Dogs and house alarms?

[AmateurDeLaVie]

Are there special alarm systems that recognize dogs and don't go off if a dog wanders around? We are about to get a puppy (yay!), so I am thinking of all the adjustments that need to be made.

I would prefer him to sleep downstairs but don't want to crate. Currently we turn on the alarm (downstairs) at night, and of course once the lockdown is over and we all leave the house, we will turn on the alarm even to go on a school run.

I've heard about setting motion detectors so that they register heat only above a certain height, but this may undermine security (visions of crawling burglars...). Also, the dog will be fairly large - a standard poodle - so if he decides to stand on his hinder paws (to steal a scarf off the hook for example), he will be almost human height. The only option is to keep him locked in the kitchen when the alarm is on.

What do you do about it?

[sillysmiles]

Our alarm can be set so that either everything is on or only the doors and windows are on and not the internal sensors, which we use when leaving the dog in.

[BiteyShark]

Yes you can get sensors that are 'pet friendly' but I still wouldn't want a young dog having complete freedom of the house when I went out.

Too much of a risk of chewing something they shouldn't plus I find my dog, who is now an adult, feels more secure and happy to sleep in one room when he is on his own.

[MissShapesMissStakes]

We have an alarm and a dog that sleeps downstairs.

The people who installed it came back and set it to a pet friendly one. Now it only registers movement that is 'human-like' was the explanation. Not had a problem.

As a pp has said though it will be a while until you need to worry about that as a puppy can't really be trusted to wander round much while little. They can eat or chew the wrong thing. Ours was left in a puppy pen if we popped out (not for long) as we knew he was safe.

[LochJessMonster]

Door and window sensors only.
My dog has free roam of downstairs when we are out

Tbh, we don’t use the alarm much anymore, he is our alarm and defence

[LochJessMonster]

A standard poodle puppy is not going to stay in a play pen for long.

My sisters standard poodle is HUGE. All legs. We call her a giraffe.

[vanillandhoney]

I wouldn't be leaving a young dog with any amount of freedom for at least 12-18 months, to be honest.

Young dogs get bored and chew, chew, chew. Either crate train or find a safe, secure place. I know dogs who, when left, have eaten sofas, chairs, walls and God knows what else.

Why are you averse to crating?

[MissShapesMissStakes]

Haha - I didn't see that it's a standard poodle!

I think I allowed mine the right of the house around 7 months. But he's a mini poodle so not as big. He was also a little angel and has never chewed anything that wasn't supposed to be. Also the pen was really tall and robust. Got it second hand from a lady who had used it with her Labrador.

[Roselilly36]

Pet sensors are what you need, unless your dog sleeps in your bedroom, ours insisted on it!

[AmateurDeLaVie]

Thank you all, will investigate pet sensors.

Hmm, chewing... I grew up with poodles (Moyens, so smaller) whose chewing spectrum ranged from pencils to slippers; my husband had Viszlas and Weimaraners, and recalls eaten sofas and chewed stair balusters... Maybe I should be less blaze about it...