Gun signs on front door: deterrent or target?

I don't think signs, beyond the typical ADT or Brinks security decals, are a good idea. But if I did have a sign, it would present this simple message, with no graphics:

"Think again: Are you sure this house is undefended?"

Have you ever heard a Mastif bark? How about 2? I don't post any signs, my dogs say it all. The Mastif is one of the most protective dogs I have ever seen. They are loyal to their family, they drool a lot and appear to sleep a lot and make a wonderful house dog till they want to sit on your lap.

I put my stickers on the inside of my safe door. If the thief has got my guns and on his merry way. Then I have a back up plan, my insurance policy.

Several years ago Browning was telling new buyers not to put the Browning sticker on their vehicle, it draws thieves.

srtolly said:

Have you ever heard a Mastif bark? How about 2? I don't post any signs, my dogs say it all. The Mastif is one of the most protective dogs I have ever seen. They are loyal to their family, they drool a lot and appear to sleep a lot and make a wonderful house dog till they want to sit on your lap.

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I have had many delivery jobs and have gotten very good at "reading" a dog. I have seen many BEWARE OF DOG signs at houses that don't have dogs or that I can talk or pet the dog and turn it into a love puppy. Most the time I don't give dogs another thought, especially Mastiffs. I find mastiffs to be the most loving and tolerant dogs out there, although many people would get quite scared of a dog bigger than they are charging across a yard to greet them. Now I know that any dog can be trained, but I have never seen a Mastiff with a mean bone in its body.
In other words those than think a dog is a deterrent, why can your delivery guy leave packages on your porch? A criminal is much more determined to get in your house than FedEx is to drop a package off, and he managed to get around your dog somehow.

mrvco said:

LOL.. I haven't seen that, sounds awesome. I was kicking around the idea of trying that with some of my neighbors who had 00'bama signs in their yard. I posted it to my Facebook account and played it straight... A lot of people weren't sure whether I was serious or not, but no one thought it was a good idea

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Here's the link to that video of them trying to give away gun free zone signs. They act like they are really against guns to try to convince these journalist they aren't just screwing around with them. Many of these journalist had armed guards at their residences, even though they came out against the armed citizen in their newspaper. Just a bunch of hypocrites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt1Zy_ASNyA

i am required by my land lord to have a "Beware of dog" sign, because i have a pitbull. i really dont like that fact, as i do feel it makes me more noticed, and feel its prejudice against my breed, when other residents are not required to, and my dog would not hurt a fly, but i digress. i have no gun signs, no stickers, no notice of any kind that i do, or do not have firearms. a few of my neighbors and i did not see eye to eye on the whole firearms thing, and to make a statement to me, 4 of them put signs saying their homes were gun free, and subsequently were broken into, only those 4 town homes, none of the others. and since guns are very valuable to thieves and criminals, it would more than likely cause more problems having a sign. and to the one posted how he hasnt been broken into in 20 years, i highly doubt the sign had anything to do with it. the right (or rather wrong) people have not viewed it.

and just a tip, as a rule, i never leave anything in my truck that has any worth. i want the most expensive thing a thieve would find to be the glass he shattered. i do not have any stickers on my truck that refer to firearms. although there is a Hooker Headers, and BRODIX heads sticker there. which i have sometimes worried might make it a target for being stolen, but so far, it hasnt gone anywhere.

No signs on my house or vehicals. I would preffer the crooks to be suprised rather than prepared.

never ever.

Deer_Freak said:

I put my stickers on the inside of my safe door. If the thief has got my guns and on his merry way. Then I have a back up plan, my insurance policy.

Several years ago Browning was telling new buyers not to put the Browning sticker on their vehicle, it draws thieves.

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I put the tiny (2") Magpul skull & crossbones on the rear window - looks cool but that's the extent of it for me...

4season said:

I have had many delivery jobs and have gotten very good at "reading" a dog. I have seen many BEWARE OF DOG signs at houses that don't have dogs or that I can talk or pet the dog and turn it into a love puppy. Most the time I don't give dogs another thought, especially Mastiffs. I find mastiffs to be the most loving and tolerant dogs out there, although many people would get quite scared of a dog bigger than they are charging across a yard to greet them. Now I know that any dog can be trained, but I have never seen a Mastiff with a mean bone in its body.
In other words those than think a dog is a deterrent, why can your delivery guy leave packages on your porch? A criminal is much more determined to get in your house than FedEx is to drop a package off, and he managed to get around your dog somehow.

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Don't be fooled - the dog (especially a "sweet but protective" one like a mastiff) knows when you're a threat/when its master feels uneasy…especially the females. You're likely a decent guy/no real threat as a delivery person and know how to approach a dog based on your experience.

But you're right, there are a few ways to get around a dog, it's the noise/attention it draws that is likely the real deterrent. An alarm works pretty well too, especially one that's monitored. And to all that put that ADT sticker or sign up, you just told a "real" thief which alarm you have...

My sign says:

"I have two Pitbulls and a shotgun. Are you really sure about this?"

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reminds me of good old George Carlin...

Armed Pitbull with AIDS Onboard

Akita1 said:

Don't be fooled - the dog (especially a "sweet but protective" one like a mastiff) knows when you're a threat/when its master feels uneasy…especially the females. You're likely a decent guy/no real threat as a delivery person and know how to approach a dog based on your experience.

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agreed. my pitbull would never hurt a fly, but one evening a friend of mine stopped by with someone i had never met, which made my wife uneasy, and as a result.. set my pitbull off.

I think we've about covered the waterfront on this one...