In praise of little barky dogs

[regal]

I bought my daughter three small dogs over the years: a dachshund, a dachshund x terrier, and a dachshund x chihuahua.

I'm divorced now and live alone with these dogs. They aren't necessarily a man's type dog but I'll take them over your average lab or shepard. They act like a mini-wolf pack and can literally hear the UPS man walking up the drive 50 ft away from the house. There is no way anyone could sneak up on my home. I have an underground electronic shock fence so the dogs can exit thru the doggy door and patrol the perimeter of the house.

As far as tactics in these troubled times I highly recommend everyone keep a a few small alarm dogs. They are almost as good of an alarm as ginuea fowl.

 

[Grizfire]

Ha Ha.

Funny post, and so true. Nothin' beats a pack of nervous dogs for an alarm.

And they totally don't need batteries

 

[sm]

regal,

Good post and thanks for sharing.

<chuckle> with apologies to Clint Smith...

It ain't the dawg you got, instead knowing how to run the dawg you have.

No matter what dawg you have, you still have to keep it fed...

*could not resist*

 

[indiandave]

A survey of people in jail for B&E said any dog barking in a house made them try to find easier pickings. your dogs are doing a good job.

 

[JWarren]

Two Jack Russell females here.


I gotta agree. I like my hyper, yippie, aware little pups.


Their job isn't to defend my home (but don't tell them that.) It is just to wake ME up. They do that well.



-- John

 

[Kleanbore]

Good source of information for selecting (gun)man's best friend....


http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/a-z.htm

 

[Avenger]

And if all else fails, you can throw the dog at the bad guy. The thought of getting an angry pekingese to the face.....

 

[Carl Levitian]

Small dogs are great!

Our welsh corgi has radar ears, nothing makes it past her hearing. Bad guy steps on a leaf 50 yards out in the backyard on a stormy night, she's at alert.

A single nieghbor lady has a cairn terrior, and its one heck of a watch dog.

All I really need is for the dog to alert me, then I grab the Smith and Wesson and I'll take care of things.

 

[scythefwd]

It's why I like my dutch hound / chihuahua mix. I also have a cattle dog mix that will set the alarm. If that doesn't act a a deterrent, then 85 lb american bull dog/ american staffordshire terrier mix does with a very deep growl and bark and very visible 1 inch teeth. If he doesn't deter someone, then I will have to shoot cause they are on some sort of drugs

 

[xsquidgator]

+1

We have little dogs too. You just have to be careful because they sow landmines all over the yard too.

 

[ROAshooter]

Rat Terrier.....does not know he is a small dog....just ask the kid who was trying to steal the lawnmower out of my backyard....torn his low rider pants to shreds....kid could not run......the cops laughed their asses off......said I had a "good" dog

 

[icebones]

"The thought of getting an angry pekingese to the face....."
hell thats a classic. im never gonna stop laughing at that one.

i left a yorkshire terrier and a bullmastif with my wife back home (with my small arsenal too) the yorkie stays inside and the bullmastiff has its patroll of the yard. he can squeeze through the doggie door if he really wants too. i remember one night he got stuck halfway and made one helluva racket. he about tore the door off trying to get loose.

true that bullmastiffs were breed to protect game keepers from poachers, but i have very rarely heard mine bark, the yorkie on the other hand goes completely apeshi* when he hears some one coming up the driveway. he also seems to be the pack leader whenever we let him outside. its really funny too. a 5 1/2lb yorkie "bossing around" a 127 lb bullmastiff. napolean complex and small dog syndrome in one hyperactive package. kinda why i call him "our little fur-coated-razorblade"

great post. good times. makes me miss home...

 

[Browns Fan]

Little yappers are awesome! I got a longhair dachshund and a pit poodle... do I have to tell you which one is the dominant one?

 

[louie19]

+1 for little watch dogs. They're the ultimate alarm system I think, especially since you can keep them indoors where BGs can't poison them or otherwise harm them. Even better if they have a nice loud and low bark.

I like to pet mine and tell him "good dog" after he hears someone and barks at them to alert me. That way he knows he's doing a good job.

 

[poco loco]

Fox Terriers + a few other assorted big and small

from 5 to 85 lbs. And a couple flocks of geese. If they get past the geese the dogs pick them up outside and inside. And with 5 inside, I don't sleep through their racket.

Here on the border, a good set of alarm dogs is a major +++

 

[xstuntman]

My golden retriever's darn good at barking and it's a deep, big doggie bark. And if they did bust in they'd probably break their neck on the randomly roaming hairballs in the kitchen too. Mike

 

[rondog]

We have two female Beagles that I love to death, but I can't say that I've ever heard them bark "on alert". They'll bark at other dogs they see or hear, but I can't say as they've ever went nuts at people. Nobody's ever come to the door when we're asleep though. If we're awake, the girls assume other people at the door are here to give them lovin'. I can't wait to hear them "go off" in the middle of the night, just so I know they will.

 

[Bush Pilot]

I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of my poodle's wrath, 9 lbs of sheer terror for the wrong person.

 

[KimKommando]

I have a Shepherd and a lab mix. They have both learned that if they get up on the porch and stand up on their hind legs they can look over the 6 ft fence and have taken to barking at anyone passing the house. While it may seem annoying, they never miss anything. There have been a few shady characters that they have "alarmed" at. Glad to have them barking, even if it does get a little ridiculous at times (the neighbor's small dog on the other side of the fence sends my Shep into FITS).

 

[Big Bill]

Here are my alarm dogs... Kitty and Louie! They work together like a charm!!!

 

[Claude Clay]

......ask any thief who has tripped over a sleeping black lab in the dark which they prefer

 

[Bobarino]

when i asked my girlfriend to move in with me, along came a little Jerk Russell Terrier (no, that's not a misspelling). it's as dumb as a box of hammers, has enough energy to power most third world countries and alerts when someone she doesn't know is a block away, in a car, through our windows and walls, and i swear, a half hour before they get there. that's the only redeeming feature i can find in this otherwise worthless ball of toy chasing fur, but its like having a perimeter alarm! so i guess i guess she can stay. besides, this is the first SO i've ever had that went shooting with me and loved it. especially the AR.

Bobby

 

[sm]

Geese.

Did you folks catch this very valuable piece of information above?

poco loco wrote:
And a couple flocks of geese. If they get past the geese the dogs pick them up outside and inside.

Wild ducks that choose to stay with you will do this as well. So will the white ducks you see in neighborhoods, and golf courses.

Still a Goose will flat hurt you!
So if you live in semi rural, or rural, areas, and can have geese, get them.
Dead serous, whether you have dawgs or not.

They will signal trouble, and you will know trouble is nigh.

 

[regal]

Guinea fowl beat geese as alarms, they let off such a shrill loud piercing attack that no man could proceed without earplugs.

 

[GrandMoffBrandon]

I’ve heard guinea fowl mentioned several times as watch animals. I’m not sure if my small city allows them but I have seen other farm animals and a turkey kept within city limits by people. If they’re allowed in my area, I might get some but I have one question, would my army of cats that live outside be a problem? I mean, is it wise to have cats and guinea fowl in close proximity, more or less occupying the same area?