scaring off potential threats.
To begin, a watch dog is different than a guard dog. A watch dog barks and causes commotion to raise the alarm that something unusual is happening. His or her objective is to warn you, the homeowner, when a stranger is on your property. On the other hand, a guard dog is a dog that actually attacks or simply looks intimidating to scare intruders away. These are the types of dogs who have their pictures on warning signs and guard property rather than people.
So why then would you or someone want a watch or guard dog along with an alarm system to protect your house? There are several reasons why. First, burglars often scout out their potential targets and make quick visits to check to see if there is an actual security system in place. The burglar will then return later to break into the house, but if there is a barking dog instead of a security system during the initial scouting, it is generally less likely that the burglar will return later on. Second, dogs are very good at looking, listening, and finally barking when something unusual is happening inside or outside the home, which in turns alert you, the homeowner, that something is not right. Third, even though alarm systems are monitoring 24/7, there is always the chance that the alarm siren will not sway the burglar from leaving once inside the house or that somehow the alarm signal will not properly be directed to emergency personnel in time. For these reasons and more are why homeowners have dogs as added protection inside the home.
Most burglars want a house with as little distraction as possible. So when they come to a house with a dog, what happens? The majority of time the intruder tries another house just because of the fact that they do not want to mess with a canine. It is often said that dogs are considered man’s best friend and that is why almost any canine can be trained to protect a home. However, certain dogs have been naturally bred as watch dogs. It is their vital job to alert their owner of intruders or dangers. Others are bred as guard dogs, whose job is to attack or detain the intruder.
Now let’s look at some of the different breeds that are well known for protecting families and homes. The German shepherd is famous for being a great police and military dog. These dogs are smart, loyal, and ready to protect its master at a moments notice. Next is the muscular Rottweiler, which will send any potential burglar running into the night. The Rottweiler is very good with kids, and one of the most devoted dogs out there, and is very protective of its family when there are strangers around. Staying with larger dogs, the Labrador, even though loving on the outside can be a wonderful watch dog that can protect the family by waking the owner, barking at the intruder, or causing a ruckus. Furthermore, any large dog can be trained to be a watch dog and deter potential burglars from breaking and entering.
If you do not have a family, one of the best guard dogs is the strong and intelligent Doberman Pincher. These dogs are fast, have a ferocious bark and bite, and are considered one of the most dangerous types of guard dogs. In this category, you could also place the Pit-bull, which sounds frightening. Recently, the Pit-bull has also been portrayed negatively as a vicious and aggressive dog because of dog fighting. This is true in some cases, however, when these dogs are trained by responsible owners, Pit-bulls can be loyal and a great watch dog for the family.
Some might think that smaller dogs are not very astute at being dogs used for home protection. Surprisingly, these dogs are very effective at deterring potential burglars from breaking and entering the home. My first breed of smaller watch dogs I would like to discuss is the Chihuahua. This dog is a perfect little watch dog. These little “Taco Bell” and “Beverly Hills” dogs are quite the yappers, and will not shut their yaps until their goal is accomplished, which in this case would be alerting you of the impending burglary or scaring off the initial intruder. Another smaller dog that is naturally territorial and intelligent in the Terrier. These feisty dogs are well known to protect the area they live in at all costs. From the outside, they might seem like a grumpy old grandpa type of dog, but these Terriers are quite the watch dogs. Finally, a poodle is a watch dog who loves to bark and bring attention to its owner when something unusual is happening, which in this case, would be the intruder trying to break in.
To sum up, dogs, both small and large can be trained to protect the home and deter potential burglars from invading your sanctuary. Many burglars state that they do not mess with homes that have dogs because of the unknown that is involved with these animals. However, this does not mean that you and your home can be protected completely by a dog. Having a dog is an added bonus and additional protection for homeowners, and is by no means a substitute for a professionally installed security system with 24/7 monitoring.
Because of their size, large dogs — either pure breeds or mixed — can deter criminals,” Because of their size, large dogs — either pure breeds or mixed — can deter criminals,” Because of their size, large dogs — either pure breeds or mixed — can deter criminals,”
