what if you just don't know?

[Snowy Rivers]

JB

Absolutely perfect answer.

I recommend against doing house searches totally.

Snowy

 

[Mikhail Weiss]

...what to do if you are not sure whats going on.

Figure it out. Use your common sense. If that doesn't work for you, apply the following:

Be STLL (that's pronounced “still”).
Stop
Think
Look
Listen
Use your five senses, and your common sense, to figure out what's going on. If that means leaping immediately into action, that's what it means. If, however, it means interpreting shadows on the lawn to discern a cat out there, or listening to the snuffling and scratching of the dog wanting to go out, that's what it means, too. How do you know what to do? You think about it. You think on your feet, you think on the move, or you think while standing flat-footed or resting flat on your back. Above all, think.

Remember your ABCs.
Arm
Barricade
Call police.
If the situation is dire, do the above in the safest and most sensible order. Here's why:

Maintain your EDGE.
Execute
Don't
Get
Executed
It's easier to execute an ambush than it is to avoid getting executed in one. Make sure the bad guy walks into yours, not the other way around. What's the easiest way to do that? See those ABCs...

Two illustrative cases in point:

First

One of my former instructors was an LEO participating in an armed raid on a drug house. They knew the layout of the home, inside and out. He barged inside and was ambushed by a suspect armed with a rifle. The only thing that saved him was shooting faster than the other guy. In other words, he walked into an ambush and almost lost his life because the other guy had the edge. Had that other guy fired first, my instructor would likely be dead.

Lesson: Being ambushed puts you at a disadvantage. Being the first to connect with a shot may save your bacon.

Second

Local woman one night heard the dog barking like mad. She got out of bed and investigated to find a belligerent fellow trying to bash his way through the back door with patio furniture. She practiced her ABCs, arming herself with a shotgun and retreating to a defensible vantage point from which she could see the bad guy. She also called police and the dramatic 911 tapes were later replayed on the news. Here's why: she maintained her edge, blasting the bad guy when he finally broke inside.

Lesson: Figure out what's going on, act within reason, and act accordingly. You can be sensible while under duress. The above mnemonics may help you do so.

 

[lizziedog1]

Ditto on the dog.

An inside dog is moe useful.

 

[ghoster]

Impsssible to get past the dogs (inside and out) without getting made. That being said I have 8 kids scattered all over the house so when a strange niose happens I fully awaken myself and listen, someone moving around IS gonna make noise that I can hear and place. Then it's off to the can in my invissible mode (underwear and 45) I can slip through my entire house in the dark but have carefully placed nitelites to illuminate any hidie places. Because of my location I can expect police responce in 20-60 min. so venturing forth is my only option as I can't have all 8 kids close by and their protection IS my first prioriety. So my answer is a strange noise gets a careful look and a definate noise gets mom woke up and I go on a kid gathering trip. We do have a securty plan but due to logistics it involves spliting the family to both ends of the house, mom and the 3 little ones in our room and me with the other 5 at the other end of the house, this plan has me as the only one having to traverse the open areas of the house.

Did catch a "boyfriend-urgler" once (Yep, my little DARLING kept the dogs quiet), the kid litterly fainted when I sniffed and he turned to see a old guy in his drawers pointing a pistol at him from about 4 feet away.

Turned out to be a pretty good kid, brought his parents over the next day to apologize (thought his mom was going to kill him right there in my kitchen) and although my daughter has moved on to other prospects (boy will I be glad when that one gets married) he still comes over to go shooting with me, and man, is that kid POLITE when he is around.