Nov 2018
Are Burglars Scared Off By Dogs?
Dogs are one of the most loyal creatures on the planet. Often called man’s best friend, dogs are thought of as the first line of defense when it comes to home security. However, when it’s time to protect your family and possessions, many homeowners wonder if dogs are the best option.
Do Dogs Prevent Break-Ins?
The first way to assess if your household pet is an adequate crime deterrent is to determine their effectiveness with protecting your home. In most cases, the average criminal will go for an easy target, like a home that is completely empty of humans or pets. For this reason, the very presence of a dog can scare off a would-be criminal.
Homes with a “WARNING: Beware of Dog” sign and the ever-so-freighting bark of an alert dog can be enough to send a criminal packing. Moreover, if your dog looks threatening, this gives a criminal all the more reason to stay away.
Is Having a Dog Enough to Protect Your Home?
Some more hardened criminals are determined enough to break in despite the apparent signs that there is a dog on the property. These types of criminals either hope to distract the dog or make it in and out with sheer force. This is a situation where the presence of a dog isn’t enough to dissuade someone from breaking in.
While certain dogs can be trained to be effective guard dogs, others, regardless of how fierce they may be, may not be enough to protect your home. In certain cases, your dog may not even be alert when a criminal strikes. Perhaps your dog is on an outing with you or they may even be sleeping or locked in their cage. If the dog is indisposed, this will allow a criminal to gain access to your home. Moreover, if your dog is friendly enough to fall for a treat, you may find that your dog crime deterrent isn’t as effective as you had hoped.
However, you can mold your pet into the kind of dog that will protect you and your family at any cost. Consider the following ways to help transform your four-legged friend into a fierce guard dog.
- Teach your dog to be obedient
- Establish yourself as your dog’s master
- Socialize your dog so they can properly identify abnormal behavior
- Train your pet to stop barking with a certain command
- Clearly establish your property’s perimeter so your dog knows the limits of your territory
Install a Security System
Your newly trained guard dog should be a sufficient deterrent when it comes to scaring off most criminals, but it is also a good idea to install a security system in your home as well. When supplementing the current tactics of your guard dog with a home security system, you’ll be able to further guarantee that your home and family will be properly protected.
The answer to the question of “do dogs prevent break-ins?” depends on a variety of factors. Be sure to consider all of these as you decide on your next plan of action. However, for a guaranteed solution for protecting your home, installing a home security system is your best bet. Contact Silent Guardian for all your home security needs in the Long Island area.