We’ve previously talked about what you should consider before getting a guard dog for your home.
But were you aware that there’s a camp of thought that uses the illusion of dog ownership as a home burglary deterrent?
The theory is that if it appears that you own a dog — without actually having a canine companion — would-be thieves will skip your house based on fear of attack alone. Whether or not this is a plausible form of home security is valid or simply anecdotal, we have some ideas on how to make it appear Fido has your back.
To make it appear that you have Snoopy snooping around your home, you’re going to need all the trappings that come with dog ownership. Minimally, that could be a set of feeding bowls clearly displayed on your front or back porch, but the more items you have, the more convincing the story.
Items to consider are a dog house, dog toys, a crate, and “Beware of Dog” or “In Case of Fire Please Rescue Dog” signs, among many others. While this can be quite the financial investment, if you’re considering getting a dog in the future it could be a smart move to stock up slowly on the essentials. However, if you never have the drive to add a furry family member, perhaps your money would be better spent on other home security devices, or could benefit your local animal shelter where plenty of dogs would love your sponsorship.
Personally, we think that any burglar worth their salt who stakes out your place long enough will notice the lack of dog-centric activity, such as barking, walking, or any actual visual confirmation of a four-legged friend on or around your property. And after a few years, wear and tear from the elements on your dog paraphernalia would only further illustrate the lack of use of the items, as well as harbor the potential to house less-than-desirable curious critters instead of man’s best friend. On the other hand, we know a couple of people who swear by this tactic and have been “successfully” implementing it for quite some time.
What do you think — would you pretend to have a dog as a form of home security? Let us know your take in the comments below!
Photo: Flickr.com/paulk
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