I have no problem at all with folks getting a dog as a pet. If it happens to be a good watch dog which will alert you in time to wake up and be better prepared all the better. Some folks though expect their pet dog to be a guard dog which is a major step up from a watch dog.
My comments were to the statement:
Local media interviewed a US marshal subsequently. His recommendation for home security-not a gun, not an alarm: a dog. Most bad guys just avoid places with dogs in them, and even if no one breaks in, you have a dog.
No gun, no alarm, just a dog. The US marshal was advocating letting the dog do all the heavy lifting and that's a lot of responsibility for a "pet".
Police K-9's go for about $5K as an untrained youngster with good bloodlines. Check out the pricetag on a Schutzhund qualified German Shepherd. The same breeder will sell you a "pet quality" dog from the same litter for less money, but don't expect the same drives and nerve as the dog that LE buys.
Folks who want a dog as a "pet" could go nuts with a high energy GSD looking for something to do. They need constant exercise and training. If you want a pet you may as well go for the pet quality dog to start with and get a gun to back him up. Taking it a step further, what if the first thing a bad guy does after breaking into your home is shoot the dog in front of him that's making all the noise? If all you have is the dog you are out of options.
I like dogs, but all I want the dog to do is wake me up and then stay out of the way. I do not want Rin Tin Tin getting in my line of fire. If a bad guy avoids my home altogether because of the dog all the better, but I'm not going to rely on that single animal to do all the work.
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