Downright irresponsible burglary deterrent

Chinasea

Over the last few weeks there have been several discussions on the radio and TV regarding the rising incidences of burglaries. On one of the reports the Head of Gardai Security or something or other, confirmed to Mary Wilson that a dog is an excellent burglary deterrent. "The louder the bark the better". She ran with this as a 'great idea' and emphasized it. There was also an ad filler on Newstalk from a security company advising people to get a dog as a burglary deterrent.

I shriek in horror, as I can just imagine who this type of irresponsible advice will appeal to.

Dogs are not bloody burglar alarms. How many poor dogs will now be sought and simply tossed and left for life alone tied up in a back garden etc.,.

Jeez, haven't we enough poor dogs already mistreated and abandoned.

El_Duderino 09

Chinasea wrote:

Dogs are not bloody burglar alarms. How many poor dogs will now be sought and simply tossed and left for life alone tied up in a back garden etc.,.

Surely she was right that dogs can be great deterrent to burglars. She's dealing with crime do she's not likely to say much about animal welfare. There are experts on that topic.

Choc Chip

I worry more about the dogs being stolen than anything else in my house....

Green Peter

Burglars hate dogs, fact

runawaybishop

Chinasea wrote: »

Over the last few weeks there have been several discussions on the radio and TV regarding the rising incidences of burglaries. On one of the reports the Head of Gardai Security or something or other, confirmed to Mary Wilson that a dog is an excellent burglary deterrent. "The louder the bark the better". She ran with this as a 'great idea' and emphasized it. There was also an ad filler on Newstalk from a security company advising people to get a dog as a burglary deterrent.

I shriek in horror, as I can just imagine who this type of irresponsible advice will appeal to.

Dogs are not bloody burglar alarms. How many poor dogs will now be sought and simply tossed and left for life alone tied up in a back garden etc.,.

Jeez, haven't we enough poor dogs already mistreated and abandoned.

Dogs have been used for thousands of years as guards and deterrents. Having a dog, in combination with other protections, is better than not having a dog.

mahoganygas

Chinasea wrote:

I shriek in horror, as I can just imagine who this type of irresponsible advice will appeal to.

Wow.

tk123

Chinasea wrote: »

How many poor dogs will now be sought and simply tossed and left for life alone tied up in a back garden etc.,.

Probably not as many as you're imagining because they can deter from the comfort of indoors as it comes naturally to most of them! My dog has a cushy life and still managed to deter a skip and some suspicious looking bags of sand from murdering the 3 of us this morning.:rolleyes:

o1s1n

I was about to post a comment going

'Someone should invent a sensor alarm that makes the sound of a dog barking'

Googled it and it already exists. No such thing as an original idea anymore is there? :pac:

BrokenArrows

Dogs are good guards if they are trained to be guard dogs.

If you want a dog as a pet then if you raise it property and look after it then it will be a friendly, well adjusted dog that doesnt attack anyone so will be useless as a guard dog.

A guard dog cannot and should not be used as a family pet.

How about the Guards actually do their jobs and punish burglars severely which will be a deterrent.

razorblunt

I don't see the problem with this, we had a terrier at home for years that would bark at anyone coming in the drive (sensor light goes on) if we were all already in the house.
Could be a bit annoying if a fox ran past but there was a period of a few weeks where he'd sit halfway up the stairs (could see straight out the slat blinds in the door) and would bark mad on occasion. It wasn't until the end of the week that I noticed the side gate was open one morning.

A Garda living a few doors up said a few houses had been broken into or attempted to broken into, including next door.

tk123

o1s1n wrote: »

I was about to post a comment going

'Someone should invent a sensor alarm that makes the sound of a dog barking'

Googled it and it already exists. No such thing as an original idea anymore is there? :pac:

Robbers probably invented it :pac:

muddypaws

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Dogs are good guards if they are trained to be guard dogs.

If you want a dog as a pet then if you raise it property and look after it then it will be a friendly, well adjusted dog that doesnt attack anyone so will be useless as a guard dog.

A guard dog cannot and should not be used as a family pet.

How about the Guards actually do their jobs and punish burglars severely which will be a deterrent.

Thats not actually the Guards' job, they catch them, someone else is supposed to punish them.

Well adjusted, friendly family pets can be great deterrents to burglars, not as attack guard dogs, but because they may bark, and so make people aware that something is going on. The noise tends to move burglars along, why take a chance on a house with a noisy watchdog when a couple of doors away, there isn't one. Dogs stuck out in gardens don't tend to work very well, a burglar coming in through the front won't worry about the dog out the back.

Just editing because one of my dogs just started barking, he lives seperately to the rest of the dogs, down the other end of the house. I went to see what he's barking at, and the local farmer has arrived, parking next to the house, to see to the cattle he has in the field next to me. Max knows the farmer, so wouldn't attack him, but just the barking let me know that someone was around.

VonVix

I think a lot of people fail to realise there is a difference between a "guard dog" and an "alert dog", 2 out of my 3 dogs are alert dogs (one of them being a German Shepherd), it's certainly useful to have a dog who will bark his/her head off to alert the humans in the home that something is out of place.

One of my dogs (and not my Shepherd), barks when someone is at the door, if the person comes in the house he stops barking, if the person goes anywhere else than the living room, he goes nuts, almost crowing with barks with a couple of growls thrown in, it's very different from his regular "there is someone at the door" bark. He knows that our guests do not venture towards the back garden or wander upstairs. Handy, certainly. But this shouldn't be someone's primary reason for getting a dog.

ganmo

Choc Chip wrote: »

I worry more about the dogs being stolen than anything else in my house....

getting a dog just to be a guard dog isn't smart but having a dog that guards is great

Tombo2001

Anything that Shrieks is a good deterrent.....doesn't have to be a dog.

runawaybishop

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Dogs are good guards if they are trained to be guard dogs.

If you want a dog as a pet then if you raise it property and look after it then it will be a friendly, well adjusted dog that doesnt attack anyone so will be useless as a guard dog.

A guard dog cannot and should not be used as a family pet.

How about the Guards actually do their jobs and punish burglars severely which will be a deterrent.

This is total nonsense. A dog can be a good guard dog and a family pet, they are not mutually exclusive. Even the friendliest pet can bark to alert the family of strangers outside.

OU812

Chinasea wrote: »

Over the last few weeks there have been several discussions on the radio and TV regarding the rising incidences of burglaries. On one of the reports the Head of Gardai Security or something or other, confirmed to Mary Wilson that a dog is an excellent burglary deterrent. "The louder the bark the better". She ran with this as a 'great idea' and emphasized it. There was also an ad filler on Newstalk from a security company advising people to get a dog as a burglary deterrent.

I shriek in horror, as I can just imagine who this type of irresponsible advice will appeal to.

Dogs are not bloody burglar alarms. How many poor dogs will now be sought and simply tossed and left for life alone tied up in a back garden etc.,.

Jeez, haven't we enough poor dogs already mistreated and abandoned.

My dog (a rescue mutt). Is a family pet & has an incredibly loud and sometimes aggressive bark. He'll bark at anything, cat next door, postman, people walking past, the kids playing outside. Each bark is totally different, I know the various differences. If we get someone trying to sell us something ringing the bell, they're usually half way down the garden when I open the door to be able to run if necessary. I usually have him with me opening it. Holding his collar while tapping his shoulder (he's trained to bark when I do that), just to reinforce the fact that he's protecting. Then we close the door & he gets a biscuit.

The houses either side have been done in the past year, ours hasn't.

Dogs are great deterrents. I ❤️ my dog.

midnight city

Chinasea wrote: »

Over the last few weeks there have been several discussions on the radio and TV regarding the rising incidences of burglaries. On one of the reports the Head of Gardai Security or something or other, confirmed to Mary Wilson that a dog is an excellent burglary deterrent. "The louder the bark the better". She ran with this as a 'great idea' and emphasized it. There was also an ad filler on Newstalk from a security company advising people to get a dog as a burglary deterrent.

I shriek in horror, as I can just imagine who this type of irresponsible advice will appeal to.

Dogs are not bloody burglar alarms. How many poor dogs will now be sought and simply tossed and left for life alone tied up in a back garden etc.,.

Jeez, haven't we enough poor dogs already mistreated and abandoned.

And even more importantly what about the poor neighbours who have to listen to all the loud barking dogs.

Chinasea

My point is that people who are not prepared to acknowledge and undertake the commitment that goes with owning, exercising, undertake the welfare and love, imo should not be given such a pass or justification to just go out and get a dog.

midnight city

Chinasea wrote: »

My point is that people who are not prepared to acknowledge and undertake the commitment that goes with owning, exercising, undertake the welfare and love, imo should not be given such a pass or justification to just go out and get a dog.

I'd like to see the dog warden go round houses and if the dog looks like its left out the back all day barking he should remove them. How many dogs in this country are condemned to a life of going between its dirty cold kennel to the back garden with little to no attention. A shocking high amount in my experience.

runawaybishop

Chinasea wrote: »

My point is that people who are not prepared to acknowledge and undertake the commitment that goes with owning, exercising, undertake the welfare and love, imo should not be given such a pass or justification to just go out and get a dog.

Completely separate issue to a dogs ability to deter thieves.

Knine

My 4 dogs are great burglar alarms but so is my bird & I am not sure if she weighs more then 30g.

Unfortunately I was unlucky to find out just how good they are. I was also the victim of an attempted mobile phone robbery & that idiot got to feel Border Teeth & I got got home safe with my phone. It could have been a lot different.

muddypaws

Knine wrote: »

My 4 dogs are great burglar alarms but so is my bird & I am not sure if she weighs more then 30g.

Unfortunately I was unlucky to find out just how good they are. I was also the victim of an attempted mobile phone robbery & that idiot got to feel Border Teeth & I got got home safe with my phone. It could have been a lot different.

Apparently geese are phenomenal at alerting and sometimes scaring intruders away.

When I was a kid we had a soppy labrador, never saw any aggression from him, he was always out with me and my friends, roughhousing etc. My Dad used to go home for lunch every day and would let him out into the garden. He was home one day and heard yelling and barking from the back garden, went out there and a workman had come in to do something about the drain in the back, the dog had him in a corner and wasn't going to let him go anywhere.

Mary63

If I got a parrot and trained it to bark like a dog do you think that would keep the local scum out of my house.

Knine

muddypaws wrote: »

Apparently geese are phenomenal at alerting and sometimes scaring intruders away.

When I was a kid we had a soppy labrador, never saw any aggression from him, he was always out with me and my friends, roughhousing etc. My Dad used to go home for lunch every day and would let him out into the garden. He was home one day and heard yelling and barking from the back garden, went out there and a workman had come in to do something about the drain in the back, the dog had him in a corner and wasn't going to let him go anywhere.

I remember going to a Pet farm with the kids & friends & a Gander chasing me all around the farm. Nobody else just me much to the amusement of my friends & kids so I 'd safely say a few geese would be great! I had a similar incident at a circus with a Camel whose humps & other bodily parts swinging as he was running. Thankfully most dogs seem to like me!

Green Peter

Dogs hate burglars, fact

jimf

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Anything that Shrieks is a good deterrent.....doesn't have to be a dog.

must record my wife the next time one of those woman eating spiders decides to wander across our sitting room floor :eek::eek:

deadlybuzzman

A few months back a neighbour with a burglar alarm got held up with a knife as she entered her house in the middle of the day. The alarm was of zero use.
When we were looking for a dog I persuaded my wife to go for something with more presence than her initial choice of a Pug.
We rescued what everyone thought was a staffy, turned out she's an American Pitbull Terrier and she's FANTASTIC!
When my wife gets out of the car alone on dark evenings the dog is right at her side, if a stranger is outside she has a very intimidating bark.
If I'm away for a night my wife isn't afraid anymore as the dog sleeps across her feet pointing at the door (the dog only does this when my wife's alone)
Last week she was as proud as punch when 2 Americans stopped her and complimented her on how well trained her Personal Protection Dog was (the only training we've ever done is basic obedience and a few tricks)
Were lucky to have her as she's still a great pet and is brilliant with other dogs, but I've asked K9 trainers and apparently she's a pretty normal Pitbull. That said she needs hard exercise 7 days a week so she's not for everyone.
And the neighbour that got robbed..... She's getting a properly trained GSD

irish_goat

Our springer is more likely to help a burglar move the TV out than scare them off. The wee cavalier goes mental at anyone who steps on the driveway though so I'd imagine would act as a deterrent. In reality she'd leg it if any man got close to her though.

PucaMama

My terrier wouldn't let someone up the drive. No one is getting into the house with her.

ganmo

irish_goat wrote: »

Our springer is more likely to help a burglar move the TV out than scare them off. The wee cavalier goes mental at anyone who steps on the driveway though so I'd imagine would act as a deterrent. In reality she'd leg it if any man got close to her though.

thats kindof what you want,it the baddie gets close nastiness can happen and then youd be responsible for your dog biting them

Knine

ganmo wrote: »

thats kindof what you want,it the baddie gets close nastiness can happen and then youd be responsible for your dog biting them

If someone broke into my home then I would not be too upset if they got bitten or had an unfortunate accident.

Latatian

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Dogs are good guards if they are trained to be guard dogs.

If you want a dog as a pet then if you raise it property and look after it then it will be a friendly, well adjusted dog that doesnt attack anyone so will be useless as a guard dog.

Some dogs are naturally very protective even if raised as a family pet, properly socialized etc. No matter how you raise a dog you cannot compensate entirely for genetically poor temperament, or a lack of inherent ability to be a guard dog. And if a dog is naturally protective and you do NOT socialize it and raise it and train it to be comfortable around people, you'll end up with an unstable dog that hasn't seen enough friendly people to know the difference between a burglar and the postman. Or a dog that's frightened and looks 'scary' (growls etc) but isn't confident enough to really protect you.


On another topic- I always thought that my dog was one of those 'rather lick the burglar to death and then show him where the valuables are' dogs. Then I came home one day in the dark, at an unexpected time.

The large snarling shape that appeared was so unlike her that I thought I had a stranger's dog in my garden. Luckily she realized who I was *before* I got the arse taken out of my trousers.

kylith

Any dog that barks is a great burglar deterrent. My old terriers acted as an alarm for the houses all round us too.

However, I get where the OP is coming from: if you want a dog then the fact that it will also bark at strangers is great, but to get a dog just because you want a burglar alarm is irresponsible. It still needs to be looked after as a pet first and foremost.

FrostyJack

There is a difference between a good watchdog and a good guard dog (though a dog could be both). My spaniel makes a good watchdog, she is alert to strange noises and barks if she thinks something is up (especially strange men coming up to her). Jack Russell's are great at this job. My other dog would potentially make a great guard dog, he is big and strong and I would not want to be on the end of his wrath, but he loves people too much so I doubt he would attack anyone. German Shepherd, Doberman etc excel at this job, though it is individual dog dependent.

blackvalley

mahoganygas wrote: »

Wow.

Bow Wow !!

Rum Ham!

My german shepherd is a pet, really gentle and very rarely barks unless playing with other dogs. During the night he circles around the house and by the trees of the garden instinctively protecting the home. He will only bark when there is someone there, a car or another animal etc. He doesn't let anyone into the yard without someone living here telling him its OK.

I think they are a super deterrent even just as a pet and I think any size dog is great to have as an alert dog. Obviously as a companion firstly.

sillysmiles

Rum Ham! wrote: »

My german shepherd is a pet, really gentle and very rarely barks unless playing with other dogs. During the night he circles around the house and by the trees of the garden instinctively protecting the home. He will only bark when there is someone there, a car or another animal etc. He doesn't let anyone into the yard without someone living here telling him its OK.

I think they are a super deterrent even just as a pet and I think any size dog is great to have as an alert dog. Obviously as a companion firstly.

But if a burgular wanted into your house a properly place sausage would see to that. And that is why I agree with where the OP is coming from. If you have a dog that is a deterent that's great but they are more than a barking machine. And anybody who wants into a house where a dog is loose in the garden over night, can easily and fairly brutally from some of the things I've heard accomplish that.

For me, if someone broke into our house, I'd be more concerned they'd harm the dog. Everything else is just possessions.

PucaMama

sillysmiles wrote: »

But if a burgular wanted into your house a properly place sausage would see to that. And that is why I agree with where the OP is coming from. If you have a dog that is a deterent that's great but they are more than a barking machine. And anybody who wants into a house where a dog is loose in the garden over night, can easily and fairly brutally from some of the things I've heard accomplish that.

For me, if someone broke into our house, I'd be more concerned they'd harm the dog. Everything else is just possessions.

My terrier wouldn't take food from a stranger. She won't even take a treat from a vet. If it was a stranger she would just tear in to them.

sillysmiles

Or eat a sausage or a piece of meat left lying unattended in your garden?

For me, it's not a risk I'd be willing to take.

JustAThought

Scumbag criminals are cowards & lazy - in a built up area they win't take a risk on your dog being nice or predictable - and they don't want to be savaged - they'll just move up a door or two to the next empty looking house.

My parents have no dog & one night 'fido' and I were visiting quite late (about 10pm) but my car was parked further down the street. We heard a funny nouse outside & my dad went to the door - followed by 50kg of teeth and muscle leaping snarling past him into the dark garden - two men crouching down behind the bushes beside the door and a third at the windows at the front unlit part of the house - you never saw scobies scale a wall and run down a road as fast. I'd say my parents were being watched & targeted - took to bringing the dog around quite a bit after that. Touch wood never a repeat performance. Thank God.

Dog was called back & was fine. Thank God.

The police should do us and themselves a favour and say they are powerless and the legal system actively works against them & just tell us all to build trapdoors into stake filled pits with quicklime & buy maneating wolves & make the world s better place. Sooner free legal aid , actual judicial reform & no bail on second and third offenses of any kind the better.