A dog is certainly a valuable companion for many reasons, but many people don’t realize how their beloved family pet could actually be helping to protect their home. In addition to installing a professional home security system, having a dog is one of the most effective ways to ward off unexpected intruders.

To most peoples’ surprise, it is not necessary to get your family a guard dog or a watch dog to get some canine protection. All breeds of dogs have extremely keen instincts and senses that can help warn a family if a potential burglar is near. Certainly, however, there are some breeds that are better guard dogs and watch dogs than others, and it is important to determine what type of dog best fits your family’s needs. A guard dog is a particular type of dog that has been trained to “protect its pack,” and is typically more aggressive than other breeds. Guard dogs require intensive training in order to teach them to establish between good and bad strangers. Watch dogs come in a range of breeds and sizes and are efficient home protectors because of their bark. Even if your dog’s bark is bigger than his bite, the noise of barking is enough to warn a burglar that people might be home and to steer clear. A dog’s barking can also draw your neighbors’ attention and lead to them alerting the police about an intruder when you are away.

Whether your family has a specially trained guard dog, watch dog, or just the average family dog, it is important to observe your dog’s behavior so you will know when they are telling you something is not right. Monitor the way your dog behaves around people it does not know. What does its bark sound like? What position are his ears in? Over time, you will know when your four-legged burglar alarm is telling you its time to contact the police.