What can you reach?

[BigDaddy]

Ok. If they can get past the flood lights on motion sensors, get past the locks and into the house i'll be impressed. If i hear a bump i'll be wearing a smile because i won't have to spend money on dog food this week. You see, her favorite food is $hit stained intruder. And that bump sound? That will be the dirt bag's head hitting the doorway as Maxine is dragging the SOB to her personal dining area. Just in case there are multiple intruders and one manages to get to the stairs, my 12yo daughter will be waiting by the door with her .22 (the one she keeps by her bed). The only time I get up is during a full assault. I don't sweat the small stuff.

[Rick]

In his study, The Efficacy of Home Security Measures, Dr. Timothy O'Shea found that owning a dog had little impact on a burglar's decision to enter a home. A finding further supported by earlier research (Buck, Hakim, & Rengert, 1993). His research made a surprising discovery that deadbolts were somewhat unimportant in detering a criminal. More important was the type of door the burglar was confronted with. He found that the type of locking mechanism was not nearly as important as the type of construction of the door. "A quality deadbolt lock set in a flimsy door, affixed to a weak frame is not a formidble barrier."

So unless ole Maxine is highly trained you might wake up to a click instead of a bump and you might be looking up the barrel of someone else's cannon. Just sayin'......

[BigDaddy]

In his study, The Efficacy of Home Security Measures, Dr. Timothy O'Shea found that owning a dog had little impact on a burglar's decision to enter a home. A finding further supported by earlier research (Buck, Hakim, & Rengert, 1993). His research made a surprising discovery that deadbolts were somewhat unimportant in detering a criminal. More important was the type of door the burglar was confronted with. He found that the type of locking mechanism was not nearly as important as the type of construction of the door. "A quality deadbolt lock set in a flimsy door, affixed to a weak frame is not a formidble barrier."

So unless ole Maxine is highly trained you might wake up to a click instead of a bump and you might be looking up the barrel of someone else's cannon. Just sayin'......

Obviously Dr O’Shea has not met the dog from hell. The seventh circle, to be exact. If the good doctor had included Maxine in his study he would be presenting his report with his esophagus in the belly of the beast.
I can’t respond to the “click” statement because I have not been presented with that situation…yet. But if I do, I will let you know how it turns out…as soon as I clean the brain matter off the ceiling.

[Rick]

............10-4!..............

[kyratshooter]

Across the river the SOP is to leave small balls of poisoned meat along the dogs walk path or throw it over the fence to them. Dogs usually last about a week in the rough neighborhoods.

When I was a kid being harassed by dogs on my paper route I would leave them antifreeze treats in a Dixie Cup by the curb.

The first time I ever wished I had a .45 instead of a 9mm was during a dog fight where I was the winner's prize. I found out why they put 13 shots in a Browning HP that day. It's cause you need 6 per dog and one extra.

Most of my education on "stopping power" of the various rounds was learned from close combat of the canine variety.

The experienced home invaders in the nearby city smash the door and shoot the dog immidiately. That usually trumatises the inhabitants who generally care more about the dog than they do each other. They are easier to handle while focused on the dead pet.

The news crews also tend to focus on the animal rather than the people. a murdered little old lady is a 30 second sound bite, a shot dog will get 5 minutes coverage and a $50,000 reward!

[y2k]

Why not carry it? Too lazy? A 1lb 9mm pocket auto goes as unnoticed as your cell phone, after a day of wearing one. There's no reason to ever be without it. People manage to lug around 20-30 lbs of extra fat all the time, and tolerate it clogging their blood vessels, even as they sleep, yet can't be bothered to ccw a 1 lb pistol.

[Wise Old Owl]

Wise Old Owl - There is a big difference in materials between an ASP or Monadnock baton and something like a Schrade baton. A big difference in price, too. Having said that, I don't think I'd like to have the force applied to any part of my body that you applied to that 4X4; padded or otherwise. You use whatever you have but your point of having something fail at the moment of need is a good one.

I looked at all three you mentioned and the Asp I bought was $40. and no it didn't last one practice. but my supplier hopefully will take care of it, as I am also rethinking the whole idea.

[Wise Old Owl]

In his study, The Efficacy of Home Security Measures, Dr. Timothy O'Shea found that owning a dog had little impact on a burglar's decision to enter a home. A finding further supported by earlier research (Buck, Hakim, & Rengert, 1993). His research made a surprising discovery that deadbolts were somewhat unimportant in detering a criminal. More important was the type of door the burglar was confronted with. He found that the type of locking mechanism was not nearly as important as the type of construction of the door. "A quality deadbolt lock set in a flimsy door, affixed to a weak frame is not a formidble barrier."

So unless ole Maxine is highly trained you might wake up to a click instead of a bump and you might be looking up the barrel of someone else's cannon. Just sayin'......

Not all burglars read or read Dr's findings.. Some are dumb and dumber. My personal experience last year in March, was he skipped my home. He hit almost all my nieghbors, some 15 homes in two hours. He skipped stepping onto my property because the video system never recorded him, he saw the dog bowl and "beware of dog" from the street, he skipped the other house with the german shepard. He did kick in every front door that wasn't deadbolted. He went straight to the bedroom took the guns from under the bed and the jewelry and cash that was left around. Skipping the TV's and other stuff. One house he stopped to make a sandwich and kick back. That's really bold in my book. He was caught on video camera at the end of the year with hundreds of burglaries under his belt, by an ADT digital video system when his truck and his face was recorded at one house. Otherwise he would still be out there.

[tacticalguy]

Glock 36 Sub-Compact .45 or a baseball bat.

[Rick]

The whole key to not being burglarized, in my opinion, is to make your house less attractive than your neighbors. Do that in whatever way you can. I think dogs are great alarms and a trained dog is a valuable asset. But someone that has experience with animals and wants in your house will do so and have no trouble out of the dog. Burglars have been known to take the dog, too!

I just hate to see folks so self assured that their dog will stop an intruder. It might and it might not. If you figure the dog is just an alarm then you won't get disappointed. If you expect the dog to be the first line of defense then I think the trust in the animal is woefully misplaced.

[kyratshooter]

I do not live in any fear of burglars doing me any harm. they come when no one is around. It is the home invader that is the real danger. They know you are home and come in intending to do you harm.

As far as attractiveness of a target goes, you would be amazed. The criminal eliment does not have the same preception you and I do. Totally different mind set. And the preference of young people to walking, talking, driving the ride and wearing the clothes of a dealer just reenforces their attitude.

There were peoiple I worked with that thought the only way most middle class people could live like they did was because they were dealing the really good drugs.

A clean mowed yard with a late model car in the drive means nothing to us but a hard working guy paying his bills. To getto trash it means a dealer with a good stash. kick down his door and take his stuff!

[Wise Old Owl]

Oh now I understand - yea thats why I also have an alarm system!

[glockcop]

No guns In my house. Big brother may be watching here. OK, for real, I got a Remy 870 tactical (loaded with a piggy back attached), Glock 22 (three loaded mags), Kahr MK9 (2 loaded mags), Smith 5 shot .38 (w/ spare speed loader), and a High Standard 22 LR derringer all in my master bedroom strategically placed. Everything else is locked away to stay out of the hands of felons that like to borrow other peoples stuff. I figure I have the "bump in the night" thing covered. My wife hates all the harware hanging around but I use this stuff on nearly a daily basis depending on what I'm doing and see no need to wear out the door hinges on my safe. I never leave guns in the car over night either.

Ooops, Forgot about the AR and 4 loaded mags under the love trampoline .

[Reverend Greg]

7.5 lbs of Dracula the guard dog!Oh,and I have one fist of Iron,the other of Steel...If the left one dont get you then the right one will.And the sharpened 38" broad sword leaning up against the bedroom wall.I don think too many people would stop to mess with a 6'03" 225lbs naked man runnig down the stairs at them with 3 feet of angry steel.All I have to do is hit you Once.
(G))

[Rick]

Never bring a knife to a gun fight.

[Chris]

With now 2 little ones at home. We have gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. All the bedrooms are on floor 2.

Both gates are noisy, and a little complicated to open. Every time we have a visitor we have to show them.

Now I imagine a burglar coming in in the night trying to get up stairs. He can know how to open the gate, in the dark, which is unlikely. He can try stepping over it, but it is on stairs, and 3 feet ish high. I can step the lower one barely, but I'm 6'5. Even I can't do the upper one since I'm standing one step lower than it at the top.

Chance are he'll trip, fall, try to knock them over, all of which makes a ton of noise. Even opening them normally is very noisy (they're both made of hollow metal tubes welded together, clang clang clang). Especially in the dark, especially if he is in a hurry. He could hurt himself on my stairs.

It isn't security, but it is a pretty good obstacle for reaching the second floor.

[Rick]

You might pick up a second story fire escape ladder. If the bad guys can't get up then you might have trouble getting down during a fire....or be trapped. I've got a set in our bedroom just in case.

[Chris]

We know how to operate the gates though. They're not hard to open (I have to open them dozens of times a day, one handed) they're just not obvious (child proof). Though I have thought about those ladders. Not too hard though since the fire dept is just a half mile away.

[LowKey]

A half mile? But how long can a fire burn unnoticed in an all-bad situation, and where is the nearest hydrant?

Has anyone seen the videos that fire alarms don't wake children?

[crashdive123]

......Has anyone seen the videos that fire alarms don't wake children?

I did see a news story on that a while back. Weren't they working on different sounds/voices for the alarm that would wake them quicker?