By: Anjie Coates

   Do you need to own a Doberman or Rottweiler to protect you home from being broken into? No, says Dr. Stanley Coren, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Canada. While either dog is a great addition to a home if well trained a dog of any size if vocal is a great deterrent to those looking for a house to break into. Dealing with a dog of any size is more than a thief wants to deal with. Breaking and entering must be done quietly and quickly to be efficient, otherwise the risk of being caught is far too great. If a dog continues to bark loudly, the neighbors will be alerted that something is wrong.

   "My dog is a Labrador, and he would help the burglar carry out the television and then close his car door!" I hear this often from dog owners. While it is true your dog is very social, the dog itself is a deterrent to breaking into your house. The dog is even more of a deterrent if the dog is in the house. A barking dog is now aware something is wrong, and is alerting all around of the situation. The person breaking in is unaware if the dog is Snoopy or Cujo and the chance is just too great to take.

   Small dogs are great alert dogs. They will gladly bark loudly to let everyone know that someone strange is at the door. A bite from any dog is not something that a burglar is looking for. If a dog bites someone, the burglar leaves behind far too much evidence. It was only a few months ago in Florida that a Miniature Poodle weighing five pounds scared off a burglar. His owner, a single woman, was in bed reading. The dog heard a noise in the kitchen on the first floor and went down to investigate. The dog began barking frantically and the owner called 911. When the police arrived a few minutes later, they found blood on the floor and on the dog's mouth. Further investigation found the screen over the kitchen sink had been cut away, and this was the point of entry of the burglar. The burglar had tried to climb in through the window and the dog had bitten him as he was climbing in. The police alerted local hospitals and the next day a man with a bite wound consistent with the dog's mouth imprint entered the hospital for stitches. This is one example that shows the dog does not have to be big to make his point. When the burglar was arrested, the police found he illegally possessed a handgun. It is unknown if he carried the gun that night, but if it were not for the little dog, things could have gone much differently that night. The burglar is now in a Florida jail.

   There are many different breeds of dogs and all of them can make a burglar decide that maybe this house is not worth his time. While may have the personality of Snoopy, a Beware of Dog sign always gives the impression that maybe Cujo lives there instead. An intruder is not going to take the chance that perhaps that sign is there just for him. He may never know what lays beyond that door is no more than a sleeping dog who will do no more than bring the intruder over to the cookie jar for a snack. Keeping this in mind you may want to give your furry friend a few extra snacks now and again because by simply being there he is helping to keep your home safe.