These days, it seems like home security has become an industry focused on the newest and most cutting-edge devices and systems. From night vision surveillance cameras to bulletproof glass in house windows, times, as Bob Dylan once sang, are changing. However, no matter how high-tech home security is, there is a piece of home protective gear that you may have forgotten to order with your stealth alarm system. A true gem of a device that has been used with proven results for thousands of years. Not only will it alert you to a potential danger, it may even bring you the newspaper. Known as man’s best friend, they are also one of man’s best defenses when it comes to home security. Yes, the humble and loyal guard dog.
Assuming you have the means and the space to have a sizable dog on your property, perhaps the first thing to consider is whether you want a guard dog or a guard dog. Most dogs are instinctive watchdogs, they will bark and be suspicious when something bothers them (some, on the other hand, will approach strangers in the hope that they will come with gifts of dog treats, and then turn around for a while. rub the belly). Some breeds have been trained to be better or more alert watchdogs than others. Also, almost any medium to large sized dog has a certain air about him or her that seems to say, “Do you really want to mess with me?” Think about it, if you are walking down the street and you see someone walking with a Corky, you are much less likely to be alarmed or cautious than if you saw a bullmastiff approaching. When talking about actual guard dogs, not your domestic guard dog, we are talking about a dog that has been trained and often bred for the purpose of protecting and defending its home.
Where a guard dog can bark, the threat often ends there (hence the term “his bark is worse than his bite”). With a watchdog, the opposite is true. While some people take it upon themselves to train their dog to be a guard dog, others choose to purchase an animal that has been trained by an expert (who will typically also be a dog breeder) in this field. Somewhere in between are watchdog training classes or private instructors that you can find listed in larger cities or online.
A guard dog, while generally friendly and calm to its owner and family, is not the type of animal that is allowed to run free around the neighborhood. It is an animal that has been trained to defend and sometimes even attack to protect its owners and property. They are strong, athletic dogs whose wolf and wild animal genetics have been honed and used to defend and protect. This is not to say that all watchdogs are waiting to bite someone’s face. On the contrary, as it happens with almost all domestic dogs, if they are well handled and cared for since they are puppies, then a guard dog can have a sweet and gentle temperament not only with its owners but with those people that their owners ensure that the dog is not. a potential threat.
There are many things to consider when contemplating a guard dog. A key point is that training a dog solely to attack and physically harm other people is often considered illegal, as it is essentially training the animal to be a weapon. Guard dogs must be alert to all manner of intruders or nuisance, from people to other animals to loud sounds. But at the same time, they need to be well trained, to know when and only when it would be appropriate to do more than bark. Always check the laws in your area or country when it comes to guard dogs as some breeds are even illegal to own or train as guard animals in certain locations. A middle ground between barking and attacking is a guard dog that has been trained to simply try to contain the intruder (one such training method is Schutzhund training).
Another important factor is the size and breed of the dog. Common watchdog breeds with successful backgrounds include (but are not limited to) Akitas, Chow Chows, Mastiffs, German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Dogue de Bordeauxs, Fila Brasileiro (a somewhat rare breed from Brazil), Rottweilers, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Boxers, Great Pyrenees, and yes, even the misunderstood Pit Bull Terrier.
However, before you rush to buy a guard dog, or look at Fido, your pet poodle, and wonder if he can be trained, consider that a guard dog requires a lot of care and attention. You will also need to post signs on your property warning visitors (and potential intruders) of your canine home’s security system. If you decide to have a guard dog, love it and treat it as you would any dog, as you can be sure that your old home security system is on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Ready to bark and play fetch in the blink of an eye.
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