How Effective are Dogs as Alarm Systems?
Being a dog parent is hard work, but the effort is well rewarded by the love that you and that cuddly bundle of fur have for each other. A result of this love is your desire to protect your furry family member because you don’t want anything bad to happen to them. What’s amazing is that alarm systems can be instrumental in providing this protection
But wait…
Aren’t dogs great at protecting their homes?
Yes, they can be, but a dog isn’t always sufficient in keeping an intruder away. A dog is merely an inconvenience to a burglar and that can bring more harm to the dog than the dog brings to the intruder.
A Few Startling Facts
Here are some eye-opening bits of info that might interest you:
- 34% of burglars state that a dog inside the house changes their mind before breaking into a home. This means that 66% are still not deterred.
- According to the Department of Justice, a dog is a theft deterrent if a burglar is afraid of dogs. As evidenced by the previous statistics, that’s not the majority of burglars.
- Dogs that bark at the right times can be effective at scaring off intruders, but dogs that bark at random things tend to not scare off intruders that have cased the house and know the dog’s habits. Habitual barkers are also more likely to be ignored by neighbors.
- Unfortunately, intruders can calm a dog easily with treats or meat containing a tranquilizer. In some tests, trained guard dogs failed to resist this distraction.
- Intruders have been known to harm dogs or take their lives.
Here is an Inside Edition investigation that put dogs to the test:
Getting to the Bottom of Dog Senses
The fact is that dog senses aren’t always foolproof. They have fantastic senses of smell and hearing, but some breeds of dogs can fall short when it comes to making certain decisions. As illustrated in the Inside Edition investigation, the smallest dogs in the test were the ones that displayed the greatest guard dog characteristics. Unfortunately, their small size still makes them targets.
We just have to face the fact that dogs are vulnerable. This in itself is frightening considering you want to protect your dog and your property. You can have the smartest dog on the planet, but something as simple as dangling a tasty treat in front of them can be a game changer. It simply isn’t fair to put them in charge of home security, as they are family members that want to relax, play, and make you happy.
The Right Tools for Protecting Your Home and Dog
So, what you need to do is put the right tools in place and that starts with a professionally installed home security system. Many residences throughout Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo have these systems in place. Seeing that a system is installed deters 60% of burglars, but a majority of 86 burglars interviewed by KTVB said they would immediately leave if an alarm system began sounding. Basically, a good combination of video cameras, 24/7 monitoring, alarms, and motion sensors can give you a greater degree of security, protect your dog, and give you better peace of mind.
Plus, cameras installed inside of the home can be monitored remotely via your smartphone, allowing you to keep an eye on your home and your dog.
Contact An Experienced Rochester Alarm System Company
All-in-all, you can take the pressure off of Fido and let a professionally installed alarm system do the work for you both. The reliability and level of security are outstanding. To learn more about how SPS Fire & Security can help you, call 585-770-0348 or complete our contact form and we will get back to you. Also serving the Syracuse and Buffalo areas.