Warning, Guard Dog on Premise
These days it seems as though home security has become an industry focused on the newest and most cutting edge of gadgets and systems. From night vision surveillance cameras to bulletproof glass in home windows, the times, as Bob Dylan once sang, they are a changing. However, no matter how high tech the home security low down becomes, there is one piece of home protection equipment that you may have forgotten to order with your stealth alarm system. A real gem of a device that has been used with proven results for thousands of years. Not only will it alert you of potential danger, it may even fetch the newspaper for you. Known as man’s best friend they are also one of man’s best defences when it comes to home security. Yes, the humble and loyal guard dog.
Assuming that you have the means and space to keep a substantially sized dog on your property, perhaps the first thing to consider is whether you want a guard dog or a watch dog. The majority of dogs are watch dogs by instinctual manner, they will bark and become suspicious when something disturbs them (some on the other hand will approach strangers in the hope that they come bearing gifts of doggy treats, and than proceed to roll over for a belly rub). Some breeds have been trained to be better, or more alert, watch dogs than others. As well almost any medium to large sized dog has a certain air about him or her that seems to say, “You really want to mess with me?” Think about it, if you are walking down the street and you see someone walking a Corky you are far less likely to be alarmed or cautious than if you saw a bullmastiff coming your way. When talking about actual guard dogs, not your garden variety household watch dog, we are talking about a dog that has been trained and often bred for the purpose of guarding and defending your home.
Where a watch dog may bark, the threat often ends there (so hence the term “his bark is worse than his bite”). With a guard dog the opposite is true. While some people take it upon themselves to train their dog to be a guard dog, other folks opt to buy an animal that has been trained by an expert (who will typically be a dog breeder as well) in this field. Somewhere in between lays guard dog training classes, or private instructors that you may find listings for in larger cities or online.
A guard dog, while generally kind and calm with its master and family, is not the sort of animal that you let run free in the neighbourhood. It is an animal that has been trained to defend and at times even attack in order to protect its masters and property. They are strong, athletic dogs whose wolf and wild animal genetics have been honed and put to use in order to defend and protect. This is not to say that every guard dog is waiting to bite someone’s face off. On the contrary, as with almost all domestic dogs, if they are well handled and cared for from puppy-hood then a guard dog can have a gentle, sweet temperament around not only its owners but those people that its masters assure the dog are not a potential threat.
There are many things to consider when contemplating a guard dog. One key point is that training a dog solely to attack and physically do harm to other people is quite often considered illegal as it is in essence training the animal to be a weapon. Guard dogs should be on alert for all kinds of intruder or disturbances, from people to other animals or loud sounds. But at the same time they need to be well trained, aware of when, and only when it would be appropriate to actually do more than just 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 places. A middle ground between barking and attacking is a guard dog that has been trained to simply attempt to restrain the intruder (one method of this type of training is Schutzhund training).
Another important factor is the size and breed of the dog. Common breeds of guard dogs with successful track records 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 Pyreneeses, and yes, even the misunderstood Pit Bull Terrier.
Before you rush out to buy a guard dog though, or look at Fido your pet poodle and wonder if he’s trainable, consider that a guard dog requires a lot of care and attention. As well you will need to put up signs on your property warning visitors (and potential intruders) of your canine home security system. Should you decide to get a guard dog, love it and treat it as you would any dog, as you rest assured that your age old home security system is on guard twenty-four-seven. Ready to both bark and play fetch at the drop of a hat.
Jessica Cander is a versatile professional freelance writer who contributes to a wide variety of web sites, including the Home Security Facts web site.
