Home security: Tips on keeping a guard dog

Although it may be a deterrent to crime, no amount of gating or patrolling can stop a determined thief. Therefore, one needs additional home security systems to secure the safety and protection of their property and life.

Peter Kiberu, a resident of Lwadda A, in Wakiso district says thieves have attempted to break into his house on several occasions. To protect himself, he got two guard dogs.

“Ever since I got the dogs, thieves have never come back. Dogs are good animals to have because of their in-born qualities like intelligence, obedience, aggressiveness, friendliness to children and ability to be trained,” he says.

Getting the right dog

Petride Mudoola, who owns different dog breeds, says dogs are the most popular domestic animals, which offer security and companionship.

She notes that much as many would like to have dogs, a few can afford good breeds like the German shepherds.

Breeding dogs is not an easy task. It calls for care and dedication. One has to have good knowledge about the dog and how it can help them.

When choosing a dog, Mudoola says, you have to know the type because some serve better as guards than companions.

“Dogs are a good source of security and they are trainable, so it only requires a few hours of one’s time and the only commitment is to feed them well,” she adds.

Compared to security guards (askaris), who are sometimes compromised and become accomplices of thieves, dogs are loyal.

Mudoola says their level of commitment to serve their masters knows no bounds, which means in case of a robbery, dogs will bark and attack with dedication.

She notes that the fact that they can differentiate smells in concentrations nearly 100 million times lower than humans, is a good trait because they can discern an intruder’s scent before he attacks.

Shaggy, A White Belgian Shepherd Relaxes Shortly After A Walk. Photo By Petride Mudoola

Challenges

• Mudoola says dogs need special care and just like human beings, they should be vaccinated and de-wormed regularly.
  
  
• They also need to feed regularly, at least once every day. “On average, a dog consumes about 50kg of food every week,” he says.
  
  
• Training can also be challenging, especially if it is not done in time.
  
  
• “The dogs undergo specialised training for six months, from when they are three months old,” Mudoola adds.
  
  

General tips

• Mudoola says it is important to name a dog when it is still young so that it gets accustomed to its name.
  
  
• “If you are bitten by a dog, you have to wash the wound immediately with medicated soap and apply iodine so as to kill the bacteria that may affect the wound. Thereafter, you should go to a nearby hospital for proper medication.”