A dog's superior sense of smell and hearing can alert you to danger much sooner than any human could possibly detect an intruder. If selected properly, trained correctly and treated humanely, a dog can be your best security system - a burglar alarm in canine form! If trained incorrectly or treated poorly, your watch dog will not only be ineffective, but can become a real problem.
Tying a dog in the yard is ineffective; a confined dog:
- Can be easily poisoned or killed by potential intruders
- Will bark at anything and everything out of sheer boredom. SO, like the boy who cried wolf, this dog will be ignored when there's an actual reason to bark
- Will be outside, unable to do a thing, when a burglar enters your home!
If you think a watch dog should be "mean", remember that a vicious dog wiIl not only bite intruders, but your friends, family, neighbors and their children and probably...YOU! When the dog gets loose (aggressive dogs kept in yards usually do) the dog becomes a safety hazard. Besides jeopardizing the safety of you, your family, friends and the rest of the neighborhood, it can hurt you financially from tickets...even lawsuits. In order to loyally protect you, your dog must trust you completely. This will never occur if you have beaten, neglected or otherwise abused him or her.
Convicted burglars say they are more threatened by a dog in the home than an alarm system or an owner with a gun. (A gun also has a' chance of accidentally killing someone you love. Not so with your dog; your faithful friend lying at your feet means you can feel relaxed and secure.
Always remember, when your dog barks to alert you to something outside, praise him or her. Never reprimand or say "be quiet". A dog can be your best deterrent to crime but only if properly trained, cared for and loved. |
