Having a "guard" dog?

[rolc]

Following on from my last post about feeling/being unsafe at home.

I'm considering getting a dog to help me feel safer. I already have a small dog that I've honestly never hear bark and wouldn't scare a fly.

What would you go for? I'm was looking at huskies but I'm not sure about the malting.

I'd be getting an adult dog, not a pup.

I think any dog that is medium to large that barks, would be helpful in deterring people from breaking in. Doesnt need to be a guard dog, as you dont want it attacking people, but just alert you and let others know you have a dog.
I wouldnt get a husky as theyre not very trainable, and they howl more than bark.
Maybe an alsation or a staffie

Thank you!

Huskies tend not to bark unless they learn from a neighbouring dog, the neighbours weren’t pleased when theirs learned from ours, who would bark at someone 10 houses away opening the door! Also, they’re very unreliable off lead and like to chase small furries, so might not be great with neighbour’s cats. The moulting is epic, they blow their coats twice a year.

You can train a dog to ‘speak’, but speaking to my DH who is a pc, burglars aren’t deterred by dogs these days, they just carry a crowbar 😢

It depends. If the ruddy thing barks all the time and is left outside, don't expect your neighbours to look out for suspicious people/events. They will be too busy covering their ears or going about their business "NDN's dog going off again"....

How much space do you have? Have you got time for substantial walks. Larger dogs of any breed need lots of care. I do think collies make excellent "guard" dogs as its natural to protect their flock but you need to be able to train them well, keep them stimulated and give adequate exercise.

Apparently burglars are put off by small jappy dogs rather than big ones as they make such a racket. I'd get a feisty jack Russell.

I have a malamute so similar to a husky, mine never barks at the door, he sits and waits and then rolls on his back when anyone enters even if he doesn't know them. I feel safe walking late at night which him though as he's huge. My pug barks loads but would lick someone to death or steal food. Most dogs don't make good guard dogs if they are trained to be sociable really.

Mine is crap off lead but he's only young, doesn't appear to have any prey drive whatsoever. I think if a burglar saw him it would put them off.

I know someone who has a guard dog. As in, a trained guard dog which he acquired from an organisation which breeds and trains guard dogs. It cost £30k. He is a wealthy entrepreneur and lives in a remote property - wanted the dog for security for his family when he's away. It's not a pet, it's a guard dog.

Not sure about just getting a dog untrained for the purpose. What's it going to do? Scare people away with barking?

Not sure about just getting a dog untrained for the purpose. What's it going to do? Scare people away with barking?

Yes. The barking alerts people in the house to the fact that someone is there, meaning an intruder can't just make a quiet entry, so likely will not bother; it may also make the intruder worry about being attacked.
It's a deterrent, rather than proofing.

I'm quite pleased that my very large golden retriever barks loudly and deeply when someone comes through our gate. He does nothing other than greet them enthusiastically when they finally get in, but someone who didn't know him wouldn't know that!

I don't think a dog is going to deter burglars, unless it's the kind of breed that's going to be dangerous to you and your little dog

I think it’s a terrible idea.
You don’t go from a small dog to a husky just because you want a guard dog.

You need to research breeds, temperament, exercise needs, behaviour etc. Caring for a large dog is very different to caring for a small dog.

If you truly want a good guarding breed you are going to be looking at a breed that is inherently wary of strangers. This will limit walks, days out, having visitors over etc.

Do you actually want another dog and all of the care that comes with it though? And will a barking dog really make you feel safe? If the barking is to deter people coming to your home, you could get a "beware of the dog" sticker in your window and buy a motion-sensor barking noise.
Something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Barking-Alarm-External-Warning-Sign/dp/B097PBPGJ2/ref=mpssa113?crid=36I7Y062M9TLK&keywords=dog+barking+anti+burglar+alarm&qid=1674995029&sprefix=burglar+alarm+dog+%2Caps%2C107&sr=8-3

Lapso apso have amazing ears.

The 3 dogs we had - no one could ever make it to the house without the dogs alerting us. Never. We always knew someone was on the drive

Not kid friendly - quite possessive of their owners .... can be grumpy to others that aren't the owner

Huskies don’t really bark. They just scream! Loudly. All of the time.

Why don't you get a ring doorbell? Cameras ?

Then you might feel a bit safer plus security lights that turn on if they detect motion

Besides getting one for your safety and peace of mind, you'd need to know if you can handle a bigger dog as a responsible owner, especially outdoors.

I agree a regular large dog would serve as a deterrent to most average burglars because they can't be bothered unless there's a specific reason your home is targeted.