Why A Guard Dog Alone Is Not Enough

When it comes to protecting your home, you shouldn’t take any shortcuts. In fact, according to the FBI Crime Reporting Statistics, there are roughly 325,000 home invasions each year in the United States, making it apparent that protection is necessary for the safety of your family and belongings. While you may think you have it covered with your furry playmate that also acts as a guard dog, this isn’t necessarily true. It’s a good start, but there are a few common misconceptions that don’t make a guard dog a full-proof plan. Here’s why.

Dogs Aren’t Reliable

Dogs are creatures, which means they are subject to personality traits, energy levels and moods. Therefore, you can’t rely on their behaviors being consistent. The idea of a guard is premised on the fact that the dog will either scare an invader or bark so loudly that they will attract the attention of neighbors. However, have you thought about what happens if your dog is prone to barking anyway? Your neighbor may not notice an abnormality when an invader strikes and therefore the guard dog was not effective in attracting attention. Alternatively, what if your dog is feeling exhausted or just doesn’t resort to barking one day? It’s hard to rely 100 percent on the behaviors of an animal.

Burglaries Can Be Short and There Are Ways to Deter Them

Your guard dog may be easily instigated, but it could also be easily distracted. Especially if an invader has been watching your home for some time, knows your patterns and is aware of the guard dog, then they can come prepared. Common tools that burglars use are pieces of meat or toys. Worst case scenario, they may also include a tranquilizer or drug in the meat to knock out your pet while they look through the house. A lot of burglaries can also be quick jobs — just 90 seconds the FBI reports. Therefore, distracting a dog for such a short time is not that hard especially if the invaders come prepared. And as they are your pet, you want to protect them as well, so having a backup plan is very important.

What to Do?

Having a guard dog is a great step to protecting your house, but it should not be your only step. First and foremost, you should always couple a guard dog with a comprehensive security camera system. They not only guard the house, but can also protect your pet in case of any danger. Other fool-proof tricks to keep your home secure include cleaning up landscaping or equipment so that there’s nowhere to hide, and securing all windows and doors around the house.

Securing your home is important for any person or family, and having a guard dog is an effective first step. However, due to a few misconceptions, it should always be coupled with other protective methods to ensure that your plan is comprehensive.