You crack me up!!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I think our home is pretty safe. We have a boxer who charges the door or gate barking and raising up and slamming his front paws down. The lab is barking and showing his pretty white teeth. The mutt doesn`t do anything but go to see who it is. A few times my parents have heard the pool-side gate opening and just sent the dogs out. They heard a few mexican swear words followed by the gate closing very quickly. There`s a big problem with hispanics stealing stuff while they work around here. I don`t think electronic home security systems are nearly as effective as 2 large dogs charging at you with their teeth out. And the dogs are okay with people when we`re around or we tell them it`s alright.

As has been pointed out before, a PPD dog is simply a barrier. Having a PPD dog will NOT guarantee one protection from another who is bound and determined to get into their property or to cause them harm. Then again, a gun also does NOT give its owner such a guarantee nor does a team of armed bodyguards. The reality is that, aside from the President, there probably isn’t really anyone that is safe from someone hell bent on killing them.

But that’s not the point for most of us Joe six-packs.

We want a family companion that can and will defend our property and us from some local crackhead looking for an easy score.

Look at all of the recent kidnappings, rapes and murders of young children who were taken from their own fricking bedrooms! I don’t believe any of them had a dog, let alone a PPD. If they had they would not have suffered that horrible tragedy, but someone else who did not have a dog would have been victimized instead. The reality is that the sick pervert who selected them very well may have passed on another child first because that child’s family has a big, loud, nasty looking dog.

I guarantee you this, I sleep better than those people on that other board that don’t believe in PPD’s. One day, sadly enough, they’ll get their education.

The concept of personal security should be addressed from a layered approach...a dog is OBVIOUSLY (to everyone but the author) a very important layer. Then...it behooves the homeowner to increase the hardness of his home and self, as a target. Given a choice, all criminals would prefer to delict with the least risk.

Excellent post, Andres. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Advice from someone that lives in a country with a higher crime level than most of us are use to is well worth listening to!

The article didn't tick me off at all, it was so stupid i laughed my a$$ off, AL

Being a hard target is the best bet.

Will has posted in the past (I think-if I got this wrong, Will-apologies in advance) that the dog's function is not to complete the protection cycle, or to be the only component of it. Situational awareness is tool #1. The dog's function enhances your SA, and keeps an attacker busy while you access and calculate your ballistic solution. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Besides, very few dogs (even/esp. good sport dogs) will be "civil" enough, and possess enough fight drive, to see through an attack on a specific individual in a real-life scenario.

"Ideal" hardness should be a multi factorial resultant of requirements, tolerance, ability and capacity. It's fairly common to see people inflating reality - being paranoid on one end and "life's a peach" on the other. Neither extreme will provide an adequate balance between quality of life and preparedness.

The article does have ONE (extrapolated by me) valid point...an improper dog, or a good one badly trained, or a good one, well trained but in the wrong hands, is festering grounds for major problems.

Hehe, I have an eclosed porch too, Don't ya just love when that happens?

"Besides, very few dogs (even/esp. good sport dogs) will be "civil" enough, and possess enough fight drive, to see through an attack on a specific individual in a real-life scenario."

This is an interesting comment, my male dog completely unlike my female, not an aggressive bone in his body, worked with my father at all of his stores before he retired. Buddy is a Staffy Bull (large for his breed) and would be behind the counter with him, he on many occasions has assisted in keeping my father safe. I don't doubt for a minute that he would zero in and follow through on any threat to my kids, and many of his breed as well.....I don't know about sport dogs, but my experience with the Staff breeds is they have tons and tons of heart....your thoughts?