Do your dogs provide security?

[*blackrose]

When Abrams was boarding while my family was visiting, it really made me realize how much I depend on his watch dog abilities. I already didn't like the fact that he wasn't around (no big doof to make life interesting), but on top of that it made me realize how secure he makes me feel when I'm home, particularly when I'm home alone.

I leave (screened) windows open during the day and overnight. When I'm just popping out for a quick errand, I won't always lock my door. I don't lock my doors when I'm home during the day. Whether logical or not, I figure that anyone who is stupid enough to try to get in a window or door with Abrams on the other side probably wouldn't have any issues actually breaking in if they were shut/locked. (And if they're dumb enough to brave the dog and break in, that is what our pistol is for.) He really is like having a security alert system, only he won't call the cops if the password isn't entered. haha Since he isn't crated at night/while I'm gone, he is able to "patrol" the entire house and investigate/alert to any sounds he may hear.

When Abrams was boarding, I was much more consciences of locking the doors/closing the windows because I knew he wasn't around to deter anything/alert to anything out of the ordinary, and had I not have had a house full of people while he was gone, it would have made me (very) mildly uncomfortable.

Growing up, our two Retrievers were also our security system of sorts. We lived in a rural area and the dogs were outdoor dogs for most of their lives and no one could approach the house without the dogs alerting/investigating first. One of the reasons my parents even sought a dog out in the first place was to provide a "first response" alert system for my mom when she was home alone during the day.

Do you rely on your dogs as a security system, or is that something you don't have a need for/do not want your dogs to do?

 

[SpaceMutt]

Astro is fantastic security. Right around a year- and year and a half he realized he's part Pei and decided to take his watch dog job seriously. If someone passes too close to my bedroom window (on the ground floor) at night, he lets out a deep growl to wake me up.

He has on several occasions made me feel better on walks too - one time I was walking him at night when I lived in NYC, and a guy started noticeably following me. When I stopped, he'd stop and hide behind a tree. Astro whipped around, stood stiff and upright, and hard-stared him down very pointedly. The guy hesitated and then turned and walked the other way.

He's a very alert dog, and the way he stands and checks people out is all guard dog. Sometimes it puts people off even if he's just checking them out. I knew there was a strong chance he'd grow up to be this way with his makeup, and I have to say that while it does have its drawbacks/considerations (less so given that he's actually very friendly once he realizes there's no threat and/or I introduce him), as a single young woman I do appreciate the security he provides.

I wouldn't rely on him for real security (attacking), and know that most dogs would not engage, but to be honest it wouldn't surprise me if he would; the way he's held his ground and visibly changed to "don't come any closer, I'm warning you" body language when faced with a suspicious activity makes me wonder.

I do not expect I'll get the same thing from my whippet

 

[amberdyan]

Hugo is great at alerting and I like it. He isn't very big, but he can look scary And has a good low bark/growl. He's a people lover and if you came in unannounced he would make a lot of noise but I'm pretty sure if you tried to love on him he would melt into a love puddle.... so probably not great if the person wasn't detered by his bark.

Not long ago he went nuts barked and growling at our big sliding glass door and when I rounded the corner a guy was running off. Probably just a creeper but I was glad Hugo was there.

 

[Jadex]

I feel so much better when SO is gone and the dogs are here with me. They probably wouldn't try to hurt an actual intruder, but everyone within a 3 mile radius would hear my hound bay alarm system.

 

[krissy]

Nope.

Considering I chose the breed in part for their quiet nature, I really can't be surprised or upset that they don't bark at the door.

Kili does jump right up and run to the door if someone knocks or rings the bell, but she just stands there and wags her tail without making a sound. They are big dogs, so sometimes people are a little concerned when I open the door, but not because my dogs are doing anything other than being friendly.

I don't really worry about it. I lock my doors, but I'm not worried when I'm home alone. And I'm glad my dogs aren't barking at stuff going on outside because I find that super annoying when I walk by people's houses. And when we lived with my BIL and SIL their beagle drove me nuts with his baying at stuff.

 

[sassafras]

I sleep well at night, yea.

I don't think any of them would actually DO anything, but between them there is enough sound and fury that short of a paid assassin I think anyone would look for an easier target elsewhere.

ETA: Because yea, my doof can also look like this:

 

[milos_mommy]

Yes and no.

Milo would definitely alert to any stranger noise, get defensive towards a stranger coming in uninvited, and full on attack if someone went after a family member, but he'd probably let whoever waltz right in if no one was home. He cares about us, not the house. He's also shut into the bedroom when we aren't home.

Benji may or may not bark a lot or run and hide. I don't think he has enough social grace to tell good guys from bad guys. He barks if he feels like it and hides if he doesn't. Which is pretty much what he does when anyone in the family comes home anyway.

Yeah, they may offer some slight security or deterrence and I feel safer with them, but in actuality I rely on pretty much anything else for safety before them.

 

[Beanie]

I sleep well at night, yea.

I don't think any of them would actually DO anything, but between them there is enough sound and fury that short of a paid assassin I think anyone would look for an easier target elsewhere.

Samesies. I still lock my door and don't leave my windows open (but I also don't live in a superbly safe city) but I do feel better because they cause a racket, and most thieves and such would rather pick an easy target. The hounds on the other end of the door indicate it's not an easy target.

 

[Southpaw]

I dont believe any of my dogs would act on anything, but they sure sound ferocious and that alone is a good deterrent. The alert barking annoys the heck out of me because let's be real, there's generally nothing significant happening when they do it. But it DOES provide some comfort knowing that no sound or person is going to be missed with them around.

My mom has always liked Dobermans but the thing that pushed her to get one *now* was that there were a lot of break ins in the area. Cajun is definitely the most intimidating of the 3 amd probably the only one who has any potential of actually acting under the right circumstances.

 

[StillandSilent]

Not intentionally, but yeah. Anyone who sees a growling coyote slink out of the darkness and come towards them would probably go in the other direction. Granted, he's just heading to his safe place under the cat tree, but they won't know that.

 

[Sweet72947]

Norris is a good alert dog if somebody he doesn't like comes around, but as far as protection? Ahahahahahahahaha :rofl1:

 

[LMost]

I own a guardian breed, that being said there are hard and soft dogs.

I've seen how Mouse reacts to anything he takes as a threat to the wife.
Lets just say he would and could defend her.
With me he looks at me as someone who can take care of myself and is happy go lucky with everyone.

He loves and wants to play with every kid within 5 miles of the house, but he will also warn a person in a heartbeat.

While he is a 175 to 180lbs of love, I can leave the doors unlocked at night and know if someone breaks in, just call the meat wagon, because he takes the job very serious.

 

[*blackrose]

Abrams is pretty good with his alert barking, although he still drives me bonkers at times. When he's in the backyard, he knows what "typical" backyard sounds are. Kids screaming, dogs barking, people talking the next house over, he's cool with. I think the only time he ever barks when he's outside, actually, is when someone is RIGHT by the fence - and even then, he's fine with it if said person is on a lawn mower, for example. Luckily for us, our neighbors aren't out in their yards a lot and the sidewalk is no where NEAR the fence.

When he's in the house, he's a bit more annoying. If he hears a car pull up and park right in the front of the house he'll bark. He barks if he sees people walking by on the sidewalk in front of the house or if he hears them talking as they pass the house. Typically, though, if I tell him to STFU he will (although sometimes he has to get in one more good WOOF to make sure I really know that there are people and do I really want him to STFU?). The only time he really lets out his booming, serious barks is if he sees/hears someone approach the house.

All in all, not too bad. He's really freaking annoying in new environments because he doesn't know what is "normal" and alerts to everything, but in an environment he knows? He's not too bad.

 

[Annabell]

I don't necessarily rely on Fable to keep me safe, but I definitely feel safer with her in the house.

I don't know if she would do anything to someone breaking in, but she does sound pretty scary when she's alerting to someone she doesn't know at the door (she usually only alerts to strange men, but if it's dark she'll bark more). And considering the fact that so many people think she's a dingo, I can imagine that she's a pretty intimidating sight to someone walking in the house.

 

[Romy]

The borzois are not very good alert barkers, but once in a while they'll get up and scream at prowlers. When they do, they sound like a pack of lions and it's very effective at driving the prowlers away. They're also very large so are a good visual deterrent if I want to go for a walk after dark.

That said, they are really inconsistent and there have been times that people actually tried to break in the front door and family members were screaming, and THEY SLEPT THROUGH IT. :thumbdown: lol

 

[teacuptiger]

Roxie is a great alert dog. Nothing happens that she doesn't know about, and I don't worry about strange sounds if she isn't worried.

I don't expect her to ever act on anything aside from alerting. Besides, she's experienced me taking care of stuff that she's alerted me to, so I highly doubt that she would even bother to do more than stand there while I handle it, lol.

 

[LMost]

Mouse does not bark much and would most likely let you come in the door past that.
The person he would treat as a treat.

 

[BostonBanker]

Not at all. They bark like fools when people come to the door, and Meg has enough of a bark that I think a casual burgler would be deterred. But neither are meant to be protection, nor would either provide it. I would be the one working to protect them.

 

[amberdyan]

Not at all. They bark like fools when people come to the door, and Meg has enough of a bark that I think a casual burgler would be deterred. But neither are meant to be protection, nor would either provide it. I would be the one working to protect them.

Hugo would be the same way. He would bark, but if someone threatened him he would totally run. In fact, two dogs got in a fight in front of him once and he ran and hid behind me. I'm basically his security.

 

[Equinox]

Yes, absolutely, and without a doubt

Most days out of the year I live about 2 hours away from home, close to my university campus. I won't say that I live in a particularly dangerous neighborhood, but it IS fairly sketchy. It's a hippy college town with a lot of homeless weirdos running around (there are also incredibly polite homeless people here, too, but the weird ones stand out). A lot of people under the influence of drugs and alcohol too, etc. People will approach you yelling at night or shuffle towards you muttering and acting in an incredibly shady manner, and even if they're harmless I'm never in the mood to deal with asshats. Break ins also aren't uncommon (did I mention I hate my college town?).

Trent has always been a big source of security for me, he keeps creeps away and has risen to the occasion 3 times in the last few years. Once when a druggie approached me in the car asking for money, twice when someone tried to get into my room (that's right, room, not house). He's a fantastic alert/watch dog and is incredibly aware while also familiarized with everyday commotion, so he is fairly intuitive. He's very loud and very forward and jumps into action immediately, all of which I appreciate.

I didn't get a German Shepherd wanting a protective dog, but Trent's the reason why I'll always want a guardian type dog.

Siege, on the other hand, is much quieter than Trent and less deliberate and discerning. Her reactions are quiet growls and she's less of an outright deterrent. She does still provide me with a sense of security, but I don't rely on it quite as much as I rely on Trent's instincts.