Why do so many people think they need personal protection dogs? - Page 2

Because anyone at any time may be on the 6 o'clock news making the statement, "He was such a good neighbor. I'm in shock".

 Keith, with all due respect, you're a guy. ;-)  Your view of the world is considerably different than, say, a woman in a high-crime city, someone w/an ex with an ax to grind, etc. You can walk down the street at night and not really be extra concerned about your physical safety.  

Now, I don't feel like everyone's out to attack me, and I'm often griped at for not locking my doors, but honestly, the way I look at it, if they want in, they're coming in, as last time I locked my door, it was simply broken right out of the doorframe, he came in, and nearly killed me. So, it's just easier not to lock them, then whenever someone tries to kill me, at least I don't have to have minor construction done to my walls and door after the fact. I mean, doors aren't cheap nowadays, and with my attitude......................... LOL  

This is why I initially got into protection training, but I am about as laid-back and anti-paranoia as a person can get, but that's just my personality. I cannot judge or fault someone for taking an experience like mine and going the other direction with it. 

Then, there are the people who don't need a dog, they just think they do. Many just want a warning- a dog to notice things awry that maybe a person wouldn't. I think the term PPD is way overused, and most people simply want an intimidating pet to deter someone who might try something...as you said, most crimes are crimes of opportunity, and I totally agree with you. In closing, I think most of your question about why so many people "need" dogs is based on misuse of the term. JMO

EDIT- wow, a lot of people posted while I was typing, and I agree w/all of them, esp. SSG. I do think women have to look at people a lot differently than men, Keith, for the very reason you are asking why we need them....opportunity. A woman alone in a forest preserve is much more likely to be a victim of opportunity that you are. Not that you aren't beautiful. 

Off the top of my head I can think of several people that I know personally who have  had something bad happen to them in which case having a protection trained dog would have prevented the incident or crime.  I also know someone who had a protection trained dog that actually did help them in a life threatening situation. 

Like I said....you absolutely MUST know what your dog will or will not do before relying on that dog as any part of a security system. "I know he will protect me" is not something you want to find out is true or not when something actually does happen. Just having a dog can deter some but dont count on it. People are stupid. I was even told about someone who claimed, "If a dog tries to bite me I will just hit it in the nose and it will run away"!  Yeah I want to watch that one....hell.. Ill even supply the dog. ;)

I agree with Jenni78 as well as some others.
I purchased my "Ando" because my Husband worked at the local detention center which was only one mile away.  As he had been threatened several times, I felt it necessary for my safety to purchase such a dog.  With that said, I had had many years of experience handling dogs, not of Ando's caliber, but everyone has to learn new things at some point.  With a great dog, great training/trainer, and I being trainable, everything worked out.  I'm glad I never needed Ando's natural and trained ability but I knew that he'd be there "for real" if I needed him to be.  He had deterred people who I didn't trust.
PPD are not for everyone and there are many PPDs out there that wouldn't make it in the real life situation. 
I feel that most dogs, even if untrained, will protect its owner out of natural instinct.

Ditto   More clients nowdays for PPD  with one in particular, letter in hand from PD recommending she get a dog.  We cannot measure how many potential crimes have not been committed because dogs were in place.  Sad isn't it?  And the dog is a lot nicer to have around than the handgun and likely safer in my opinion.

Nancy Rhynard

www.westwoodkennels.com

I think you're all missing my point.  I never asked why anyone might need a dog but most any large dog will bark and/or serve as a deterrent regardless of whether or not that dog has protection training. 

Well Keith, they say people are just getting ruder everyday. People must be pissing the wrong people off in record numbers. 

Have you seen the world we live in today?

I had a friend a few yrs back, who had her 2 pitbulls stollen out of her backyard, while she was out of town. If the scarriest dog on  the news can be stolen, what does that say?

I believe in layers of protection. Just any dog isn't going to cut it anymore. They need to be naturally territorial/protective or have some protection training. I also own guns and know how to use them. I have a plan for home invasions. My car doors automaticly lock when I am driving. I carry a knife in my purse. I always have my cell phone on me, when out walking and my dog when I can. You need to be cognizant of what is going on around you at all times, especially so in bad areas, or areas you are not familiar with.

Not having a plan is the worst thing you can do. If you walk around confident in your abilities, people wont mess with you. They move on to an easier target.

Just having a dog that barks at everything isn't going to work. Soon enough you quit looking for what is bothering the dog and your neighbors try to tune it out, if they haven't already called AC on you.

i would rather have a well trained  gsd ppd and never need it than need it and not have one. but the owner also need to be trained to deal with the liability and to command the dog properly

 I am a physically small woman whose husband works out of town, so most nights it's just me and the dogs.  I also like to run and hike.  I take a lot of precautions about my personal safety.  That said, I don't want anything more than a visual deterrent and a loud bark because where I live, the bad guys tend to have guns.  Anybody stupid enough to come into a house with barking GSDs, or to attack a woman running with GSDS, is more than likely going to have a gun and just shoot my dogs anyway.  If you live in a place like the U.S. where guns are cheap and easy to come by legally or illegally, I really don't get the logic of expecting your dog to engage an intruder.  

Therefore I have barking GSDs who I've taught to get out of the line of fire, a very nice purpose-built home defense shotgun, and a carry pistol.