by Patrick J. Knight

Created on: July 03, 2008   Last Updated: November 01, 2010

This is an argument that can be settled in either direction. For me, however, the best way to go is with a dog. Let me be clear about one thing, however. When I say dog, I mean DOG...not a tiny 3 pound barking machine like a Maltese or a Pekingese. I mean a Mastiff, or Rottweiler...a huge dog with big teeth that emits bladder releasing fear.

A burglar, once his mind is set, can probably bypass any alarm. Once the burglar is in your home, you are usually defenseless. It is my experience that even if an alarm is tripped, your next line of defense is the neighbor who hears the alarm, and the security company that calls your home to see if everything is OK. In either situation, precious minutes are wasted while the burglar is in your home.

When you have a large, noisy dog however, the odds are on your side. The dog will alert you that an intruder is near your home. This means that you are aware of the burglar BEFORE he gets in. If you have a real dog (one that weighs at least 75 pounds), the burglar has to get past your dog to get to you. True, dogs are not bulletproof, but a burglar, when faced with a 90 pound snarling animal, brandishing fangs and molars, will consider flight as a truly viable alternative.

There are upsides to alarms. They don't eat. Dogs are very expensive to feed and to care for. The big ones (like my Italian Mastiff, Hercules), are also always in your way. But there is an incredible sense of security when I lie down each night, knowing Hercules is on guard. He begins growling whenever ANYONE comes in my yard, and he runs to whatever point of entry the intruder nears. When the intruder appears at the house, Hercules starts barking to alert everyone inside the house, and my nearest neighbors. Alarms can't do that. Hercules works when there is a power failure, and if an intruder is dumb enough to enter my home, the intruder will have to survive the attack of a 150 pound carnivorous tornado.

Some alarm and security companies offer reimbursement if your home is burglarized, and if an intruder does infiltrate your perimeter, an alarm company representative should call you to verify your safety. Security companies also offer those cute little stickers that announce the presence of an alarm, so a burglar should pass your house and move onto the next one. But if an intruder approaches your home, and sees a sign that says "Beware of Dog," and notices your windows rattling from the sound of your giant dog barking, the intruder will leave the street, and possibly consider a career change.

Finally, your dog offers one other benefit that an alarm does not. If you are home alone, watching the game or a movie or your favorite soap, your dog will support every emotional expression you offer...and love you even more.

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