I live in a ground-floor council flat in the UK, and I’m restricted from installing many security features like outward-facing cameras, outdoor lights, Ring doorbells, and alarms. The only security measure I have is a large Akita dog. Is having a dog like this effective as a deterrent? Do burglars generally consider the presence of a dog when targeting a property?
It really depends on whether your dog cares if there are burglars on the property.
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Think it also depends on if the burglar is familiar with dogs. Unless you train your dog to attack chances are it won’t if the person knows how to approach a dog.
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There was a show a long time ago on discovery called It Takes A Thief where some families would sign up, and then these guys would try to break in. This one family went on about how confident they were of their dogs defending the house. Dude breaks in, dogs are a little confused but apprehensive. He then walks to the fridge and opens all the lunch meat, and drops it on the ground in front of the dogs. They were his best friends after that and just kinda followed him around the house.
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I totally forgot about that show, but it was pretty awesome
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A well-trained dog can be a significant deterrent to intruders, while a typical companion or house pet might not be as effective. It’s important to balance having a protective but not overly aggressive dog so that visitors can come to your home without fear. This balance can be achieved with proper training. While all dogs have a natural instinct to guard their home, even an untrained Yorkshire Terrier of mine once alerted me to someone near my motorcycle and might have prevented theft. To ensure your dog effectively guards you, training is essential. If done correctly, you’ll have both a strong deterrent and a friendly companion who gets along well with your guests.
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Even small dogs that bark a lot can be an effective deterrent. The noise from a barking dog can draw attention during a crime, which is something an intruder would want to avoid. If a burglar is evaluating several homes, they might choose to skip one with a dog in favor of a quieter, more appealing target.
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Generally, yes. However, I know of a case where two people were going into neighbor’s apartments to steal things. Part of their preparation was getting to know the dogs. They’d be super friendly with the dogs when they saw them in the elevator so that the dogs would be comfortable when they came into the apartment to steal .
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Akitas are naturally extremely protective. Very few people would want to fuck around and find out with an Akita.
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It’s reasonable to say that an Akita behind a door is a strong deterrent. Additionally, as mentioned in the comments, many dogs won’t attack unless trained to do so. However, an Akita is among the few breeds that would likely confront and attack intruders if necessary. I really admire that breed; I once saw one get run over, and it didn’t even seem to faze the dog. It simply stood up and walked home calmly, without any signs of distress or injury. They are truly impressive dogs.
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I have two American Akitas, each weighing over 100 pounds, and about half of our deliveries end up being left on the driveway because the dogs hang out just inside the security door. Their barking and size deter delivery people from coming any closer. They are also very protective of us and our home so much that we need to keep them leashed to us when we have workers in the house. They act as our first line of defense, barking before our cameras even detect anyone on the property, giving us time to prepare and often scaring off anyone with harmful intentions (and even some who aren’t, haha).
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