There are all sorts of dogs which make good watch dogs or guard dogs, but are they as reliable as a home alarm system?  Some say yes and others say no.

          First, it is important that we distinguish the difference between a watch dog and guard dog.  A watch dog often acts as an alert, barking to warn the homeowner of an approaching stranger.  A guard dog has the physical capability to stop a thief and guard the owner and his property.  Out of a group of dog trainers the top three guard dogs are a bullmastiff, doberman pinscher, and rotweiler.  The top watch dogs are a rotweiler, german shepard, and scottish terrier.  (A chihuahua ranks 8th and poodle ranks 10th.)

          Whether you opt for a watch dog or guard dog it is certain that having a dog is a benefit to your home security, but what about when you are not home?  Who is a barking dog going to warn?  And if a thief is casing your house, he is sure to come up with a way to entice or hurt your dog.  That’s where a home alarm system comes in.  A home alarm system does not stop working when you leave the house, granted you arm it!  Having a home alarm system reduces your chances by three times that your house will not be burglarized compared to if it were unarmed.  Can you say the same for a dog?

          Second, an alarm system can go beyond door and window sensors, it can have contact pads under carpeting and is likely to have motion sensor lights outside the home.  In addition an alarm system can be instructed to call a monitoring agency, police, or a homeowner in the event the alarm is triggered.  Can a dog do that?

          Finally, having a dog does not mean a discount on your homeowners insurance, while alarm systems do.  A home alarm system, even do-it-yourself ones, can result up to a 20% discount off your insurance.   In the end, while there are many benefits to having a dog, the benefits of a home alarm system are greater.