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AIBU?

To want a dog for home security?

65 replies

goldielookingchain · 14/11/2016 22:08

We had an attempted break in last night. Noticed handle off back door, looked back on CCTV and they had a good 12 minute attempt to get into front door, kitchen window, then bifold doors were broken but luckily they didn't gain entry.

I have a 3 year old and a 5 year old. It was 3am and we were all in bed. I'm petrified that they will come back.

Our neighbours have CCTV, the burglars spent 14 secs lurking at their property compared to our 12 mins.

We would very much care for a dog as well but I've always been worried about the attention they need re walking etc. Plus we do like weekends away and days out.

Am I just panicking?

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YourRound · 14/11/2016 22:10

Fuck. That must have been terrifying.

Do you have anything in the house that they might specifically want to get their dirty hands on (e.g. high value car on the drive)?

YANBU to get a fucking massive, loud dog.

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neonrainbow · 14/11/2016 22:10

Yep. You should get a dog because you want one and are fully prepared to do the frankly massive amount of care they need. Get a burglar alarm.

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YourRound · 14/11/2016 22:11

Also, don't be worried about them coming back. Chance are they won't.

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GinIsIn · 14/11/2016 22:12

What neonrainbow said - a dog is a living creature needing love, attention and care. It's not a substitute burglar alarm or CCTV system.

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Frequency · 14/11/2016 22:14

I have a dog who was trained to guard prior to coming to me.

He makes enough noise to wake the dead if he feels I am threatened. I cannot even have workmen around without arranging for the dog to be elsewhere.

There's not just that either, there's the fact that if someone does break in while I am not home and the dog harms them I will be prosecuted under the dangerous dogs act. This is a huge worry to me atm because there are people repeatedly trying to gain entry to my home. The noise the dog makes does nothing more than alert me to it.

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previously1474907171 · 14/11/2016 22:15

What would have made your property more interesting to them than your neighbours? Could you address that? Do you have CCTV, or were you looking at neighbours?

You can get burglar alarms that go off when the door or window is messed with, we have them attached to the windows and doors, if I pull the curtains a bit aggressively I set the alarm off.

A dog would not necessarily be a deterrent, I have seen reports where the poor dog has tried to guard the house and has been attacked, or stolen.

Better to prevent them getting in and make the house look less attractive, keep valuables out of sight, curtains closed, get extra security.

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NavyandWhite · 14/11/2016 22:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ineedamoreadultieradult · 14/11/2016 22:19

Get CCTV like your neighbours or if there CCTV covers your house you don't even need to get it just get the dummy cameras and point them at your doors/windows. Get a burglar alarm. Do not get a dog.

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YouHadMeAtCake · 14/11/2016 22:23

As scary as that was and I'm so sorry it happened, YABVU. A dog is not an alarm system. A dog is a sentient being and yes, of course ,needs love, walking, medical care, insurance. If you like weekends away and days out , be prepared to pay for dogsitters or kennels. You cannot leave them alone. You'll also need a dog that is good with children.

I don't live in the UK , where I live people have their guard dogs on chains in yards and outdoor kennels. That is no way for a dog to live. I'm sure you'd have the dog inside the house but that's still not right , buy an a decent alarm system and if you can't afford one, be damn sure you can't afford a dog.

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Frequency · 14/11/2016 22:23

I have 3 and it's hit and miss if they bark when they hear a noise. A dog should be bought for a million other reasons than warning you of a break in.

Yes.

I have two. The neurotic, aggressive pain in the ass I mentioned in my pp and a lovely, natured bitch.

I had both dogs when we were actually broken into. The bitch who sleeps downstairs actually welcomed them in. Silently.

The other tosser guards me, not the house unless I am not home. He was already with me so did nothing more than stand on the edge of the bed snarling. As this is normal behaviour for him, I ignored him. If anything his 'guarding' aided the burglars by drowning out any noise they made Hmm

It's only when I am not home that he will gaurd the actual house.

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KoalaDownUnder · 14/11/2016 22:27

No, no. That's a terrible reason to get a dog - especially if you like weekends away!

Go back to the drawing board, I think.

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crashdoll · 14/11/2016 22:32

YABU. A burglar alarm or cctv would be cheaper and more effective. That said, it must have been really scary for you especially with the little ones in the house. Hope you're ok. Flowers

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gleam · 14/11/2016 22:33

Burglar alarm and perimeter alarms. Of course your local hedgehog might set off the perimeter alarm at 3 am...Grin

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Costacoffeeplease · 14/11/2016 22:33
Hmm
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Frequency · 14/11/2016 22:36

Guard dogs tend to go off at 3 am too. And 4am. And 5am. And 6 am. And 3:10 pm when the local school starts emptying. And 4:40pm when a crisp packet floats past the window. And god help us all when the neighbour takes his motorbike out at 7pm....

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Wolfiefan · 14/11/2016 22:37

Please tell me this isn't a serious suggestion. The sort of dog that would leap to your defence is probably not the sort of dog you want round young children.
A dog is a pet. Get a burglar alarm. FFS.

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musicghostly · 14/11/2016 22:38

I have a brilliant guard dog......she barks at everything. The problem with this is if she barks in the night I tend to tell her to shut up for fear she will disturb the neighbours.

It did occur to me the other night when she was going crazy that I shouldn't just be shutting her up and going back to sleep. But what would I do? Investigate? And what then, if it is someone? I love my dog and when it comes to I wouldn't want to put her at risk by letting her attack a burglar.

The only thing I do like is if people come door to door etc. I don't think it hurts them to hear there's a dog on the premises.

I'd get a dog if you actually want a dog anyway. Otherwise, I'd get CCTV or a burglar alarm, or both. Especially as a dog will cost more.

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HatePaperDoll · 14/11/2016 22:43

Dogs are not automatic burglar deterrents. When we had an attempted break in, the enormous dog house in the back garden should have been some clue as to the size of the inhabitants - 1 giant beeed and 1 Rottweiler. Both dogs were in the house with us and both slept through the whole incident. The Rottweiler sprang into action when the police arrived, though Hmm

The sort of dog you know will be hostile to strangers is not a dog you'd want as a family pet.

Even shit hot security systems won't deter the determined burglar. My friend's Dad owns a security company and his house has state of the art security systems. It got great footage of the gang who robbed their house and stole a car while they were on holiday. As the burglars had their faces covered, the footage was no use in identifying any of them.

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goldielookingchain · 14/11/2016 22:46

Obvious but omitted that the neighbours have 2 dogs which disturbed the intruders and woke them up

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goldielookingchain · 14/11/2016 22:47

We have an alarm but can't put it on at night because of cat

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goldielookingchain · 14/11/2016 22:50

We have CCTV, they don't give a shit, one of them even points at the camera. We do have a high value car but there's others on the street too. 14 secs at the neighbours because the dogs went ballistic. They had an undisturbed time trying to get into my home

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ArthurShelbysTash · 14/11/2016 22:51

I adore my dog and feel much safer knowing the big stupid lump is in the house with me when my partner is on nights. I wouldn't be without him. We got him because we wanted a dog, not a burglar alarm.
He is now 13, deaf as a post and smells like a teenage boy's bedroom. I doubt he'd hear a break in. Burglars could step over him and he would continue to snore. If I gave him a nudge and pointed him in the right direction he'd probably have a bark though.
Due to his age his vets bills are costly. I'm sure a decent alarm system would be cheaper.
Get a dog as a pet. Not as a burglar alarm. They get old and rubbish.
Hope you manage to sleep tonight.

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sparechange · 14/11/2016 22:52

Does the alarm have pressure sensors on the doors and windows?
If so, you can set it to ignore the movement sensors inside on their own and only sound if the pressure sensors on the doors and windows are activated - i.e. when someone opens a door or smashes a window

If you don't have door and window sensors, they are easy to get added onto the alarm system

Far better idea than a dog, if this is your main need.

Plus a wifi CCTV camera. They are under £100 on Amazon

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Floralnomad · 14/11/2016 22:53

Get a different alarm then ,or lock the cat in one room .

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SeenYourArse · 14/11/2016 22:55

My parents have two 45kg German Shepherd dogs and live in a big detached house rurally with nearest neighbours being half a mile away...they have been burgled twice!! Don't believe they wont come back they did to my parents!

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