We keep our dogs inside at night because unfortunately, too many animals are poisoned by criminals - once the dog is dead or incapacitated, the criminals move in. With our dogs inside, they're safe and they bark like crazy when something is amiss. They both spend almost all day in the office with me but if someone walks past the house, they're out like a shot and barking letting the world know they're 'on duty'.
We have an alarm and beams in the garden but I mostly forget to turn it on - Farside goes nuts with me. I've slept with our doors wide open, not just unlocked, and the one set of doors are concertina/folding doors that open up the legnth of the lounge - I often fall asleep with these wide open in the summer. And we've never had an issue. Both my neighbours, with solid 10ft walls, electric fences, CCTV, beams, dogs etc have been burgled numerous times - during the day, early evening, middle of the night - and we seem to be left alone. Maybe our house doesn't look as posh as theirs?? OR could it be that we have a open palisade fence and very good lighting in the garden and perimeter so we make any attempt at breaking in too visible? Criminals don't like visibility.
I do a 'safety' course for my clients when they bring expats into SA and the one thing we know works is excellent lighting on a property, palisade fencing instead of solid 10ft brick walls (again it's visibility), security doors and windows and my favourite, a couple of trained 'Fido's".
What can we say
