A dog is seen as a loyal, lifelong companion for the majority of dog owners. However, for other people, a dog’s main function is to protect the home and/or the things that are most important to them. It doesn’t have to be a Rottweiler to do this! The loudest bark may come from the tiniest of our four-legged pals, and it may be all the encouragement a housebreaker needs to go elsewhere.

However, there are some other animal who may step in to safeguard our belongings and loved ones if you’re not a dog-lover.

Donkeys

Yes, the lovely, fuzzy animals that were formerly seen giving youngsters beach rides, competing in donkey derbies, and befriending and calming temperamental racehorses? Don’t be deceived. Donkeys feel nervous around strangers and are very territorial, depending on their amazing hearing to detect intruders or predators while guarding sheep and other farm animals. Do you know what a donkey bray sounds like? Then you’ll realise that it’s not only exceedingly obnoxious but also rather noisy and that they’re capable of giving unwelcome visitors a stinging kick. It’ll even mow your lawn for you for free.

Geese

Geese are fiercely territorial birds that produce a terrifying ruckus if they feel threatened making them ideal “guard dogs”. They also have amazing hearing and, like most birds, razor-sharp vision, making them more adept at identifying unwanted visitors than even canines.

They will also generally charge fiercely towards the point of danger and offer a severe nip, which may not be as dangerous as a bull mastiff’s bite but is usually enough to scare off would-be thieves.

While most people are accustomed to dogs, seeing a honking goose in full flight inspires dread of the unfamiliar-and once irritated, they’re difficult to calm down.

It’s better to have a guard goose while they’re young, and they’re most suited to rural locations where they are less likely to annoy semi-detached neighbours in a cul-de-sac.

Snakes

Snakes, on the other hand, don’t create a lot of noise. Snakes hunt quietly, which is part of their appeal. Would a thief enter your house if your front gate had a “beware of the snake” warning on it? Most likely not. Even if your snake isn’t poisonous, thieves won’t know this and like most people are terrified of snakes so will avoid them at all costs.

Parrots

Parrots may be good guard pets in two ways: they can make a lot of noise when disturbed, and when threatened, they can be violently protective of their owners. Even moving a cage is likely to make a bird noisy and create the potential for a burglar to be heard.

Crocodiles

Crocodiles have been employed to defend large houses and palaces in Africa and Asia for many years. Crocs are often reared from a young age and encouraged to be territorial by their owners, who keep them in moats surrounding their properties or at the entrance. Their ferocity poses a menace not just to intruders but also to their owners as over-breeding and escapes can create serious risk. Perhaps not such a great choice for a bungalow in Bearsden though.

Pets need protection too…

Animals can be used to protect your property but perhaps in the 21st. century, it’s better to rely on modern technology and install a home security system to protect your pets and your home from thieves, plus you don’t need to take an alarm for a walk or clean up after it either…

We all love our pets and leaving them at home when we go to work always used to leave us with a dilemma. Leave the alarm on and risk annoying the neighbours with false alarms caused by our fur babies or switch the system off and leave our pets and home unprotected. Thanks to the modern pet friendly alarm systems fitted by Ultimate Alarms in Glasgow and throughout central Scotland you no longer have to face this choice. Call us today to protect your home and your pets.