Protection Trained Dog or Handgun?

[Karl_K]

It doesn't matter to a large group of Americans that keeping a gun in the home creates more problems than it solves, but others may be interested in this article http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/01/defensive-gun-ownership-myth-114262.html?hp=m1#.VLqed8aqCMi

All of the non-political based studies have found just the opposite.
My study of one says that at least twice having a firearm prevented problems and potential attacks on me while no one has ever been hurt by my firearms.

 

[JulieN]

I have an ex-Marine friend. He keeps guns in the house. But he's more likely to have a package stolen off the doorstep than be burglarized. His house and cars are rigged with multiple surveillance cameras.

 

[Sunstorm]

I have two dogs and they definitely alarm me when anyone is around the house. I am not putting them out to get injured but two dogs always works great because it does deter people better, they know that it is harder to get rid of two dogs than one and the other will alert all other dogs in the neighborhood. I live out by a lake but this area is actually very safe because just about everyone has a dog, if one dog gets alarmed then the whole street goes off. I doubt that over here a person would really dare to hurt a dog, you never know, but if there is anything with my dogs, e.g., last night they got into a fight, the whole street was extremely loud with dogs barking. I also live in a highly patrolled area as there is a prison nearby and it actually makes it safer. Some people around me have worked at the prison and brought their security systems for their yards and houses from there. You can never know but this is what I do, I also booby trap my house at night. I do not love the idea of a gun as it is very easy for you to get shot and if you kill someone then it may be turned against you at court. If I had to choose a weapon I would choose something else but if your husband is very well trained, he will know what to do with it. You may not get to it fast enough though and you definitely do not want it to be accessible to the 9 year old. I would get a security system that is wired to alert the police if I was you. Then you can still have dogs but no, do not get a dog only for security reasons but if you want to have one as a pet.

 

[doberman]

My philosophy has always been that intruders are more likely to target the house without a doberman. And of course we have signs up as well advising to beware of the dog. My husband is a hunter with a wide range of guns but there is no way I would have had a gun within easy access when my kids were young. They're still all locked up. We live in extremely populated state but we are out in horse country so to speak. My dogs have always been my companions.

 

[AGBF]

My philosophy has always been that intruders are more likely to target the house without a doberman. And of course we have signs up as well advising to beware of the dog. My husband is a hunter with a wide range of guns but there is no way I would have had a gun within easy access when my kids were young. They're still all locked up. We live in extremely populated state but we are out in horse country so to speak. My dogs have always been my companions.

We have a Newfoundland who would never bite anyone, but we, also, have a "Beware of Dog" sign. It is up on the advice of my brother, who is an attorney. My daughter got into a dispute the year before last on Hallowe'en with a man whose little daughter had been run into by Griffin, who was loose in our yard. Some people let their dogs dress up and stay outside with the children on Hallowe'en, but I think Griffin is just too big. At any rate, we have stopped allowing children iside the fenced in front yard on Hallowe'en. (We put candy in or in front of our mailbox.) And we have a permanent "Beware of Dog" sign up in case anyone else gets bumped by Griffin at any time.

I would never count on him to deter crime, but I am sure that he would deter a casual burglar. Many delivery men won't even step into our yard. Big packages are often left far from the house.

AGBF

 

[Maria D]

My philosophy has always been that intruders are more likely to target the house without a doberman. And of course we have signs up as well advising to beware of the dog. My husband is a hunter with a wide range of guns but there is no way I would have had a gun within easy access when my kids were young. They're still all locked up. We live in extremely populated state but we are out in horse country so to speak. My dogs have always been my companions.

Have you ever seen the Richard Pryor bit about Dobermans as watchdogs? Something along the lines of, the dogs will let you in and show you where all the good stuff is, but just try to leave!

A dear friend of mine's father was the town dogcatcher and a dog lover. He would bring abandoned dobermans home because they were least likely to be adopted from the shelter, which wasn't no-kill. They would re-home many but always had quite a few; I recall as many as seven at one point. They lived on a large lot that could accommodate a lot of pets. They didn't even bother to lock their doors.

 

[KaeKae]

We do not have guns, nor do either of us wish to own one.

We have been advised by both local police officers and a friend who used to work in the home security business that a large, loud dog is the best deterrent to home break ins, as the bad guys would rather move on to another place than take the chance with a dog. So far, that seems to be working, I hope it continues to do so. (Though I cannot say she is protection trained, just crazy loud.)

Mishaps and tragedies can happened to either a responsible gun owner or a responsible dog owner. Nothing in life is truly 100% guaranteed. Hopefully, we all will make the best choices for our selves and our families.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I would also get a good alarm system on your house, and use it. We live in a very safe area, but we don't open our front door unless we know who it is. We have an intercom, and use it. I couldn't have a gun in the house because of my son who is brain injured. He is just too impulsive and crazy good at problem solving with one functioning hand. It would just be too dangerous (at least mentally for me) even if I secured it the best way possible.

I come from a family of police officers who raised German Shepherds. We have owned several. I would have one in a minute it our backyard was just a bit bigger, and we didn't have two doxies. I think you could have a well trained dog for protection for well less than 5K. You would just have to have a bigger participation in the training, which is a very good thing. The dog then becomes completely bonded to you alone and even more protective.

I think if you are concerned for the safety of your home, your best bet is a multi-pronged approach. Don't count on just one thing to be your protection, whether dog, gun or alarm. Have multiple things in place. You can never be sure what approach an intruder is going to take, you could be home, or you could be away. It's a better deterrent if you have multiple defenses such as an alarm and a great dog, plus general good security practices of good eye view to your house and security measures on your doors and windows.

 

[ckrickett]

I vote gun, My dad has guns and in several situations they have helped. We had someone try to break into our hotel room when I was little, he stayed up all night by the door after calling the hotel concierge. He wasn't holding the gun, but you could see it in his pocket. I don't remember if they tried again, but if they had gotten in we would have been ok (or at least they would have been deterred). Couldn't bring a dog to a hotel.

I am pro guns to a degree, I hear stories of school shootings and kids getting killed, but in my mind those weren't the guns fault, they were the fault of not locking your firearm correctly, or a bad guy wanting to do harm and using guns rather then something else.

If the OP does;t want to ever use a gun, having one her DH could use would still be an option, and I second the bear pepper spray, she should have that available to her as well. A dog would be a good alarm, but you may be better getting a rescue then a trained dog.


all in all it is what you and your DH are comfortable with, but I;d still go with a hand gun,
I do believe in education, and firearm safety!

 

[AGBF]

I think if you are concerned for the safety of your home, your best bet is a multi-pronged approach. Don't count on just one thing to be your protection, whether dog, gun or alarm. Have multiple things in place. You can never be sure what approach an intruder is going to take, you could be home, or you could be away. It's a better deterrent if you have multiple defenses such as an alarm and a great dog, plus general good security practices of good eye view to your house and security measures on your doors and windows.

I think this is by far the best response in the thread. In my case, I would not use a gun. In the past, when I lived in a big house in a rural suburb, I used an alarm system with which I was careful. (I mean, I turned it on!!!) And I had a huge, protective Labrador who was extremely vigilant-would bark at intruders when they were still very far away-unlike my current dog who sleeps while strangers step over him. Now that Wink (whose posts were also excellent) made me aware of its potential, I think I would add the bear spray I bought to carry when I walk the dog as a home protection tool to use in lieu of a gun.

Sorry...I am an American!!! I never realized it more than when I lived in France!!!

Deb/AGBF