Dogs – Additional Home Security
While it is always best to install a home security alarm system, dogs are also often used to protect a house and its premises. Along with an incredible sense of loyalty to their owners, dogs have great instinct and keen hearing. Well-trained dogs can not only bark on cue, but also attack if they perceive that a family member is threatened. They are effective deterrents against burglars, but they are also fantastic friends.
Watchdogs are the most common type of dogs for protecting the home. They bark and growl persistently upon hearing any noise of possible intrusion. Protection dogs, with more advanced training, can respond to a potential threat on command. Attack dogs and guard dogs also provide excellent defense, though their viciousness may be too much for the home and for children, as they are typically used by patrol officers.
Depending on the breed of dog, training a watchdog can be fairly easy or difficult. It is important to teach the dog to distinguish between what he should bark at and what he should not bark at – for example, a stranger climbing the fence versus the neighborhood mailman delivering the mail. In order to train a watchdog, one must steadily and patiently go to him and respond every time he barks. According to what the dog is barking at, either encourage him by giving him a treat or discourage him by using a sharp voice. This must be done regularly so that the dog learns what he is doing right or wrong. A watchdog that barks at everything is useless, as one will never know if it is a visitor or an intruder approaching the house. Training a watchdog is hard and frustrating work, but worth the effort. Speak to local pet store owners or breeders about which breed of dog would be best for protecting a family home, and choose a dog that is naturally prone to develop such skills such as Dobermans, German Shepherd dogs, Rottweilers, and Great Danes.
There are, of course, also cons of having a dog as part of the home security system. Dogs are expensive and need a lot of attention. They suffer from depression and do get frustrated and upset. A proper watchdog must be cared for and treated as part of the family. Also, dogs cannot summon the police like an alarm system can, and under carbon monoxide, dogs are as helpless as humans. Yet, alarms do not provide any form or sense of physical protection.
However, that barking dogs can attract attention from passers-by and neighbors is an additional plus. While alarms only draw attention when an intruder is in the act of breaking in, dogs can alert their owners beforehand. Also, owners have a higher chance of finding out what exactly the dog is responding to, as sensitive alarms sometimes go off, triggered by other animals.
Having a watchdog does not mean one should not invest in a home security system. Dogs work as a secondary form of defense, not as a solitary, and a dog that is not properly trained is useless against potential threats. For more information about training watchdogs, check with local breeders and shelters.
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