My Dog is BETTER THAN Any Early Warning System. (Does Your Dog do a Good Job of Guarding Your Home?)

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	Does Your Dog do a Good Job of Guarding Your Home?
Date:	13/03/09 (86 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cute little dog who never misses a thing.

Disadvantages: Barking can get on your nerves.

I have to tell you that my little dog called Molly is a better watch dog than if I had all of Essex police surrounding my house and a personal body guard inside. She is only 6kgs and a Shih Tzu, but her piercing bark together with her ears which hear sounds a mile away, make her the best alarm and early warning system on the planet.

Shih Tzus were born to watch its what they do, so if you are looking for a watch dog but don't want a guard dog breed like an Alsatian then I would say consider getting one as they make you feel very safe, even though in reality they would not be strong enough to fend off any attacker at all.

This is why I must clarify that in my opinion there are excellent guard dog breeds who really are able to physically guard you i.e. the intruder is scared of being hurt, and there are watch dogs who let you know someone or something is out there, and these are where my little princess shines!

Shih Tzus are brilliant as they are sociable, playful, lively and affectionate little dogs but the downside is they so have grooming needs which must be attended too. They don't need much exercise though but are notoriously difficult to train being highly intelligent and rather stubborn. However where they excel is that they will be on lookout for hours, and rarely bother about whether it is their shift or not!

The word Shih Tzu actually means little lion and this is essentially what they are. Even when asleep or looking asleep they are actually listening out! The origin of the ancestors of these dogs begins in Tibet over 1500 years ago when they would act as lookouts. I sometimes think she has x-ray eyes as she sees through walls, and is constantly making sure we are secure. She is like having the most sophisticated radar!

An important point about these little dogs though is that they are not happy being left alone so it is really cruel to have one if you are at work all day, part time is fine but all day is cruel, and the rescue centres will not allow you to adopt one otherwise.

Molly is the nicest dog in the world but her barking borders on annoying if she gets into one of those super sensitive moods. We have to have a special outside post box as she eats post! She hears things miles off and so nothing passes her sight. Although a gentle dog like any other I would never trust her with a stranger who was lurking outside, though not a guard dog she could nip the leg of an unsuspecting postman- you can never be 100% sure.

These dogs make wonderful companions and certainly make you feel safe. A barking dog may deter some intruders as they may not know the breed of dog. It can also give you a headache on the days when it becomes incessant. I have actually had delivery drivers laughing as the noise she makes has terrified them, and they can't believe the teddy bear face which greets them when I open the door (in my arms for their safety just in case!)

The best time we have is when we take her to our cottage in The Outer Hebrides. She never barks there at all as we have no passing neighbours or cars until the last day when we are waiting in line in the car to board the ferry at Lochboisdale in South Uist. The poor ticket inspector gets a taste of her barking which we sometimes get shocked by as she loses all will to use it when we are at the cottage. It can be piercing and certainly means he collects the tickets quickly and moves on!

At home I never miss a delivery or a caller because I am on red alert all day with her. It's a great joy and although certainly not a real deterrent in terms of being fierce or threatening she does provide our family with an early warning- its just sometimes she has her trip switch too loosely wired!

Summary: Peace of mind from a cute little dog.