What makes dogs a good security solution ?
Background
Nobody knows exactly the exact origin of the relationship between humans and dogs. Historians and archaeologists believe that as early as 14,000 years ago humans began treating canines as members of the family (tribe).
It is believed that early wild canines, being scavengers by nature, gravitated towards human settlements in order to benefit from the easy source of food provided by waste disposed of around the edges of camp-sites of primitive hunting tribes. The ancestors of today's dogs learned that by visiting human habitations, they could get food without all the exertion involved in actual hunting. A study of some primitive tribes living in the South Pacific indicates that on islands where people keep dogs, settlements tend to be more permanent. This is considered an outcome of the 'waste-disposal' function performed by the animals resulting in villages not having to be frequently relocated in order to escape their rotting garbage.
Some anthropologists believe that as these early 'dogs' were encouraged and the began to adopt human settlements as their own territory, they began to provide the additional service of an early warning system, sounding the alarm at the approach of large dangerous animals or members of other tribes with hostile intentions. This animal alarm system provided the human guards a more relaxed lifestyle.
Easily observed is the fact that dogs have an ability to feel and display affection as well as persistent loyalty and goodwill, they seldom complain, forgive us our failings and provide a source of companionship. Hence the old adage 'dog is man's best friend'
To this day, a dog will consider a home its territory and have a natural tendency to alert the family to the approach of strangers or, warn them of the arrival of people with malicious or hostile intentions.
Dogs tend to be team players that will naturally follow a social hierarchy and accept humans into their pack. Anyone who has spent time watching a trained guard dog, police dog or guide dog, could not doubt their reasoning ability, and coupled with a tendency to be industrious it is in their nature to try to please their pack-mates.
Security dogs
Dogs that make good protection dogs are of a sufficient size and stature to instil doubt in a potential perpetrator's mind before they commit a crime. The visual deterrent is is almost as valuable as the dog's physical prowess and agility. In general, the working dog breeds or traditional 'livestock protectors' make the best protection dogs, although this is not always the case. Having a dog protection trained adds an element of owner control in a naturally protective animal.
Compound guard dogs tend to be highly territorial and defensive. They are primarily use to protect business premises and construction sites or a restricted area and prevent unauthorised entry. Generally working in pairs, a well matched male and female represent a formidable psychological deterrent and will defend their territory with serious intent. They do not require the same level of obedience training as a patrol or protection dog as they work independently of a handler.
A good protection dog is not an aggressive or vicious animal, it is simply trained to use its natural protective instinct in response to a command from its handler or a communication that there is an imminent threat. A well trained dog is a conscientious, professional team member and is also an alert and courageous protector. A properly trained dog will not attack without a command from its handler and can be called off when it is time to stop, if necessary before a bite.
Other uses of security dogs include:-
Search of property
A dog searches a building or an open area by trying to locate any human scent in that area. A dog can search or patrol an area faster, safer and more accurately than a patrol-man. Recent studies reveal that a single guard and dog team is able to complete a building search up to seven times faster that four patrol officers, and that the dog team will find a suspect in more than 90% of cases as compared with 60% in the case of the patrol officers.
Locating evidence and stolen property
When a person handles an object and then discards it, that person's scent remains on the object for a period of time. Using its sense of smell, the dog will often locate discarded stolen property and evidence left by an intruder when searching an area, even after the intruder has been apprehended.
Links:
NSW Animal Welfare Code of Practice No 9 - Security Dogs
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/animal-welfare/codes/general/aw-code-9
