The phone rings. It is one of those home security companies who want to equip their home with the latest alarm system. He thanks them and tells them that he already has an effective system: on all fours.
Our dog Molly was without a doubt the most effective alarm system we have ever owned. She would bark at anything; the doorbell, people walking in the back lane, anything that moves in the yard. This was his territory and anything that appeared that was not part of the house caught his attention.
My brother-in-law, who is a cameraman, once needed to film a barking dog. Normally, when you want a dog to bark at the right time, it doesn’t happen. With Molly it wasn’t a problem. In fact, the biggest problem was stopping barking at the least thing. He barked when other family members came to visit, even though he had been around them hundreds of times. He was barking at the garbage truck. He would bark when he heard the mail being deposited in the mailbox. With that kind of record, anyone trying to get in wouldn’t stand a chance.
I was grateful to him for keeping an eye on the garden. We feed the birds, especially important in the winter months. Because we have a heated birdbath and multiple feeders, we have a lot of birds. Like it or not, cats are drawn to the garden. A black and white cat would sneak and hide under some bushes in hopes of catching an unsuspecting sparrow. Molly would sit by the kitchen window and watch these intruders. When she saw one, she would run furiously to the door to be let out. Once in the garden, he would run towards the intruder. I’m happy to say that he never caught one, but he chased them away, leaving the birds to feed in peace.
I would like to say that our dogs have always managed to keep intruders out of the house. It was not always true. When he lived in Vancouver, our West Highland Terrier was more of a friend than an enemy. We had several robberies, almost all of them searching and finding alcohol. We suspect it was the neighborhood kids who knew the dog anyway and also knew where the alcohol was kept, proving that one dog won’t solve everything. In many cases, however, a dog is just as good, better than, and almost certainly cheaper than a normal alarm system.
Whether you are looking for a dog or are a breeder with a dog for sale, Pet Match Park offers a friendly environment where customers and breeders can interact with each other one on one.